MONZA, Italy : Audi intend to appeal a Formula One stewards’ decision that left the team outside the points at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix after Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda finished 10th.
Tsunoda, standing in for Racing Bulls, was allowed to continue without sanction after his positioning on the grid at a race restart triggered an extra formation lap.
An Audi spokesman said the team had lodged an intention to appeal and that the matter was now subject to the FIA appeal process.
A driver who causes an extra formation lap would normally be required to start from the pit lane and face a mandatory stop-and-go penalty if they failed to do so.
Tsunoda continued as normal and received no penalty. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto finished 11th, with teammate Nico Hulkenberg 12th.
The stewards confirmed after the race that Tsunoda’s positioning had triggered the extra formation lap.
“Car 22 approached the grid initially heading for the left hand side of the grid, then realising he was headed for the wrong grid position, the driver changed direction and positioned his car in the correct grid box and in the correct position within the grid box,” the stewards said.
Race director Rui Marques said he had decided to abort the start based on the car’s behaviour as it approached its grid position.
Racing Bulls, however, argued that neither the team nor Tsunoda had been told they were responsible for the decision.
The stewards noted that the team had cited previous instances in which extra formation laps were triggered by external circumstances, such as the position of a photographer.
“In this case, no message was sent to the team or the driver, advising them that they were the cause of the extra formation lap,” the stewards said.
They added that Marques had “acted in good faith and out of an abundance of caution.”
