Aston Martin are to appeal Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification from the Hungarian Grand Prix after the German was stripped of his second-place finish in Budapest.
Vettel was handed the blow following a fuel infringement after Sunday’s chaotic race at the Hungaroring, but if Aston Martin are successful with their appeal, it means Lewis Hamilton’s advantage over Max Verstappen could be cut to just six points, rather than eight.
The final result meant that the seven-time world champion was promoted to second, with Carlos Sainz Jnr completing the top three, adding precious points in the championship battle.
Yet in a statement, Aston Martin said: “After Sebastian Vettel’s drive to second place on the road in the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday August 1st, he was disqualified from the results when a 1.0-litre sample of fuel was not able to be taken from his car after the race (a requirement as set out in the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations).
“There was and is no suggestion that Vettel’s Aston Martin car benefited from a performance advantage from the alleged regulatory breach, or that it was deliberate.
JUST IN:
Nico Rosberg highlights Red Bull’s conundrum to partner Max Verstappen
“Since the team’s data indicated that there was more than 1.0 litre of fuel in the car after the race – 1.74 litres according to the data – the team immediately reserved its right to appeal, and has requested a right of review alongside the appeal procedure, as a result of having discovered significant new evidence relevant to the sanction which was unavailable to it at the time of the FIA stewards’ decision.”
Vettel was stripped of his second-place finish after race officials were unable to take a 1.0-litre fuel sample from his car, with regulations stating that drivers must be able to provide at least that figure at any point during proceedings.
Aston Martin and Vettel though only had 0.3 litres of fuel.
An official FIA document read: “The stewards heard from the team representative. After the race, it was not possible to take 1.0-litre sample of fuel from car 5.
DON’T MISS:
Lewis Hamilton ‘to come back stronger’ after summer break
Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes ‘chapter over’ with future undecided
Lewis Hamilton Mercedes making Red Bull look like ‘bad guys’
