Haas appeal Grosjean’s Italian GP disqualification

Haas have notified the FIA of their decision to appeal Romain Grosjean’s disqualification despite motorsport’s governing body saying Haas knowingly raced an illegal floor.

Grosjean took thechequered flag in sixth place at Monzaon Sunday, helping Haas leapfrog Renault for fourth in the championship.

Soon after, though,Renault lodged a protestover the legality of the Haas’ floor.

Haas were disqualifiedfor breaching article 3.7.1 d of the Technical Regulations, which focuses on the radius of the leading corners of the floor’s reference plane.

The article states “the surface formed by all parts lying on the reference plane must have a 50mm radius ( /-2mm) on each front corner when viewed from directly beneath the car, this being applied after the surface has been defined.”

According to theFIAHaas were well aware that their floor did not meet the legal requirements.

The American team responded to a technical directive issued in July, discussing the FIA’s ruling that competitors had until “Monza to comply” with head of single-seater technical matters Nikolas Tombazis.

The team told him an email: “Given the forthcoming summer break, we will endeavor to introduce this upgrade for the Singapore GP, but will be somewhat at the mercy of our suppliers so we would request some flexibility in this matter.”

Tombazis told Haas’ head of aerodynamics Ben Agathangelou that while he understood their issue, the car had to be compliant by Monza.

It wasn’t.

Haas, though, have notified the FIA of their intention to appeal.

Team principal Guenther Steiner said in a statement: “We do not agree with the Stewards’ decision to penalise our race team and we feel strongly that our sixth-place finish in the Italian Grand Prix should stand. We are appealing the Stewards’ decision.”

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