In Formula E nothing is certain until the official FIA checks are completed after the race. Even the first stage in Misano is not free from twists after the race, because Antonio Felix da Costa was disqualified due to a technical infringement which deprived him of the victory achieved in the afternoon.
The technical stewards in fact found an infringement linked to the spring that manages the accelerator pedal, handing the stage victory to Oliver Rowland, originally second under the checkered flag.
An FIA statement reads: “At post-race technical checks the throttle damper spring fitted to car 13 during the race was found not to comply with one of the three optional items declared in the GEN3 Spark catalogue.
“The team manager and the manufacturer's representative explained that since the beginning of season 9 they have not changed the spring that manages the accelerator pedal. The team manager accepted that the sealed part, as shown in the annex to Technical Report 13 , was mounted on car 13 and sealed in the presence of the team's chief mechanic.
Trying to give an explanation to the reasons that led to the exclusion of Da Costa, the Porsche team manager declared that in the Spark list, a company that supplies various elements, including the chassis and accessory parts, the sealed part was not is listed. According to the Team manager, in fact, normally the changes to the Spark catalog regarding the usable elements are highlighted so that everyone can realize the changes made, but not any removals, making the verification process more complicated for the teams.
A version actually confirmed by the FIA technical delegate itself and by Spark, who confirmed that it was a part that was actually present in the catalog of Gen 2 single-seaters, but not on those of Gen 3.
“The FIA Technical Delegate has confirmed this procedure. Spark representatives confirmed that this part was listed in the parts list of the Gen2 cars, but not on the list of the Gen3 cars. Spark representatives also confirmed that the removal of parts from that catalog is not highlighted or deleted.”
The team manager and the manufacturer's representative explained that they have not changed the spring since the beginning of season 9, the first of Gen 3, but this was not enough to convince the commissioners.
Da Costa thus loses his first success of the season which, as admitted by the Portuguese driver himself, had come at the right time, given that in recent weeks he has been at the center of market rumors regarding his possible farewell to Porsche at the end of the season.
#Misano #Costa #disqualified #victory #Rowland
