WEC, Ferrari: appeal for Spa events rejected | FP

By Carlo Platella
A few days before the penultimate round of the World Championship, the verdict confirming the outcome of the third championship race arrives. At Spa Ferrari were firmly in the lead with both 499Ps of the Belgian marathon, only to see the probable double vanish due to the unfortunate timing of the red flag and the controversial decision of the race director to resume the race. The episode had unleashed protests from the Cavallino, of which now the definitive response has arrived.

The story

At Spa, everything started with the violent accident on the Kemmel less than two hours from the checkered flag, forcing the race direction to neutralize the race. With the 6 hours now almost up, the first two positions now seem to be the prerogative of the Maranello Reds, but Commissioners opt to extend the duration of the eventrecovering the approximately 100 minutes lost during the neutralization. Ferrari thus saw an almost certain one-two finish slip away, given that with the unfortunate timing of the red flag, the 499Ps had to return to the pits shortly after the race resumed, handing over first place to the Porsche Jota of Callum Ilott and Will Stevens.

The aftermath

In the immediate post-race Ferrari officially protests against the stewards’ decision #71 to restart the race and with it against the provisional classification. The subsequent decision #80 rejects the protest to the sender, on the basis of article 13.2.1 of the FIA ​​International Sporting Code according to which the stewards’ decisions are not contestable. At that point, Cavallino filed an appeal against this last decision, on which the International Court of Appeal expressed its opinion on Monday 9 September, confirming the actions of the race management.

The International Court itself, however, leaves the door is open to a new counter-appealconsidering it admissible. We are now waiting for Maranello’s reaction, although it seems difficult that the affair could end with a different outcome. Something that Ferrari itself was probably already aware of, preferring however to proceed through legal channels to leave no stone unturned, as well as to express its opposition.