Formula One: Hakkinen keeps Austria points; McLaren Penalized, Fined by FIA
26 July 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
INDIANAPOLIS-Mika Hakkinen has been allowed to retain his victory in the recent Austrian Grand Prix, but the West McLaren-Mercedes team has lost the Constructors points it gained from that win and was fined $50,000 for technical infringements.
That was the decision of the Stewards of the Meeting of the Austrian Grand Prix after a hearing July 25 in London.
An official FIA seal was missing from the Electronics Control Unit (ECU) on Hakkinens car after he won the Austrian Grand Prix on July 16. The FIAs Technical Delegate reported that that the absence of this one seal from the ECU could not have resulted in the team or their supplier being able to alter the configuration of the unit in order to run unapproved software.
While the cars ECU had not been tampered with, the car still did not comply with the rule, according to a statement released by the FIA.
"Having heard the submissions and explanations of the (teams) Managing Director and the explanations of the FIA Software Analysts" the statement said, "the Stewards find that the Team was not able to comply with article 8.2.7 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations.
"As it is the duty of the Team to ensure that their car complies with the conditions of eligibility and safety throughout practice and the race (Article 7 of the 2000 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations), the Stewards of the Meeting impose a fine of US$50,000 on the Team and because of the exceptional circumstances of this case only deduct the points awarded to car number 1 in the Constructors Championship."
The Drivers Championship points stand as they were after the Austrian Grand Prix with Michael Schumacher leading with 56 points followed by David Coulthard with 50 and Hakkinen with 48. By losing the 10 points for Hakkinen s win, however, the West McLaren-Mercedes team now has 88 points in the Constructors Championship and trails Ferrari, which has 92.
The West McLaren-Mercedes team has the right to appeal.
The last time the FIA withdrew constructors points but not drivers points was after the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix when officials found fuel irregularities in the Williams-Renault and Benetton-Renault cars.
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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