BREAKING: Italian GP Result Could Change After Audi’s FIA Appeal… See Details

The result of Sunday’s F1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza is in jeopardy after Audi confirmed they will appeal.

The German team is protesting the FIA’s decision not to penalise Racing Bulls star Yuki Tsunoda during Sunday’s race. He eventually finished 10th to take the final championship point on offer — just ahead of Audi pair Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg.

Formation Lap Controversy

The controversy began on the formation lap just before the start of the race at Monza when Tsunoda, taking part in just his second F1 race this season, was heading towards the 15th-place grid slot.

However, the Japanese star was instead due to line up 14th, a mistake he noticed at the final moment when he quickly veered to the correct grid slot.

Fortunately for Tsunoda, he was able to get his car correctly into place within the correct parameters required, albeit lining up at an awkward angle to the pitwall.

Tsunoda Avoids Monza Penalty

Race director Rui Marques, though, saw Tsunoda’s unusual positioning and decided to start another formation lap.

Tsunoda was investigated for a breach of Article B5.9.4 of the sporting regulations, which reads:

“Any driver who caused an extra formation lap, and is then able to start the, or any subsequent, extra formation lap must enter the Pit Lane at the end of the lap and must start the TTCS from the end of the Pit Lane.”

The Racing Bulls driver, though, did not do this and instead took up his grid spot as usual.

But the stewards accepted Racing Bulls’ arguments that Tsunoda was correctly placed in his grid slot and therefore was at no reason to cause a false start, given the 26-year-old’s actions also didn’t affect any other driver.

Audi Challenge FIA Ruling

Audi, though, disagree, and in a statement after the race said it had “raised a concern regarding the application of Article B5.9.4” before making their intention to appeal known.

That opened a 96-hour window for the team to officially submit that appeal, which they have now done.

A team statement read:

“Following the Italian Grand Prix, the team raised a concern regarding the application of Article B5.9.4, which requires a driver who causes an extra formation lap to enter the pit lane and resume the race from there.

“We can confirm that an appeal has been submitted within the 96-hour window mandated by the regulations. As the matter is now subject to the FIA appeal process, we will not comment further at this stage.”

Failure to comply with pitting after causing an additional formation lap usually results in a stop/go penalty, and given the race has finished such punishment would be converted to a 30-second penalty, if Audi’s appeal was to be successful.

Should Tsunoda be handed a 30-second penalty, it would drop him down to 15th and promote Bortoleto into the final place in the points.