Renault F1 withdraws appeal against Racing Point verdict
Renault has announced it has withdrawn its appeal against the penalty Racing Point received in Formula 1's controversial brake duct 'copying' saga.
Racing Point was docked 15 constructors' championship points and fined €400,000 for breaching F1's design regulations after protests into the legality of its RP20 car were lodged by Renault at the Styrian, Hungarian and British Grands Prix.
The Silverstone-based outfit has been permitted to continue to use the brake duct design in question for the remainder of the season, a decision which prompted an angry response from rival teams who felt the penalty was too lenient.
Renault, along with Ferrari, initially signalled an intent to appeal the FIA stewards verdict, but it has made a U-Turn on the eve of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, citing its satisfaction at the "concrete progress in safeguarding the originality in the sport by the way of amendments to the sporting and technical regulations" from 2021 onwards, and signing of the new Concorde Agreement.
"Renault DP World F1 Team confirms that it has requested to withdraw the appeals lodged against the stewards’ decisions in relation to BWT Racing Point F1 Team’s brake ducts," the team said in statement.
"Beyond the decisions, the matters at issue were vital to the integrity of Formula One, both during the current season and in the future. However, intensive and constructive work between the FIA, Renault DP World F1 Team and all Formula One stakeholders has led to concrete progress in safeguarding the originality in the sport by way of amendments to the Sporting and Technical Regulations planned for the 2021 racing season, confirming the requirements to qualify as a Constructor.
"Reaching this strategic objective, in the context of the new Concorde Agreement, was our priority. The controversy of the start of this season should be put behind us, as we need to focus on the remainder of an intense and unique Championship."
Renault's decision to withdraw leaves Ferrari and Racing Point themselves as the sole remaining teams protesting the decision.
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