Force India have asked the FIA to investigate Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne after finding evidence to suggest he didn’t serve his full five-second penalty at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The Frenchman was handed two five-second stop and go penalties in Singapore, but went on to finish a career-best sixth regardless.
Article 16.4c of the Sporting Regulations says a car “may not be worked on until the car has been stationary for at least five seconds.”
However according to Force India, Vergne was stationary for just 4.4 seconds before his mechanics began working on his car.
Force India’s chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer has therefore asked the FIA to review the case “in light of new evidence,” which is permitted under Article 13.10.
Szafnauer believes the FIA should add an additional five seconds on to his time – a penalty which would prove valuable for Force India as it would promote Sergio Perez to sixth and an additional two points.
