STR to Appeal Liuzzi's Penalty

By Andrew Cutler
October 1 2007

Several news sources are reporting that Scuderia Toro Rosso has offically appealed the FIA's twenty-five second penalty, assessed to driver Vitantonio Liuzzi after yesterday's Japanese GP. The penalty had the effect of demoting Liuzzi from eighth spot in the finishing order back to ninth spot.

The one spot demotion is the difference between STR and Spyker - whose driver Adrian Sutil was the beneficiary of the penalty - scoring their first Constructor's Championship points for the 2007 season. Liuzzi was penalized after Spyker lodged a complaint with the FIA that he had passed Sutil under yellow flag conditions, thus violating the Sporting Regulations. In their review of the matter, the FIA agreed with Spyker. STR's appeal will be based on what they claim is evidence that the information Spyker presented to the FIA was flawed.   

As neither team has shown themselves particularly capable of achieving points-paying finishes to this late point in the season, this may well prove to be the only such point that either team recieves. Being able to finish ahead of the other team in the final championship order is not only good for 'bragging rights', it is good for the bottom line. It is potentialy worth an extra 2 million GBP in commerical subsidies from Formula One management, as well as travel subsidies and certian other 'perks'.