The Aston Martin Formula 1 team has committed to appealing Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification from the Hungarian Grand Prix and has petitioned for a right to review as well.
Vettel finished behind shock winner Esteban Ocon at the Hungaroring but was disqualified after Aston Martin failed to provide a sufficient fuel sample using the correct procedure.
He stopped the car on-track after the flag and the FIA was only able to take a 0.3-litre sample post-race, instead of the mandated 1.0-litre sample.
The stewards said Aston Martin was given “several opportunities” to remove the required amount of fuel but only 0.3 litres could be pumped out.
Team principal Otmar Szafnauer told the stewards “that there must be 1.44 litres left in the tank” in addition to the 0.3 litres extracted based on Aston Martin’s calculations but as that fuel could not be extracted, Vettel’s car was found in breach of the technical regulations.
The stewards noted that “it shall be no defence to claim that no performance advantage was obtained”.
The FIA technical department sealed and impounded Vettel’s entire car while Aston Martin used the 96-hour window allowed to decide whether to commit to the appeal – which it has now done.
A statement from Aston Martin said it “has requested a right of review alongside the appeal procedure, as a result of having discovered significant new evidence relevant to the sanction which was unavailable to it at the time of the FIA stewards’ decision”.
The review process exists separately to the appeal process. It has a 14-day window and can be used to reopen a case if the competitor can provide sufficient evidence.
Red Bull unsuccessfully tried to trigger it over what it felt was an inadequate penalty for Lewis Hamilton’s role in Max Verstappen’s British GP crash.
In addition to impacting the second podium of Aston Martin’s first F1 season since its major rebrand, the outcome of the appeal and review bid will have a significant impact on the championship standings.
Provisionally, Lewis Hamilton has been promoted to second place in Hungary and Carlos Sainz into the top three.
Fernando Alonso moved up to fourth ahead of Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, Nicholas Latifi, George Russell, Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen, who inherited a point.
The revised results dropped Aston Martin back behind AlphaTauri in the constructors’ championship and moved Ferrari level with McLaren in third.
Williams also gained a valuable three points on Alfa Romeo despite Raikkonen’s elevation into the top 10.
And on the drivers’ side, Hamilton’s championship lead increased by two points to eight.
