Ferrari could appeal against the result of Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix and alter the outcome of this year’s drivers’ world championship.
According to an article on the BBC Sport website, the Scuderia are “evaluating footage” which appears to show Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel overtaking a rival on a part of the circuit where yellow caution lights are being shown. Vettel finished sixth in Sunday’s season-finale at Interlagos, enough to see him end the year three points ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and with it claim his third drivers’ title in succession.
Were Ferrari to successfully appeal, governing body the FIA would have the power to add 20 seconds to Vettel’s race time, a punishment which would drop the German to eighth place and lose him sufficient world championship points to instead hand the title to Alonso.
The footage in question shows Vettel passing two points on the circuit where yellow flashing lights are clearly visible – indicating that drivers must not overtake.
Vettel is seen to pass the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne while still negotiating this part of the circuit, completing the move yards before he passes a green flashing light, which signals the all-clear.
According to the FIA’s regulations, the governing body has until November 30 to investigate any incidents “likely to have an effect on the result of a championship”, so Vettel and Red Bull can expect to learn their fate in the coming days.
