- Austrian GP
FIA agrees to reinvestigate Perez/Massa clash
The investigation into the crash between Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa in Canada will be reopened at the Austrian Grand Prix in order to hear evidence from Perez.
Perez was given a five-place grid penalty for his part in the accident on the last lap of the Canadian Grand Prix, but was unable to give evidence at the time as he was in hospital. His Force India team asked that "new elements" be considered ahead of this weekend's race and the stewards of the Austrian Grand Prix will meet at 16:00 to consider Perez's verbal testimony.
"Having received a request for a review of the stewards' decision in Document 44 of June 8, 2014, and having been designated by the FIA to determine this matter, the stewards of the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix heard from team representatives and the driver of Car 11 [Sergio Perez]," and FIA statement read.
"The team submitted that it was unaware when summonsed to the original hearing that its driver was potentially to be charged with causing a collision and that because it had been unable to communicate with the driver after the collision, as the driver was in hospital, they attended the hearing without input from the driver as to the cause of the incident.
"Further the team submitted that it had now had the opportunity to speak with the driver on the circumstances leading to the incident under review and had been able to consider the relevant telemetry. The team requested that these new elements, namely the verbal testimony of its driver and the relevant telemetry be considered, and the decision in Document 44 be reviewed.
"Having considered the mater, in accordance with Article 13.10.2, we exercise our discretion and determine that new element(s) exist and therefore a hearing to consider the relevance and merit of the new element(s) will be convened at 1600, June 20, 2014, pursuant to Article 13.10.1."
Reopening the hearing means the five-place penalty could be revoked, changed or upheld ahead of this weekend's qualifying on Saturday. The FIA stressed, however, that the review does not set a precedent for all stewards' decisions in the future.
"We note for the record that these are exceptional circumstances, namely where the driver was taken to hospital and unable to communicate with his team or attend the hearing, and this determination is not to be considered a precedent."
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