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Pirelli believes it can't be sanctioned

Pirelli claims it can't be held accountable for any rule breach © Getty Images

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Pirelli believes it can't be sanctioned by the FIA as part of the tyre testing scandal being investigated at the International Tribunal.

Following evidence from the FIA and Mercedes, Pirelli appeared before the tribunal after the lunch break and immediately outlined its belief that as it is not an FIA license holder it is not subject to FIA sanction.

Pirelli's argument is based on proceedings during the Crashgate scandal when the team principals were not license holders and as a result the World Motor Sport Council's [WMSC] punishment was overturned by a French court.

The tyre manufacturer says that as far as its contract states, the FIA does not have the authority over Pirelli to sanction it, claiming that the authority of the international sporting code does not supersede Pirelli's contract.

Pirelli also said the first it had heard about in-season testing authority coming from the FIA was during the morning developments at the tribunal and that it had never been told to talk to the WMSC.

Continuing its defence, Pirelli reiterated that it did not ask Mercedes for a 2013 car in order to carry out the test. It also claimed that it can't be questioned that it gave all of the teams the chance to test, citing an email from March 2012 which mentioned 1000km of track testing and read "if this is something your team would be interested in pursuing, please let us know; we will arrange the track and support". Teams were also invited to send observers to all independent tests.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.