BAR handed two-race ban
BAR have been banned for two races after being found guilty of deliberately breaking Formula One rules.
The Honda-powered team were called to appear before world governing body the FIA’s International Court of Appeal yesterday to answer charges they raced an underweight car in the San Marino Grand Prix.
Today they handed down their verdict, stripping Jenson Button and Takuma Sato of their points from Imola and banning the team for the next two races.
That means they will miss this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix as well as the Monaco Grand Prix in two weeks time. A further six-month ban has been suspended for a year.
Button’s car was examined after the Englishman finished third at Imola and found to have a secondary fuel tank, which when drained left the BAR under the minimum weight limit.
He was confirmed in third place but the FIA appealed that stewards’ decision and the case was heard yesterday in Paris.
Today the four-judge panel delivered their verdict, finding against BAR and accepting FIA calls for the team to be fined and banned.
