F1: Williams to appeal Massa exclusion

Williams is appealing Felipe Massa's exclusion from Formula 1's Brazilian Grand Prix because it has three independent sensors that prove his tire temperatures were within the prescribed limits.

As per the regulations, the tire temperatures on a number of cars were taken after the five-minute signal prior to the start of the race. The right-rear on Massa's Williams was measured at 137 degrees centigrade, 27 degrees above the maximum limit set by Pirelli, while the corresponding tire pressure was 0.1psi above the minimum.

As a result, the FIA chose to exclude Massa, who had crossed the line eighth in his home race, from the results but Williams has appealed.

"The notice of appeal that we will make is based around the fact we have three independent temperature readings and all of them say how we are within the limits set by Pirelli and the prescriptions for this event," said Williams performance chief Rob Smedley. "They explained to us that this is the reference measurement because it is the FIA measurement so this is the one that counts. The other three we have are of less consequence."

Smedley said the data from the team's independent sensor, one of which he says is exactly the same as the one the FIA uses, show the temperature to be significantly lower than the FIA's reading.

"If you read the document, the right rear tire of car 19, Massa, on the FIA IR Gun read 137 degrees. We have two independent sensors, the first one is the PT1000 which sits inside the tire blanket and tells us what the surface temperature is and that one was always in compliance with the regulations.

"The last time we could read it, when they took the set off to the grid, it was about 104 degrees. The next independent measure we have is from the car data, this is a completely independent measure and the right rear tire of Massa's car was 105.7C.

"So we have two independent sensors which both say we were in compliance with the regulations and we have data to back that up. In addition, we have had independent correlation from our blanket temperature sensors and car temperature sensors to the FIA guns, which Pirelli did for us after all the fuss with Mercedes in Italy.

"We have also bought exactly the same sensor that the FIA uses and we do random checks throughout the weekend to make sure this does not happen. For us it's quite critical for us that we understand where his problem is.

"We have three independent temperature measures and none of them give anything like the measure the FIA took on the grid."

When asked if the tire pressure reading should have been higher if the FIA's alleged tire temperature is correct, Smedley said: "Yeah, it should be. If it was 27C higher, we would see that. You're probably talking around two and a half to three psi higher. But the bleed the engineer did on the grid was entirely normal."

Originally on Autosport.com