Ferrari drops appeal, explores right of review

Ferrari has confirmed it has withdrawn its appeal of Sebastian Vettel’s penalty in the Canadian Grand Prix but is exploring other options.

Vettel was handed a five-second time penalty for the way he rejoined the track after making a mistake under pressure from Lewis Hamilton, squeezing the Mercedes toward the wall and being found to have “rejoined unsafely and forced another car off track.”

Although he still crossed the line first, the penalty meant Vettel was relegated behind Hamilton in the final standings, with Ferrari lodging its intention to appeal immediately after the race. The team had 96 hours to then decide if it will follow through with the appeal, but has opted against doing so.

“We have withdrawn our intention to appeal and we are evaluating the right of review,” a Ferrari spokeswoman confirmed on Friday morning.

Article 13.10 of the FIA International Sporting Code allows Ferrari to seek a review of the stewards’ actions in Canada, as long as the team can provide a new element that has since been discovered.

If Ferrari is able to do so, the same stewards from the Canadian Grand Prix -- or other stewards designated by the FIA if the original stewards are unavailable -- “must meet on a date agreed amongst themselves, summoning the party or parties concerned to hear any relevant explanations and to judge in the light of the facts and elements brought before them.”