SEAT and Tarquini appeal partially upheld

The FIA International Court of Appeal have confirmed the drive through penalty awarded against Gabriele Tarquini at the last round of the series in Mexico, but there was still some respite for the Italian, as the grid penalty awarded against him was annulled.

SEAT had filed a protest against the stewards decision at Puebla penalised Tarquini following an incident with BMW driver Jörg Müller.

The pair came together on lap six as they exited the north banking whilst fighting for second position, with Müller spinning down to 13th position, while the SEAT driver recovered to finish in eight position.

Stewards adjudged Tarquini to have caused an avoidable incident, imposing a 30-second penalty after the race and a ten-place grid penalty that would remain suspended for the next three events.

The International Court in Paris upheld the 30-second penalty awarded in Mexico, ruling SEAT’s appeal inadmissible. There was some success for the Spanish company however, as Tarquini’s grid penalty was annulled with the Court of Appeal ruling that the same infringement cannot be punished with two separate penalities.