The initially second-placed #51 Ferrari 499P was handed a two-lap time penalty after yesterday’s 8 Hours of Bahrain, after a a stewards decision stated that the team had used two more tyres than its permitted allocation (28 rather than the 26 allowed for qualifying and the race).
The decision dropped the car from second place to 14th and last of the running Hypercars.
Ferrari has now issued a clarifying statement which makes it clear that it disputes the wording (and content) of the bulletin.
That statement reads in full:
“Following the race, the Stewards issued Decision No. 40, penalising car number 51 and relegating it to 14th position.
“According to the document, the car used 28 tyres rather than the 26 permitted for Qualifying and the Race.
“In fact, the team respected the 26-tyre limit. However, because of a mistake, during the race they used the tyres fitted to the car for the grid formation instead of those scrubbed during qualifying and intended for the race.
“These two tyres were not considered as part of the contingent allocated by the team, hence the Stewards’ decision.”
During a media briefing after today’s Rookie Test, Ferdinando Cannizzo – Ferrari’s head of endurance race cars – made it clear that there was no performance advantage gained from the move and that the error had been an honest mistake.
The issue, he said, was in no way linked to a separate Stewards Decision issued yesterday evening that saw Michelin fined for late declaration of the allocated tyres.
Cannizzo also added that Ferrari was pleased with the performance in Bahrain of the first ‘Joker’ upgrade fitted to the 499P earlier this season. The change featured a redesign of the 499P’s brake cooling ducts to alter the flow distribution and ensure better cooling efficiency, as well as a “flick” under the front headlamps to help the aero balance.
