Aston Martin has officially lodged a Notice of Intention to Appeal Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Vettel had finished second after 70 laps around the Hungaroring before stopping on the slow-down lap.
The FIA was then able to draw only 0.3 litres of fuel from Car #5, well short of the requisite one litre which is required for a sample.
Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer had noted that there should be another 1.44 litres of fuel in the car, a figure arrived at by subtracting the FIA’s own fuel flow meter figures from the initial fill.
The vehicle itself has now been impounded, and will be taken to an FIA facility in France.
“The Stewards have received a Notice of Intention of Appeal from Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team (“Aston Martin”) at 22:14 hours on 1st August 2021 against Stewards Decision No 59,” read the official notice of intention to appeal.
“In this context, the FIA Technical Department representatives were asked by the Stewards to seal and impound Car 5 until such time as the Notice of Appeal is received or the FIA International Court of Appeal makes any determinations as relevant.
“In making this determination, Aston Martin hereby declare that the removal of the various components to safely transport Car 5 to the FIA facility in no way compromises the evidence and has no impact upon the matter being appealed.”
Vettel’s fate will also have a material impact on the title race because Lewis Hamilton had provisionally been classified third and Max Verstappen 10th.
Should the German’s disqualification stand, the net effect at the top of the drivers’ championship is that Hamilton’s lead would grow by two points.