Schumacher crash penalty changed to fine ( 2003-08-21 10:15) (Agencies)
Williams driver Ralf Schumacher has lost his appeal over a crash at the
German Grand Prix, the sport's ruling body (FIA) said on Wednesday.
Ralf Schumacher
But the FIA
imposed a fine of $50,000 instead of the original penalty, which would have
meant Schumacher dropping 10 positions from his qualifying spot at the start of
his next race, this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
Schumacher, younger brother of world champion Michael, collided with
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Rubens Barrichello of Ferrari as the three cars
left the grid at the start on August 3. Race stewards blamed the German driver
for the crash.
The FIA also said they would ask German race stewards to investigate the
roles of Finland's Raikkonen and Brazilian Barrichello in the first lap
collision.
"The court (of appeal) confirmed the stewards' findings against Ralf
Schumacher but considered that the sanction imposed was inappropriate and
substituted a fine of $50,0000," the FIA said.
Three other cars were caught up in the wake of the crash and forced to
abandon the race at Hockenheim, which was won by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya in
a Williams.
Schumacher appealed against his penalty at a FIA hearing in Paris on Tuesday,
saying the crash was not his fault. Immediately after the race Williams said
they did not believe their driver was totally to blame for the crash.
"It appeared to the court, in particular from reading the report by Peter
Wright (technical and safety consultant) analysing accident data recorder
information, not available to the stewards, that some responsibility might
possibly be imputed to the other two drivers involved in the incident," FIA
said.
"The court decided that the case should be referred back to the panel of the
stewards of the German Grand Prix so that the conduct of Rubens Barrichello and
Kimi Raikkonen can be considered in the light of the evidence from Mr Wright."
NOBODY'S FAULT
At the court's hearing on Tuesday, Schumacher said the collision was nobody's
fault.
Ralf Schumacher [Red] crashes with Raikkonen
[silver]
"It was a completely normal racing
accident. It could have happened to anyone in any race," he said.
Williams officials said Barrichello and Raikkonen were in Schumacher's blind
spot and their driver could not have seen the crash coming.
Barrichello told the panel that Schumacher had crashed into him, not the
other way around.
"I tried to take avoiding action," he said. "I braked and moved a little bit.
I didn't drive into Ralf. He hit me."
Raikkonen rejected suggestions from Williams officials that he could have
avoided the crash by driving on, or to the left of, the white line on the left
shoulder of the track.
"I didn't want to drive off the course because that is not the best route,"
Raikkonen said.
Schumacher is in fourth place in the championship with 53 points, 18 behind
the leader, his brother Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari. Raikkonen is in third
with 62 points and Barrichello is fifth with 49.
