Ferrari driver and current world champion, Kimi Raikkonen, will probably avoid a 10-place grid penalty for the British Grand Prix in July.
Raikkonen changed his engine after part of his exhaust came loose during the race at Magny Cours on Sunday, which ultimately cost him the win.
2008 regulations say that a driver is allowed to make one unscheduled engine change at any point in the season. The engine is usually changed after two races.
Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali said, "I think it's a bit ambitious to have another race in that condition."
He confirmed that Ferrari were unsure what caused the problem for Raikkonen and it will be hard to look into, seeing as the car had 35 laps worth of damage by the end of the race.
Kimi Raikkonen finished second to teammate, Felipe Massa, after his exhaust failure Sunday, despite controlling the race early on.
The Finn now has 43 points in the drivers championship which places him third behind Felipe Massa and Pole Robert Kubica, but ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren.
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3 months ago
I have been informed that an engine change is allowed on 1 occasion during the season ... Its the gearbox that cant which is why he is avoiding the penalty ... Funny how these rules come to light when Ferrari look like they have a penalty on the horizon ... Ohhhh look ... Is that the goalposts being moved again ?
from 3 months ago
For goodness' sake, stop it. There's no witch-hunt against McLaren. This new rule - the 'one free engine change' thing - was well-publicised at the start of the season. The fact that Ferrari are the first to take advantage of it is no evidence of bias in their favour.
from 3 months ago
Well done Carl you must be the only person not to believe that the FIA are not favouring Ferrari in any way possible ... This isnt evenn half an argument if you go and read some other threads ... Run along and gather your evidence and then tell me that there is no witch hunt ! You would be crazy to think otherwise.
3 months ago
Well there was so muh about witch hunt last season and that FIA was grazy even think about McLaren has spy Ferrari. We all know how that ended. No witch hun , just cold reality and MLaren guilty.
Hamilton did some strange thing last year and not penalty and everybody happy. Now his honemoon with FIA is over, He is not rookie anymore so he has to pay when he do something wrong. And everytime its about witch hunt. Oh my.
Why Ferrari is not shouting that FIA hate them. Massa peanlty driving threw red light, Kimi penlaty when tyres was not on at time.
I think McLaren fans are stuck still in Scumacher era. That time is over, there is NO witch hun. Or Mclaren driver should not give penalty at all and everybody would be happy?
BTW. New rules said that team an use "joker card". Means they can change engine first time without grid penalty and that rule was publise by FIA BERFORE season start.
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