FIA announce decision on new engine allocation requests from Force India

The reincarnation of Force India as Racing Point Force India has provided the F1 fraternity with an insight into the legal complications that surround a team coming out of administration and attempting to get back onto the race track.

The name change brought about the reset of points for Racing Point Force India, however, the rivals were ‘kind’ enough to let it get is Column 1 revenue and keep participating in the prize money distribution for this season.

The new Racing Point Force India CEO, Otmar Szafnauer last night raised a very interesting point about Force India’s engine allocation to be reset as well.

With their points being reset, he felt it was only fair that ‘everything’ was reset for the ‘new team’.

Otmar Szafnauer says he has no idea why, as a new entrant, Racing Point Force India don’t get a new engine allocation. They’ve lost their points because they had to start a new entry, so doesn’t understand why if everything from the past has gone, engine usage remains.

— Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) August 24, 2018

While the team did lose out on all its points, the drivers, Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon retained their points from the first half of the season. Thus, a fresh allocation would be unfair to the other drivers.

FIA have now released an official statement in response to Szafnauer’s statement.

The current regulations do not appear to take into account the highly unusual situation where a team is excluded mid-season and a new team effectively ‘replaces’ it, and the drivers move from the former team to the new team” the stewards’ statement read

“As the drivers have retained their respective points accumulated to date in the 2018 Events in the championship it is both logical and fair, that the elements, units and gearboxes used by their respective cars in the excluded team, should carry forward to the new team.

“Accordingly, we decide that the numbers of power unit elements and gearboxes referred to in Article 23 of the Sporting Regulations and used to date in 2018 by Sahara Force India Formula 1 Team shall carry forward to Racing Point Force India F1 Team.

“It is noted that the team principal of Racing Point Force India F1 Team publicly expressed his prior agreement with this.” it added.

Confirmation of decision to carry over engine and gearbox allocation from old Force India to new Force India pic.twitter.com/AoTKQEAIab

— Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) August 25, 2018