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V12
16th November 2007, 14:13
With all the fuss surrounding the possible pending DQs for the Williamses and BMWs in the final race of the season, and people assuring us that Hamilton won't necessarily be reclassified to give him the title, I'm just wondering if anyone out there remembers the last time somebody was DQ'd without those behind them being promoted?

Off the top of my head the only precedent I can only think of the 1983 Brazilian GP (about a month before I was born!), where ironically Rosberg Sr (also in a Williams) lost his second place, but Niki Lauda remained in third and so on. Can anyone think if it's happened more recently?

cos
16th November 2007, 15:08
Brazil 1995 is pretty similar to the appeal at the moment...

http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr565.html


After the race both Schumacher and Coulthard were disqualified when their Elf fuel was found not to match the chemical "finger-print" given by the oil company to the FIA at the start of the year. All the fuel companies must submit a "finger-print" sample of the type of fuel they intend to use during the season. If the sample does not match the fuel used at the actual races then it is seen as illegal. It was a harsh decision but teams and oil suppliers had been warned that the FIA intended to take a harsh line.

Later an FIA Court of Appeal would overturn the exclusions, accepting that the fuel had been different from that agreed and, therefore, illegal but being unable to decide if this had given the drivers an advantage as fuel experts present could not agree. The court decided that the drivers could not be held responsible and gave them back their points and instead blamed the teams, refusing to award Constructors' points and fining each $200,000.

From Italy came howls of protest from Ferrari which argued that the decision implied that a driver could win a race in an illegal car. The court had been full of good intention but had set a highly suspect precedent. But justice - in a fashion - had been done.

inimitablestoo
17th November 2007, 12:48
The only thing I can think of that compares is what happened to Toyota in the 1995 World Rally Championship. They had their points taken away, but no one behind was promoted, so Didier Auriol still won the Tour of Corsica, even though neither he nor Toyota scored any points for doing so. The "constructors lose points, drivers keep theirs" situation is more common for F1 since that Brazilian GP verdict that same year however.