Red Bull to appeal Ricciardo’s disqualification from Australian Grand Prix

Australian excluded after finishing second in home race

Daniel Ricciardo finished second in the Australian Grand Prix burt was later disqualified. Clive Mason / Getty Images / March 16, 2014

Red Bull Racing plan to appeal the decision by race stewards at the Australian Grand Prix to disqualify Daniel Ricciardo from second place.

It was ruled late on Sunday that Ricciardo’s Red Bull car was not in compliance with F1 technical regulations and had exceeded the maximum fuel flow, or rate of fuel consumption, of 100kg per hour.

After a lengthy hearing, stewards announced that Ricciardo, who was competing for Red Bull for the first time since joining them from Toro Rosso, was excluded from the race result at the season opener.

“Inconsistencies with the FIA [Federation Internationale de l’Automobile] fuel-flow metre have been prevalent all weekend up and down the pit lane,” a Red Bull team statement said.

“The team and [engine supplier] Renault are confident the fuel supplied to the engine is in full compliance with the regulations.”

The fuel flow is measured by a sensor sanctioned by the FIA and owned and operated by teams. Stewards said Red Bull used a different sensor on Saturday and they were told to change it that night.

The Red Bull team chose to run the car using their fuel-flow model without direction from FIA, which was in violation of the procedure within the technical regulations, stewards said.

The stewards said that Ricciardo’s car was out of compliance with the technical regulations.

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reported Ricciardo to the stewards after finding his car “exceeded consistently the maximum allowed fuel flow of 100kg/h”.

With world champion Sebastian Vettel retiring earlier in the race, it marked the first time since 2009 that Red Bull have not scored points in the first race of the season.

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