Renault is facing possible exclusion from the Japanese Grand Prix after the FIA permitted a protest lodged by Racing Point.
The French manufacturer, along with Sergio Perez, made big gains to all finish in the points at Suzuka having started in positions 15-17 on the grid.
For the Mexican, his P9 was even more fortunate as he crashed out on what would have been the final lap after contact with Pierre Gasly but an early showing of the chequered flag meant the result was backdated to the end of Lap 52 of 53.
However, immediately after the race, the Silverstone-based squad went to the stewards alleging Renault was running an automated brake-bias system on their car, which would be in breach of the regulations.
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The FIA has since given acknowledged the validity of their claim with the steering wheel and ECU of both Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg’s cars impounded by the governing body.
A notice from the FIA technical department was quoted by Crash.net as saying it will “conduct a detailed analysis of the hardware, software, and data associated with them and, when complete, provide a written report to the Stewards with their findings, to include an assessment that matches those findings against the potential technical infringements detailed in the protest.
“The representative is authorized in the name of the Stewards to call upon such outside technical assistance, including representatives of the Renault F1 and SportPesa Racing Point F1 Teams, in the conduct of their assessment.
“When the likely submission date of the assessment can be determined, the FIA Technical Department representative will communicate that to the Chairman of the Stewards so that the next meeting time to assess the claims made in the protest can be scheduled.”
Exclusion for Renault would cost them nine points after Ricciardo finished P6 after a penalty for Charles Leclerc and Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10.
On the flip side, Racing Point would gain P8 with Perez and P10 for Lance Stroll meaning a three-point gain, reducing the gap between them to just six points in the battle for P5 in the Constructors’ standings.