The DS Penske Formula E team have been hit with a record fine after the squad were found to have used illegally installed equipment. A €25,000 bill was issued to the outfit – with drivers Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne also ordered to start Saturday’s Portland E-Prix from the pit lane – following the discovery of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanning equipment. The scanner was installed in the pit lane entry on Saturday morning ahead of the second free practice session of the weekend. According to the FIA, this could be used to collect live data from all cars, with the implementation of the technology in breach of both the technical and sporting regulations.
Vergne speaks out
Vergne took to social media in light of the punishment, writing on Twitter: "With that system we merely read the serial number of the tyres in order for us to know what tyres are being used by others. "Something any team can do (and surely does) by taking photos. This information in all other categories is in any way given. "But we never had access to any kind of live data from other teams. We never had pressure, temperatures, or anything else. I stand by my team, we accept the decision as having this machine in the first place was not allowed. "In no case this can be considered as what we are being describe." While Vergne ended his statement by saying "let’s race now", both he and Vandoorne finished the race in Portland outside of the points, ending the event in P12 and P13 respectively. Nick Cassidy took victory, ahead of Jake Dennis and Antonio Felix da Costa.
Most read
