LONDON: Mercedes and Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli will appear before a tribunal on June 20 to answer charges of breaking the rules by testing in Spain last month, the sport’s governing body said on Monday.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that a notification of charges against both parties had been sent to the president of the tribunal.
The verdict will be published ‘as soon as possible’ after the hearing.
Mercedes, who finished third in Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix with 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, risk stiff sanctions ranging from a fine to points deduction or even exclusion if found guilty.
The rules bar teams from testing during the season with a current car.
Champions Red Bull and Ferrari made formal protests at last month’s Monaco GP when news of the test leaked out.
Mercedes used their 2013 car at the ‘secret’ test in Barcelona, which came just before Germany’s Nico Rosberg won in Monaco for the team, but have said the move was approved by the governing body.
They have also argued that the test was private, not secret, run and organised by Pirelli – who are sole providers rather than ‘competitors’ in the championship and therefore not subject to the ban that applies to teams. Mercedes said last week that they welcomed the chance to present their case to the tribunal (Reuters)
