Ford Performance Racing (FPR) driver Mark Winterbottom has been excluded from Friday’s Round 11 qualifying session due to a technical infringement.
FPR was found to have had an engine ignition timing variance of over the regulated six degrees following post qualifying examination of its engine performance data on car five. The breach in the ignition timing table when overlaid on circuit data shows that for a total period of 0.19 of a second in a complete lap the timing was outside of the regulated parameters.
The team has admitted the breach and accepted the penalty that has dropped Winterbottom from Pole position on today’s first race starting grid to the rear of the field at 29th. In stating this, FPR remains adamant that the minutely small period of time that the ignition timing variance exceeded six degrees did not result in any performance gains whatsoever during qualifying and was the result of a simple oversight.
While understanding that this breach has taken place and accepting the decision of the stewards, the team is disappointed with the extent of the penalty for such a relatively small breach that did not result in any performance advantage.
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