FIA Deepens Investigation of Mercedes and Ferrari for In-Season Testing

The FIA continues to investigate MercedesMercedes-BenzGermany, 1924 > present197 models
9852 photos
33 videos
and now FerrariFerrariItaly, 1947 > present233 models
5131 photos
37 videos
for in-season tire testing with Pirelli this year. Ferrari became involved when it admitted that it tested with Pirelli two weeks before Mercedes but used a 2011 car. The major controversy surrounding the Mercedes crash was that the team used its 2013 car. The FIA is asking both teams to supply information about the tests ahead of possible punishment.

"The FIA has asked Team Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 and Scuderia Ferrari Team which have taken part in tire tests in the 2013 season to reply to a disciplinary inquiry in pursuance of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules," said the FIA's press statement about the inquiry.

Ferrari says that its race team played no part in the Pirelli test. Instead, its customer racing support team, Corse Clienti, supplied the 2011 car and its own drivers, not the current F1 drivers like Mercedes did. 

The problem is that the rules say that teams are free to test as long as the car's are "substantially different" from the current cars. The question that the FIA will answer is if a 2011 car is different enough.

Ferrari denies that it broke any rules and has given no further comment. 

Source: Autosport (1,2)