Sauber Disqualified from Australian GP and team plan to appeal

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Both Sauber C30 cars were disqualified from the Australian grand prix by the stewards after reviewing their car in the post-race checks.

With an unique and surprising one-stop strategy, Mexican rookie Sergio Perez stunned the F1 Paddock by finishing an impressive seventh on debut, one place ahead of his teammate Kamui Kobayashi.

The 21-year-old would have become the first Mexican to score championship points in 30 years.

Japan's Kobayashi had also impressed, finishing eighth for the Swiss-based team on a day principal Peter Sauber had described as a "dream start to the season".

After the race it was found that both the cars infringes the technical rules related to Rear Wing of the car.

The scrutineers discovered that the wings breached two articles of the technical regulations, where essentially the angle created too great a gap when the adjustable element was deployed.

Breached Technical Rules: (Followed from Formula One)

Article 3.10.1
"Any bodywork more than 150mm behind the rear wheel centre line which is between 150mm and 730mm above the reference plane, and between 75mm and 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between 150mm and 350mm behind the rear wheel centre line and between 300mm and 400mm above the reference plane. When viewed from the side of the car no longitudinal cross section may have more than one section in this area.

"Furthermore, no part of this section in contact with the external air stream may have a local concave radius of curvature smaller than 100mm.

"Once this section is defined, 'gurney' type trim tabs may be fitted to the trailing edge. When measured in any longitudinal cross section no dimension of any such trim tab may exceed 20mm."

Article 3.10.2
"Other than the bodywork defined in Article 3.10.9, any bodywork behind a point lying 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line which is more than 730mm above the reference plane, and less than 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between the rear wheel centre line and a point 350mm behind it."


"This is a very surprising and disappointing result. Certainly this (breach) has not lead to any performance advantage," insisted technical director James Key.

Swiss based Sauber said it will appeal the decision.

As per their appeal, a provision result for the race has been given and final decision will only be made after their hearing.

Australian GP - Result

Their disqualification means that Felipe Massa has moved upto 7th place, Sebastien Buemi in 8th and Both Force India cars of Adrian Sutil and Paul Di Resta in 9th and 10th position.