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Williams Fined for Camera Compliance Oversight in F1

Williams Racing has encountered a setback, receiving a fine of €50,000, of which €40,000 is suspended, for not installing SD cards in their onboard cameras during a recent Formula 1 session. This infraction arose from a misunderstanding involving the FIA’s technical regulations.

The British team failed to supply the necessary video files from their wireless cameras, which are required under Article 12.2.1 i of the regulations. A technical directive had been issued, outlining that teams must equip their cameras with empty and correctly formatted SD cards (FAT32 or exFAT) at least ten minutes before any session where the cameras would be utilized.

The confusion originated when Williams assumed that the onboard cameras would be supplied with SD cards by the FIA. As a result, they did not realize there would be an issue until they noticed a red flashing light on the cameras during the session. Upon reporting this to the Technical Delegate, the team lacked an understanding of the light’s significance, and by that point, it was too late to rectify the situation by installing the SD cards.

The FIA clarified in their statement that although the SD card omission was discovered after the session ended, Williams did not inform the Technical Delegate about this oversight. They emphasized that the situation had no bearing on the legality of Williams’ rear wing design concerning flexibility regulations.

In response to the ruling, Williams attributed the misstep to procedural errors, vowing to enhance their practices for upcoming races. The team noted that they had previously experienced issues with the cameras during Free Practice 1 and communicated with the FIA throughout that session. They confirmed that the failure to submit the required footage on time stemmed from this miscommunication, which they are now addressing internally.

“We provided all requested footage without any issues at the Australian Grand Prix and are committed to supporting the FIA with timely submissions moving forward,” the Williams statement read. “We want to assure everyone that our rear wing remains compliant with technical regulations and has not required modifications since the introduction of the new technical directive.”

Williams expressed gratitude for the constructive discussions with the FIA regarding the incident, acknowledging the importance of adhering to technical regulations for the fair competition within the sport.

Looking Ahead

With the team focused on resolving these procedural shortcomings, Williams aims to prevent any recurrence of such issues in the future. Continued dialogue with the FIA will be essential as they navigate the complexities of Formula 1 regulations.

Source
www.autosport.com