The Audi Formula 1 team has lodged notice of its intention to appeal the FIA's decision not to penalise Yuki Tsunoda at the Italian Grand Prix. The move comes after an investigation into Tsunoda's grid position at the restart of Sunday's wild race at Monza, following the red flag triggered by Charles Leclerc's heavy crash.
Tsunoda escaped punishment despite appearing to have parked out of his grid slot. Race control decided to run an additional formation lap because they were not comfortable with the situation. However, the FIA stewards ultimately took no further action after investigating Tsunoda over the alleged breach of Article B5.9.4 of the FIA F1 Regulations – Start Procedure infringement at 15:41.
They determined that Tsunoda was not in a false start position and that his actions had no impact on other competitors. That verdict meant Tsunoda held onto his 10th-place finish, earning Racing Bulls a valuable point. For Audi, the stakes were higher: had Tsunoda been penalised, he would likely have dropped behind both Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg, promoting Bortoleto to 10th and handing Audi a point.
By filing the notice of appeal, Audi has bought itself a 96-hour window to decide whether to proceed with a full appeal or withdraw. Under FIA rules, such notification must be given within one hour of the stewards' decision, so this is a strategic move to keep options open.
In a statement, Audi confirmed the appeal, arguing that Article B5.9.4 requires a driver who causes an extra formation lap to enter the pit lane and resume from there. They declined further comment while the matter is under the FIA appeal process.
The situation adds another layer to the tight midfield battle. Audi currently sits eighth in the constructors' championship on 16 points, five behind Haas and five clear of Williams. Racing Bulls are fifth on 75 points thanks to Tsunoda's top-10 finish. A successful appeal could give Audi a crucial point and reshape the fight for positions in the standings.
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