By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief
The FIA has found the tire temperature on the Williams machine driven by Felipe Massa to be over the maximum allowed ahead of the start of the race and as a result have thrown the Brazilian out of his home grand prix.
The team plans to appeal the decision.
The exclusion will take away Massa’s eighth-place finish and push Romain Grosjean to eighth, Max Verstappen to ninth and Pastor Maldonado to tenth.
The Mercedes-powered Williams was found to have a right rear tire temperature measured at 137 C, which is 27 C higher than the pre-race limit set by Pirelli. The tire pressures were0.1 PSI higher than the minimum starting pressure allowed.
“The rear right tyre on car 19 did not comply with the maximum tread temperature as specified in the event preview of the official tyre supplier,” the FIA said in a statement.
“The temperature of the rear right tyre was measured in compliance with the FIA Technical Directive TD/029-15. The team did not comply with the FIA Formula One Technical & Sporting Regulations, FIA International Sporting Code and the instructions of the official tyre supplier in the event preview.”
This is the second disqualification of Massa’s 13-year F1 career with the first one coming in the Canadian Grand Prix during the 2007 season when he exited the pits under red light.
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