Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsMercedes

Mercedes reprimanded for covering car

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Mercedes has been reprimanded as a team for covering part of Nico Rosberg's car during FP1 for the British Grand Prix.

Rosberg stopped on track at Becketts having been told to pull over by the team due to a loss of hydraulic pressure. The issue required the car to be brought back to the pits by a recovery vehicle, with Mercedes covering parts of the car, which is forbidden under the sporting regulations as Article 27.4 states:

"During the entire Event, no screen, cover or other obstruction which in any way obscures any part of a car will be allowed at any time in the paddock, garages, pit lane or grid, unless it is clear any such covers are needed solely for mechanical reasons, which could, for example, include protecting against fire."

Following an investigation from the stewards, the team has been reprimanded for the indiscretion.

"The team covered car 6 after the car was returned to the paddock in P1 in breach of Article 27.4," the stewards decision read.

Rosberg ended the session fastest from team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just 0.070s.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.