Haas formally initiates Italian GP appeal process

Haas has formally launched its Italian Grand Prix appeal process, hoping to overturn the decision that excluded Romain Grosjean from the race's results last weekend.

The US outfit had 96 hours to file an official appeal, and has therefore followed up on an intent already expressed last Sunday evening.

Grosjean's exclusion from sixth place was the result of a protest lodged by Renault and a subsequent investigations by the Italian Grand Prix stewards and the FIA's technical delegate.

• Tech F1i Monza - Haas' Italian job fails the rules

The floor element of the French driver's car was found not to comply with the technical regulations as well as with a recent directive published by the FIA.

The US outfit had been warned by the governing body about its floor structure that was updated at the Canadian Grand Prix, but had asked the FIA for a grace period to correct its situation as time constraints associated with F1's summer shutdown had not allowed it to modify the specific element in a timely fashion.

Haas took the risk of running its unmodified VF-18 in Italy, but was ultimately caught out by Renault's protest and the stewards' ruling.

Last Sunday evening in Monza, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner took to Twitter to say that the team would appeal its exclusion.

"We do not agree with the Stewards' decision to penalize our race team and we feel strongly that our sixth-place finish in the Italian Grand Prix should stand. We are appealing the Stewards' decision," he wrote.

Grosjean's exclusion from sixth place demoted Haas fifth in the Constructors' standings, enabling rival Renault to head the midfield battle once again.

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