The Italian Grand Prix concluded on Sunday, but the fight over its final point-paying position looks far from over.
Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda was allowed to retained his hard-earned 10th place at Monza after escaping punishment for an alleged grid-box infringement, but Audi has refused to let the matter quietly disappear.
The German manufacturer has formally notified the FIA of its intention to appeal the stewards’ decision, leaving Tsunoda’s point and the championship consequences of the incident hanging over the aftermath of a chaotic race.
Tsunoda escapes punishment after restart drama
The controversy erupted after Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash triggered a red flag and forced the field to regroup for a restart. Tsunoda appeared to be positioned outside his designated grid slot, prompting race control to order an additional formation lap before the race could resume.
The stewards subsequently investigated the Racing Bulls driver for an alleged breach of Article B5.9.4 of the FIA Formula 1 Regulations concerning the start procedure.
However, their verdict ultimately spared Tsunoda from any sporting sanction.
The stewards concluded that the Japanese driver had not actually occupied a false-start position and that his actions had not affected any of his rivals. They also determined that the extra formation lap could not be directly attributed to Tsunoda.
That ruling allowed the 24-year-old to keep 10th place – and, crucially, the single championship point that came with it.
Audi, though, believes the interpretation of the regulations deserves another look.
Audi keeps the door open to an appeal
Audi's protest is significant because the manufacturer has a direct stake in the outcome. Had Tsunoda been penalised, Gabriel Bortoleto would likely have inherited 10th place, with Nico Hulkenberg also potentially moving ahead of Tsunoda.
That would have handed Audi a valuable point in the Constructors' championship.
The team therefore moved swiftly after the stewards' decision, lodging its intention to appeal within the required one-hour period. That notification gives Audi 96 hours to decide whether to proceed with the appeal or withdraw it, effectively preserving its options while the team assesses the case.
In a statement, Audi explained the reasoning behind its move:
"Following the Italian Grand Prix, we raised a concern regarding the application of Article B5.9.4, which requires a driver who causes an extra formation lap to enter the pit lane and resume the race from there," a statement issued by Audi read.
The manufacturer then confirmed that it would allow the formal FIA process to determine what happens next:
"The Stewards issued a decision of No Further Action, and we have notified our intention to appeal. As the matter is now subject to the FIA appeal process, we will not comment further at this stage."
The wording makes clear that Audi is not yet committing to a full-blown appeal. Instead, it has secured the right to pursue the matter while the deadline runs, leaving Tsunoda's 10th-place classification potentially vulnerable.
For Racing Bulls, the stakes are straightforward. The team currently occupies fifth in the constructors' standings on 75 points, and Tsunoda's Monza result added another important point to its tally.
Audi, meanwhile, sits eighth on 16 points, five behind Haas and five ahead of Williams. One point may appear modest in isolation, but in the tightly packed midfield, it could carry considerably more weight when the season reaches its conclusion.
For now, Tsunoda remains officially classified 10th. But Audi has ensured that the Monza result comes with an asterisk – and the Japanese driver's point may not be completely safe yet.
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