Welcome to The Grid, R&T’s quick roundup of the auto industry and motorsports news you should know this morning.
Renault Wants a Harsher Punishment for Racing Point
The Racing Point Formula 1 team was fined €400,000 and docked 15 constructor’s championship points for illegally using rear brake ducts designed by Mercedes, but is allowed to run these parts for the rest of the 202o F1 season. Renault thinks that’s too lenient, so it’s pushing for a harsher punishment. Autosport reports that Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul feels that Racing Point should have its results stricken from every race it runs with those brake ducts. His argument is that Renault lost points for a similar regulation breach in Suzuka last year. “There was no discount for Renault, so I don’t know why there should be a discount for Racing Point,” Abiteboul said. Abiteboul plans to protest Racing Point after every Grand Prix, while the FIA court of appeals debates the case.
Daimler Pays $2 Billion to Settle U.S. Diesel Probe
It wasn’t just Volkswagen that was fudging diesel-emissions numbers. Mercedes was accused of doing a similar thing by U.S. regulators, and Bloomberg (via Automotive News) reports that Daimler has agreed to a $2 billion settlement over the issue. Its settlement with the EPA is around $1.5 billion, while around $700 million is set aside to settle class-action litigation. The settlements relate to 250,000 Mercedes-Benz cars and vans sold in the U.S. Now, the only way to get a diesel Mercedes here is in a Sprinter van.
Dixon Tops Day Two Indy 500 Practice
Practice for the Indy 500 rolls on, and while it’s too early to make solid predictions of what’s going to happen at the race, there’s still a lot to talk about. Scott Dixon topped the time sheets yesterday, running 226.102 mph, while Honda-powered cars dominated the top 10. The other big news was a crash by Fernando Alonso, but the Spanish driver was unharmed, and his car rebuilt overnight. For more, our colleagues at Autoweek have a very thorough report of yesterday’s action, and what to expect today when the wick gets turned up for “Fast Friday.”
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