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Renault to refit mass damper in Hungary
By Jonathan Noble Monday, July 31st 2006, 12:36 GMT



Renault will put their mass damper back in their car at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix following a clarification from the FIA today, autosport.com can reveal.

Renault had been seeking dispensation to run the device at the Hungaroring, because they felt it was unfair that the FIA Court of Appeal hearing into the matter could not be held for another few weeks.

The appeal is due to rule on whether the Hockenheim race stewards were right to overturn an earlier ban on mass dampers laid down by the FIA.

Renault did not want to risk running the mass damper without the consent of the governing body because of the possibility of being punished should the FIA appeal hearing rule that the system is illegal.

Although the FIA has drawn short of granting them full dispensation to run the mass damper, sources have revealed that the governing body has instead said it will not push to retrospectively punish them in the event of it winning the appeal.

In a letter from FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting to all teams, he has made it clear that as the appeal would not be taking place before August 22, and may not even happen until the start of September, he would be happy for there to be a period of grace.

He wrote that if the Court of Appeal decided that mass dampers did not comply with the regulations, then the FIA would ask the court not to penalize any team who had used them in races that took place before the hearing.

Even though this is not a full dispensation, Whiting's assurance has given Renault enough reason to believe it will not be punished for racing with the mass damper. The team have already decided to refit the device for this weekend.

A team spokesman confirmed the news when asked by autosport.com. He said: "Renault will be putting them back on our car for Hungary."

What is unclear now is whether any rival team will want to take action about the situation, and possibly lodge a protest about Renault running the mass damper.

Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt made it clear on Sunday night in Germany that he believed mass dampers were illegal - and that it was wrong for anyone to say the team were penalized for them being banned.

"There's been a big debate whether the mass damper is legal or not," he was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "Now, if it was legal - which we seriously doubt - it would be true that they have been penalized.

"But if it's not legal as we think, then the fact they've been using it for so long has been a damage for everyone else."

Renault boss Flavio Briatore clearly did not agree. He said: "It's unfair to be penalized for inventing something right, just because the others are unable to copy it."

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