Jaguar TCS Racing and Nissan FIA Formula E teams have been found to have breached the sport’s financial regulations.
An announcement by the FIA concluded that Nissan had been fined €300,000 for a breach of two percent (€269,252), with Jaguar fined €100,000 for an overspend of £73,849, just 0.6 percent.
An additional penalty is that both teams will be suspended from running for half of the opening day of the upcoming pre-season test in Valencia, on November 4th.
In a statement, the FIA said: “The Cost Cap Administration recognised that the teams have acted cooperatively throughout the review process and have sought to provide additional information and evidence when requested in a timely manner, that this is the first year of the full application of the financial regulations and that there is no accusation or evidence of aggravating factors or that they have sought at any time to act in bad faith, dishonestly or in fraudulent manner, and nor has it wilfully concealed any information from the Cost Cap Administration.”
Both teams have accepted the charges and have also responded, with Nissan saying:
“Nissan Formula E team recognises to have unwittingly and unintentionally incurred in a minor procedural and overspend breach of 2.0% of the cost cap. The team has therefore signed an Accepted Breach of Agreement (ABA) as offered by the FIA Cost Cap Administration in order to resolve this matter.
“Following a very cooperative review process with the Cost Cap Administration and an exhaustive internal audit, Nissan Formula E team has determined that these minor breaches are exclusively related to the process of interpretation and adaption of the new financial regulations at a time when the team was also facing specific challenges linked to its change of ownership, full restructure, and relocation.
“Nissan Formula E Team has since put in place all the necessary precautions to avoid these kinds of miscalculations and oversights in the future.”
Jaguar said: “Following consultation with the FIA, we believe that had we filed correctly we would have been fully compliant with teams’ cost cap and the minor overspend breach would not have occurred.
“Unfortunately, we understand a refiling is not allowable by the current regulations and therefore due to these unintended procedural errors we are in a very minor overspend position. At no time did we seek or gain a technical or sporting advantage, as can be seen and confirmed by the Cost Cap Administration’s findings and the nature of the ABA.
“We will continue to work closely with the FIA going forward on the development and application of the cost cap and in the best interests of Formula E – the pinnacle of electric racing.”
A spokesperson for Formula E said: “We understand the findings and recognise the diligence with which the FIA carried out the complex review process, in what is the first full year of the Financial Regulations being in place.
“Although two teams were found to have been in minor breach, the championship accepts these were absolutely not intentional and appreciates the exceptional way that these teams have and continue to operate.”
Jaguar to run special livery in test
Jaguar has revealed its special one-off livery that it will be used in the Valencia test, the design a nod to the 16 different wins the team has achieved on 11 different circuits.
The big cat delivered its first-ever Formula E win at Rome in 2019, the team going from strength-to-strength since then, with highlights including a momentous one-two finish at the Monaco E-Prix last season.
The team, despite missing out on the Drivers’ title with Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans, did secure the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ championships after a season of consistency and speed.
Its full season livery will be revealed in due course.
