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Renault's damper system ruled illegal

Renault's mass damper system has been ruled illegal and the FIA International Court of Appeal has quashed the decision by the German Grand Prix stewards to rule the device was within the regulations

World champions Renault had challenged and overturned a ban by the governing body on the mass damper system installed in the nose of their car when they presented their spare car for scrutineering with the device fitted ahead of the German Grand Prix.

The Hockenheim stewards found nothing illegal about the system and declared the car within the regulations.

The FIA, however, appealed its own stewards and the Court of Appeal met yesterday in Paris.

"The FIA International Court of Appeal met in Paris on Tuesday, August 22, 2006, to examine the appeal made by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile against Decision No. 8 handed down by the Stewards of the Meeting on July 28, 2006, concerning the T car of competitor Mild Seven Renault F1 on the occasion of the Grand Prix of Germany and counting towards the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship," said the Court of Appeal in a statement.

"Having heard the explanations of both parties and having examined the various documents and other evidence, the Court quashed decision No. 8 of the Stewards of the Meeting and ruled that use of the device known as a Tuned Mass Damper is an infringement of Article 3.15 of the Formula One Technical Regulations."

The system had been used by Renault since September last year, but the FIA said in July that it constituted a moveable aerodynamic device and was therefore illegal.

The world champions did not use the system in either Germany or Hungary for fear of eventual disqualification if the FIA won the appeal, as it has been the case.

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