Jordan to Request FIA to Allow Fisichella to Race

The Jordan Grand Prix team are planning to put a exceptional request to Formula One's ruling body, the FIA, in the hope that Italian Giancarlo Fisichella will be allowed to race at Sunday's French Grand Prix despite not taking part in today's qualifying.

Fisichella crashed side on into tyre barriers on Saturday morning as he went over a kerb and his front wing became detached then lodged under his car leaving him unable to steer away from the barriers. He was taken to hospital for a check-up and will now not take part in the qualifying session on the advice of Professor Sid Watkins, leaving his participation in Sunday's race up to the FIA.

Fisichella is expected back at the circuit in time for the start of qualifying, but will not compete and will undergo a further check later to see whether he is safe to race on Sunday.

When asked if missing qualifying will affect Fisichella's participation in the race, team spokesperson Helen Temple said: "We don't know yet. We will have to see first if he is fit to race, and then put in a request to the FIA."

The team's director of test and race engineering, Gary Anderson, told F1 Digital: "The scan found bruising and if we run in qualifying we could aggravate the bruising.

"Hopefully the FIA will let us race because we have done the time needed to qualify and we will start from the back of the grid. We will appeal on those grounds. We are doing nothing wrong, but it is up to the FIA."

There has not been a single case in recent years where a driver who completely missed the qualifying session was allowed to take the start of the race.

Moreover, the FIA's regulations state very clearly that "No driver may start in the race without taking part in qualifying practice."