Renault ask FIA for damper dispensation

On the back of the French car manufacturer's most disappointing race of the year, the team have revealed that they are trying to get dispensation to run the device at the Hungaroring.

The team argue that with the FIA appeal against the Hockenheim race stewards' decision to allow mass dampers not due to be heard until before the Turkish Grand Prix, it is unfair for them to be penalised for another race.

Renault have said they cannot risk racing with their mass damper until the hearing, because if the FIA appeal is successful then they could be disqualified from the results.

Renault's director of engineering Pat Symonds said that the team were going to seek a clarification from the FIA over the matter.

"We are sort of asking, in view of the fact it (the appeal) can't be heard before the next race, whether they'll look at it slightly differently," he said.

Despite the focus on the mass damper, however, Symonds does not believe that losing the device was the sole reason for their drop of form this weekend.

Renault suffered from bad blistering of their rear tyres during the race.

"I don't actually think it was part of the problem exactly," said Symonds about the damper system. "I wouldn't like to say more than that. I think we know where the problem is."