Petter Solberg given suspended ban for speeding
Petter Solberg has been given a suspended ban for next month's Rally Sweden after being caught speeding on Rallye Monte Carlo, the opening round in the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship.
The Ford World Rally Team man was clocked doing 106 kph on Saturday night in 50 kph zone following SS17, the final test of the day.
Solberg, who finished on the podium in third place, was subsequently given a fine and a reprimand, in addition to being warned he will be excluded from the results of next month's Rally Sweden, should he commit a speeding offence of '50 percent or more of an applicable speed limit in any of the next six WRC events in which he participates in during the 2012 season'.
The full statement from the stewards, issued today at 12.20 hours local time, read:
From: The stewards of the meeting.
To: The entrant of car No. 4: Ford WRT / Crew: PETTER SOLBERG / CHRIS PATTERSON.
The stewards were informed by the Clerk of the Course of a speeding infringement committed by the driver of car no. 4, Petter Solberg, on January 21 2012 at 21.10 hours on Monaco-Boulevard Charles III.
The speed limit at this location is 50 kph and car no. 4 was being driven at 106 kph.
The Clerk of the Course had issued Decision No. 4, applying Article 20.3.1 of the 2012 FIA WRC Sporting Regulations and imposing a fine of 1400 Euros on that competitor.
Considering the excessive speed at which car no. 4 was driven, the stewards summoned the crew of car number 4 and an entrant's representative to them.
The crew, accompanied by Mr. Malcolm Wilson and Mr. John Millington (from Ford), appear in front of the stewards at 12:00 hours on January 2012.
On being questioned, the driver explained that indeed, he was accelerating at the said speed in trying to pass a slower car and in doing so, he passed the continuous centre line on the road, but was then braking immediately. He apologised for his lapse.
The stewards, after due deliberation on the facts,
DECIDE
That the excessive speed at which car no. 4 was driven as stated above and also under consideration of the values defended by the FIA, including the promotion of the FIA Action for road safety, represents a breach of Article 151c of the 2012 FIA International Sporting Code.
"Any act prejudicial to the interest of any competition or to the interests of motorsport generally",
and of the Appendix B of the 2012 FIA International Sporting Code.
"Respect of the FIA's objectives and interests
All FIA Licence-Holders and all Participants in International Events undertake in particular:
-not to pursue any objective that diverges from those of the FIA,
-and not to cause, by words, actions or writings, damage to the standing and/or reputation of, or loss to, the FIA, its bodies, its members or its management, and more generally on the interests of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA.",
in addition to the infringement of Article 20.3.1 of the 2012 FIA WRC Sporting Regulations,
And, under Article 152 of the 2012 FIA International Sporting Code,
-To levy a fine of 1400 Euros onto the Competitor of car no. 4, irrespective of the fine levied by the Clerk of the Course.
-To pass a sentence of suspension for the next WRC rally in which the Driver Petter SOLBERG participates and which is applied with suspension of sentence and will come into effect immediately should the Driver commit any speeding offence of 50 percent or more of any applicable speed limit in any of the next 6 WRC rallies in which he participates during the 2012 season.
-To issue a reprimand and warn the Driver as to his future conduct.
The competitor is reminded of his right to appeal.
Stewards of the meeting.
