Force India driver Sergio Perez of Mexico steers his car during the third practice at the Paul Ricard racetrack, in Le Castellet, southern France. (AP)
LE CASTELLET: The Force India team were fined 15,000 euros ($17,000) and handed a suspended additional fine of 85,000 euros at the French Grand Prix on Saturday.
The fines were announced by the International Motoring Federation (FIA), after an investigation into how a wheel flew off Mexican Sergio Perez's car during Friday’s second free practice session.
A report by the race stewards it was a "very serious and potentially dangerous" situation. They blamed it on "an assembly fault involving poor seating of three retaining screws".
The stewards added that it was the third similar incident in the last two years, which led to a stronger penalty.
"This fine represents the view of the stewards that the team needs to investigate its assembly and quality control procedures to ensure this type of potentially dangerous incident does not occur again and believes the penalty is suitable and will also act as a deterrent in the future," said the statement.
