Appeal over Trulli disqualification

Jarno Trulli finished fourth at the US GP

The Jordan-Honda Formula One team is to appeal the decision to disqualify their Italian driver Jarno Trulli after the US Grand Prix.

Trulli was dropped from fourth to last place after race officials found that the underbody skid-block of his car was in breach of the strictly imposed Formula One regulations.

The thickness around the rear hole of the skid block was 1.5mm below the minimum in a post-race inspection by the sport's governing body, the FIA.

Then skid-block is allowed to wear by one millimetre from its maximum thickness of 10mm.

The team said it would launch an appeal against the decision.

Penalty

"No further comment will be made at this time," the team said in a statement.

In a statement, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer said that the high wear "is very likely to be caused by the loss of two fasteners which are normally flush with the surface of the skid block.

"These fasteners are designed to prevent such high wear," Bauer added.

It is possible that it the appeal is either on the grounds of extenuating circumstances - the loss of the fasteners - or that Trulli did not gain an advantage from the detached floor.

The decision to disqualify Trulli meant Eddie Irvine of Jaguar moved up to fourth place in the race which was won by Finland's two-time Formula One world champion Mika Hakkinen.

The penalty also cost Trulli three points in the Formula One season standings.

There was no indication on Monday as to when the Jordan appeal would be heard.