Guilty F1 teams await US GP fate

Seven teams pulled out at Indy, leaving only three to race

Motorsport's governing body the FIA has deferred judgment on the seven teams involved in the US Grand Prix fiasco.

Renault, McLaren, Toyota, Williams, Red Bull, Sauber and BAR were found guilty on two of the five charges they faced at a hearing in Paris on Wednesday.

The teams were found guilty of failing to ensure they had suitable tyres and wrongfully refusing to start the race.

Penalties will follow on 14 September, with an International Court of Appeal hearing set for 28 September.

Possible punishments are unlikely to include points deductions or bans, according to FIA president Max Mosley.

It would not be appropriate to deduct points or ban people from a race FIA president Max Mosley

"I cannot speak for the world council, but personally speaking I would be very reluctant to do anything with points unless what the person had done affected their sporting performance," he said.

"It would not be appropriate to deduct points or ban people from a race. We do have ability to impose a fine and can do what we want with the money.

"We could impose fines and use that money to compensate. We said: 'If you sort it out we will take a lenient view, if you don't sort it out we will not take a lenient view.'"

Six of the seven teams - Red Bull did not join the other teams in responding to the verdicts - were "very disappointed" with their guilty verdicts.

A statement read: "The teams explained to the world motorsport council that, in the light of the clear and written advice from Michelin that it was unsafe to race at Indianapolis on the tyres supplied by that company, the teams had no choice but to decline to race.

"The teams much regret that the American public were unable to enjoy a race involving all 10 Formula One teams."

Michelin have already promised to do their bit in restoring Formula One's tarnished image in the United States.

Michelin offers to refund fans

The French company have offered to refund the fans who turned up on race day, as well as distribute another 20,000 free tickets for the 2006 event among them.

Mosley believes that move should have been made sooner but acknowledged that Michelin's efforts will help their teams.

He said: "It is a big step forward and it is something we have been strongly urging them to do for more than a week. This was one of the situations where we needed a reaction within two days, not 10 days.

"Number one priority, from our point of view, was to secure compensation for the fans in the States and to make it up to the people watching on television.

"That is what we have been trying to do. Apart from that, there is the whole question of how this is allowed to continue in the United States and it is very important that Formula One retains its position in the United States.

"If we give them a bit of time, we will know in September what has been done."

The seven were found guilty of failing to arrive at Indianapolis with proper tyres and wrongfully refusing to allow their cars to race after Michelin issued a safety warning.

However, the teams were cleared of charges of failing to inform race stewards of their intention not to race, refusing to race subject to a speed limit and combining to put on a spectacle damaging to Formula One.