Boss defends Force India after number breach

Sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer defends Force India after the team were pulled up for not complying with new rules in Barcelona.

Sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer has defended Force India after the team were pulled up for not complying with new rules in Barcelona.

To help the fans in the grandstands and the TV audience, Formula 1 told teams that they must fit bigger numbers and the drivers' abbreviated names on their cars from Spain.

Force India argued that because of their sponsor deals with BWT and NEC, adding 'OCO' and 'PER' to their cars would be confusing.

However, it was the location of the bigger race numbers on the pink cars that actually broke the rules last weekend.

Team manager Andy Stevenson told Auto Motor und Sport: "When I stand in front of the car, I can read the number perfectly. From the grandstand too.

"From lower down it is not visible but there is nothing in the rules about that. There are perspectives with every car on which the number is not visible."

Sporting boss Szafnauer said that the entire issue is triggered by commercial considerations for the small, overachieving Silverstone-based team.

"As you know, Force India does well on the track but is not as strong in the commercial area, which is related to the way revenues are distributed in Formula 1," he said.

"But the approach of the commercial rights holders is what it is, so we have to maximise the way we work with sponsors. To do this, we need to make optimal use of the space on the car.

"Personally, I think we could come up with a better way to distinguish the cars on the track."

Force India's €25,000 (£21,400) fine was suspended.

Sergio Perez of Force India during previews ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on April 28, 2016
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TeamPoints
1Mercedes161
2Ferrari153
3Red Bull72
4Force India53
5Toro Rosso21
6Williams-Mercedes18
7Renault14
8Haas9
9Sauber4
10McLaren0
DriversTeamPoints
1Sebastian VettelFerrari104
2Lewis HamiltonMercedes98
3Valtteri BottasMercedes63
4Kimi RaikkonenFerrari49
5Daniel RicciardoRed Bull37
6Max VerstappenRed Bull35
7Sergio PerezForce India34
8Esteban OconForce India19
9Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes18
10Carlos SainzToro Rosso17
11Nico HulkenbergRenault14
12Romain GrosjeanHaas5
13Kevin MagnussenHaas4
14Pascal WehrleinSauber4
15Daniil KvyatToro Rosso4
16Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes0
17Marcus EricssonSauber0
18Jolyon PalmerRenault0
19Stoffel VandoorneMcLaren0
20Fernando AlonsoMcLaren0
21Antonio GiovinazziSauber0