Villeneuve Makes His Point plus Three Points for Sauber

In response to the FIA decision, Panasonic Toyota Racing team principal Tsutomu Tomita stated, "In view of the extremely

BAR Honda driver Jensen Button is under scrutiny by the race's stewards, or more correctly his car is after a convoluted process measuring and weighing his 3rd place 007-04 machine. (Photo: Auto Sport Press)

vague description of the regulation and a number of similar incidents which have gone unpunished, Toyota has decided to appeal the decision of the stewards in order to clarify this issue for the future."

BAR Honda driver Jensen Button is also under scrutiny by the race's stewards, or more correctly his car is after a convoluted process measuring and weighing his 3rd place 007-04 machine. After it was passed, the regulators proceeded to drain all fuel from the car at which point it was underweight. After demonstrating that the car was above weight during the race to the FIA, by using its own data and data gathered by the investigating stewards, the stewards accepted the data and allowed Button's 3rd place finish to stick. Odd then, that the FIA chose to appeal its own appointed steward's decision, to be decided in a special hearing at the FIA International Court of Appeal in Paris on Wednesday 4 May 2005.

BAR Honda Chief Executive Nick Fry commented "BAR Honda will provide the same rigorous data presented to the stewards last night

Takuma Sato, BAR's second driver, drove well to secure a 5th place, points paying position after a very frustrating start to the season. (Photo: Auto Sport Press)

and is confident that it can prove once again that the car was fully compliant with the FIA Technical Regulations throughout the San Marino Grand Prix."

Button looked to deserve his hard-fought 3rd place finish too, making any rule infraction that would penalize his car a hard pill to swallow, especially after his struggles with a car that has underperformed for the season's first three events. The British driver was smart to not attempt a countermeasure to Michael Schumacher's late-race pass, as his team desperately needed the points. Takuma Sato, BAR's second driver, drove well to secure a 5th place, points paying position after a very frustrating start to the season.