P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The DS Penske Formula E team has been found guilty of a second ‘spying’ offence in two years at the Portland E-Prix after it was judged to have used a member of its squad to note rivals’ tyre usage plans
The DS Penske Formula E team has been found guilty of a second ‘spying’ offense at the Portland E-Prix for using a team member to note rival teams’ tyre usage plans. Last year, the team faced penalties for installing a RFID device to monitor opponents’ tyre selections. This year, a junior team member was caught noting down tyre selections during practice with only a ‘bronze’ pass, which does not allow access to working areas like the pitlane. The team was fined €5000 and had a personnel pass withdrawn for violating event pass usage regulations. DS Penske’s explanation to the stewards was that the staff member mistakenly followed a pitboard operative and assisted out of enthusiasm, resulting in the penalty and loss of an operational pass. Covert tactics, such as employing photographers and using high-powered binoculars from hotel rooms, have been common in Formula E, showing the competitive nature of the sport.
