Newsham appeals qualifying ruling

British Touring Car race winner Dave Newsham has appealed the loss of his fastest lap in qualifying at Silverstone.

Newsham’s ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra had qualified second with a lap of 58.969s, but was relegated to fifth when it was judged the time had been done by running off the track at Copse.

Newsham believes the penalty is unfair and has protested.

“It said on the screens the lap was being investigated and then they took it down, so we sat the rest of the session out,” he said.

“We wouldn’t have done that if we knew we were in P5. They didn’t communicate with us at all.

“We could have bettered that time – it was a mistake at Copse – but we wouldn’t have found enough for pole so there was no point.”

Newsham now hopes he will be moved back to the front row for Sunday’s opening race.

“They’ve said we have a point,” he added. “Hopefully they’ll overturn it tomorrow morning.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/touring-cars/btcc/newsham-appeals-qualifying-ruling

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