FIA rejects Lotus ‘double-DRS’ protest against Mercedes

UPDATE Lotus has elected not to appeal against the FIA stewards' decision that the Mercedes DRS system is legal, after its protest about the design was rejected on Thursday night.

04/12/12 (GMM) The FIA has thrown out Lotus' official protest against Mercedes' so-called 'double-DRS' innovation.

Despite the governing body having consistently declared the system legal in Australia and Malaysia, Lotus lodged the appeal in China on Thursday.

The parties, including the stewards, met for a hearing just after 5pm local.

"Having examined the evidence presented, the stewards decide unanimously that the protest is dismissed," the FIA ruling read.

The statement said: "Further, and distinct from the grounds above, the protest is dismissed on the grounds that the FIA confirmed the assertion of the Mercedes team that it had, in accordance with Article 2.4 and/or 2.5 of the F1 Technical Regulations, sought clarification from the FIA Formula One Technical Department concerning this matter and the FIA confirmed that the Mercedes design had been deemed permissible."