Around and about, August 1987

FISA fine staggers Ford

The Ford Motor Company was stunned to hear in July that FISA is imposing a staggering $250,000 fine on it, over irregularities in the homologation of the Sierra XR4x4 rally car. The fine is a punishment for running an unhomologated version of the car on the Monte Carlo Rally, where Stig Blomqvisti Bruno Berglund came fourth.

After the event it was discovered that the car was running Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, but the car is only homologated into Group A fitted with Bosch K-Jetronic injection. The works cars were fitted with the latter by the second round of the World Championship, the Swedish Rally.

Ford feels aggrieved at the magnitude of this fine, which seems to be out of all proportion bearing in mind that Vauxhall was fined no more than $20,000 for homologation mistakes on the Nova Sport.

FISA has also imposed a $50,000 fine on the Larrousse-Calmels F1 team, for failing to contest the Brazilian Grand Prix at thc start of the season. It is a condition of entry into the World Championship that all races are contested throughout the year