Present at Ferrari's Wrooom event in the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort in northern Italy, the F1 executive told the media that he thinks little of the FIA's appeal options. The 79-year old Brit admitted he doesn't think the ruling body will go forward with it, as it will do nothing more but keep the matter in the public eye.
“They have the right to do it (appeal), but I don't know if they will,” said Ecclestone, according to the German news agency SID.
The Paris civil court ruled against the FIA's bans on Briatore and former Renault engineering boss Pat Symonds earlier this month, deciding that the process by which the two were handed those penalties was illegal. Consequently, the verdict did not refer to Briatore's and Symonds' guiltiness in the crash-gate, but to FIA's right to impose penalties on them.
Shortly after the Paris' court announced the verdict in the Briatore case, the FIA issued a quick statement in which it confirmed that it was “carefully considering its appeal options on this point.” A few days later, another press release from the ruling body stated the following.
“The President of the FIA has consulted the FIA Senate and the FIA’s lawyers about the decision of the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris of 5 January. It was unanimously agreed that an appeal would be prepared.”
However, until this point, the FIA has not launched an official legal appeal in this case.
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