F1: Force India seeks to overturn Perez penalty

SPIELBERG - Force India has presented new evidence to Formula One's governing body in a bid to have Mexican Sergio Perez's five-place grid penalty overturned for Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.

Perez picked up the punishment after he and Brazilian Felipe Massa, driving for Williams, collided in Canada while battling for fourth place as they started the last lap.

Stewards ruled the Mexican had changed his racing line, sending both cars into the barriers, but Force India said on Thursday that new evidence had come to light.

A team spokesman said Perez and the team would meet the Austrian stewards, who include nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, at 0900 on Friday to determine whether or not there were new elements in the case.

If the stewards accept Force India have a case, a hearing will then be convened for 1600 after practice has finished for the day.

The team did not give details of the new evidence but media reports indicated Perez had not been questioned by the Canadian stewards after the crash because he was still in hospital.

Perez, whose car was hit from behind by Massa, has blamed the Brazilian for the collision and said he was following the same lines and braking patterns as on the previous laps.

"I watched several replays of the incident and I can't help but notice how Felipe turns right just before he hits me. I can only think he must have changed his mind and wanted to rejoin the racing line," he said after Canada.

"His misjudgment cost us a big amount of points."

Massa hit back at Perez on Thursday, when he told reporters the Mexican could no longer be trusted on the track.

"I will think twice [before trying to pass],” said the Brazilian. "I believed he would not move his car...but you cannot believe when it's somebody who's causing so many problems.

"I will not trust him any more, definitely," he added, comparing the Force India driver's behavior to that of Frenchman Romain Grosjean in 2012. Grosjean was banned for a race in 2012 after a series of incidents.

"If I had made the mistake I would have been the first one to say 'I'm sorry', like I always did," Massa said.

"He doesn't think the same way and I'm sorry for him and I hope he learns, otherwise he will pay more penalties in the future." - Reuters