The DS Penske Formula E team has been found guilty of a second instance of “spying” at the Portland E-Prix. This time, a team member was caught jotting down the tire usage plans of rival teams. Last year, the team was fined and their drivers had to start from the pitlane due to the use of a radio frequency identification device to monitor tire selections. As a result of this latest infraction, the team was fined €5000 and one of their staff passes was revoked.
The individual responsible for the spying was approached by an official and questioned about their actions. They were using a “bronze” pass, which only grants access to the designated viewing area for guests in the pitlane and does not allow entry into work areas. The FIA and DS Penske team manager Chris Bluett were involved in the investigation, and Bluett was summoned to explain the situation to the stewards.
The team was found to be in violation of the event pass usage rules set forth in Article 27.5 of the Formula E Sporting Regulations 2023/24. These rules specify the allocation of passes for teams, with a maximum of 27 passes allowed, but only 18 of them can be used by the operational team. These team members must wear a visible yellow armband.
In addition to the fine, DS Penske had one of their yellow operational passes revoked. Secret tactics, such as spying, have been a common occurrence in Formula E throughout its history. There have been rumors indicating that some teams employ photographers to gather similar information, and in the Gen2 era, a team allegedly used a hotel overlooking the Hong Kong E-Prix circuit to spy on their competitors’ garages using high-powered binoculars.
