Four of the Formula One teams, including championship leaders Red Bull, were forced to use one of their 'joker' allowances for breaking the new-for-2011 race weekend curfew during the first two days of the Singapore GP weekend.
The curfew, set up for the 2011 season in the FIA's rulebook in order to cut down on the workload and save costs over a race weekend, forbids overnight work in team garages.The rule states that: "No team personnel who are associated in any way with the operation of the cars are permitted within the confines of the circuit [during the curfew]".
Teams are allowed to break the curfew four times a season for emergencies, but the breaches over the Singapore weekend appear to simply be down to sloppiness.
Toro Rosso were found to have breached the curfew on Friday, when team principal Franz Tost arrived in the pit lane too early.
Tost was apparently confused by the later starting times for the Singapore night race, meaning the curfew was extended to 3pm on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, three more teams - Red Bull, Virgin and Mercedes - were found to have broken the curfew when marketing personnel entered the track during the shutdown.
Although the marketing teams are not likely to actually work on the cars themselves, the rule is in place for all team personnel, not just engineers.
The FIA confirmed that the curfews were breached because "[personnel] associated with the operation of the car" had entered the track during the curfew.
The breach is the third time Red Bull have been forced to use a 'joker', leaving them with just one for the final five races of the season.
It was the first time that either Mercedes or Toro Rosso had broken the curfew, while it was Virgin's second breach.
Of the other teams, only HRT and Renault have also used 'jokers', with McLaren, Ferrari, Sauber, Williams, Team Lotus and Force India all yet to use a single allowed breach.
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