MSA National Court: 17 July 2007
Having listened to evidence at its hearing on Tuesday 17
July, the National Court reduced Cadet kart racer Jacob Stilp’s
three-month suspension from competition to six weeks.
The Court heard that Stilp had accrued more than 12 penalty
points on his competition licence. He had already served one
month of an automatic three-month suspension.
But the Court accepted that Stilp and his family risked exceptional
hardship if he served the full suspension. A three-month suspension
meant he would effectively miss the remainder of his two championships
and be unable to make an impression. The Stilps feared their
son, a leading contender in Cadets, may be ‘dropped’
by the Zip Kart team and lose associated subsidies that it
offered, plus the support of personal sponsors.
Stilp’s suspension, said his family, also meant he
had missed out on a karting public relations opportunity with
Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the British F1 Grand Prix.
This had led to upsetting remarks at school.
In reducing his suspension, the Court warned Stilp that the
remaining six weeks would be suspended pending his good behaviour.
Any wrong-doing during that period would instantly result
in him being suspended for a further six weeks. It also advised
him against retaliating should any rival competitor, knowing
his situation, seek to provoke him into a reaction that could
lead to a further suspension.
Stilp will have his licence – with all points erased
– returned to him on 30 July.
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