FIA uphold decision to disqualify Ricciardo

International automobile federation (FIA) announced Tuesday that it will uphold the decision on Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo's disqualification from last month's Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Australian finished runners-up behind Mercedes' Nico Rosberg in the season's opening race in Melbourne but was stripped of the result for breaching a fuel flow regulation. Red Bull immediately decided to appeal the decision of the stewards, reports Xinhua.

Red Bull's appeal, however, was turned down by FIA's International Court of Appeal after a six hour hearing here Monday. The ruling left the reigning World Champions' rookie driver 10th in the championship with 12 points, 49 behind Mercedes' pacesetter Rosberg ahead of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

Red Bull thus sit fourth in the constructors' standings on 35 points with Mercedes leading with 111.

"We are of course disappointed by the outcome and would not have appealed if we didn't think we had a very strong case. We are sorry for Daniel that he will not be awarded the 18 points from the event, which we think he deserved," read a Red Bull statement.