Williams driver Ralf Schumacher can compete at Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix on equal terms with his championship rivals after motor sport's ruling body watered down his punishment for a first lap crash at Hockenheim.

Schumacher had been ordered by stewards to start 10 places down the grid from his qualification position at the Hungaroring after being blamed for the crash at the last race in Germany.

But an FIA appeal court ruled on Wednesday that instead he should be fined $50,000.

The ruling, after a hearing on Tuesday, boosted Williams's hopes of overtaking Ferrari in the constructors' championship on Sunday. The team are two points behind the leaders with four races remaining.

"I was delighted with the decision," said Ralf, fourth in the drivers' championship and 18 points behind his older brother Michael. "After yesterday's hearing, I didn't expect too much, but I am very happy with the conclusion that was reached."

Team boss Frank Williams said: "We are delighted that the FIA court of appeal saw fit to remove the serious penalty of a 10-place demotion on the starting grid for the next race.

"The substitution of a financial penalty at least means we can compete in Hungary with Ralf still in a competitive position in both championships."

OTHERS INVESTIGATED

Schumacher collided with McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Rubens Barrichello of Ferrari as the three cars left the grid at the start on August 3 at Hockenheim.

The FIA said in a statement that they would now ask German race stewards to investigate the roles of Finland's Raikkonen and Brazilian Barrichello in the incident.

The FIA said the court, after reading a report analysing accident data recorder information, felt "some responsibility might possibly be imputed to the other two drivers involved in the incident".

Three other cars were caught up in the wake of the crash and forced to abandon the race at Hockenheim, which was won by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya in a Williams.

Ralf appealed against his penalty at the FIA hearing in Paris on Tuesday, saying the crash was not his fault.

"It was a completely normal racing accident. It could have happened to anyone in any race," he said.

Williams officials said on Tuesday that Barrichello and Raikkonen were in Schumacher's blind spot and their driver could not have seen the crash coming.

Barrichello told the panel that Schumacher had crashed into him, not the other way around.

"I tried to take avoiding action," he said. "I braked and moved a little bit. I didn't drive into Ralf. He hit me."

Raikkonen rejected suggestions from Williams officials that he could have avoided the crash by driving on, or to the left of, the white line on the left shoulder of the track.

"I didn't want to drive off the course because that is not the best route," Raikkonen said.

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