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Toto Wolff says Mercedes is not involved in the case involving Racing Point, but is “happy to go to court” if anybody protests his team.
Here at SilverArrows.Net we chose not to write a lot about the controversy surrounding Racing Point supposedly copying last year’s Mercedes W10, as we try to focus on news that impact Mercedes directly. However since the team is now heavily mentioned in this case we’ll give a little update.
It is widely known that Racing Point’s 2020 car is heavily inspired by Mercedes’ 2019 car, but the biggest issue turned out to be the rear brake ducts that, according to the rules, each team has to design for themselves. After F1 teams protested the legality of Racing Point’s car, the FIA deemed the team to be in the wrong, fined them and deducted 15 points from the Constructors’ Championship standings. However, the team was allowed to continue to use the brake ducts, as they are legal according to the technical regulations, but Racing Point will continue to be reprimanded after each race.
Mercedes has been dragged into this case because it is involved in a technical partnership with Racing Point and supplies its power unit and other non-listed parts to the team. Many are now questioning whether Mercedes is also to be penalized for supposedly providing Racing Point with blueprints to build the brake ducts in question.
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Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff doesn’t think the case would stand up in court. First Wolff gave his comments on the reprimand Racing Point will continue to receive after each race and then went on to comment on his team’s involvement.
“It was clear that a reprimand would happen to the team, the reprimand has no consequence to the team, but it’s just this is a mechanism of saying we’re not entirely happy with the situation,” said Wolff.
“That’s their interpretation. On the other side, we have not been protested. We have done nothing wrong. I strongly believe that Racing Point has done nothing wrong.
“I believe that if this goes to the International Court of Appeal, the lawyers and the barristers have a strong opinion that this is a case that has very, very solid pillars, and therefore everybody’s in a good place about that.
“I’m speaking to Ola [Kallenius, chairman of the board at Daimler] every single day. We’re speaking about good things and bad things, and obviously our reputation is very important, but it is intact.
“And if someone thinks that we have done something wrong, they should protest, and we’re happy to go to court.”
Mercedes has been providing Racing Point with CAD drawings and data as part of the already mentioned technical partnership, until the rules prevented this type of technical exchange in 2020.
“The rule came in place for the 2020 season,” Wolff continued.
“That is what the rule says, so you were allowed to provide them with drawings and CAD data all through 2018 and 2019, because it was perfectly permissible. It was perfectly permitted.
“I don’t know what we should think what Racing Point does, but I think that even using them on the 2020 car was not something that was regulated.”
