© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Toto Wolff hints that the FIA might have been ‘pressured’ to penalise Lewis Hamilton, and warns Mercedes will from now on “look at every single race tape that’s going to fall off” Red Bull’s car.
Toto Wolff says the FIA has suddenly changed its “modus operandi”, when they decided to disqualify Lewis Hamilton from Friday’s Qualifying due to a DRS infringement.
“Until late this afternoon, we believed it was okay, because the wing was damaged,” the Austrian said.
“One side was okay, the middle was okay, the right side was not okay – that means we actually had a performance disadvantage.
“We though that, in consideration of all these aspects, the FIA would say there was damage, and therefore we were not in breach of the regulations.”
The Austrian explained that the FIA allowed Red Bull to fix their rear wing at the Mexican Grand Prix without any penalties, but Mercedes was not allowed to do the same in Brazil.
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“We had a parc ferme situation in Mexico, I believe it was, where during qualifying sessions work on the rear wing was permitted.
“So no difference in terms of parc ferme situation – I don’t think with stewards present.
“This time it was judged, and this is the declaration or in the result of the stewards, that if it would have happened during the session, we would have been allowed to fix it, but not at the end of the session.
“Both are parc ferme situations, so you can ask why during the session and not at the end of the session.”
Wolff then hinted that something influenced the FIA to change the way they approach these situations, and Mercedes will in turn start looking at similar issues “with a more strict eye”.
“Something went against the modus operandi these last 24 hours, which was either under pressure from other stakeholders or just different.
“If the modus operandi is different now you maybe need to look at others also with a more strict eye and severe eye.
“I can tell you that, in the next few races, we’re going to look at every single race tape that’s going to fall off a car and ask questions.
“In a way there was a gentleman’s – if such thing as gentlemen’s agreement exists in Formula 1 – because there ain’t no gentlemen – then now it doesn’t anymore.
“You have no millimetre of leniency of fixing things on a car: if it’s broken, it’s broken, you can’t touch it, and this is how it’s going to go this year,” concluded Mercedes’ team boss.
