The copy affair around the pink Mercedes continues to make big waves. Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko speaks via Spiegel
In the current issue of “Spiegel”, Red Bull’s chief motorsport advisor Helmut Marko (77) takes a stand on the copy affair between Mercedes and Racing Point. About the verdict of the FIA race commissioners, who deducted points and a fine from Racing Point, but allowed Racing Point to continue driving the illegally created RP20, the lawyer from Graz says: “Once again the FIA doesn’t want to hurt anyone. It’s a compromise verdict, in which you shirk the question: Is the car legal or not?
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After the objection of Renault, Ferrari and also Racing Point itself, the matter will now be retried before a court of appeal of the FIA.
Racing Point relies on having reproduced the Mercedes of the previous year only on the basis of photographs, which would be legal – unlike the reproduction based on data and drawings, as the competition suspects. That is what the man from Graz also believes. Marko: “Of course you need more than photos. With this kind of equality, you need data, drawings of Mercedes. The FIA must now provide clarity.
Marko criticizes the world automobile federation also for its handling Ferrari at the beginning of the year. Background: It was about alleged manipulations of the engine that helped to increase the horsepower. The FIA investigations ended in a secret settlement. Marko: “Nobody understands that. If there was no offence, there doesn’t need to be a deal. The fact is that all cars equipped with Ferrari engines were slower at the season opener in Austria than last year, they lost between 0.8 and 1.2 seconds per lap”.
According to Marko, the FIA was able to get away with this compromise because Corona and the late start of the season made the issue disappear. The Austrian: “If Ferrari had been denied second place in the 2019 Constructors’ World Championship, Red Bull would have received 20 million dollars more than the previous third place. His conclusion is therefore: “There are also profiteers from the Corona crisis.
At the specialist portal “Speedweek”, the Red Bull motorsport advisor had previously demanded: “We expect a clarification of what is and is not permitted, without there being too many grey areas in the regulations. What Racing Point did and what Mercedes did, that makes two offenders.
And further: “For us it is clear: copying as operated by Racing Point is not allowed. Neither is it allowed to pass it on to competitors. And there is evidence that Mercedes did this.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff defends himself against such accusations: “To copy the car more than from photos is something we would know about. Therefore, in my opinion it is complete nonsense to pursue this argument. And I will defend our brand resolutely if anyone should go down this road”.
Translated with deepl.com (freeversion)
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