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Third in the World Cup, newcomers of the season: but only a few enjoy the success of Racing Point. With a copy of Mercedes the team offends – and with it the Dominator.
Wheel-to-wheel in the battle for the podium: Racing Point cars are going at lightning speed this year, thanks to illegal means?
Photo: Keystone
Opponents yell «Shit» and «Promoted to», she rave about the miracle that is happening in Formula 1. Because they do not believe in a miracle.
Racing Point, previously an average midfield team like Force India with average drivers Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez, is suddenly right up front. Fight them both of them Pilots in their RP20 pink treally and seriously for podium places, two of which are already reservedIndiana For him driver in the ultra-fast Mercedes. The Silverstone team will enter the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday as third force. Before him at the World Cup atmegene einzig Mercedes, the supervisory team, and Red Bull. Behind him: the proud traditional racing teams McLaren and Ferrari.
They are the ones who are particularly loud calling on the controversial issue that has long had its own name: «Copygate»-Scandal. The point is, the RP20, paint aside, is strikingly similar to the 2019 Mercedes, if not congruent.
“There are those who copy and those who give the other proof so that they can copy.”
Learning from the best didn’t seem like enough for the Racing Point engineers. They wanted to copy them. That achieved perfection. YGthat’s just impossible without METERhelp from Mercedes, prosecutors say. «There are those who copy and those who give the other the proof so that they can copy»says Mattia Binotto, Ferrari team manager.
Meanwhile, Racing Point takes the position that the car will be based on 3 legal–Having recreated D. Photographs The opponents laugh scornfully. James Key, McLaren Technical Director, says: «Aerodynamics make up just 30 percent of the overall package. How to make these surfaces work, what role the smallest details play, it cannot be seen from the outside.“Not even with a 3D camera. So Mercedes must have aided Racing Point illegally, which is why it is their unspoken conclusion.
Still legal in 2019, no longer in 2020
Racing point relates Mercedes engines, the exchange it is pretty lively, and the teams They are closely interrelated at the political level. However, with your copy they are the British It has gone too far – find many. It’s also about setting a precedent.
Renault advanced and protested after the second race at Spielberg, Austria. Specifically, the French complained about the brake vents on the rear axles, an enormously complex construction that is hardly suitable for reproduction. Neither Mercedes nor Racing Point denied that more than photos contributed to the construction of the piece, that the data flowed, perhaps the former midfielder even received brake ventilation from Mercedes to be able to rebuild it in detail. Everything that but would have happened in 2019. And back then this element was still a «part not listed», In other words: it could be transmitted between teams; not all racing teams had to do it the sameS t Design and manufacturing. The problem: The brake vents have been one of the listed parts since 2020 and replacement is prohibited.
Why are Racing Point cars so fast these seasons? Is there, among other things, something with the Brake ventilation on rear axles what to do?
Photo: François Lenoir (EPA / Keystone)
But on January 6, 2020, Racing Point had received a full set of them from Mercedes to use for winter testing. This did not happen because the British finished their copy on time, but this delivery was illegal.. ORNorth Dakota he is also the use of the image this seasonbecause it was designed largely by Mercedes. The FIA came to this conclusion after an investigation. When they visited the factory in March, the managers had nothing to complain about had. Start thisnorth Month in which they sanctioned Racing Point with a fine of 400‘$ 000 and a 15-point builder rating deduction.
Despite minus 15 points, he is still third
However, the team is still third. And drives more carefree with at least half legal exchange. The FIA justifies this with the fact that Racing Point now knows how the part is made. – and that can no longer give. The team was warned for more races., esome contractors but galone not satisfied with that and ptheltern lauthals against judgment. Sometimes they also doubt that the rest of the car was built according to the rules. Specialized portals sto write of a «War in Formula 1».
In the front line: Zak Brown, McLaren boss. «Racing Point has claimed that it copied the car with photos. If you read the FIA ruling, it is clear that this is bullshit.» AND: «Now we have to get in this car as a wholeFask for.» However, it was by last only Renault and Ferrari appealed the sentence – and Racing Point the sameS t. You feel unfairly treated. Lawrence Stroll, father of pilot Lance Stroll, fashion billionaire and team owner, He put aside his shyness in front of the public for once and made a statement. «horrified» that an appeal has been filed. He called that «unsportsmanlike» and saw his integrity inFI ask. «I’ve never been to anything in my lifeandwhat he cheated.»
After all, since Thursday only Ferrari has remained as a prosecutor. Renault pulled out because the FIA signaled it would toughen relevant regulations for 2021. Ferrari, on the other hand, is probably primarily concerned with understanding how much Dominator Mercedes is involved. in this thing. The Scuderia currently has many problems of its own to solve.
