Racing Point not worried about Mercedes PU reliability

Racing Point Formula 1 technical director Andrew Green says the team has no concerns over the engine-related reliability issues Mercedes suffered during pre-season testing.

Mercedes’ near-perfect winter test programme was hampered by power unit issues, while its engine customer Williams also encountered at least four problems and got through three engines across the six days of running at Barcelona.

Fellow customer outfit Racing Point did not hit any reliability gremlins and Green is confident the issues will not crop up once the season gets underway.

“I think HPP are aware of the issues that have occurred over the last few weeks and for sure they have known containment measures in place,” Green explained.

“I don’t think they’re worried. They tell us they’re not worried, we’re not worried. We think we’ll be in a good place come Melbourne.

“This is testing, this is what it’s all about really. I think these are some teething problems, but I think all of it were known problems, none of these are unknown problems that get you.

“These are known problems that they have fixes for.”

Despite enjoying a strong pre-season with its Mercedes-inspired RP20 challenger - which Sergio Perez hailed as being the best car he has ever driven - Green insists Racing Point’s latest F1 car has “weak spots” and is “by no means perfect”.

“There are always weak spots,” he said. “It’s all relative to the competition.

“I think the driver in pole position probably has the same sort of balance of the car with the guy at the back of the grid, but he’s just going a lot quicker.

“The car is by no means perfect. I don’t believe anybody in the pit lane has got a perfect car. So there’s always areas to try and play with and try and understand and make better.

“But fundamentally there were no gaping holes in the characteristics of the car that we’ve had that has bugged us in the last few years.”