Racing Point has “very strong” case to prove F1 brake ducts are legal

Racing Point believes it has a “very strong” case to prove that its disputed brake ducts are legally based on the design of the 2019 Mercedes Formula 1 car.

Technical director Andrew Green insists the reason there is similarity between the brake ducts of Racing Point’s RP20 and last year’s Mercedes is down to the fact his team bought brake ducts from the reigning world champions in 2019, which was legal at the time.

Brake ducts have since been added to the ‘listed parts’ regulations that require teams to design themselves for this season. The rule change for 2020 has ultimately influenced Renault’s two protests it has lodged against Racing Point’s ‘Pink Mercedes’ at the last two races.

Renault is likely to submit a third consecutive protest following today’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

“I think it’s very strong,” said Green.

“Some documents went to the FIA at the weekend and then other things went to the stewards a couple of days ago.

“The lawyers have been working on it intensely over the last week or so. We think that it should be dismissed.

“I think the regulations are quite clear and we’ve made that case quite clear how the regulations are.

“And we can see that we’ve done everything within the regulations. So we don’t think there’s a case to answer.”

The FIA’s head of single-seater matters Nikolas Tombazis said in Hungary that F1’s governing body did not inspect Racing’s Points brake ducts when they visited the team’s factory prior to the 2020 season, but Green stressed “that’s not true.”

“The FIA received all the data from our brake ducts in the visit, they did a comparison of the Racing Point brake ducts to the MGP [Mercedes] brake ducts on that day and they commented on it and it was discussed,” he explained.

“He [Tombazis] wasn’t at that factory visit, there were other of his colleagues, but it was discussed, it was shown, so we weren’t trying to try to hide the brake ducts, they’re all part of the submission that we gave to the FIA.

“They did comment on how similar they were to the Mercedes and we commented on why they were so similar: because we purchased the brake ducts in 2019.”

The FIA had originally hoped to rule on Renault’s protest before this weekend’s fourth round of the season, but they are now expected to issue their verdict next week.