Racing Point to base 2021 F1 car design around Mercedes-style rear-end

Racing Point is set to base its 2021 Formula 1 car design around a Mercedes-style rear suspension. 

The Silverstone-based outfit, which currently holds third place in the constructors’ championship, has recently introduced a host of new upgrades to its controversial RP20, which has been influenced by Mercedes’ 2019 W10. 

Recent updates have included a sizeable aerodynamic upgrade at Mugello, as well as further changes to the rear suspension to provide more flexibility and greater options relating to set-up.

Racing Point is yet to introduce a full rear suspension upgrade that mirrors the design of Mercedes’ current challenger, but Green confirmed that the W11-inspired rear-end is “what we’re designing next year’s car around”. 

“It’s an upgrade to 2020 suspension, it’s not an upgrade to 2021,” Green said at the Eifel Grand Prix. “What we’re running now is 2019. 

“What they want to do is penalise us and keep us running two-year old parts rather than bring us up to date. 

“It’s not like we’re getting an advantage and bringing 2021 parts to the car. It’s only bringing it up to the same as they’ve got now.” 

Teams currently using 2019 unlisted customer parts can upgrade them to 2020-spec for next year without having to deploy tokens introduced to rein in development. 

The FIA’s decision not to drop the new rule has angered some teams who are frustrated that Racing Point and AlphaTauri will effectively get ‘free’ upgrades for their respective 2021 cars due to the loophole. 

“The rules allow us to do it,” Green explained. “We’ve cleared it with the FIA, they have no problem with us doing it. 

“The rules as written allow teams to bring their cars up to the 2020 specification, which I think is only fair. Just because we elected, before COVID started, to run 2019 suspension, shouldn’t be held against us. 

“So we should be allowed to bring our car up to the same specification as everyone else has got.”