Toto Wolff insists Mercedes have done 'nothing wrong' in Racing Point 'copying' row as rival F1 teams call foul
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff insists that his team have done “nothing wrong” in the Racing Point “copying” row, adding they are “happy to go to court” to clear their name if required.
Racing Point - owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, a close friend of Wolff’s - were last week docked 15 constructors’ championship points and fined €400,000 (£360,000) for running last year’s Mercedes brake ducts at last month’s Styrian Grand Prix.
The team were again summoned to see the stewards following Sunday’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, where Lance Stroll finished sixth and Nico Hulkenberg seventh, due to continued use of the controversial ducts.
But the FIA handed out only a reprimand, as it did for the second Austrian race and the one in Hungary.
That decision has baffled some rival teams who do not understand why Racing Point have been allowed to continue using the parts.
Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and Williams have all declared their intention to appeal against the stewards’ decision and are taking the matter further.
Mercedes could now get dragged into the affair with stewards noting they passed technical information to Racing Point in January, after the date by which it became illegal.
“We have not been protested,” Wolff insisted. “We have done nothing wrong. I strongly believe that Racing Point has done nothing wrong and if this goes to the International Court of Appeal the lawyers and the barristers have a strong opinion. This is a case that has very, very solid pillars and therefore everybody is in a good place about that.
“I am speaking to Ola [Källenius, Daimler’s chairman] every single day. We are speaking about good things and bad things and our reputation is very important but it is intact. If someone thinks we have done something wrong well they should protest and we are happy to go to court.”
Racing Point boss Lawrence Stroll hit out at rival teams earlier on Sunday, saying he found it “unacceptable”that they had questioned his team’s sporting integrity.
“I have never cheated at anything in my life,” he said. “These accusations are completely unacceptable and not true. My integrity - and that of my team - are beyond question. Everyone at Racing Point was shocked and disappointed by the FIA ruling and firmly maintain our innocence.”
