The rear wing of Mercedes in the crosshairs for Red Bull
The final battle between the two teams continues off the track. This time, it is Red Bull's turn to threaten to protest following suspicious marks on the Mercedes wing.
While the Verstappen-Hamilton incident that took place in Brazil was finally closed, another story is emerging. This one has been in the pipes of Red Bull for several days now and concerns the rear wing of Mercedes. Red Bull’s accusation is justified by Christian Horner following the significant speed gain of Mercedes, especially during the last Grand Prix.
The straight-line speeds we saw in Mexico and Brazil were not a normal situation. And yes, we know that a new engine with Mercedes comes with increased performance. But when you have a closing speed of 27 km/h and you see marks on the end plates of the rear wings that have been marked by the bending of the wings, what happened is very clear to us,” Christian Horner explained.
The two team principals involved, Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, then had the opportunity to confront their opinions on the subject during a press conference.
How do you explain the marks on the endplate of the rear wing? Horner asks Wolff.
« I think that it’s part of what is permitted and therefore it’s okay. » Wolff replies.
The Red Bull director was not really convinced by this answer and had explained earlier that he would not hesitate to officially protest if he ever saw these brands again.
« Don’t hide it, if we see it on the car here, it will be protested. If we think the car [Mercedes] is not compliant, we will protest it », Horner concludes.
The battle between the two men off the track is just as fierce as the one taking place on the track. And tensions are likely to escalate until the final outcome of the championship between Hamilton and Verstappen.
