Mercedes accused of illegal tyre testing by Red Bull & Ferrari

[Zico]

Breaking news...

Mercedes are at the centre of a technical row in Formula 1 after doing a three-day tyre test between the Spanish and Monaco grands prix.
In-season testing in F1 is forbidden and Red Bull and Ferrari are considering a protest against Mercedes.


BBC Sport - Monaco Grand Prix: Mercedes face protest over tyre testing

[Ranger]

If the FIA knew about it, I don't see how they could be punished?

[odykas]

Ross Brawn was caught cheating? hock:

I can't believe that!

[Zico]

If the FIA knew about it, I don't see how they could be punished?

It has been updated: When I posted the link it didn't say the tests had been permitted by the FIA nor that they were testing possible tyres for next year.

[MAX_THRUST]

Doesn't seem to be that big of a story in one way, and a huge story in another. Tyres were for next year.....but have they gained an advantage? Depends what DAta they got from perilli about the tyres and the set up that they ran the cars with. I can understand other teams being hacked off but were they testing new parts other than tyres. Clearly the story would come out so they haven't treid to keep it a secret you cant.

[RS]

Does look a bit dodgy given that Merc are arguably the team with the largest problems understanding the tyres, and that they used both their race drivers. Couldn't they have used one of their test drivers for this job? Or even brought Michael out of retirement?

[dj_bytedisaster]

Well, it is a bit fishy to say the least. No matter if they tested next year's tyres or last week's, a three day test is quite a lot of running time that the other teams didn't have. Lauda just confirmed that the test had occurred and that Mercedes had been approached by Pirelli to do it. They informed FIA and Charlie Whiting and got the thumbs up. That's quite weird really. Giving one team the ok to run a 3 day test in such a competitive environment is a clumsy decision to say the least. Just trying to imagine the **** storm had it been Red Bull...

[Ranger]

Well, it is a bit fishy to say the least. No matter if they tested next year's tyres or last week's, a three day test is quite a lot of running time that the other teams didn't have. Lauda just confirmed that the test had occurred and that Mercedes had been approached by Pirelli to do it. They informed FIA and Charlie Whiting and got the thumbs up. That's quite weird really. Giving one team the ok to run a 3 day test in such a competitive environment is a clumsy decision to say the least. Just trying to imagine the **** storm had it been Red Bull...

The problem is that Charlie Whiting's opinion often doesn't match those of the stewards and the FIA's court of appeal.

Seems pretty dodgy, but they should be fine.

[Alfa Fan]

It's all so stupid. Teams will spend the money they have on whatever they can. If they can't on engines/testing it will just go on something else. The sooner it goes back to unrestricted engine development, much freer car design and unlimited testing the better.

[RS]

It's all so stupid. Teams will spend the money they have on whatever they can. If they can't on engines/testing it will just go on something else. The sooner it goes back to unrestricted engine development, much freer car design and unlimited testing the better.

I agree to an extent, although still think there should be a cap on testing but to allow some in season running too.