Racing Point to continue 'Pink Mercedes' theme into 2021

Racing Point

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Racing Point to continue 'Pink Mercedes' theme into 2021

Team will look to upgrade to a 2020-spec design for next season

Ewan Gale

Friday 16 October 2020 12:49

Racing Point technical director Andrew Green has indicated the team is to press on with plans to bring the car forward to a 'Mercedes W11 specification' for next season.

That follows the success of this year's design based heavily on the W10 which led to it being branded the 'Pink Mercedes', with the rear brake ducts, in particular, landing the team in hot water with the FIA and its rivals.

Since the outcome of a stewards' investigation, which saw Racing Point hit with a fine and a deduction of 15 constructors' championship points, the regulations have been tightened to specify which parts can be copied or redistributed.

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Asked whether he believed the other teams had accepted the trajectory Racing Point had taken, Green said: "I think so.

"I mean it is happening. The rules allow us to do it. We are going ahead and doing it, we have cleared it with the FIA, and they have no problem with us doing it.

"The rules, as written, allow the teams to bring their cars up to the 2020 specification, which I think is only fair.

"Just because we elected to run the 2019 suspension before Covid started shouldn't be held against us. We should be allowed to bring the car up to the same specification as everyone else has got."

Green explained the team is not seeking any advantage, highlighted by the fact it is outlawed to run an up-to-date spec, meaning what will be used next season will be a year old.

"It is an upgrade to a 2020 suspension, it is not an upgrade to a 2021 [specification]," insisted Green.

"What we are running now is a 2019 so what they want to do is penalise us and keep us running two-year-old parts rather than bringing us up to date.

"It is not like we are gaining an advantage and bringing '21 parts to the car, it is only bringing it up to the same as what they have got now."

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