Mercedes dismiss Ferrari-Haas style partnership with Racing Point

Toto Wolff

Mercedes dismiss Ferrari-Haas style partnership with Racing Point

Toto Wolff says it's not the same.

Matthew Scott

Monday 22 April 2019 12:02

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Toto Wolff says Mercedes and Racing Point will not become intertwined like Ferrari and Haas, despite growing technical links between them. Racing Point already purchase power units and gearboxes from the constructors' champions, while it was recently confirmed that they will use Mercedes' wind tunnel.

Ferrari supply Haas with all listed parts – something that has angered their rivals as the American team have made immediate strides in F1's midfield.

Racing Point are one of the outfits to perhaps miss out by not becoming a 'B Team' but Wolff sees no reason for them to become a firmer subsidiary of the Silver Arrows.

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"Well, first of all, we are not doing a Haas-Ferrari model because Haas was a new entry, a team created from scratch," he said. "These guys exist for a long time.

"I don't see what's so bad in a Haas-Ferrari model actually. We have enabled somebody that was keen to enter Formula 1 in setting up a team, with the cooperation with Ferrari it got out of the blocks really well, and fights solidly in the midfield. I think that's good for Formula 1.

"Our model is very different. For the reasons stated before, [Racing Point] know pretty well what they want to achieve with the car, they have a solid technical group of people and will go in that direction.

"They will be using some of our infrastructure and we will see where that moves for the 2021 regulations. Once these are carved out, we will decide which of the areas we want to collaborate and where it is possible, regulatory-wise."

Racing Point technical director Andy Green said the wind-tunnel switch was down to improving productivity in the team.

"Later this year we'll be moving into the Mercedes tunnel in Brackley for purely efficiency reasons," he said.

"Our aero department happens to be located in Brackley; Mercedes wind tunnel happens to be located in Brackley.

"It's a lot easier to go testing in Brackley than it is in Cologne. So, when it was offered as an opportunity for us to go testing there, it was an obvious choice."