Zak Brown: Ruling shows Racing Point F1 design claims are ‘BS’

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says the FIA’s verdict on Racing Point proves t🐼he team’s claims that is only used photographs to clone Mercedes’ 20💝19 Formula 1 car is “BS”.
The FIA stewards published a lengthy verdict on Friday morning which concluded that Raci🅰ng Point was guilty of breaking the design rules on listed parts by using the rear brake duct design of the 2019 title-winning Mercedes W10 on its much-d𒁏ebated RP20 car.
Racing Point was docked 15 championship constructors’ points an😼d fined €400,000 for the sporting regulation breach, as well as being handed two reprimands.
The Silverstone-based outfit has alway🍷s insisted it’s design process was legal but Brown believes the FIA’s ruling could be “potentially the tip of the iceberg”, adding “everything else” on Racing Point’s 2020 car should now be questioned.
“My initial reaction is ♕Racing Point has been found guilty,” Brown said on Friday ahead of this weekend’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone.
“I am concerned that they still have what was deemed illegal in Austria on the race car now. I think that is confusing for the fans, how is something that is not legal🐻 in Austria still on the car?
“Around this whole copying, obviously they claimed that they had co💮pied the car via photography. It’s clear from reading the document that that is BS.
“And therefore you have to question everything else around that car. I think this is potentially the tip ಌof the iceberg, the starting point of what has happened her🐓e.
“I don’t think it’s healthy for the sport. The 🧸constructor gets a penalty but the drivers don’t. As the teams we all compete with each other, but then the drivers com🐎pete with each other and are able to keep their points when driving for the Drivers’ Championship.
“I think it’s thrown up a lot more questions than 🌳ans💖wers and there is new evidence that we are able to see.
“It is something that we are going to review quickly so t♎hat we are able to understand t⛦he process and if that’s something we want to potentially participate in.”
Renault is set to make a decision over whether to appeal against the penalty following Friday practice at Silverstone, while Ferrari b𓄧oss Mattia Binotto also indicated he was unhappy and wants clarity on thꦦe situation.

“We beli⭕eve it is not possible to copy and simply und💫erstand the full concept behind the car,” Binotto explained.
“It is something that which again we have said in a letter to the FIA that we really argue the entire concept and entire process, we believe that the regulations are🎶 clear enough and we believe there may be a breach of regulation in that process.
“But🔯 at the moment we are looking ahead and looking forward and it’s something on which🅠 we need to clarify.
“I don’t thi♔nk that the verdict of today is sufficient because it is only relevant to the brake ducts and not the entire concept, so I think it is only t𝓡he top of the iceberg but there is much to further discuss.
“But if it has never happened so far in the history of Formula 1 it mean♌s somehow it is almost impossible to do it.”

Lꦯewis regularly attends Grands Prix fo🦋r mahbx.com around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.