Andreas Seidl comments on RP AT and the coming budget cap
McLaren is moving steadily, box by box, but other medium-sized grille teams have made a major leap this winter supported by their partners or engine manufacturer. It's no secret that Pérez and Stroll's Racing Point RP20 is a clone of the Mercedes W10 that won the World Cup last year, just like the Alpha Tauri AT01inherits almost all the aerodynamics of the Red Bull RB15 plus gearbox and suspensions. Suddenly, they find a car that a few months ago was able to win races that comes to them, also perfectly tuned. Although they are cars that will hardly evolve during the season, in the first races they will be one step ahead of McLaren or Renault. However, that is not what worries Andreas Seidl, head of the British team.
Asked by AS, the German engineer is clear: with a budget ceiling approaching, he does not even want to hear about teams that can share resources. "For this year I do not worry, we focus on ourselves and it is important that we take another step as a team in terms of performance and reliability. There are clear rules and I understand that everything that is happening is legal and the rules allow it. that makes no sense to complain. What is much more important to McLaren is that, thinking in 2021 and later, we must ensure that cooperation between two teams does not go against the rules by exchanging resources. ", interfering in a "balanced pitch". "In 2020, it is important that the rules are followed. There are limitations for wind tunnel tests or 'CFD' and I understand that they are already making sure that no team transfers their work to another, that would clearly go against the rules," the boss adds in a meeting with media.
"That would go clearly against the rules and I understand that the FIA and F1 are aware," says Seidl, who broadens his position: "It is important for us because when the budget ceiling is put in place, it is in effect a limitation for everyone. There are certain sections where you cannot cooperate with another team. " And is that aerodynamics, for example, must be original of each team. Apart from the chassis, the leader of the Carlos Sainz team also remembers: "As an independent team that does not manufacture its own engines, it is that, as the rules contain, there is parity in the engines between the factory team and the client team" . Racing Point wants to lead the second F1 squad, something that does not fit McLaren's future plan: "which is what McLaren has been in the past. We do not want to follow others. It is clear that in this competition one must look at what others like Mercedes do, but you have to create ambition in the team, without arrogance, to get to do something different at some point. "
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Q: (Stefano Mancini – La Stampa) Kimi, will you help Vettel to win his championship this year?
Kimi Raikkonen: I can only drive one car, obviously.
@2018 Singapore Grand Prix drivers press conference.