Racing Point fined for its Mercedes-inspired brake duct
After the FIA stewards upheld the protests lodged by Renault F1 Team, the Racing Point outfit was found guilty of breaking the Sporting Regulations with their Mercedes-inspired brake ducts.
Racing Point raised eyebrows when they launched their 2020 car, the RP20 in February. The car showed many similarities with Mercedes' 2019 machine, the W10, urging many to call the RP20 the Pink Mercedes.
The FIA stewards held a lengthy meeting with Racing Point, Mercedes and Renault over the matter on Friday morning. The stewards have come to the conclusion that Racing Point have failed to adhere to the 2020 Formula One Sporting Regulations by copying the brake ducts of the W10 that have been added to the Listed Parts for 2020.
Racing Point were fined €200,000 for fielding Sergio Perez’s car in Styria and the same amount for fielding Lance Stroll’s. They were also deducted 7.5 world championship points per car - though Perez and Stroll keep their drivers' championship points. Interestingly, the team has only been given a reprimand for the Hungarian and the British Grand Prix despite using the illegal brake ducts.
As Racing Point can not design new brake ducts for this weekend's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, they will continue to use their Mercedes brake ducts that were deemed illegal by the FIA stewards.
