Valtteri Bottas isn’t concerned by the possibility of Mercedes losing their DAS system should Red Bull successfully protest it.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit was expected to question the legality of the Dual-Axis Steering device spotted on the W11 during pre-season testing if the Brackley-based team had used it in Melbourne.
That’s because, while the FIA has publicly stated they believe the system does meet the regulations, in the case of a protest at a Grand Prix, the stewards would have to complete a full investigation into how exactly DAS worked.
Despite that, however, before the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled, Bottas was confident Mercedes would proceed with it.
“I’m sure we’ll be DAS-ing some of the straights,” he said. “It depends which kind of laps, and which sessions, and so on.
“But we’re still happy to have it in the car. We hope it can give an advantage, but again, we will see.”
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Of course, While Red Bull didn’t get the chance to protest in Melbourne, it’s more than likely they will when the first race does eventually take place.
“Well, I’m sure we will have to wait for what happens, but like I said earlier we would be happy to run it,” Bottas added.
“But it is up to the team to calculate the possible risk of it being taken away.
“In a short answer, yes, we would like to keep it, but if there’s a big risk we don’t, there is no big problem then.”
Mercedes have remained largely quiet on the potential benefits of DAS but Bottas did expect it to offer a single-lap boost.
“That is something we would need to see in practice,” he claimed. “But most likely yes, we’ll use it in qualifying.”
DAS had already been banned under the new regulations for 2021 and most rival teams have already ruled out developing their own versions citing the complexity and the cost for relatively little gain.
“It is a significant project, significant to the point where I suspect it would require a new chassis from where we are now,” said Racing Point’s Andrew Green.
“Even if the rules weren’t changing next year, I doubt whether we would be introducing something like that for this year, but the fact that the rules are changing next year, and that type of system appears to be outlawed under a new regulation, then no chance.
“It is one of those small gains that if you can do it you will do it, but if you can’t you won’t.”