Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is playing provocateur and peacemaker as the controversy over Racing Point’s 2020 car continues.
As most will know, last Friday the Silverstone-based team was hit with a 15-point deduction and 400k Euros fine after the stewards deemed their rear brake ducts breached the regulations on listed parts as they had been copied from designs given to them by Mercedes.
Four teams (Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault) all signalled their intention to appeal seeking a harsher punishment, while Racing Point did likewise but want the original ruling overturning.
All weekend, Wolff defended the Silverstone-based team and then on Sunday, weirdly began pleading Mercedes’ innocence despite having already been cleared by the FIA.
“We have not been protested, we have done nothing wrong,” the Austrian told reporters. “I strongly believe that Racing Point has done nothing wrong.
“I believe that if this goes to the International Court of Appeal, the lawyers and the barristers have a strong opinion that this is a case that has very, very solid pillars, and therefore everybody’s in a good place about that.
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“I’m speaking to Ola [Kallenius, Mercedes’ chairman] every single day, we’re speaking about good things and bad things. Obviously our reputation is very important, but it is intact.
“If someone thinks that we have done something wrong, they should protest, and we’re happy to go to court.”
The only question mark being raised over Mercedes’ role was the revelation Racing Point was given a set of rear brake ducts after becoming a listed part at the start of 2020, but that was ignored because they were not used and the team has already got data from CAD drawings last year when they were not listed.
But at the same time as almost begging for a fight, Wolff then claimed the appeal process would be bad for F1 and said he was trying to avoid it happening.
“I don’t think that anybody is interested in this continuing forever and going to the International Court of Appeal,” he told Sky Sports.
“It will be a month or two until there is the case with lawyers involved, and therefore, everyone is trying to be pragmatic. I was invited to be the mediator between the two groups, which I tried to satisfy.
“They’re all so stubborn, but I think we made progress, a little bit,” he added.
“Now in the next 48 hours, we should come to a conclusion whether the appeals remain upheld or everybody decides it’s not worth going that way. Racing Point was penalised anyway.”
Teams have until Wednesday morning to decide if they will pursue their intent to appeal.
