Formula 1 2013 – Mercedes And Pirelli Embroiled In “Testgate” Controversy
As It Stands Red Bull and Ferrari lodged an official protest at the Monaco Grand Prix, questioning whether Mercedes had infringed the regulations on testing with the three-day event at Barcelona. Also they are unhappy with the lack of transparency surrounding this test in general and feel it might offer Mercedes an unfair advantage, especially given the particular issues they have been having with tyre degradation this season. All three teams and Pirelli were summoned to the stewards following the Monaco Grand Prix on May 26th. No further action was taken at the time against Mercedes, but the stewards at Monaco have filed a report and escalated the protest to the FIA for further consideration. Pirelli have already conducted a test of this kind this year, understood to be with Ferrari but using an older spec car. Hitting back at the allegations, they claim that the test has not favoured any one team and that the tyres were developmental for use in the 2014 championship. They say this test 2014 development test was offered to all teams equally and they never requested use of a 2013 car, which they state was between Mercedes and the FIA. The only work conducted on current 2013 tyres was to eliminate delamination issues, for the reasons of corporate reputation as opposed to safety concerns, and they say this was achieved in laboratory testing and not at any track test. They also state that the experimental tyres being supplied for Friday practice in Canada next week have never been tried by any team or driver. For Mercedes, given this has come out right before they dominated the Monaco Grand Prix, managing tyres particularly well in the process, it doesnt look good when they claim to have gained nothing from the testing. Whilst Monaco is a gentle track on tyres, the easiest of the season, it still makes a point given how poorly Mercedes performed on the rubber in the Spanish Grand Prix just before this test took place. Running three days of testing, 1000km, at an official FIA approved Formula 1 testing venue simply must bring them data. It would be naïve not to believe that they would exploit the situation for maximum benefit. As Red Bulls Christian Horner summed it up, testing is testing. Mercedes have not issued any statements regarding the matter, and Ross Brawn seemed unconcerned by things when questioned about it in Monaco, pointing out that other teams could clearly see they hadnt packed up their garages following the race in Spain.