F1 News
FIA declares Mercedes engine legal after Red Bull questions top speed
- GPblog.com
Last weekend it became clear that Mercedes has found extra speed. On the straights Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were fifteen to twenty kilometres per hour faster than the Red Bulls. The team has therefore asked questions to the FIA, but Helmut Marko reveals the truth.
Bottas drove to a dominant victory and Max Verstappen had no chance to attempt overtaking. Hamilton, who started from P11 following his combustion engine change, was also very fast during qualifying and the race in Turkey. Despite Verstappen regaining the lead in the championship, Red Bull are concerned about Mercedes' sudden speed.
Christian Horner said that Red Bull has not protested against the Mercedes engine, but that they have asked the FIA to check everything. Red Bull and Mercedes have been filing protests with the FIA all season. After the fourth race Mercedes complained about Red Bull's aerodynamics and after the British Grand Prix Red Bull filed a protest to review Hamilton's penalty.
Nothing illegal going on
Speaking to Motorsport-Magazin.com Helmut Marko confirms that there is nothing illegal going on with Mercedes' engine. "It's all approved by the FIA. We have to accept their decision." So it's up to Red Bull to find out why they were slower than Mercedes in Turkey.