Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is pushing the FIA to equalize engine performance so that other teams can close in on Mercedes and compete for a title.
Last weekend in Melbourne, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was lapped by both Mercedes drivers, which is definitely not a position Red Bull is used to being in. And even though there were some interesting issues being raised, it’s never good to complain about not being able to match up with your opponents. It only makes you look bad.
He also argued that back when they were on top, they still weren’t winning as convincingly as Mercedes are. “I remember double diffusers were banned, exhausts were moved, flexible bodywork was prohibited, engine mapping mid-season was changed,” Horner told Autosport.
We’ll agree with that. It would seem (from their perspective) that the FIA moved mountains and oceans in order to equalize the field in previous year, while so far we haven’t seen much of that as Mercedes have been running circles around the opposition.
Also, saying that you’re not trying to “take anything away from Mercedes” won’t make you seem like less of a downer, because indirectly that’s exactly what you’re trying to do.
Naturally, Merc Boss Toto Wolff wasn’t all too pleased when he heard about what Red Bull have been stirring up. “If you come into Formula 1 and you try to perform at the highest level and equalization is what you need after the first race and you cry out, that’s not how we have done things in the past”, said Wolff.
While we’re all for a more competitive grid in Formula 1 and perhaps turning what is now three distinctive tiers into two, we’re definitely against the FIA slowing Mercedes down just so Red Bull can catch up.
Besides, as it looks right now, Red Bull should be focusing more on catching up with Williams and Ferrari first, and then worry about what Mercedes is doing.
PHOTOS
