Mercedes stresses commitment to “sporting integrity”

2013 F1 season

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Mercedes has responded to its summons to explain its controversial Pirelli test at an FIA Tribunal Hearing.

"We welcome the opportunity to explain the full facts of the Pirelli test in an open and transparent manner at the International Tribunal,” said the team in a statement.

“Sporting integrity is of primary importance to Mercedes-Benz and we have the utmost confidence in the due process of the FIA.”

The FIA has called on Mercedes to explain why it conducted a three-day test with Pirelli at the Circuit de Catalunya following the Spanish Grand Prix.

Mercedes and Ferrari Pirelli tyre test row


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    Keith Collantine
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    15 comments on “Mercedes stresses commitment to “sporting integrity””

    1. Yeah, bet this was the reason they asked Mercedes for the test:

      Rosberg asked why he and Hamilton drove in tyre test and not Sam Bird: “I think for Pirelli it’s more representative”

      When I read this tweet and this the stament I can´t help but roll my eyes.

      1. Actually its remarkable that he reacted to the question in any way really @celeste, I had expected a “no comment”!

        But if it was more representative, that would have been more representative for the whole test. Which is exactly why the teams agreed with the FIA to stop testing during the season!

        1. I believe Merecedes on this…I believe they have sporting integrity…I believe NR is right that in order for Pirelli to nail down proper tires for the rest of the season Pirelli needed the continuity of a 2013 car driven by the blokes who’ve been racing it in anger…I believe NR has nothing to hide and needn’t say ‘no comment’ because they haven’t done anything wrong, this was a Pirelli test and strictly that, and a needed one, and no data was shared with Mercedes or the drivers.

          1. Nico are you ?

            1. Yup…and I shouldn’t have to say it no more!

    2. The point is at this stage, F1 needs both Pirelli and Merc, more than they need F1. If slapped with a huge fine, Pirelli may decide to walk, leaving F1 in a mess – as they have no signed contract et for 2014, and Merc could as well. The departure of a major manufacturer/engine supplier would also have major consequences for F1.
      The way i see is, they both hold the cards and have the FIA over a barrel the moment. I predict a “show” fine or sanction – neccesary to dissuade other teams should they think of doing somehing similar in the future, but with a secret agreement that it would not be enforced. Ahh….politics!

    3. I somehow see this as a call Toto and Ross made, not Nikki and Daimler. The reputation of Mercedes Benz is not one of cheats and I believe Haug would not have done it. The coming of Toto “spiced things up” and the board wanted the team to take more risks; and the new Mercedes looked and performed much better, but this one is a BAD call.
      The other teams have to be given a chance to test with the Pirellis asap, Merc and Pirelli have to be fined; and we get over the fiasco; otherwise it’s getting ugly.

      1. The other teams are going to test with the new Pirelli’s tomorrow, so I think it doesn’t get any more asap than that, and I assume thats weather permitting, at which point Mercedes and the rest of the teams can start collecting data on them, and then they’ll all be using them in Britain. I wonder if that will be put off though. I wonder if weather causes them to have to be on inters or wets tomorrow, then will they use Friday of the British GP for everyone to start compiling data on the tweaked tires and then the next race will have them using them for the whole weekend.

        1. Go suggest to the teams that they can run the new tyres Friday, a limited number of sets – while Mercedes is running them too – and on a race weekend. I am sure they’ll happily agree to forget the whole thing…

          1. ??? Did you not read that in fact tomorrow the teams are to try the tweaked tires, then be back on the existing tires for Saturday and Sunday, and then have the tweaked tires starting in Britain? I didn’t pull that out of my hat. It’s what Pirelli said they are doing. And they would obviously need permission for the teams and FIA to do that. There’s information on it on this site.

            1. only with the weather it seems they won’t do much on those dry tyres at all @robbie, but that is a bit besides the point you are makeing :-)

        2. @robbie I am getting fed up with these constant accusations and face saving exercises happening in F1 at the moment. Honestly if FIA didn’t want any teams to do in season testing and almost all teams but Ferrari voted down in season testing, then FIA should have constructed a car complying with the rules themselves and supplied to Pirelli for testing. They could use the car for marketing FIA/F1 as they wish (with all the advertisement slots :P)

          1. Not a bad idea. Especially given how aggressive F1 wants Pirelli to make their tires. If the tires were even as ‘stable’ as last year’s, which weren’t all that much better, a special testing car wouldn’t be needed, but they took it a notch too far this year and nobody knew until they raced in anger at hotter venues. Feb/Mar testing just didn’t duplicate all the conditions the teams would be experiencing with these tires. Remember how Michelin’s failure was all about their tires not being able to handle one corner at one venue, that being the Indy 500 track.

    4. Sporting integrity is of primary importance to Mercedes-Benz

      When they say this, clearly they are not saying the truth, because if they believed in that they will not take the test in total secret

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