Racing Point (Force India/Racing Point Foirce India) is still in the Focus....
The background to the copy protest against Racing Point
Renault's protest against Racing Point shakes up Formula 1: it's not just about the legality or illegality of the RP20, it's about a fundamental question: how much copy can and above all how can it be copied?
Copying itself is not forbidden in Formula One. Engineers have always looked at ideas from other engineers. Mostly it is about detailed solutions or conceptual copies. Racing Point has now put everything together and recreated a complete car in all details.
The only question is, how did Racing Point recreate last year's Mercedes? It's no secret that the two racing teams are close. Racing Point not only buys engines and transmissions from Mercedes, but now also more and more suspension parts.
Racing Point uses Mercedes wind tunnel
Racing Point has also recently started using the wind tunnel of the world championship team in Brackley. And suddenly the racing team with the RP20 2020 presents a perfect copy of the Mercedes F1 W10 from the 2019 season.
How did the Silverstone engineers copy their Brackley colleagues? Racing Point refers to legal espionage. The FIA examined the striking similarity at the beginning of the year. Racing Point had thousands of photos of the F1 W10 that the copies were made from.
Of course, photos alone would not suffice as evidence. The FIA inspectors also looked at the design routes and manufacturing tools. From the CAD data, it should be clear that the designers needed several iterations to get from the photo copy to their final version.
How does Racing Point copy?
Critics say that such an exact copy would not be possible only from images. They say Racing Point must have received data or know-how directly from Mercedes. According to the regulations, that would not be allowed. Outsourcing the development and production of the 'Listed Parts' is permitted, but Haas finally also has its monocoque built at Dallara. However, the contractor must not be a competitor. That's exactly what Mercedes would be from Racing Point's perspective.
So how did Racing Point copy? This is exactly what the protest is about. Appendix 6 of the Sporting Regulations - better known as the 'Listed Parts Article' - defines exactly which parts a racing team must build themselves. Up to 2019, this list included the following four points:
Monocoque
Front crash structure
Rollover structure
Bodywork
In 2020, a decisive element was added to this list: brake ventilation. Brake ventilation has always been a difficult case in the regulations. Your primary job should be to supply the brakes with cooling air. In recent years, however, the teams have increasingly used the freedom provided by the regulations to screw aerodynamic elements onto the inside of the wheel carriers.
Even if the regulations were formulated somewhat more restrictively at this point, brake ventilation is still a borderline case between bodywork and brake cooling. For this reason, the brake vents have been included in the 'Listed Parts'.
Renault protest thought out
The Renault protest is therefore chosen very cleverly. When Racing Point developed the RP20 in 2019, the brake vents were not yet listed. That only happened with the 2020 regulations. A protest against the entire car would not have been successful - also because the FIA had already investigated.
Renault had to select a specific component and did it very skillfully with the brake ventilation. Also because the ventilation is more than just an opening. How exactly the channels run after admission is not necessarily shown in pictures.
Formula 1, technology check Racing Point RP20: scandal Mercedes?
With Marcin Budkowski, Renault hired a high-ranking FIA employee in early 2018. The Pole was head of technology at the World Automobile Association and is the direct predecessor of Nikolas Tombazis. Budkowski knew exactly what was important in the protest.
Therefore, the stewards had to allow the protest and confiscate the relevant parts. The decision will be a long time coming: First, Racing Point was given a time window in which to comment on the allegations. It may take a while: Renault worked on the 40-page protest for weeks.
Is Mercedes involved in the copy?
The precarious thing about the protest: It's not just about Renault and Racing Point. If the stewards find that the brake ventilation is almost the same and the design route is not understandable, Mercedes also has a problem.
Formula 1 2021: Vettel & the stubborn racing point rumor
Mercedes has already pledged to make the brake vents of the F1 W10 available for comparison purposes. The FIA technology experts will also speak to Mercedes engineers for the dossier they prepare for the stewards.
If the protest is successful, the question arises how Racing Point could get the data. Then it could also be tricky for Mercedes. The case is highly political. Renault and McLaren in particular do not want the Racing Point model to go to school. They see not only the DNA of Formula 1 in danger, but above all their business model.
PLUS:
Vettel & the stubborn racing point rumor
Is Sebastian Vettel driving Formula 1 in 2021? Rumors of a place at Racing Point persist in the paddock. How close is a deal?
Sebastian Vettel is still without Formula 1 cockpit for the 2021 season after his Ferrari departure. Time is getting short - but a rumor persists in the paddock. Namely, about a switch to Racing Point, which will become the Aston Martin factory team with Mercedes engines from 2021.
Although Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll already have contracts there, Vettel should have a chance of a place. This is underlined by ex-F1 driver Gerhard Berger in 'Sport und Talk' on ServusTV.
Berger believes: Racing point deal with Vettel through
"As is discussed behind the scenes in the paddock, they have already done it in the background," Berger even leans out of the window. "I can well imagine Sebastian appearing at Racing Point, and what you have seen now could be the only alternative for him to say: 'I can also win races with that thing.'"
Formula 1 race analysis: Racing Point is really that fast
Berger is pretty certain that Vettel has this claim: "As a four-time world champion, he doesn't have to prove anything. But of course his career is coming to an end." And the doors at Mercedes and Red Bull are already closed for Vettel in his eyes, which coincides with statements from both teams. Mercedes wants to continue with Hamilton and Bottas and Red Bull is not looking for a veteran as a Verstappen teammate.
"Then it gets tight, because who else can compete for victories and the World Cup?" Says Berger. "And I don't want Sebastian to be in the middle of the field. But speculation about Racing Point has arisen in the last few days and weeks, and they did an excellent job yesterday. I would say that with Sebastian in the car it would be even better."
Racing Point should fire drivers
The racing point camp also resisted speculation on the second weekend in Austria. "We have long-term contracts with our two drivers," repeated team boss Otmar Szafnauer. "So it would only be logical that we have no space."
Source:
https://www.motorsport-magazin.com/formel1/
Always touching 
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