The FIA have set an ‘interesting precedent’ according to Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner.
The Red Bull Racing team boss was referring to the decision which allowed the Mercedes team to change Lewis Hamilton’s brakes to a different manufacturer following the Brit’s heavy shunt in qualifying.
The 2008 Formula One World Champion suffered a front right brake disc failure during qualifying which saw the Mercedes driver suffer a heavy crash.
Mercedes opted to switch from Brembo discs to Carbone Industrie, with the changes made under parc ferme conditions.
Mercedes also changed Hamilton’s gearbox which resulted in a five-place grid penalty, however the change of brakes was made without penalty.
‘It was a change of car-spec,?
?If you change it like-for-like is one thing, but if you change it for something that is made by a different manufacturer and has a different characteristic, as described by the driver himself, then that is something different. It is an interesting precedent. Horner argued to Sky Sports.
?It is not something we are going to protest, because really it is down to the stewards and if they are happy with it, it sets a precedent going forward.?
Horner went on to argue that the switch in manufacturer could not have been made on safety grounds as Red Bull were running the Brembo discs.
?We are running the same material on both of our cars as Lewis was [in qualifying], so it was safe on our car,?
?I think we are going to need clarification, because obviously if you can do that then what else can you change? It will be interesting to see what the justification of that allowance was.?
Share this article
Related Articles
