Renault submitted a protest against Racing Point on Sunday after the Styrian Grand Prix. The cars of that team may not meet the technical regulations.
Sergio Pérez finished sixth on the Red Bull Ring, just ahead of his teammate Lance Stroll. Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo finished in eighth place behind the two Racing Point cars.
“We are asking the FIA to clarify whether the Racing Point car complies with the regulations,” Renault said in a short statement. “We also refrain from commenting until the stewards make a decision.”
Racing Point is also called ‘the pink Mercedes’ this season. The team has access to a power source from the German team and there are also many aerodynamic similarities with the 2019 Mercedes champion car.
While it is not uncommon for smaller Formula 1 teams to purchase parts from top teams, the regulations require that the design of the car be made by the racing stables themselves.
Racing Point protested against Renault last year
Even before Renault’s protest was filed, Stroll and Pérez spoke praise about their car. The Mexican drove from Austria in the seventeenth position to fourth place and the Canadian said that his team has “perhaps the second best car”.
Last year Racing Point successfully served one at the GP of Japan protest against Renault. Ricciardo’s sixth place and Nico Hülkenberg’s tenth place were dropped because the French team had used an illegal braking system.
Last year, it took ten days for the FIA to rule on the protest. It is therefore expected that no statement will be made on Sunday about the current protest from Renault.
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