Adam Cooper F1

A protest from Scuderia Ferrari and Red Bull Racing regarding the Mercedes Pirelli test was heard by the FIA stewards after the Monaco GP, but as expected no immediate action has resulted, and instead a report will now be considered by the FIA.

The official outcome is that ‘after hearing and collecting information the stewards will write a report to the FIA who may bring the matter before the International Tribunal.’

The two teams had protested Mercedes for a breach of Article 22.4 h) of the sporting regulations, which refers to testing, and expressly bans teams from running with a current car.

The story has developed over the course of the day with Toto Wolff confirming that Mercedes was asked to participate ‘eight or nine days’ before the test, and Stefano Domenicali and Christian Horner making it clear that their teams are adamant that the rules were broken.

More later…

News that Mercedes conducted a 1000kms test for Pirelli at Barcelona after the Spanish GP has inflamed passions in the paddock and infuriated rival teams.

The heart of the matter is that Pirelli has a contract with the FIA which apparently allows it to call on a team to test during the season when it has some urgent work to do, primarily if there is a safety issue.

Pirelli told the teams about this last year and according to motor sport boss Paul Hembery some agreed to help, and others didn’t reply.

In the aftermath of the controversial Spanish GP, and with changes planned for Montreal, Pirelli asked Mercedes to test, with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg doing the driving. Due to rain their work extended over three days before the 1000kms was completed.

Incredibly a week passed after the end of the test before the other teams began to learn on Friday in Monaco that it had taken place.

Teams also learned that for at least part of the time tyres that will or could be used in Montreal were under test. And while Pirelli says that the work was aimed at the future that doesn’t seem to gel with the fact that an ‘emergency’ test like this would by definition involve tyres to be used this season – and  Pirelli previously made it clear that little or no work is yet going on regarding 2014.

The key issues for angry rivals are a) the FIA’s own sporting regulations confirm that no testing can be done with a current or last year’s car and b) the lack of transparency in what went on.

This blog grabbed Hembery for an exclusive chat. This what he said:

Q: Can you clarify what the situation is?

“We have an agreement with the FIA that states we can do 1000kms tyre testing. It’s something that we had back in the World Rally Championship as well. Last year we wrote to the teams saying this and inviting teams to say yes or no, whether they were willing to do it. Some teams said yes, and some didn’t reply.”

Q: Why was Mercedes involved in the testing?

“Because they were one of the teams that said they would do it. It’s really that. We were in discussions to do some other testing with another team in the future.”

Q: Who was that?

“It’s our business really.”

Q: Why were the other teams not informed it was going on?

“The issue you’ve got is it’s our testing, it’s our work, and what you see is the more discussion you have, the less you manage to achieve. If you start talking about it you end up six months later actually doing it.”

Q: To allow a team to test with a current car and not tell the others was bound to cause some resentment.

“That was not our situation. We asked for a representative car.”

Q: Under the filming days agreement for example other teams are invited to come and observe and so on, and they tell each other what they are doing. You must have realised that when this would came out they would be upset.

“No, because it’s completely irrelevant, it’s not relevant to what’s happening here, what’s going to happen this season. It’s looking at all sorts of solutions that may have relevance in the next 10 years, I don’t know.”

Q: But it did involve the Canadian GP tyres?

“It involved all sorts of tyres.”

Q: But it did involve tyre that you might be running in Canada?

“It involved all sorts of tyres… Let’s turn it round the other way. What do you expect us to do? The rules are very clear, it’s existed in the FIA contracts for years, and we just used it. We’ve got nothing else to add.”

Q: The fact that you did it with a team that’s made very public its issues with tyres, even if a lot of the running wasn’t with tyres that will be used this year, it’s still them running with this year’s car, with Pirelli, getting data. As Christian Horner said it hasn’t hurt Mercedes, has it?

“They [rivals] have no idea what they tested.”

Q: Won’t the fact that you didn’t tell people and even the team’s own dedicate Pirelli engineers didn’t tell them ‘we were in Barcelona last week with Mercedes’ lead to trust issues?

“We go into laboratories, we do a lot of work. We’re doing our job. They don’t tell us what they’re doing. Every team will have the same opportunity at the same time when we introduce something, and that’s it.”

Q: Did you ask anyone else to do that test, or was it just Mercedes?

“We invited all the teams to do 1000kms testing, some replied, some didn’t.”

Q: But that was last year?

“Some replied, some didn’t…”

Q: But for this specific test…

“We don’t need to. Some replied and some didn’t…”

Renault confirmed today the not unexpected news that Toro Rosso will join Red Bull Racing as a power unit partner of the French company from 2014 onwards.

The deal has been expected for some time as it obviously allows the teams to share gearboxes and other technology, which will represent a cost saving.

In announcing it Renault boss Carlos Ghosn said that he wanted a minimum of three teams and that confirmation of the third – obviously Caterham – is expected soon. However he added that there could be up to five customers. He also said the engines would continue to be badged as Renaults, despite Infiniti’s high profile in the RBR camp.

“Weare very glad that the new technology is starting next year,” said Ghosn. “It’s a technology with a lot of overlaps with the usual cars that we are putting on the market. We have been a supporter of the new power unit because we see a way to justify all the technology development and let the cars of every day benefit from what’s taking place, and particular let F1 benefit from some of the developments we’re doing  in terms of electrification of the engine.”

STR’s Franz Tost said: “We are very pleased to have reached an agreement to use Renault power units from the 2014 season onwards, when the new regulations will present interesting challenges. It is particularly important that we have managed to finalise our plans early, so that we can be as well prepared as possible for next year.

“While looking forward to working with Renault, I would also like to thank Ferrari, our engine supplier since 2007. They have provided us with an extremely effective and reliable engine and an excellent service.

Christian Horner added: “Strategically for Red Bull and Renault, it makes perfect sense for Scuderia Toro Rosso to use the same power unit as Infiniti Red Bull Racing from the 2014 season, which enables synergies between Red Bull and Renault to continue to grow.”

A major controversy has erupted in Monaco after it emerged that Mercedes conducted a secret three-day test with Pirelli at Barcelona after the Spanish GP.

Pirelli’s viewpoint is that it is allowed to call on a team to help with testing in a situation that it faced after Barcelona, when there were moves to make changes and understand the issues that had led to tyres losing treads.

Clearly the test would also have helped Mercedes with the specific issues that it has suffered recently.

However rivals are angry that they were not informed – and the fact that Mercedes has got on the front row again has clearly inflamed passions.

Indeed it’s extraordinary that in the modern era a team could test in secret without anyone knowing.

“We found out secondhand last night,” said Christian Horner. “I think there’s confusion between what is contractually permissible and what isn’t, and what a team when it enters the World Championship is allowed to do within the sporting regs. It’s a situation that we need clarification on, and our position is that we are going to request that clarification.

“I can understand Pirelli wanting to test the tyres – they’ve obviously got issues with the tyres. What’s disappointing is that it’s been done in not a transparent manner. A three-day test has taken place running a current car on tyres that are going to be used in the next Grand Prix. Irrelevant what you call it, that’s testing.

“First of all we need to deal with it through the proper channels, so that’s what we’ll look at doing.”

Asked if he thought the test had helped Mercedes, Horner said: “They’ve got both cars on the front of the grid, so it’s not hurt.”

Williams is expected to confirm soon that it will switch from Renault to Mercedes power for the start of the turbo era in 2014.

Niki Lauda has been telling people that the deal is done and the Austrian and other senior personnel were even spotted at the Williams motorhome today.

The arrangement is a no-brainer given that Mercedes motor sport boss Toto Wolff is also a shareholder in Williams.

It would mean that Mercedes will supply the works team, McLaren, Force India and Williams in 2014, before McLaren moves to Honda.

Speaking this afternoon Wolff would not admit that a deal has been done: “It’s clear that we are losing an engine customer in 2015, and for Mercedes it’s important to have a regular business case. So it is important to have at least three customers from 2015 onwards. This is why we are having certain discussions with teams, and Williams is one of them.”

Nico Rosberg made it three poles in a row after backing up the promise that Mercedes showed in practice in Monaco – despite early rain making life difficult for everyone in qualifying.

Rosberg will start from pole exactly 30 years after his father Keke won for Williams.

“It could have been a lot easier out there today,” said Rosberg. “The conditions were all over the place and as soon as it started drizzling again the lap times became a lot slower, even on the Inters. So it was really difficult and changing so much.

“So you really have to be out there at the right time with the right tyres, especially in Q2, changing over to slicks – but I’m really happy. Everything went to plan and the last lap was OK. It’s great to be on pole again, especially in Monaco. If at any track then it’s this track where it makes a difference.”

Rosberg had a tricky time in the wet Q1 session, twice taking to the Mirabeau escape road and getting away with it.

“I did exactly the same thing twice. I was just surprised by the lack of grip going into there and then I didn’t really want to accept the next time around that I had to take so much speed out, and so I went straight again. But anyway, it was the beginning of the session, it was drying out so I knew that there was plenty of time to set a time later on. But of course those moments are not great. I prefer staying on track.”

Regarding his hopes for Sunday Nico said: “In Barcelona we were still struggling a lot in the race. I was 70 seconds behind at the end of the race from the race winner. We’re improving, it’s difficult to understand the tyres and get the most out of it. We’re improving step by step – but there’s still a lot of question marks remaining.

“And so here, yeah, I’m sure we’ve made a step forward but it’s still going to be difficult for us tomorrow, definitely. It’s still our weakness but we’ll make the best of it and, who knows? You can always have a few surprises.”

Tony Fernandes is on the verge of announcing that Caterham will continue with Renault power into the turbo era.

While it is no great surprise an official confirmation will help to clarify the 2014 engine picture. Also expected soon is news on Toro Rosso going to Renault, and Williams joining forces with Mercedes.

“We’ve had great meetings today with Renault,” Fernandes told this writer. “I think in the not-too-distant future we will be announcing lots of things with Renault, so it’s looking good.”

Asked whether he had actually signed the deal he said: “Hopefully next week.”

Meanwhile Caterham enjoyed its best day of the season so far as Giedo van der Garde qualified 15th in Monaco.

“I’m really pleased. It’s been a long time coming! We knew we had good race pace but we thought in qualy we weren’t there. But I feel things are finally beginning to come together. So good for the team, a good morale boost.”

Massa’s car was badly damaged in the shunt. Photo: AC

Felipe Massa will start the Monaco GP from the back of the grid after he was not able to take part in qualifying.

Massa had a big accident at Ste Devote in the morning’s FP3 session, and while the team nearly finished the repair job in the end the clock ran out, and Massa was not able to go out in Q1.

The Brazilian locked his front wheels when he braked a little later than usual and turned sharp left into the barrier on the approach to Ste Devote. He then ran head-on into the barrier at the exit of the corner.

“I’m fine, just some stiff muscles here [right shoulder] and around the neck,” said Massa. “When I braked I touched a bump and both wheels went a bit up. When I braked I locked both front wheels. When you lock the front wheels the car doesn’t move [steer], so I hit the guardrail on the left.

“It’s the worst place to have this kind of problem. I saw that the car was pretty damaged, the suspension and everything around the car was pretty damaged, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy to go out. We tried everything we could. Starting last here is not easy.”

Regarding his hopes for the race he said: “I don’t know, I think we have to try everything different, and see if it works. We have the whole evening and tomorrow morning to make a big analysis and try to understand what we will do.”

Pirelli motor sport boss Paul Hembery has made clear his company’s frustration at the lack of an agreement to continue as F1’s sole tyre supplier in 2014 after its initial three-year deal runs out at the end of this season.

Pirelli has been under pressure from all sides regarding its role in how races unfold in 2013, and the uncertainty over the future has created extra pressure.

The added complication for Pirelli is that the turbo cars will have very different requirements, and until a deal is agreed the company is not in a position to push ahead with R&D.

“Apparently on the first of September we’re supposed to tell them everything that they need to know for the tyres for next season,” said Hembery today.

“We’re now mid-May, so you can imagine how ludicrous that is when we haven’t even got contracts in place. Maybe we won’t be here, anyway.”

Asked whether the chance of the ‘maybe’ had grown since the last race in Spain he said: “Well two weeks have passed, so it’s grown. At a certain point somebody’s got to make a decision.”

Hembery made it clear that without any testing with the new turbo cars it won’t be easy to get the 2014 tyres right.

“I won’t say it will be guesswork. You can get some indications that the power delivery will be very different, the top speed will be different, the aero loads will be dramatically different. There’s a big question on the correct tyre sizes for next year, you’ll have less aero downforce, so maybe you need wider tyres to create grip. There’s a risk of having excessive wheelspin.

“So there’s a lot of parameters there that would create quite a lot of concern, so you’d have to take from my point of a view a very conservative approach, so we’ll be back to no pit stops or one if you need to, and talk about other things.

“The changes are so dramatic, if you go round the teams and ask the teams how they perceive the cars next year you’ll have 11 different answers.”

Mercedes set the pace on the first day in Monaco. Photo: AC

Nico Rosberg was in a cautious mood despite topping both sessions in Monaco today.

The German admitted that Mercedes still has to fully address the tyre management issues that have seen the team waste pole at the last three races.

“Generally I’m pleased with the day,” he said. “We’re going in the right direction, I felt comfortable in the car. The thing is that of course first of all we don’t know how much fuel the other people had for one lap. We know that we’re more or less in the hunt for a good result in qualifying, but we don’t know what other people are running.

“And the other thing is our long run pace, it’s still a concern, this tyre management. We’re starting to understand it a bit better, but there are still some issues that we haven’t fully understood. So that’s still going to be a problem. The rears were going off, the usual as we’ve had in the last couple of races, and that’s what we need to focus on, and that’s going to be the main difficulty for the race. The stints as I say are going to be very long, with few pit stops.”

Rosberg said that the lack of overtaking opportunities might not be enough to help Mercedes stay at the front.

“It’s going to be really difficult, because you need the race pace, With the different strategies that you can do here, it’s really important to have the race pace. It won’t be enough to be somewhere at the front in qualifying, and that’s still our difficulty. We need to be cautiously optimistic.

“Of course this track and the nature of it is going to be a little bit of an advantage for us, but in Barcelona we were 70 seconds away in the race. That is one helluva big chunk, it’s going to be difficult to make that up in two weeks.