Seidl: Do we want F1 to become “a championship of copiers”?

We feel it both uncomfortable around the edges but also quite uplifted. Andreas Seidl, Team Principal of McLaren, is inevitably a little bothered when expressing himself on the complaint filed by Renault against Racing Point.

Because the complaint also involves Mercedes, future engine manufacturer of the Woking team. At the same time, the German official is eager to learn the verdict in this case because he considers it decisive for the future of the Formula 1.

A quick reminder of the facts: at the end of the last Styrian Grand Prix, Renault has filed a double protest against the Racing Points of Sergio Pérez and Lance Stroll. Le Losange believes that the design of the RP20 is too inspired by the Mercedes W10 lined up in 2019, particularly in terms of the brake ducts.

Since this season, these elements have been part of the “Listed Parts”, listed in appendix 6 of the sporting regulations, which each team must produce itself to claim F1 Manufacturer status.

The Racing Point brake ducts have been placed under seal last Sunday in Austria for inspection, while Mercedes will have to provide access to the same elements on the W10 for comparison purposes. The verdict is not expected with the Silverstone doubleheader in early August.

“The Racing Point team is openly proud of its copy work, pointed out Seidl this Friday morning from the Hungaroring. They don't hide being inspired by last year's Mercedes. So it would surprise me if everything was not done while respecting the regulations and exploring its limits.

Any clarification is welcome, especially on such a crucial subject for McLaren. This complaint is a key step in knowing what the F1 of the future will look like in the eyes of the FIA ​​and the FOM.

Do they want F1 to become a copycat championship where you only have 2-3 manufacturers and clones of their cars? I think that would be a mistake. This model is not sustainable.

What makes F1 unique to us is the competition between 10 manufacturers, a battle of aerodynamic engineering and engine excellence, a clash between skills that each has accumulated and refined over the seasons. This is what fans want to see on track.

If I take the suspension elements for example, each piece is the result of years of work and is part of an overall concept. You cannot take this piece in isolation. It is part of a whole. For our part, we clearly want to remain an independent team with our own identity.”

Seidl clarified that McLaren was planning for the long term in F1 and was about to sign the new Concorde Agreements which are to govern the discipline from 2021. While recognizing that a verdict favorable to Racing Point would represent " a risk " for the DNA of sport.