05/08/2020
NEWS STORY
The hearing that could decide "the future of Formula One" gets underway today, with the team managers of Racing Point, Renault and Mercedes summoned to appear before the stewards at Silverstone.
At the heart of the issue is the legality of the Racing Point RP20 which, it is claimed is a "copy" of the 2019 Mercedes.
While Racing Point has insisted from the start that though inspired by the championship winning car, technical boss, Andrew Green sat down to design the RP20 with a blank piece of paper.
In particular the brake ducts on the Racing Point are being investigated, Renault believing that they were created in collaboration with Mercedes.
However, there have been claims in the German media this week that Racing Point bought the brake ducts from Mercedes in 2019 before they became listed parts.
While Green insists there is no case to answer and the team had the full approval of the FIA before the season even started, other teams including McLaren are watching with interest, team boss Andreas Seidl having warned that F1 risks becoming a "copying championship".
While FIA president, Jean Todt said it would be "inappropriate" to comment, speaking at the weekend he admitted that it is vital that F1 teams maintain the integrity of building their own cars.
"That has always been the essence of Formula 1," he said, "ten teams which have to make their own car.
"But historically in Formula 1, you have photographers and people taking photos, and you find some similarity between one car and another," he added. "It's part of the history of Formula 1.
"But getting more specific, firstly, I don't have the competence to judge. But I'm very optimistic that the people who are going to judge have the competence to make the right judgement."