As McLaren debate how to divide resources between 2020 and 2021’s cars, Andreas Seidl has urged the FIA to clampdown on alliances between teams.
While the relationships between Ferrari and Haas and Red Bull and AlphaTauri are well documented, this season Racing Point took a step closer to Mercedes.
Having previously used Mercedes engines and gearboxes, this year the Silverstone team unveiled a pink Mercedes.
The RP20 is strikingly similar to last year’s Mercedes while also featuring a few aspects of this year’s car, leading to rivals questioning the legality.
But while McLaren team boss Seidl believes there is nothing untoward about the RP20, he is wary of such relationships leaving those who do not have a collaboration of sorts on the outskirts.
That could ultimately cost them come 2021 when F1 introduces all-new cars.
“It’s more important for us to look at what’s happening for 21 regulations and beyond,” Seidl told Motorsportweek.com.
“I think there it’s even more clear or restricted what is allowed in terms of a working relationship between two teams.
“The FIA needs to make sure they are on top of this game, that the co-operation between two teams is first of all always within the regulations, and doesn’t allow the big team for example to benefit from things that are happening at a smaller team related to these so-called listed parts.
“We all know these examples which are around also in the press, like people rotating between teams or the coffee machine talks you have between two different teams talking about concepts and so on.
“This is something that we are worried about and that is our focus on the discussions we have with the FIA to make sure this is properly policed as that would obviously go against the regulations.
“It would help, let’s say an, A-team, having a co-operation to go around the regulations to increase their resources beyond the idea of the budget cap and that is the biggest worry for us to be honest.”
Seidl does however that for this season the RP20 is legal, refuting rumours that McLaren could protest the car come Sunday’s Australian GP.
“We assume that the co-operation that is there between Racing Point and Mercedes is within the regulations, so there’s no point to complain,” he said.
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