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Red Bull to FIA: 'Mercedes actions were very unsportsmanlike'

Red Bull to FIA: 'Mercedes actions were very unsportsmanlike'

29-11-2021 09:17 Last update: 10:51
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GPblog.com

Helmut Marko has been quite upset with Mercedes' actions at the start of the season. Speaking to Motorsport.com Austrian explains why Red Bull Racing is now so busy with Mercedes' car.

Mercedes shows a lesser side

In 2021, for the first time there is a real title fight between two different teams. After years of Mercedes dominance, Red Bull for the first time managed to build a car that can really attack the reigning champion. The moment that became clear, Marko says, Mercedes' attitude changed too.

''When Mercedes saw that we were equal or even faster, they first came up with flexi wings and then with all kinds of other sham arguments'', Marko said. According to the Austrian Mercedes (and here he is mainly referring to Toto Wolff) were mainly busy sabotaging Red Bull and they also used their customer teams Williams, McLaren and Aston Martin for this.

Red Bull around the table with the FIA

''We took those actions as a very unsportsmanlike gesture and then we also focused on what was happening at Mercedes, for example with those wings. That all comes into play when the battle is as intense as it is this year and especially when someone is not used to another team being able to offer competition.''

For Red Bull, it went so far at one point that they sat down with the FIA. ''We felt that there was a certain one-sidedness in the decisions. But in the meantime we have had several discussions with the FIA and also with Liberty, so I would say it is partly 'part of the game'', concludes the Red Bull Racing advisor.