Horner not happy with Mercedes: 'Trying to make us slower'

On the opening day of the Styrian Grand Prix some big news was revealed. The FIA had introduced a new technical directive to make pit stops slower and safer. Without any reason the FIA introduced the new guidelines and some teams, especially Red Bull Racing, are not happy with them.

"Well the technical directive is certainly very wordy and you’d almost have to question whether it’s a change of regulation," said Christian Horner in the press conference on friday afternoon. "I suppose we have been very competitive, we’ve got the world record on pit stops, we’ve had the majority of fastest stops during the year and it’s not by accident."

Horner points the finger at Mercedes

Red Bull have been very fast in the pit lane all season and this is a trend that has continued from recent years. For several seasons now Red Bull have been delivering the fastest pit stops. "I find it a little disappointing… I mean it’s the duty of the competitor to ensure that the car is safe and the penalty for a wheel not being fixed is that you have to stop the car immediately, so it’s a brutal punishment if you haven’t got all four wheels securely and safely fastened. So, what the technical directive is trying to achieve, I’m not quite sure.”

Horner clearly disagrees with the introduction of the new directive, which has probably come about with the help of Mercedes. The German team often leaves some time behind Red Bull in the pit lane and has previously pointed to Red Bull's equipment at pit stops. "I think there’s an awful lot of complexity to it. Of course, when you’re in a competitive situation, if you can’t be beaten then obviously the most logical thing is for your competitors to try to slow you down, and that’s obviously what’s happening here," Horner concluded.