Sergio Perez, Red Bull, Red Bull Ring, 2021

Mercedes will “analyse the facts” of any gains from Red Bull’s new engine

2021 Styrian Grand Prix

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Mercedes will look into any potential gains Red Bull may have made with their second power unit, said team principal Toto Wolff, after Lewis Hamilton repeated his claim they have introduced an upgrade.

Engine manufacturers are only allowed to make changes to their power units during this season to address reliability concerns.

However Hamilton has claimed on several occasions the new Honda engines Red Bull introduced at the French Grand Prix have improved their performance.

“I don’t remember the last time we had an upgrade, but they have,” he told Sky after the Styrian Grand Prix. “They’ve clearly brought the engine upgrade and they’ve brought some other part of the package and it’s just eked them ahead.”

Speaking after Sunday’s race, Wolff said his team will not make knee-jerk claims about Red Bull’s performance since the introduction of their new engines until the relevant data has been examined.

“In this sport, we’re not working with suspicions,” he said. “It’s important to analyse the facts and the data and this is what everybody does.

“It’s very transparent how every team performs and we will be looking at every team’s performance, including Red Bull and ourselves, and then come to our conclusions.”

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Hamilton finished a distant second to Max Verstappen yesterday, falling over 15 seconds behind his championship rival before making an extra pit stop.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Red Bull Ring, 2021
Poll: Vote for your 2021 Styrian Grand Prix Driver of the Weekend
“In a moment of defeat, the initial reaction shouldn’t be pointing fingers at anybody or looking to find excuses,” said Wolff.

“They’ve done a good job, fact. And the second power unit that they brought has been really strong. And that can be only with reliability if the first one had degradation. So in summary, let’s look at the data, analyse and then see what that says.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner reiterated yesterday their new engines are the same specification as the previous ones.

“We have a new oil from ExxonMobil so I think they should take full credit for Lewis pointing at the engines,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “The engines are homologated, it’s the same spec.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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101 comments on “Mercedes will “analyse the facts” of any gains from Red Bull’s new engine”

  1. They are smelling grapefruit on red bulls engine.. mayb red bull is oil burning with a trick like ferrari in 2019

    1. Or maybe it’s as Honda said they weren’t using the energy recovery/deployment optimally in the early part of the season and now they’re fine tuning things. That “zero size” Honda power unit is a masterpiece. It’s a shame it took them until their last year in F1 to put it all together.

      1. Correct, In combination with the new Oil they can operate the engine on a higher mapping and they were fixing some deployment from energy recovery system.
        Just after the aircraft department helped them with the MU and turbo things went up!

        1. @macleod exactly! Fine-tuned oil which allows them to run the unit harder with less risk of degradation.

      2. @lejimster82

        Let’s wait and see until the end of the season. I am keen to see the reliability of the power unit. In 2017, Ferrari suffered from reliability at the end of the season trying to push Mercedes. But Mercedes really need to bring something because it looks like they have fallen behind Red Bull in raw pace.

      3. And ( mark Hughes)

        The Red Bull is being continually developed. Here it had a new floor and diffuser, with the vortice-inducing shark’s teeth along the upper flap helping keep the airflow attached even at the extreme ride heights the car runs in slow corners. It’s that sort of underbody performance which is allowing Red Bull to run much skinnier wings than Mercedes,

        1. What? That’s quite a lot of updates. New Floor and new diffuser? That’s a lot considering the cost cap this year. No wonder that they can run thinner rear wings than Mercedes because their car already has good rear downforce, whilst the Mercedes has a lack of it due to the loss of the floor and the low rake concept not allowing more air on the rear than a high rake concept.

          1. @krichelle The thinner rear wings don’t cost as much to make so Red Bull are actually saving money ;) :)

  2. Adam (@rocketpanda)
    28th June 2021, 11:09

    “In a moment of defeat, the initial reaction shouldn’t be pointing fingers at anybody or looking to find excuses,” – says the man pointing fingers and looking to find excuses.

    It’s annoying reading multiple Mercedes members talk constantly about how Red Bull have done something to the engine, to the wings, to this, that or the other and Red Bull having to defend that constantly – and then Wolff questioning why they’re defending so hard. Because you’re literally throwing accusations!

    If Red Bull are doing something untoward then prove it and punish them, otherwise just get on with it. Years of Mercedes saying ‘its down to the others to do a better job to beat us’ and when they’re defeated it’s got to be because of this, that or the other. The salt is incredible.

    1. I must say it is becoming difficult to like Mercedes and Lewis. I used to love both, but they are so disgraceful in defeat. The Mercedes PR team has come up with the underdog strategy approach and the team does a stellar job in consistently bringing the same message across. But the facts are totally different. The Mercedes still is the better car. It is clearly seen in the long run pace FP2’s and since that is more difficult to analyse a simpler approach can be used, by asking the following questions: Is RBs nr 2 consistently battling his team mate for pole? Is there like 0.048 between the two RB drivers most of the time in qualifying? Is the nr2 leading races and then swapped to let the nr1 have the win? Is the gap between the two front team mate cars and the chasing nr3 car over 20 seconds? With Mercedes all answers to these questions were YES the past 9 years. For RB you can not even answer a single questions with yes. So give me a break with this disgraceful PR story of Mercedes. Please re-invent yourselves or leave the sport altogether if you keep behaving like a 3 year old

      1. To be fair, they really were slower yesterday. But after the race in France, both Toto and Andrew Shovlin said that Mercedes had a slightly better race pace, while Lewis complained about the pace of the RB. He’s done this all season. I don’t know if he geniunely feels that way or if he is just playing mind games. In any case, it just feels disingenious. It seems that he is trying to create a narrative that if he loses, it’s because of an inferior car and there can be no other reason for it. I’m not trying to say that Max is neccessarily a better driver, they seem pretty evenly matched on the track to me, but this makes Lewis really hard to like for me.

        1. You are phrasing it far more elegant than me. Thanks

        2. I’m not trying to say that Max is neccessarily a better driver

          But he very well might be. Ever since his rough 2018 start, Verstappen has been extremely impressive. Let’s not forget that even before this year he had won just as many races in a Red Bull as Bottas had in the all-conquering Mercedes (taking the 2017-2020 seasons).

          1. @cashnotclass Yeah, I don’t disagree. I just think that fighting for a championship is a different animal. Remember how exhausted Rosberg was after 2016. Prior to this year, Max has never really been in a position where he had a lot to lose. I concur that Max has been the better of the two drivers this year, the one making smaller mistakes. And I am really impressed by his almost zen-like mindset that he has at the moment. At the same time, historically Lewis has been the driver with the strongest mental game and I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. We are only one third of the way into the season afterall. That’s why I am a little more hesitant, let’s see how the season unfolds first. Nevertheless, beating Lewis would be a massive feather in Max’s cap, and in any case we are so privileged to watch these two go at it.

        3. To be flair Mercedes is only faster in the first 5-6 laps after that you see they drop pace while red Bull keep constant.
          That is why Mercedes tries to attack Max straight away hoping to pass him. France Mercedes where luckly that Max lost his lead in the second lap otherwise he would be gone miles ahead after the first pitstop.

      2. That logic just does not fly
        If you claim that you can only have the best car if
        – Both drivers are very close in qualifying and race and
        – Both drivers are comfortably ahead of the third placed driver
        Then the conclusion would be that no team has the best car.
        In fact, using that logic, there seems to have been a lot of seasons in history without a best car,

        If you give us the definition for the second best car, we can run the same analysis again. For all we know, Red Bull and Mercedes may not even have the tenth best car.

      3. F1oSaurus (@)
        29th June 2021, 17:28

        Mayrton Stop lying!

    2. Don’t forget the pit stops….

    3. Yesterday was the first race they weren’t competitive in 8 years!
      Their empire might be starting to crumble and they aren’t used to losing and are in self denial.
      Hamilton is freaking out because it’s turned on a dime – he aura is quickly dimming.
      The fact that he jumped the queue in qualy and made yet more mistakes proves he is rattled.
      Reminds of the year he lost to ROS.

  3. Why is Horner so defensive? Even going as far as claiming its the new oil. Who would divulge where they are making gains unless its to divert the focus…

    1. RandomMallard (@)
      28th June 2021, 11:25

      Horner is likely so defensive because they keep asking him about it. And giving an answer of “it’s the oil” is a reasonable explanation, while if he just gave no comment it raises suspicions further.

    2. Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
      28th June 2021, 11:25

      Why is Horner so defensive?

      Gee I don’t know, maybe because ‘journalists’ keep asking every single interview about ‘dem gainz’. If you don’t answer, you look suspicious. If you answer, you are apparently defensive and therefor also suspicious. You just can’t win with some people.

    3. Yeah Horner, admit to every ridiculous accusation, no matter how unsubstantiated!

    4. Saying it’s the oil is cleverly turning it back on Mercedes and their sponsor Petronas, who for sure is not too happy the focus is on their rival’s superior product, and by inference, their inferior one.

  4. It seems like Mercedes had bet on more dominance this season, and wanted to aim their R&D fully on 2022.
    Since that strategy hasn’t paid off as expected, they have to resort to protesting against any innovation of their direct competitors.
    As long as the FIA is being compliant, it’s a minimum effort, maximum result type action.

  5. We have a new oil from ExxonMobil so I think they should take full credit for Lewis pointing at the engines

    Wasn’t oil development banned? Or is that for the new regulations? Could have sworn I saw stories about it.

    I think admitting any sort of improvement will just open up room for an investigation as to why, and the whole circus that surrounds those sort of investigations

    1. I think you mistake RedBull with Ferrari but this is not over oil burning but a better Oil to keep the engine cooler so you can operate on a higher mode…..

    2. How dare these teams trying to make improvements??

  6. “In a moment of defeat, the initial reaction shouldn’t be pointing fingers at anybody or looking to find excuses,” said Wolff.

    whilst pointing fingers.

    At what point do the constant accusations from Mercedes become bringing the sport into disrepute?
    They’re obsessed! And its getting both irritating and tiring.

    1. Well to be fair Horner kept his complaints and accusations going for seven years. Although that was both irritating and tiring too.
      Not to forget that both sides are being presented with ‘edited’ versions of what the other said; usually out of context (as Max’s I’m .2s faster than Ham in any car was), and reacting to that.
      Not sure whether the Wolffs and Horners are just boring compared to the spats we got from Dennis, Bernie, Fabio and Mosley; or people just love to be ‘offended’ these days.

      1. ian dearing Did Horner do as you say though? Or is that just a convenient way of putting it. Seems to me the bulk of Horner’s complaints in the initial years of the hybrid era were about Renault. Just saying, did Horner ever level so much rhetoric over so many different things towards one team like LH/TW have done within 8 races? Do people just love to be offended these days, or have LH/TW actually gone beyond the pale? For me, beyond anything CH has said over the years, the rhetoric LH levelled at his own team throughout 2016 went beyond the pale.

    2. Coventry Climax
      28th June 2021, 23:12

      Well, let them investigate. Who knows, they might even find some fraudulently hidden Trump votes somewhere!
      But yes, to me, mr. Wolff has already crossed the line, and it’s the attitude of the weak.

  7. Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
    28th June 2021, 11:24

    “In this sport, we’re not working with suspicions,” he said. “It’s important to analyse the facts and the data and this is what everybody does.

    ….to then point fingers in the media based on those suspicions. What a snake

  8. James Coulee
    28th June 2021, 11:28

    I don’t recall a similar reaction from other teams when Mercedes dominated for years… now, a couple of races of another team performing and for Mercedes everything must be illegal.

    I’m a fan of the team but this isn’t a good look on them.

    1. Thats what I dont understand either. Someone at the board of Daimler should step in as Toto and Lewis are hurting the Mercedes brand by being, well not very gentlemen like. Toddlers if you will. And besides that they are also indirectly complimenting Honda. This behavior must raise some eyebrows at Mercedes HQ. I do not feel Toto is very interested anymore in the company Mercedes. He probably has another agenda for the future. Lewis and Toto are throwing everything under the bus at the moment which makes their past achievements less shiny, so maybe their mums should call to say knock it off boys

      1. Coventry Climax
        28th June 2021, 23:19

        That is very nicely put, @Mayrton, nail on the head.

    2. “I don’t recall a similar reaction from other teams when Mercedes dominated for years…”

      Wait, what? are you for real? Every single race weekend from 2014 until 2021 Redbull was whinging about Party modes, FRIC suspension, DAS. Anywhere Merc had an advantage.

      1. N Are you for real? Every single race weekend? Get real.

        1. Oh yeah sorry, damn, you’re correct. It was every race weekend that Redbull got beat by Merc, which wasn’t literally every single race. Sometimes when they weren’t whinging, they were winning.

          1. @N I think you are mistaken here. Yes, RB were complaining, but just as well they were acknowledging that Mercedes just had been doing a better job than they had. And that they needed to do a better job themselves at the start of the season with a well performing car, instead of only having a well performing car at the end of the season.

      2. You obviously looked at the wrong info.
        Yes they asked about the sad and accepted the answer.
        Yes they did talked a lot over the party mode only Mercedes wad able to use. Knowing the patty Lowe story we now know why
        But even rbr never kept on finding new things to make the opposition look crooks like toto and Lewis do.

    3. It’s been said before here (sorryI don’t remember who did) but it bears repetition

      Whingeing is being rewarded in F1. Ineluctably, everybody whinges.

    4. RE: James Coulee

      Of course other teams caused a fuss about various things, this is F1, it has been the case since the case as far as I can remember. However, the usual gamesmanship apart, all the other teams always admitted that Merc did a better job, I dont recall anyone else insinuating cheating though.

      I think Gary Anderson put it best in the Race’s GP review yesterday. He said, Mercedes seem to be blaming everyone else and aren’t looking at themselves. They should just focus on fixing their own problems and worry less about what Red Bull is doing.

  9. RandomMallard (@)
    28th June 2021, 11:30

    Toto runs a serious risk of becoming the boy who cried Wolff (not my pun). Eventually the FIA will get bored of their constant noises that when merc think something might seriously be illegal they may not listen to him.

  10. Carlsberg don’t do accusing others of cheating, but if they did, they’d probably be the 2nd best in the world behind Mercedes

  11. I guess Mercedes AMG F1 now has its sights set on breaking the record for least sporting F1 team in history after their 7 consecutive Titles in the wdc and team championship….

    Sad really.

    1. Disrespectful team indeed. Their sense of entitlement is unprecedented

    2. Mercedes, led by Wolff and Hamilton, are strangely acting out. They are very much in this championship, and if Hamilton hadn’t made numerous mistakes he would have had a good chance of leading the championship at this point. But we’ve seen glimpses of this in 2018, as well. The guys at Brackley don’t take kindly to proper competition.

      Sadly neither seem to remember Mika Häkkïnen’s great words after losing the title to Schumacher in 2000 – after a long hard fought battle the Finn said; “I understand it’s sometimes some other driver’s turn to win and to be a good winner sometimes you have to be a good loser too.”

      1. I understand it’s sometimes some other driver’s turn to win and to be a good winner sometimes you have to be a good loser too.

        Such a great quote, thanks for sharing @cashnotclass

  12. Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
    28th June 2021, 11:33

    And while I could see Red Bull try to pull of something questionable, I honestly don’t think it’s the team that would try and get away with something actually illegal. Sure, they’ve balanced on the edge a few times in the past, but it was always on the right side of the line. Add the Japanese-part of Honda to that where honor is everything, I seriously doubt they would be open to try something very questionable in their final season. As Marko said: the reason Honda will never come back on their decision to leave F1 is because it would make them look weak. You seriously think they would risk the PR-damage for blatant cheating?

    If it were Ferrari, then yeah, sure, I wouldn’t think twice about it. But Honda? Nah, no way.

    1. Not always, as Red Bull has previously been disqualified in this turbo era for engine-related shenanigans, although that was with Renault. Honda might not want to risk their last season, but in the past they too have been willing to break the rules, even to the point of being banned from multiple races back with BAR.

  13. Here’s to hoping the flappy front wing of Mercedes F1 gets a serious hit by a new technical directive and they will need to redesign it.
    Nothing worse than being the most successful team for almost a decade and then claim every one that manages to beat you must be cheating. 🤮

    1. Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
      28th June 2021, 11:40

      Would indeed be very intresting. Maybe Red Bull even gambles on that: they might have to redesign theirs, but it would mean Mercedes would have to switch focus more drastically.

      1. The Redbull front wing flexes very little. And to make matters worse for Mercedes. If the front wing had to be redeveloped.. the whole flow over the entire car changes.. that would probably mean game over for this years title hopes.

  14. Who would have thought this a few years ago; Mercedes complaining about the Honda engine being too powerful. I wonder if some people at McLaren are scratching their heads. On the other hand, some people at Honda will be scratching their heads too, since Honda is leaving the sport once again at the top of their game.

    1. Coventry Climax
      28th June 2021, 23:28

      Honda have worked very, very hard and spent a massive amount of money to regain face after the McLaren debacle.
      They are not scratching their heads, they are congratulating each other, on a mission accomplished.

  15. Is there another article/interview that everyone is referring to when accusing Toto of pointing fingers? He literally says it can’t be the engine, unless they can now turn it up higher because they’ve addressed reliability concerns. Is the anti-Toto bandwagon so appealing you’re just willing to make stuff up now?

    1. @fluxsource Yes there are recent articles that have LH/TW pointing fingers at flexy wings, tire pressures, and wheel guns, and at the start of the year about the floor changes favouring high rake cars. A few days ago it was ‘weird’ how Horner was reacting to his and/or LH’s remarks, which most people around here have taken as sounding desperate, since they are the ones doing the finger pointing.

      However, I do think here you have a point and here’s why I say that. It is specifically, for me at least, in the wording of this article. It says that TW has said the above quotes after LH yet again has implied Honda have supplied an upgraded engine, which would yet again imply something illegal.

      I take from TW’s quotes that he is now needing to take a more diplomatic approach because LH is now taking it too far with his rhetoric. So, unlike many posters here, I don’t at all think TW is in essence ‘threatening’ (my choice of word) to investigate RBR’s new found pace. Not in any way that wouldn’t be normal for all teams to do..see if they can sort out why so and so is faster and where.

      When TW says we should not react on suspicions I think he is actually talking to LH subliminally, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wishes secretly that LH would tone it back with the rhetoric. This so reminds me of 2016 when LH stirred up the conspiracy theorists with his ‘they don’t want me to win’ rhetoric so much so that TW published a letter defending the integrity of the 1500 staff on the Mercedes team.

      As much as TW has been incorrigible lately, I think he also has to cover off LH at times too. I now wonder if a bit of TW’s rhetoric this season in general has been to just follow along with LH’s storyline to show support for his man, for he can’t just tell LH to shut up, especially not publicly. Mercedes has won races too, which is why the floor change rhetoric died off. The wing test parameter changes, and the tire pressure parameter changes, and Mercedes own fresh engine change a handful of weeks ago, haven’t prevented RBR from winning. There comes a time when the repeated and varied rhetoric just sounds sour, and it sounds like for TW that time of self-realization may have come. Let’s see if we have a slightly more diplomatic TW now, and see what happens with whatever LH has to say going forward.

    2. @fluxsource It’s Hamilton doing most of the fingerpointing which you know must be bad when even Wolff tries to tone it down like now

      1. @balue Agree – it’s not wise of him. But (IMO) an understandable reaction when he’s on the back foot and can’t see a way forward right now. Especially after the missed opportunity of Baku.

        @robbie A very reasoned post, and I can’t find much to disagree with there.

        I just find it bizarre how some people put so much effort into turning “they’re faster and and we need to work out why” into “they must be cheating and it’s not fair”.

        1. Coventry Climax
          28th June 2021, 23:39

          To answer your last question: That’s because they have been ‘educated’ by ‘social’ media and by lowly humans (sorry, just could not bring myself to use the word ‘people’ in this context) like the former president of the US.

  16. Cry me a river. What happened to flexywing saga?

    1. Failed, next try engine.

  17. Jelle van der Meer (@)
    28th June 2021, 12:24

    Hamilton and Toto Wolff are such sore losers – it is impossible in their minds that someone beats them without cheating. That someone did a better job and is driving simply better, which is really bad considering their 7 dominant years. Such a feel of entitlement – I am Lewis and we are Mercedes so we should be world champions.

    Because Hamilton has a messy qualifying and is unable to race Verstappen, Red Bull must be cheating with rear wings, tyre pressures, engine upgrade, fast pitstops.
    Funny thing is that Bottas did manage to beat Perez and they had a relative close race.

  18. petebaldwin (@)
    28th June 2021, 12:32

    It’s a bit embarrassing at this point. Giving Trump a run for his money on who is the worst loser….

    1. Hahaha, hadnt thought of that one yet. No imho Toto is not at Trump level (yet). I am sure Toto is a nice chap overall. But his image did get a massive blow now he shows how he operates under pressure. Same goes for Lewis, but to a lesser extent. Inthink he sees Toto as some kind of mentor and just copies his behavior.

      1. petebaldwin (@)
        28th June 2021, 13:06

        I’m sure Toto is a nice guy but the concept of “when we win, it’s because we’re great and when we lose, it’s because the opposition cheated” seems to very much apply to both at the moment and it’s not a good look.

        Imagine what’ll happen in 2022 if Mercedes are ahead again? Every week will be a new protest because Red Bull and Horner are definitely petty enough to react to this! They’ll protest every single component of the Mercedes.

        1. Thats unfortunately very true. Horner is a child as well. In fact I think Toto’s behavior is already a reaction to Horners narrative of last season. Maybe it is what it takes to be a team boss. Seems pretty immature to me all together. The Netflix documentary also made me think not necessarily the best people run this business. But there is hope. The young drivers all seem to play their own game which appears more open and authentic than the staged Hamilton perfect insta pictures. Hope it sticks and rubs off on future team bosses. Lots of the old guys displaying politically correct desired behavior in front of the camera, while you see straight trough them. Its all PR talk.

        2. I’m probably biased but Horners’ comments are always more about rattling the opposition and getting under their skin by annoying them. I don’t get the same ‘bad loser’ vibe as from Toto @petebaldwin

    2. Trump would maintain that they’ve actually won every race so far.

      1. Do not underestimate Toto.

      2. Wolff did manage to declare Hamilton “doesn’t make mistakes”. It’s a start.

    3. Coventry Climax
      28th June 2021, 23:45

      Hey, someone else making the comparison. Didn’t read your replies, @petebaldwin, before I posted mine, but sorry if you feel I somehow ‘stole’ from you.

  19. I was a fan of Mercedes and admired what they achieved. But their representatives have become very annoying after just a few adverse results.

    How quickly one can move from GOAT to MOAN.

  20. come on guys, “it’s the new oil” the extra power RB gaining from this said it is 15hp. How this small advantage in terms of power explain the big difference in straight line speed where Mercedes are losing to RB as Lewis said?

    1. Completely different setup on both cars.
      Btw the straight line speed partly results in the way better exit the redbull in the hands of Verstappen has. So its possible to put the pedal earlier and that results in a faster speed.
      And 15bhp is just a guess by someone ( who?) more likely there is a better driver in a better car.

  21. It seems everybody at Mercedes forgot they were soundly beaten last year by a very fast Red Bull car at Yas Marina. And with Albon managing to get a 4th place there, they could have seen trouble coming.

    1. But the reason for that loss was the fact they put all efforts in the 2021 car already.
      Wait… That’s this years car.
      That hurts… :)

    2. well spotted

  22. Chris Horton
    28th June 2021, 13:27

    Mercedes and Lewis relish the fight though don’t they. Yet as soon as there is one, the finger pointing and salt starts flying.

    Just another 3 pointed contradiction. They make it so easy to dislike them.

  23. How does a car have an increase of speed or performance by about 3 tenths if not more just by using a new engine that “SUPPOSED” to be the same as their previous engine. There is no whining or bad spirit in asking that question its onvious to see something is up. That is why merc like other teams will evaluate the data they have to determine as best they can where redbull are gaining. The whiner is Horner who for years had been crying a river anout this thing or that thing about the mercs. Engine freeze. Party modes. Aero. Das. Fric. And everything else. Its only obvious that merc should be wondering how are Redbull so fast soo quick. Nothing whiny about that.

    1. Wayne there seems to be plenty of evidence that aside from RBR designing a great car this year that suits their great driver, and Honda having fast forwarded their pu that was meant for 2022 to this year, they have also been able to run less wing, which, if you can do it, is a great tactic to prevent oneself from getting DRSed on the straights much of the time.

      Since the pus are homologated, how do you know it isn’t a combination of what I have said above, plus the further oil work they have done as Horner says, plus a few little aero changes all teams are free to make, plus some things they have learned about their car which has only seem 8 races so far so likely has more to reveal of itself. As may the other cars too.

      That you are suspicious of this all just being about their fresh engine just means to me you are buying into the whiny LH rhetoric. ‘Obvious to see something is up?’ Yeah we’re seeing a great team doing a great job on many fronts that isn’t Mercedes for a change. That’s what’s obvious to me.

      1. Coventry Climax
        28th June 2021, 23:50

        Thanks @Robbie, for a great reply!

    2. Check out pictures from the rear of both cars.. Mercedes run a barn door on the back and Redbull is running something that is closer to what used to go on the car for Canada or Monza.

    3. The question should be how anyone would even try such an accusation when everyone can see the size of their rear wings are quite different

      1. F1oSaurus (@)
        29th June 2021, 17:27

        @balue The question should be why you keep posting dumb remarks? Do you seriously think they cannot estimate engine performance from the GPS tracking regardless of wings. Just as an additional hint, the drag increases with speed. So at lower speeds …

    4. F1oSaurus (@)
      29th June 2021, 17:25

      There were allowed to do “reliability upgrades” to reduce vibrations in the engine. Of course when you reduce vibrations in the engine you can then push the engine harder without breaking it. So in effect a reliability upgrade almost always turns out to be a performance upgrade.

  24. In the MOLOTEPOAT (Most Loathsome Team Principal Of All Time) championship, the seemingly unassailable dominance of Ron Dennis is very close to yield to Wolff, with Horner a distant third.

  25. Ferrari fuel flow fix is part of the reliability update as your car takes much less time to finish the race.

  26. Funny… in my opinion, people who have trust issues and constantly think others are cheating or can’t be trusted are like that, because they do it themselves. If you cheat, you will expect others around you to do the same.

    1. Tick!

  27. “In this sport, we’re not working with suspicions,” “It’s important to analyse the facts and the data and this is what everybody does. “In a moment of defeat, the initial reaction shouldn’t be pointing fingers at anybody or looking to find excuses,” said Wolff.

    In other words, the accusation of cheating by Hamilton is not lashing out because of losing, it was based on hard evidence. So I guess it’s just a matter of time before they present the findings to FIA and a punishment should soon follow. Right?

    1. @balue Not sure if you are being sarcastic or are actually challenging TW, and I would understand both. As per my comment above I think it is the opposite and that TW is actually talking to LH. I think LH is going too far now verbally, and TW is reminding him and us that they as a team in reality, discarding the rhetoric, can only look at factual things like Honda’s great engine in general, and car, and driver, and their ability to use a lesser wing strategy, and the fact that a stiffer wing and more stringent tire pressure parameters haven’t been the deciding factor. Taking away the suspicions, the finger pointing, and the excuses, the facts are that right now RBR are doing a better job. I remain leery of Mercedes at coming races for one never knows what they might find in their package, or where a track might favour them more, but so far so good for RBR and all that Mercedes and FIA have thrown at them.

      1. Hamilton said his bit immediately after the race.
        “Speaking after Sunday’s race, Wolff said his team will not make knee-jerk claims about Red Bull’s performance since the introduction of their new engines until the relevant data has been examined.”
        Both SLH and Toto are becoming very wearing.

      2. @robbie Of course ironic as pointing fingers or looking to find excuses is standard Hamilton after losing.

  28. Once winter kicks in during the second half of the season the races should come more to Mercedes they favour cooler track temps. And Lewis usually starts to accelerate too.

    1. Winter is coming (GOT) and we know how that ended ;)

  29. Electroball76
    28th June 2021, 19:38

    1. Max more confident than ever and happy to finally have a really good wingman.
    2. Adrian and his Aero Wizards.
    3. Honda played the long game.
    4. RB know how to win championships.

  30. F1oSaurus (@)
    29th June 2021, 17:23

    It’s always the same nonsense with the FIA. Why do they allow these reliability changes since of course a reliability improvement will always mean the engine can be pushed harder and give more performance.

    1. Whatever the outcome, Lewis saying that Merc need an upgrade is admitting he cant beat Max without the fastest car.

  31. Matio bonneto has the best answer, he says Redhill was clearly a head in testing and Bahrain buy for reliability reason they turned down engine and for now they have brought reliabity patches so they turned up the engine again

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