Remarkably in a sport with the reach and sophistication of Formula One,
Mercedes’ midseason test, which took place over three full days at the
Circuit de Catalunya following the Spanish Grand Prix, is understood not to
have been public knowledge until it was revealed at a meeting of the
drivers’ association on Saturday evening. The team had struggled to convert
their qualifying speed into race pace, and were permitted by manufacturers
Pirelli to conduct a test.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s normally restrained team principal, was quick to
describe the episode as “not on” and “lacking transparency”, while Marko was
outraged that the triple world champions had not been invited by Pirelli to
do the same. “There are sporting regulations, which cannot be overridden by
a civil agreement between Pirelli and the FIA,” the Austrian said. “They
state clearly when and how you can test.” He also confirmed that he wanted
to see “the advantage of Mercedes compensated in some way”, even though
Rosberg’s win still stood in the FIA’s official race classification last
night.
Besides the seething rage at Red Bull, Ferrari chief Stefano Domenicali was
similarly aggrieved, arguing: “If in-season testing is possible we will be
the first to do the same.”
Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ motorsport director, vigorously insisted that the team
had not been guilty of any covert tactics. “What we did was exactly within
the rules,” he said, clearly irked that a day of joy for his driver and his
colleagues had been tarnished by political mud-slinging. “We get a complaint
like this, and now we’re digging ourselves out of s—. It’s not how it
should be.”
It was a shambolic second act to a wonderful achievement by Rosberg, who
secured only his second win after China last year by carving a path through
a catalogue of crashes and incidents on the Cote d’Azur. The 27-year-old
surged clear of the Red Bull pair of Vettel and Mark Webber, while his
team-mate Lewis Hamilton dropped from second to fourth when the safety car
was deployed.
Rosberg was dismissive of the tyres imbroglio in the afterglow of the
chequered flag, saying sharply: “You will have to ask Pirelli. I’m not going
to comment.” In fairness, his main challenge in Monaco had been less about
managing his tyres than avoiding caught up in the chaos taking place in the
rest of the field. The safety car was twice scrambled and the red flag had
to be waved when a unwise move by Marussia’s Max Chilton catapulted Pastor
Maldanado of Williams into the crash barriers.
Rosberg produced a fine start from pole position but the real race drama was
detonated when Felipe Massa ploughed his Ferrari into the wall at St Devote
for the second time in one weekend, forcing the first appearance of the
safety car. Even this failed to have a calming effect, though, as Chilton
sent Maldonado careering into the steel at the entrance to Tabac. A red flag
and 25-minute delay ensued, but Rosberg stayed composed, extending his
superiority over Vettel in the closing stages while Hamilton toiled in vain
to overtake Webber for a podium place.