Teams play down Mercedes engine parity concern
Force India and Lotus feel it is getting equal treatment from Mercedes with its engines following Felipe Massa’s suggestion that Williams isn’t.
Force India and Lotus have played down the assertion that they are not getting the same material from customer engine supplier Mercedes, following Felipe Massa’s suggestion that his Williams team isn’t.
The Brazilian levelled a query to Mercedes following the 2015 F1 opener in Australia, suggesting his Williams car lacks the power of the engine used by the factory outfit.
However, it isn’t a criticism shared by Force India and Lotus, with the latter – which switched from Renault to Mercedes power in 2015 – insisting it has a contract which stipulates parity.
“Being in the unique situation that we’ve had a contract with both Renault and a contract with Mercedes, I can confirm that we, in the Mercedes contract, it is stipulated that we have complete parity. In the Mercedes contract,” said Lotus CEO Matthew Carter.
Similarly, Force India’s Bob Fernley shrugged off suggestions it isn’t getting fair treatment from Mercedes, but points out it would be reasonable to assume the factory team will get first use of new developments.
“Coming from a Force India point of view, I’ve no complaints at all from Mercedes. They’ve delivered everything we’ve ever wanted. We’ve been with them now for six or seven years and we have absolutely no issues that they are supplying us the same as they are.
“However, one also has to accept that they are a works team and there are going to be development programmes that come in that will automatically go there first and then trickle down to all the customer teams.
“So it would be unrealistic to expect it to be the same all the time. But I think primarily where they can, they’re supplying us the same equipment and same software.”
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