Red Bull principal Christian Horner denies saying Mercedes F1 car illegal

The Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, has acknowledged that the potentially gamechanging design of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes is within the Formula One regulations. Horner had been reported on Thursday saying he believed the design was illegal, but 24 hours later he insisted he made no such comment and that the Mercedes does indeed comply with the new rules introduced for the coming season.

With the second and final test of the season under way in Bahrain before the opening race there on 20 March, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport quoted Horner saying Mercedes had gone too far. “That doesn’t correspond to the spirit of the regulations. For us, these wings are illegal,” he supposedly said. Red Bull denied he made the remarks and Horner clarified his position.

“To answer the question, whether we think it’s legal or not? Yes, absolutely. It looks like it ticks all the boxes,” said Horner. “Comments have been quoted that certainly weren’t made. The car is obviously innovative. It is an interesting solution, as far as we are concerned. The Mercedes car looks like it complies with the regulations. It’s just a different interpretation, a different solution.”

The controversy, which may yet roll on into the opening part of the season, centres on Mercedes’ radical design of its sidepods. They have exposed the side impact structure – a strengthened fin and, in so doing, drastically reduce the size of the sidepods beneath it – potentially improving airflow, downforce and top speed. Mercedes are the only team to have taken this approach and, if it proves successful, they may enjoy a definitive advantage over the rest of the field from the off.

Horner also conceded that the suggestion the approach went against the spirit of the