In 2020, Racing Point faced penalties and fines for replicating Mercedes’ car design too closely, earning them the moniker “Pink Mercedes.” Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, dismissed accusations of excessive collaboration with AlphaTauri, subtly referencing Mercedes’ similarities to an opponent’s car in 2020.
Concerns have arisen within the racing community regarding AlphaTauri’s increased collaboration with their sister team in 2024 after facing challenges in previous campaigns. AlphaTauri is undergoing a comprehensive rebrand for the upcoming season, and CEO Peter Bayer has confirmed their intention to legally incorporate as many parts from Red Bull as possible.
While this practice is permissible – as seen with other powertrain suppliers like Mercedes and Ferrari providing components to their customer teams – there is apprehension that AlphaTauri might adopt a similar development strategy in 2024 to narrow the gap to front-runners.
At the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, AlphaTauri introduced a new floor, sparking speculation about whether they were testing components for Red Bull’s next car. The FIA can intervene if teams collaborate too closely, as witnessed in 2020 when Racing Point, now Aston Martin, violated rules by having rear brake ducts too similar to Mercedes’. This led to a 15-point deduction and a €400,000 fine.
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Horner emphasized that the relationship between AlphaTauri and Red Bull is far from the situation with Racing Point in 2020. He clarified that there are permissible components shared between the teams, citing fundamental differences in the car designs. While AlphaTauri will receive some parts from Red Bull, Horner highlighted that this is a standard practice, akin to Mercedes and Ferrari supplying components to their respective customer teams.
He asserted that the collaboration between Red Bull and AlphaTauri is within the confines of regulations, with the teams deciding how to utilize the supplied components. Horner concluded that the situation is a long way from the controversy surrounding Racing Point’s “Pink Mercedes” in 2020.
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