Cyril Abiteboul is openly questioning Racing Point’s approach to the design of its 2020 car.
Although the sport is generally pulling together amid the coronavirus crisis, that is not stopping the Renault boss from wondering about what was dubbed in the paddock as the ’pink Mercedes’.
Despite its relationship with Mercedes, and team owner Lawrence Stroll’s close ties to Toto Wolff, Racing Point insists that it put together the car on the basis of photographs of the 2019 Mercedes.
"I notice that they say quite honestly that they copied," Abiteboul said to Canal+.
"I have to say it’s the first time - at least in the years that I have worked in Formula 1 - that someone declares proudly that they copied everything.
"You can compare it with an artist who forges works of art and says he is pleased with his work," he added.
What is clear is that Abiteboul doubts that Racing Point was able to put together its apparently competitive car on the basis of photos alone.
"They certainly have great photographers," the Frenchman smiled.
"The question is whether it is possible to reproduce such complex engineering solutions so accurately on the basis of open information. After all, the Racing Point car works very well.
"I’m not going to develop this idea further but we continue to ask such questions," he added.