During the FIA press conference held earlier Thursday in Montreal for the Grand Prix of Canada, Red Bull driver Mark Webber - the winner of the Monaco GP - hit out at critics who suggested that the RB8 is not legal.
Some figures in the paddock suggested Red Bull Racing’s two victories this season were scored with an illegal car following the FIA’s recent ruling that the team’s vented floor can no longer be used.
The floor of the RB8 features holes that could have a direct aerodynamic influence. Interestingly, no rivals protested Sebastian Vettel’s Bahrain win in April or Webber’s victory in Monaco a fortnight ago.
However, the FIA carefully examined the floor again and last week ruled that it was not legal, forcing the Red Bull team to change its design.
“In relation to winning races with an illegal car, I’m happy to be called lots of things and I’m happy to have criticism about my driving and lots of stuff, but I will not take criticism in that respect,” said Australian Mark Webber.
“It completely p***** me off to be honest, because the car has passed every single technical regulation after the race, he added
“All of the teams that were against it did not make any protest after Monaco, the car passed the test after Bahrain, the car passed the test after Monaco and now there has been a clarification on the rule, and the rule now is different,” Webber added.
“We had a car that was legal for the first part of the season and now the rule has been changed and we will start again, so looking forward to it.”
“You won’t believe us but we had some changes for Valencia anyway which included no hole, irrespective of the rule change, so that’s what we were doing,” the Australian concluded.
Some figures in the paddock suggested Red Bull Racing’s two victories this season were scored with an illegal car following the FIA’s recent ruling that the team’s vented floor can no longer be used.
The floor of the RB8 features holes that could have a direct aerodynamic influence. Interestingly, no rivals protested Sebastian Vettel’s Bahrain win in April or Webber’s victory in Monaco a fortnight ago.
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| Hole ahead rear wheel of the RB8. (Photo: WRi2) |
However, the FIA carefully examined the floor again and last week ruled that it was not legal, forcing the Red Bull team to change its design.
“In relation to winning races with an illegal car, I’m happy to be called lots of things and I’m happy to have criticism about my driving and lots of stuff, but I will not take criticism in that respect,” said Australian Mark Webber.
“It completely p***** me off to be honest, because the car has passed every single technical regulation after the race, he added
“All of the teams that were against it did not make any protest after Monaco, the car passed the test after Bahrain, the car passed the test after Monaco and now there has been a clarification on the rule, and the rule now is different,” Webber added.
“We had a car that was legal for the first part of the season and now the rule has been changed and we will start again, so looking forward to it.”
“You won’t believe us but we had some changes for Valencia anyway which included no hole, irrespective of the rule change, so that’s what we were doing,” the Australian concluded.
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| Mark Webber in the streets of Monaco. (Photo: Red Bull Racing) |