Ahead of its hearing, next Thursday in Paris, Mercedes is set to produce written evidence that its three-day private test in Barcelona with Pirelli prior to the Monaco Grand Prix was legitimate.
The controversial test shaded Nico Rosberg's ensuing win in Monaco, at the wheel of his Silver Arrow. Even before the race had begun, rival teams Red Bull and Ferrari had lodged a protest because Mercedes used a current car to try some new Pirelli rubber.
Many pointed figures at Mercedes' team principal Ross Brawn, who allowed the test, because the Briton's arguments as to why he went forward with the private running with Pirelli were shaky, and did not justify his disobedience to the testing rules, which only allow running with a car at least two years old.
But according to British newspaper The Guardian, Mercedes is about to introduce new evidence, in the form of the e-mail that gave them permission to test.
"Mercedes will turn the tables on the FIA at Thursday's hearing in Paris by producing written evidence that they had permission to test Pirelli's (tires)," Paul Weaver wrote.
"It is difficult to believe Ross Brawn, the Mercedes team principal who is the most successful team leader of his generation, would have gone along with unless he felt sure of his ground," Weaver added.
The controversial test shaded Nico Rosberg's ensuing win in Monaco, at the wheel of his Silver Arrow. Even before the race had begun, rival teams Red Bull and Ferrari had lodged a protest because Mercedes used a current car to try some new Pirelli rubber.
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| Ross Brawn (Photo: WRi2) |
Many pointed figures at Mercedes' team principal Ross Brawn, who allowed the test, because the Briton's arguments as to why he went forward with the private running with Pirelli were shaky, and did not justify his disobedience to the testing rules, which only allow running with a car at least two years old.
But according to British newspaper The Guardian, Mercedes is about to introduce new evidence, in the form of the e-mail that gave them permission to test.
"Mercedes will turn the tables on the FIA at Thursday's hearing in Paris by producing written evidence that they had permission to test Pirelli's (tires)," Paul Weaver wrote.
"It is difficult to believe Ross Brawn, the Mercedes team principal who is the most successful team leader of his generation, would have gone along with unless he felt sure of his ground," Weaver added.