Racing Point: Renault's Styrian GP protest "misconceived and poorly informed"

Renault submitted a protest against both Racing Point cars after Sunday's race, in which Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll finished in sixth and seventh place respectively, just ahead of Daniel Ricciardo.

Renault believes that the front and rear brake ducts of the RP20 originate from a Mercedes design, which would not be allowed under the rules governing listed parts.

The FIA stewards accepted the protest, and the matter will now be investigated. Both teams, along with Mercedes, will be require to provide evidence. In a statement given to Autosport, Racing Point made its view clear.

"BWT Racing Point F1 Team is extremely disappointed to see its results in the Styrian Grand Prix questioned by what it considers to be a misconceived and poorly informed protest," the statement read.

"Any and all suggestion of wrongdoing is firmly rejected and the team will take all steps necessary to ensure the correct application of the regulations to the facts."

The team stressed that the FIA has been kept fully informed about what it was doing with its 2020 design: "Prior to the start of the season, the team cooperated with the FIA and satisfactorily addressed all questions regarding the origins of the designs of the RP20.

"The team is confident that the protest will be dismissed once it has presented its response."

Racing Point is now in a difficult situation, in that the races are coming thick and fast at the moment, and yet the FIA investigation is several weeks away.

If it continues to run its current duct design and then eventually loses the case, there a risk that it loses any results and points achieved in the interim.

Clearly modifying the design, or switching to an alternative such as a 2019 version, will present some short term compromises which could be difficult to integrate with a rapid run of F1 races coming up over the condensed 2020 calendar.