Red Bull thinks about doing their own current car test.

I'm no Red Bull fan but this would be awesome.



Formula 1
Red Bull consider cheating after Mercedes’ gentle punishment
Red Bull are reportedly mulling over plans to test this year’s car as Mercedes did after seeing the German manufacturer’s lenient punishment.

Mercedes and tyre supplier Pirelli were summoned to an FIA hearing in Paris last week, but the independent tribunal merely reprimanded them and handed Mercedes a ban for the young drivers’ test scheduled after the Silverstone Grand Prix.

Rival teams were underwhelmed by the punishment meted out to Mercedes – and Red Bull have considered taking on their protest a step further by skipping the young drivers’ test and running their own, believing it to be of more value.

The Times report that Red Bull are said to have told Bernie Ecclestone that they would risk the reprimand for the gains from testing.

Ferrari were also in on the talks, though they are currently stopping short of running a private test.

Mercedes insisted they gained no benefit from the test and garnered no significant information, but rumours that they tested new components during the three days in May has done little to calm their opponents.

The row could have wider implications too, with testing so heavily restricted in the current cost-conscious era of Formula 1, and the FIA under huge pressure to show their strength in governing the sport.

A source close to Ferrari told The Times: “How can a reprimand be enough to punish a team that struggled at the Spanish Grand Prix, tested and then won in Monaco? No one knew about the test, yet the tribunal does not seem to have investigated why not and what exactly went on.

“No wonder the teams are angry. They have had enough of the FIA. The threats might be empty at the moment but the fact that these conversations are taking place shows that no one is happy with Todt or the FIA.

“The crunch is coming and everyone wonders when and how. Maybe this is the time.”

Eurosport - 6/24/13, 11:21 AM

 

I just saw this was also in the Merc thread. Apologies for a repost.