The largest group of private shareholders in Mercedes have called on the company to leave Formula 1 if it is punished for its role in the so-called 'Pirelli-gate' tyre testing scandal, Autocar has learned.
The controversy surrounds a test that the tyre manufacturer carried out using Mercedes’s current car. The three-day test that took place in Barcelona in the week after the Spanish Grand Prix, with both Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton driving. Previous tests conducted at Pirelli’s behest have involved teams using older cars.
The International Tribunal in to the event will take place in Paris this Thursday.
Michael Muders, manager at Union Investment, said: "Mercedes-Benz must get out of F1. The company spends hundred of millions here, and it doesn't bring anyone anything."
Although the timing of the news of disgruntled shareholders is clearly aimed as a warning to the F1’s rule makers to be lenient in their actions, Autocar understands that the controversy has stoked up a long-standing unrest among Mercedes shareholders at the brand’s involvement in Formula 1.
Earlier this year the Mercedes F1 team was reorganised, with a greater breadth of shareholders and new management being brought on board, which was interpreted by many observers as the firm preparing to exit the sport if its results didn’t improve.
Speaking at the Detroit motor show, company boss Dieter Zetsche told Autocar: “In F1, you see pretty quickly if you succeed or not, and if the results are up to your expectations. For Mercedes those expectations must be that we are up there at every race competing for victory.”
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Mmmmmmm?
Like a lot of you have said,what would F1 teams who run Mercedes power do?,would Pirelli walk too?,but, we all know that Bernie and associated investors won't let that happen, because?,without Bernie there's NO F1 !,so, the FIA will have to think again and come up with a wrist slap (topical, i know, who'd have thought?),so, will it be a points deduction and a fine?,a three race ban?,and if they do any of these,what will be Pirelli's wrist slap?......
Mercedes leaving bad for F1
<p>But what does MB do for F1 and motorsport.. A lot more then any other manufacturer ... They are not only in F1 , they are in DTM, GT racing , GP3 etcc done everything from truck racing, indy cars, rallying .. who had duch a divrse history on mitorsport since the start of the automobile! They have supported and developed careers of so many F1 drivers past and present from lower formulas through to getting or giving them a chance in F1 .. Hamilton, Diresta, Schumacher, Frentzen, Webber, Paffet. Helped to continue the Motorsport careers of retiring F1 drivers Alesi, R Schumacher , coultard, Hakkinen. Have an immense young druver programme..Helped Brawn team last minute with engines and tech support when Honda upped and left , no other engine manufacturer came forward! </p><p>What is wrong is wrong and if proven like any team should have some penalty handed out, but one thing Mercedes have never done in there time in F1 is play the political spoilt brat games like Ferrari and Red Bull do.. Guarantee if Mercedes were back of the grid ..Horner in particular would not even bat an eye lid..as it is I feel that the actual culprit here are the FIA who have caused the confusion, no where had it been mentioned when asked did the FIA say do not use a 2013 car when approached for clarification , they just said if this or if that , there is no mention of ' not allowed', .. Horner played the politician again , firstly claiming RB were never asked to emphasise his point of 'secret test' and then later said yes we were asked but turned the offer down - he just kicking himself that they said no! That he achieved an OBE over so many more deserving candidates is baffling !</p><p>When the test went ahead which is still confusing that no one noticed an F1 car driving around a circuit for 3 days- 'secret test ', really really..were they testing tyres on push bike ! plus why does mercedes have to tell anyone ? They were asked by the tyre manufacture as per there contract which Pirelli are allowed to do , why did they have to tell anyone ..I think that should have been the FIA! They lead F1.. Like any company , communication about what is happening within a company comes from the leader..not the workers. </p><p>For me if Mercedes leave F1, it will be the day F1 will realise that it is a Formula that doesn't just revolve around Ferrari as most think.. Mercedes pour milliond into the sport! let see F1 float on thecstock exchange then..</p><p>Oh and imagine the pinnacle of sport with a Renault Megan's , Espace or even the hideous Infinit FX Vettel special running around the track as safety cars! Not quiet the same as a rumbling V8 AMG! I don't think mercedes are throwing there toys out of the pram, they have been very calm in all of this! They just know that behind the scenes because the golden child Ferrari and now the second ugly step sister RB are making noises that Mercedes and pirelli are being thrown under a bus due to FIA cock up! If it was clear cut that they were wrong ..then there was no need for a tribunal. Do you really think 2 companies would do something so visible .. How do you hide a. f1 car ! without thinking that they were allowed to do it! </p><p>It's all wrong ... What a loss for F1 when there was just hope of a 3 rd team other than RB and Ferrari that was about to mix it up at the top. Yet again F1 and FIA self imploding ..I see Pirelli leaving too!</p>
Great news !
I'd love to see MB up sticks and run, and take there engines too, imagine the chaos, imagine the greedy city boys backing F1, imagine Bernie, not much chance of a stock market float ? Just what does F1 do for MB anyway ?