• European Grand Prix

Red Bull rejects talk of 'manipulated' race

ESPNF1 Staff
June 28, 2010 « Lotus plans to stick with Cosworth power | »
Christian Horner: "That's just the way it worked out. I don't think it was manipulated" © Getty Images
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Ferrari's rival Red Bull has rejected Fernando Alonso's claims that the European Grand Prix was "manipulated" by the FIA.

Ferrari is angry that Alonso and Felipe Massa lost position by sticking to the rules while Lewis Hamilton, who was directly in front of the pair when the safety car came out, broke the rules, received a penalty but still finished second. However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner put the vastly differing outcomes down to bad luck on Ferrari's part.

When asked if Alonso's analysis of the situation was correct, Horner told Autosport: "I don't think so. I think the safety car rules have not played out for Ferrari, and McLaren was perhaps a bit naughty with the way it worked it, but it got a penalty for that. Arguably it didn't cost them, but that's just the way it worked out. I don't think it was manipulated. The FIA just need to look at the safety car rules in the future."

Lotus chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne agreed that the outcome was down to luck but warned against changing the rules.

"I think since we started changing the safety car rules, every time you change something you get all these scenarios thrown up, and I think it is just that. Charlie (Whiting, FIA race director) is trying to do the job as he sees it, calls it as he sees it, and he has as difficult a job as anyone. I think it is just one of those things."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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