Brawn: We did not anticipate the Mercedes concept

The 2022 Mercedes which Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will race in the F1 World Championship this year is the "talk of the town" devoid of conventional sidepods it also test the rules with aero concepts such as the winglet that supports the mirrors.

Red Bull were flustered with Christian Horner saying too much or nothing, depending who you believe, as he and World Champion Max Verstappen were glued to the TV screens as Lewis Hamilton did laps.

During the morning session at Sakhir, Brawn was also seen touring the garages and pitlane, telling Sky TV: "Some of the solutions quite honestly we never anticipated and I think we will go back in to investigate those solutions and make sure they maintain the objective of the new rules - I think they do.

“There are some very extreme interpretations of the regulations which could lead to a lot of debate. We did not anticipate the Mercedes concept.

"Our initial impressions are that there’s nothing here that we would be overly concerned about in terms of those objectives in the regulations. The regulators of the sport know what’s going on – I think they’re ok with it so far

"But a team may come in and raise an objection that the FIA hadn’t considered, and then you have a problem," explained Brawn.

BBC report that the FIA has looked at the Mercedes W13 and given it the all-clear. Apparently, the FIA had run it in CFD analysis and found it did not disrupt the airflow; Brawn and the rule-makers were always intent on discouraging any solutions that would have increased the car’s aero-wake.

Earmarked for 2021, but introduced this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the key F1 rule changes are very aero-centric with a ground-effect floor, a simplified front wing, an all-new simpler rear wing and 18-inch tyres with wheel winglets.

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