Mercedes principal Ross Brawn says his team can move forward with a “blemish-free record” after escaping serious punishment for their part in last month’s controversial tyre test in Barcelona.
Brackley-based Mercedes and tyre manufacturer Pirelli were each let off with reprimands after an FIA-appointed International Tribunal ruled they breached sporting regulations in relation to a three-day test conducted in May.
The tribunal, which sat for more than six hours in Paris on Thursday, also banned Mercedes from competing in the young driver test session at Silverstone on July 17-19.
Yet given the possible range of sanctions they faced - which included expulsion from the world championship - Mercedes predictably waived their right to appeal.
The saga has marked the most difficult period faced by Mercedes since their return to the sport as a constructor in 2010, but Brawn expressed his hope that the experience will solidify the team.
“These events are the ones that pull the team together. These sort of events, as well as racing, consolidate a team, we’ve been very solid,” Brawn told Sky Sports News.
“It’s very important for Mercedes. We have a blemish-free record here and it was very important to Mercedes that the facts of this case were understood.
“It does sometimes strengthen your resolve rather than weaken it but now it’s cleared away we can concentrate on the rest of the year.”
Mercedes were summoned to the hearing on suspicion that they contravened a ban on in-season testing by using their current car and regular drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in the 1,000-kilometre test organised by Pirelli.
The FIA was pushing to sanction Mercedes under the provisions of Article 22 of its sporting regulations, which outlines the ban on in-season testing.
Mercedes maintained that they had not benefited from any of the data, that they had the permission of FIA race director Charlie Whiting to use their 2013 car and that their motivations for undertaking the test was primarily to assist Pirelli resolve tyre safety issues.
The tribunal partly shared Mercedes’ view, but only doled out the lowest-level punishment at its disposal after finding the team contravened Article 22 and had obtained “some material advantage” as a result of conducting the test in their 2013 car.
The FIA, which called for the tribunal to rule on the matter following a protest from Red Bull and Ferrari, issued a statement in which the world governing body expressed hope that “lessons are learnt from this case and from the decision handed down”.
“To this end, the FIA will make sure, in association with all F1 teams, that its control of the testings is strengthened,” the statement added.
Brawn echoed the FIA’s stance that the sport must take note of the issues raised.
“We all need to look at the process. It’s clear the process went wrong,” Brawn said. “We need to make sure we find ways of stopping these things in the future.
“We had reason to believe we had permission to do that test and from that perspective were happy.
“Obviously things have gone wrong and we have received penalties, we understand that and we accept it.”