Palmer: "Mercedes started the protests and the drama that goes with it"

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28 November 2021 at 09:24
Last update 28 November 2021 at 12:38
  • GPblog.com

In the heat of the title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, it is the team bosses who take centre stage between race weekends. The bickering between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner seems to know no end. Red Bull Racing have been pelting Mercedes with accusations lately, but former Formula One driver Jolyon Palmer points out that Mercedes started that trend themselves.

Wolff regularly complains about the behaviour of Red Bull, who under the leadership of Horner have expressed doubts about the legality of the Mercedes car. However, Palmer stressed that this trend of accusations was started by Mercedes.

Accusations started by Mercedes

"Mercedes possibly started with the protesting and the drama that goes with it," the Briton tells the Checkered Flag podcast. "Mercedes first tried to pick up on Red Bull's flexible rear wing, around the Spanish Grand Prix . Before that, the rivalry was intense, but it wasn't spilling over."

He continued: "Red Bull responded by with some chatter about Mercedes' front wing, but that never really came to anything. Then we had the the pit stop clarifications, which was another landed blow by Mercedes. They tried to hold back Red Bull when they were quite strong in that time."

"In the last few weeks, Red Bull has been trying to deal some blows to Mercedes, but I think it's unfair to say that it's the last race where it's really blown over and that Mercedes has been up against it. They jabbed as well earlier on in the season," Palmer concluded.