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PARIS (AP) — The governing body of motorsport argued Thursday that Mercedes broke the rules and got an unfair advantage over other Formula One teams by taking part in private in-season tire testing with Pirelli.
Mercedes and Pirelli were answering the charges at a disciplinary tribunal hearing in Paris. It was convened by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Laying out the case for FIA, lawyer Mark Howard said Pirelli tried out a variety of tires over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of track tests in May in Barcelona. Mercedes' 2013 cars, driven by current drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, were used and this offered an advantage to the German team, Howard argued.
