As an engine supplier, Mercedes has won no less than 8 races this season (from 12) and is seen as the most efficient player on the engine market in the sport. However, this doesn't have anything to do with Mercedes using more powerful power plants or developing fuel-saving tricks back at Brixworth – where the V8s are currently being built – but with the team's ability to manufacture race winning cars, argued Haug.
The German representative insisted that Mercedes does not posses the most powerful engine in F1, as the International Automobile Federation (FIA) keeps a close eye on engine development throughout the season. In fact, Renault were the only team allowed to update their engine in order to catch up with the other manufacturers, the rest of the teams being forced to freeze their engine development for the duration of the off-season.
“It is a fairytale if anyone says we have 30 horse power, or three tenths more, in our engine. Of course we wouldn't mind if that was true, but actually there are not such big differences (between the different engines),” said Haug in an interview with Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.
In addition, he explained why Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen had to use more fuel than Giancarlo Fisichella during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps, dismissing speculation that the Mercedes power plant – used by Fisico's Mercedes-powered VJM02 – was built to eat less fuel than the other units.
“At the start Raikkonen was using his tires more aggressively than Fisichella. That costs you a lot of fuel. Additionally you don't know how much fuel was still in his (Raikkonen's) tank (at the pit stop). Maybe the Force India was empty and the Ferrari had some left. You also don't know if all the cars are exactly on the (605kg) weight limit,” added the German boss.
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