Red Bull urges FIA to act on Mercedes domination

After a frustrating weekend for the Renault-powered team, Horner has called for action to stop fans from losing interest in the sport because one team is clearly ahead of its rivals.

Mercedes dominated the 2014 season, winning 16 of the 19 races, as its cars and power unit proved a cut above the rest.

We are probably 100hp down on Mercedes at the moment.

Christian Horner

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg proved unstoppable in the 2015 season opener in Australia, while Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo finished a lap down in sixth position.

Hamilton's best lap during the race was nearly two seconds quicker than Ricciardo's, the best Renault-powered driver in the race.

Horner said after the race that it is within the FIA's power to force changes to equalise performance.

Motorsport.com understands Horner could be referring to Appendix 4 of the power unit homologation rules, which states:

"A power unit delivered to the FIA after 28 February 2014, or modified and re-delivered to the FIA after that date, which the FIA is satisfied, in its absolute discretion and after full consultation with all other suppliers of power units for the Championship, could fairly and equitably be allowed to compete with other homologated power units."

Horner said: "The FIA, within the rules, have an equalisation mechanism. I think something that perhaps they need to look at.

"Mercedes have done a super job. They have a good car, a fantastic engine and they have two very good drivers.

"The problem is that the gap is so big that you end up with three-tier racing. That is not healthy for F1.

"They [the FIA] have a power output so they can see what every power unit is producing. They have the facts.

"They could quite easily come up with a way of some form of equalisation.

"We are probably 100hp down on Mercedes at the moment."

No title this year

Horner, who labeled Renault's engine as undriveable after the race, has already ruled out fighting for the championship, as he feels Mercedes is way too far ahead of everybody else.

But the team boss says Renault should at least be making enough progress to allow Red Bull to fight against Ferrari and Williams.

"This year, no," he said about Red Bull's chances of winning the title.

"But we need to be doing a lot better than we are.

"We need to be challenging Ferrari. We need to be challenging Williams. And I think if we can sort the issues out then we can do that."

Horner thinks it is in the best interest of the sport to do something to stop Mercedes from winning so dominantly.

"I would fear that interest will wane. I didn't see much of Mercedes on the TV because it is not interesting watching a procession.

"The highlight for me was seeing Schwarzenegger on the podium."