McLaren alone must face FIA fine – Mercedes
That was the revelation of the German manufacturer's competition director Norbert Haug on Friday, even though Mercedes owns 40 per cent – and is therefore the largest single shareholder – of the Ron Dennis-led outfit.
"They are a separate company," Haug told the news agency Sport-Informations-Dienst in Japan.
"The punishment is for McLaren."
Earlier this month, McLaren Group chairman Dennis insisted that the record motor sport fine – to be offset by lost income for being kicked out of the constructors' championship – would not cripple his team.
"As you can see if you read our accounts, we turn over roughly (US) $450m-$500m a year, and we are debt-free, so obviously we are a very strong company with phenomenal growth," he said.
After the World Motor Sport Council imposed the penalty on September 13, the 60-year-old jokingly said he would ask Haug to "chip in half" of the fine.