Red Bull on Monday hit back at their critics after being dragged into another controversy over the legality of their cars following the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Team chief Christian Horner said the champions should be praised for taking an adventurous and creative approach to car design rather than slammed after accusations about their engine mapping and suspension setting devices.
Horner said the fact that his outfit has faced no penalties this season shows they are playing straight.
“At the end of the day, it is down to the FIA (International Motoring Federation) and the stewards to decide whether the car is legal or not.
“Every single time our car has been questioned by other teams, it has always complied with the rules.”
Both Red Bull drivers were down in the placings in Sunday’s race won by Briton Lewis Hamilton for McLaren, defending drivers world champion German Sebastian Vettel finishing fourth and Australian Mark Webber eighth.
Spaniard Fernando Alonso marked his 31st birthday by finishing fifth for Ferrari and extending his lead in the drivers title race to 40 points ahead of Webber.
In the constructors championship Red Bull lead with 246 ahead of McLaren on 193 and much improved Lotus on 192.
Red Bull has consistently denied all suggestions of cheating, including the use of an illegal manual device to change suspension settings on the car, while parked in the official area after a race, to improve ride height and performance.
But the team had to acknowledge that it is illegal to have such a device.
According to close technical observers Red Bull has this year had to make changes to the floor design of their cars and wheel hubs as well as the engine mapping that, in a report by the the FIA at the German Grand Prix, was alleged to be illegal.
Horner added: “Of course the nature of F1 is that it is competitive, but the regulations are written in such a way that they are open to interpretation.
“From HRT to Red Bull, every single team interprets the rules, otherwise every single car would look the same. Part of our strength is our ingenuity and I don’t think we should be criticised for being creative.”