Ahead of the US Grand Prix in Austin, F1’s latest technology drama has emerged after a busy season for F1 poachers and FIA gamekeepers alike.
First, there’s the classic F1 story of front wing flex, and the key to making this, and probably any generation of cars, successful is aeroelasticity, an area I think McLaren and Mercedes in particular have mastered. I will.
Wing flex has always been a difficult area to monitor due to the differences between static testing and the actual bending of carbon fiber under load. However, the FIA, which had already issued technical directives in the past to properly advise teams on how to apply the rules, was satisfied with the way the teams were doing things and issued stricter regulations to crack down on F1 designers’ favorite grays. They did not feel the need to impose a flex test. area.
Watch: Why Red Bull’s bib ‘trick’ sparked controversy – F1 US GP Media Day Reaction
Next, McLaren once again became the talk of the Baku paddock with its innovative low-downforce rear wing, which created a mini-DRS effect to improve straight-line speed. The design once again passed the FIA’s existing tests, but this innovation approached the darkest gray area. After consultation with the FIA, McLaren agreed to tweak the design for the next race in which the wing will be used, scheduled for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
While the FIA has let go of the front wing narrative, the fact that McLaren is set to change its rear wing highlights the complexity of the issue for the FIA governing body’s gamekeepers, and how each of the 10 teams can improve their operations more closely. It shows that you are being forced. Grayer than a best-selling novel.
Now, Red Bull Racing has received a warning from a rival team over the method of installing a vehicle height change device to change the front number.
What is a “front bib”?
Red Bull Racing RB20 front bib details
Photo credit: Giorgio Piola
While all teams use such systems in some form or another, the team believes that Red Bull’s legal cockpit-based solution could result in the vehicle being used at night under parc fermé conditions, which are expressly prohibited. I suspect it’s sexual.
Red Bull claims that this equipment is “not accessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to run” and must stress that the team will not have to modify the car in Austin, but McLaren’s Oscar Piastri felt that the device had parc fermé qualities. The solution was “from a gray area to a black area”.
It would be nearly impossible to prove that Red Bull used this device at parc fermé, so even though the FIA is working on stricter procedures, this is a satisfying conclusion for those who don’t want to penalize Red Bull. It is a story that cannot be told. benefit of the doubt.
If you are a rival team, why would you do that?
You may remember that Red Bull was also mentioned when the FIA tightened its rules banning asymmetrical braking, but it’s important not to throw everything into one pile. The FIA explained that the rule tweaks were designed to make the 2026 regulations more robust, and that the new wording had since been retroactively added to this year’s rulebook, but no team has yet to comply with the rules. There is no evidence that it was broken.
Why are there so many gray areas, and why now?
But it seems no coincidence that the 2024 season saw so much tech-related drama.
As the regulations enter their third of four seasons, teams are finding it more difficult than ever to improve performance through traditional means. Even small gains can make a huge difference to the end result, which requires thinking outside the box.
In addition, the closeness of the grid has led to intense on-track battles between Red Bull and McLaren, with occasional altercations between Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and McLaren CEO Zak Brown, and off-track incidents. It also caused a stir. It was about these technical dramas and high-profile staffers leaving Red Bull for pastures new.
“It’s all part of the sport,” Brown told Motorsport.com earlier this year. “You’re trying to win every battle in Formula 1 on and off the track. You’re looking at all the mirrors and all the wings.
“I will do everything I can to help McLaren win and the other nine teams will do the same. That means we will be at odds from time to time.”
Red Bull’s Helmut Marko said: “Sometimes one team blames the other team, and then the team that is behind blames the other team and says they don’t have it. As long as I’ve been in F1 it’s been a normal game, as long as I’ve been in F1 it’s been normal.” It’s always been like this. ”
This is one thing that McLaren and Red Bull can at least agree on.
