Rumors
'FIA intervenes immediately: Competitors see one team cheating with trick'
The FIA already has its hands full before the United States Grand Prix weekend. According to Autosport.com, Formula 1's governing body has been alerted to a 'cunning' trick by one team on the grid. According to the other teams, the ride height was being changed between qualifying and the race, giving them a noticeable advantage over their rivals.
Several sources suggest teams are concerned by the developments and are hoping the FIA will thoroughly investigate the situation. One team might've found a clever way to adjust their car's ride height.
This little trick is based on 'front bib clearance'. Raising and lowering the bib (Also known as the T-tray) in between qualifying and the race would help perfect ride-height requirements. This, in turn, makes the car more balanced and consistent depending on the qualifying session or longer distance race where performance is needed.
McLaren recently punished:
Of course, F1 is all about innovation. Many times before, teams have found loopholes to beat their biggest rivals. Most recently, McLaren came under fire for their Baku rear wing, which was later banned by the FIA. In very simple terms, the rear wing flexed under aerodynamic load, opening the DRS slot gap to create a mini DRS effect.
This case is slightly different. Adjusting the front bib clearance is a clear breach of parc ferme regulations. Teams are not allowed to make any set-up changes to their cars after qualifying. Article 40.2 of FIA's technical regulations explains this: “The aerodynamic set up of the front wing may be adjusted using the existing parts. No parts may be added, removed or replaced.”
Who is the FIA looking out for?
The FIA tells Autosport that this type of modification is strictly forbidden. Despite this, there's no actual evidence behind any team using it to their advantage just yet. Due to the suspicions, Formula 1's governing body did choose to make tests more stringent ahead of the upcoming race in Austin: "While we have not received any indication of any team employing such a system, the FIA remains vigilant in our ongoing efforts to enhance the policing of the sport."
In what has been an incredibly competitive Formula 1 season, teams could be looking for subtle ways to improve their cars to extract all performance possible from their cars. At the top end of the field, Max Verstappen heads into this weekend with a 52-point lead over closest challenger Lando Norris, who has been reeling in the Dutchman in recent races. After a victory in Singapore, can the Brit triumph in Texas? Time will tell...
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This article was written in collaboration with Tim Kraaij