F1 News
Mercedes responds to new footage: 'optical illusion or some play'
- GPblog.com
The Brazilian race was one full of controversies. Take the penalty or not for Verstappen in the duel with Hamilton. Or the touching of the Mercedes by Verstappen. And of course, the penalty that Lewis Hamilton had to take because of a DRS system that didn't comply with the regulations. Just when you think all the fuss is over, remarkable images start to circulate on the internet.
DAS system back?
On the footage, it seems like the steering wheel moves forward and backwards. Exactly like the now banned DAS system used to work. Last season Hamilton and Bottas could pull the steering wheel of their Mercedes to adjust the position of the front tyres. As a result, they could heat the tyres up more evenly.
DAS is no longer allowed but what happened here? Footage from Hamilton during Brasil 2021 pic.twitter.com/xE0Kpk55E8
— NeedForSpeedz (@ForSpeedz) November 15, 2021
It has to be said: the margin on which the steering wheel would move now is many times less than with the DAS system of 2020. Still, it raises the question of what's going on? Mercedes responds to GPblog: "It’s either an optical illusion or some play in the steering column - which can happen as they age - and is not a desirable characteristic. The steering system is homologated since start of season so has been the same all year. Any further interpretation than this is, as previously mentioned, conspiracy theories."