The FIA has confirmed that Ferrari did not commit any infraction when it ‘tested’ a new bottom of its F1-75 taking advantage of Pirelli’s tire tests at Imola.
The news of this test surprised the paddock because the rules of the tire tests prevent testing new solutions or modifications on the cars. This is clearly stated in Article 10.8 of the Sporting Regulations, which specifies that “the cars, during these tests, must only use parts of a specification that have been used in at least one race or one test session during the season.”
And he adds that “no part test, component change or setting change that offers the team information unrelated to the tire test will be authorized. Changes to mechanical settings or driver controls are authorized if there is prior agreement with the tire supplier to evaluate the tires.
Ferrari said from the outset that it had not transcended the rules, although it did not initially give reasons. He has now done it: he has said that the bottom change was made because Leclerc damaged the one he had in the morning and that the unit he assembled had already rolled in winter training in Bahrain, when the team tried to contain the rocking .
If there were protests, more or less veiled, these were rejected out of hand by the FIA, which informed the upset teams that the Imola fund had been used previously.
Ferrari, in addition, would have shown that the background change had not been used to collect additional data on the behavior of said element. With all this, the possible controversy was settled at the root.
However, McLaren is not satisfied and demands total transparency. Surely Zak Brown must remember the famous Ferrari engine ‘affaire’ in the summer of 2020, which he was suspected of having irregularities.
Suspicion reinforced by the fact that Ferrari promised the FIA not to use that engine again – or the trick it had – and its performance dropped ostensibly for the rest of the year and even in 2021. But it was a ‘gentleman’s’ agreement, without the FIA clarifying where the trick resided ‘it does not conform at least to the spirit’, although it is suspected that it has to do with the fuel flow given the directives on this point issued by the FIA, ‘doubling’ the flowmeter.
Christian Horner, however, accepted that the fund had been used before and gave the FIA full confidence, despite the fact that Ferrari is Red Bull’s main adversary.
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