WHEN VERSTAPPEN FLOORED IT A BIT TOO MUCH…
Max Verstappen’s crash in qualifying gave us the opportunity to take a peek at the Red Bull RB12’s floor when a crane lifted the Dutchman’s stricken car. One can notice that the underbody of an F1 car is stepped (see white arrow). Located in the middle, the reference plane is the lower part of the car, while the main floor (basically the area below the sidepods) is 5cm higher.
The under-floor plank is attached to the reference plane and its specifications (thickness, number and diameter of holes, etc.) are detailed in the FIA technical regulations. An F1 car can be disqualified for excessive plank wear. Indeed, the plank must “have a thickness of 10mm with a tolerance of +/- 1mm”. The governing body uses specific holes pierced in the plank to measure its wear, having mandated the use of titanium skid blocks (see red arrow) around these holes since 2015.
