F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Rival teams take aim at several details of Ferrari's SF71-H

On the back of Ferrari's successful start to its 2018 campaign, the team's SF71-H has attracted the suspicious eye of a few of its rivals.

With two wins since the season kicked off at Melbourne, the Scuderia's car has demonstrated its speed and efficiency, perhaps a bit too easily according to some.

Recently, the FIA's Nikolas Tombazis sent F1 teams a reminder of the governing body's position on exhaust blowing, while this week the FIA issued a new directive which closes a loop hole that allowed teams to enhance performance in qualifying by burning more fuel.

In both cases, it was rumored that Ferrari was perhaps the cause for the governing body's extra concern and monitoring, although the Italian outfit's SF71-H was deemed perfectly legal.

"The FIA examined the Ferrari in China and looked at drawings of the entire oil system," reported Auto Motor und Sport.

According to the German media outlet, Ferrari's main rivals are still picking on the red sqaud.

Red Bull is alleging that the specific shape of the car's rear view mirrors does not comply with the regulations, while Mercedes has expressed doubts about the clever design of Ferrari's 2018 battery cells, which may produce more than the allowed 4 mega-joules of energy.

"The topic could occupy Formula 1 in the coming weeks," said AMS correspondent Michael Schmidt.

"One possibility is that former Ferrari engine boss Lorenzo Sassi, who has been working for Mercedes since April, has been talking," mischievously added Schmidt.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

‘It’s all nonsense’: Former F1 insider slams Perez's Red Bull claims

The checkered flag may have dropped on Sergio Perez’s Red Bull career, but the verbal…

13 mins ago

Andretti fires successful opening salvo in Argentina

On this day in 1978, Mario Andretti kicked off his banner championship winning year with…

2 hours ago

Not a one-off: Hill sees multiple world titles for Norris

Damon Hill knows a thing or two about what it takes to climb Formula 1’s…

2 hours ago

Domenicali calls for calm and a plan as Ferrari eyes 2026 reset

Formula 1’s most polished powerbroker has seen this movie before – and Stefano Domenicali is…

4 hours ago

Verstappen puts Bathurst 1000 Supercar event on bucket list

Max Verstappen’s racing curiosity has never been confined to Formula 1 – and now, one…

5 hours ago

Vowles warns 2026 weight limit will catch F1 teams out

When F1’s radically redesigned 2026 cars finally roll out in Barcelona at the end of…

20 hours ago