The FIA is on high alert after suspicions have emerged regarding a subtle ploy exploited by an unnamed team to manipulate a car's ride height under parc fermé conditions.
The revelation comes amidst a tight championship battle that will enter its final phase this weekend in Austin, compelling the governing body to take swift action to prevent a possible breach of F1’s technical regulations.
According to a report from Motorsport.com, the controversy centers around the possibility that one team has found a way to alter the front bib clearance – also known as the T-tray or splitter, the most forward area of a car’s undertray – while under parc fermé conditions.
Parc fermé rules strictly prohibit any aerodynamic or mechanical adjustments to a car between the end of qualifying and the start of the race, with the exception of front wing settings. But all other component changes are forbidden, as stated by Article 40.2 of F1’s Technical Regulations.
Article 40.9 adds that “it must be clear from physical inspection that changes cannot be made without the use of tools.”
However, recent concerns expressed to the FIA have raised alarms over the possibility of a clandestine system that could allow a team to modify the front bib’s clearance without breaching these regulations - or at least without being detected.
Motorsport.com’s report suggests that an alleged system could enable a small but significant adjustment to a car’s front ride height, potentially done through settings controlled inside the cockpit.
Such a modification would allow the team to adapt a car's clearance for optimal performance during both the low-fuel conditions of qualifying and the higher fuel loads required in the race.
Even a minimal adjustment could deliver a substantial competitive advantage, particularly in fine-tuning the balance between aerodynamic grip and straight-line speed.
Although no single team has been named, the concern escalated when design details uploaded to the FIA’s open-source system – which all teams can access – suggested that one outfit might have devised an ingenious way to adjust the front bib in a manner that would remain unnoticed during post-qualifying inspections.
While the FIA hasn't received concrete evidence of any team utilizing such a system, the governing body is leaving no room for ambiguity, with new control procedures being implemented from this weekend’s US Grand Prix at The Circuit of the Americas to close any potential loophole that might allow a team to manipulate its car’s ride height without detection.
In a statement provided to Motorsport.com, an FIA spokesperson underscored the importance of maintaining fair play and adhering to the technical regulations:
"Any adjustment to the front bib clearance during parc ferme conditions is strictly prohibited by the regulations. 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.
“As part of this, we have implemented procedural adjustments to ensure that front bib clearance cannot be easily modified. In some cases, this may involve the application of a seal to provide further assurance of compliance."
This development comes at a crucial point in the championship, with only six races remaining and both the Drivers' and Constructors' titles still fiercely contested.
As teams fight for every possible advantage, the FIA’s move signals a clear message: no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of ensuring a level playing field.
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