McLaren’s CEO has asked for an in-depth investigation against Red Bull’s in-car system which can adjust the front bib clearance. The device has been deemed as being “highly illegal.”Ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, it was revealed that one team was being investigated for possessing a gadget that could change a car’s ride height between qualification and race.
Following the reports, it was determined that the team in question was Red Bull. The Milton Keynes-based team disclosed that it had spoken with the FIA about the device to ensure it met technical requirements. Red Bull has verified that the device exists; the main question is whether it was used during the season. The team is second in the constructors’ standings, trailing only McLaren, with whom it competes closely. They also explained that it cannot be modified.
According to Zak Brown, Red Bull’s acknowledgment of the device’s existence was not surprising. Making Brown question why the governing body feels the need to look into it. He pointed out that Red Bull was the only team whose design was different from the other nine teams. Does this set the standard of Red Bull very low after this chaos right before the competition?
Red Bull is creating a stir in F1
Is Red Bull becoming a disgrace to the F1 community? Talking to Sky Sports Fl, McLaren boss Zak Brown expressed his disappointment at the way the entire thing has been conducted. He said, “I think they probably had no choice because there are published, what are called open source components, OSC, where all the teams can see what each other do. And you have to submit the drawings to the FIA, and all the teams have access if it’s an open-source component.”
He further added, “So anyone, every team, which is what we do, we look and you can see it. So I think there was no denying that they can access their front bib from inside the car, that’s undisputed. So I think they had no choice but to say ‘Yes, we can’. From what we’ve seen, we know we can’t, we don’t have the access, it’s not designed that way.”
