F1 News: Red Bull’s Pierre Wache Blasts FIA - 'If the Police Don’t See It, Doesn’t Mean It’s Legal'

Saajan Jogia | Dec 3, 2024

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) during the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache has claimed that McLaren took advantage of regulatory loopholes that were "beyond grey" with its semi-DRS low-downforce rear wing highlighted in Baku. He accused the Papaya team of using the allegedly illegal rear wing to gain a competitive edge, enabling it to surpass Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship.

McLaren's mid-season resurgence has been the greatest threat to Red Bull in the current ground effect era, especially when the Milton Keynes outfit has been accustomed to winning most races during the 2023 season when it won 21 out of 22 Grands Prix. However, McLaren's success in the Formula 1 technical race aligned with performance issues on the RB20 car this year, making it more difficult to win races.

McLaren overtook Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but controversy soon followed. Experts on social media highlighted how McLaren's rear wing flexed under pressure, creating a semi-DRS effect even without DRS activation. Rival teams deemed the design illegal, prompting the FIA to intervene and demand modifications to prevent the flexing.

Wache, who was instrumental in the development of the dominant RB19 in 2023, discussed the key factors needed to win races in Formula 1. When RacingNews365 asked him about the moment Red Bull realized its car was no longer consistently delivering victories, despite Max Verstappen's fourth championship victory, he said:

"We are here to do a job and to develop the car as the best we can. It’s very frustrating for us that we don’t win at each race. I think everybody in the paddock has the same vision.

"We are here to win. It doesn’t help us, last season in terms of inside the team. The motivation, some people arrive in the team young and only had wins. The only loss they had was Singapore last year. And for this type of people to know that is a win is exceptional to have, a championship even more.

"It’s what the people forget, it’s so difficult to have something. Ask Max [Verstappen], he won races in 2016, he had to wait until 2021 to win the world championship.

"It’s difficult and you need all the planets aligned, the right competition, some part of performance, some part of operation, some part of luck.

"And good police [stewards, he laughs]... It’s a problem when you are winning every time. So police is more looking at you than others. When you have brothers, the small one can do whatever they want."

When asked if teams would continue to explore grey areas in the regulations next year, Wache said:

"I think it's so difficult to develop that I think some grey areas are so attractive as an engineer. When you see the rear wing of McLaren, I'm sorry, but it's more than grey, and they use it for multiple races. Because, without that, Baku, they will not win. Even our constructors' championship will be completely different."

The technical director was then asked if that was frustrating or interesting for an engineer like him, he said:

"I don't dismiss that. Just as an engineer, you also have to respect the rules. In terms of technical regulations, the difference compared to sporting [regulations] is you have to prove that you are legal.

"When you have a radar camera between two points, the police can see you only at these two points and you can go at very high speed between, if you don't have average speed [checks]. The technical regulations are different - you have to prove that you are correct."

Wache added that it was particularly frustrating when the "police" (FIA) doesn't do its job. He said:

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's part of the game but you also have some limits. If the police doesn't see it, doesn't mean it's legal. What happened to Ferrari in the past and everything, that more than the limit. It's frustrating for us, when the police doesn't do their job."