Mercedes Chief Questions FIA After Red Bull Front Bib Scrutiny

Saajan Jogia | 2 Hours Ago

Toto Wolff / Mercedes

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has questioned the FIA after it came to be known ahead of the United States Grand Prix that Red Bull's RB20 housed a device that could alter the ride height by adjusting the front bib clearance. While the governing body sealed the device after rival teams reported the matter, Wolff has questioned how the device's existence was not known by the FIA since all F1 cars pass detailed scrutiny.

Red Bull acknowledged the presence of a device on its car after rival teams reportedly noticed suspicious activities involving attempts to tamper with the car during parc ferme between qualifying and the Singapore Grand Prix. However, Red Bull clarified that accessing the front bib to adjust the ride height would require dismantling the car, something that couldn’t be done under parc ferme conditions.

The FIA eventually stepped in, inspected the device, and sealed it to prevent any further use. Although it found no evidence that Red Bull had previously used the device, the governing body ensured it could not be utilized in the future. Red Bull continues to assert that the device was never used illegally.

Despite the investigation, the FIA still lacks the evidence to suggest whether or not Red Bull misused the device to its advantage, leading to significant sporting outcomes such as Max Verstappen's lead in the Drivers' Standings.

Additionally, there has been no clarity on how long the device has been present on Red Bull's title-contending car. This has prompted rival teams, including McLaren and Mercedes, to raise concerns, with Wolff questioning the FIA why the device existed in the first place and how it went unnoticed by the organization for so long until it was reported. Speaking to the media, he said:

"I think the leadership of the FIA is going to look at that and say, 'What are we doing with this?

"I think we're all designing parts that are F1 standard, that are to the highest specifications and that are within the regulations.

"Sometimes on things like aero-elasticity, you would probably try to go as far as you can.

“There are other things overall but there are certain parts which you would question why they exist.

“We haven’t seen it for a long time and we should have.”

FIA's single seater head, Nikolas Tombazis, revealed after sealing the controversial device on the RB20 that the issue was now a "non-story" since there was no proof that Red Bull used it illegally.