Lotus and Red Bull challenge the legality of the Mercedes
Mercedes wants to put an end to two mixed years, and the entire technical team of the German team has worked to design an innovative F1 W03. The latter was deemed legal by the FIA before the Australian Grand Prix tests, but the Lotus F1 and Red Bull teams, on the other hand, believe that the F-Duct type system used by Mercedes during DRS activation does not comply with the regulations.
The Mercedes AMG team has developed a kind of “F-Duct” at the rear wing. Unlike the F-Duct designed by McLaren in 2010, the German team’s system is activated passively, not by the driver. The system was studied by FIA stewards during the technical inspections at the Australian Grand Prix and it was deemed legal.
This system is triggered when using the DRS, it redirects airflow along and to the front of the car, thus slightly increasing the car’s top speed. This could allow Mercedes to go as fast as its rivals on the straight while maintaining more aerodynamic downforce, and with more downforce, the drivers can go faster when cornering.
But according to *Autosport* and *Sky Sports*, the Lotus F1 and Red Bull Racing teams have requested clarification from the FIA on this subject. There was talk of a possible protest from Lotus regarding the qualifying session results, but Eric Boullier stated that he first wanted to meet with Charlie Whiting, the FIA race director and technical delegate.
«We would like to sit down with Mercedes and Charlie and make sure that we understand the regulations in the same way. If possible, we would like to do this over the weekend, so we will see,» Eric Boullier told Autosport.
«A protest is obviously an option, but we will see about that later. All I can say is that Red Bull and ourselves do not think the Mercedes system is legal.»
Lotus and Red Bull believe that the part of the rear wing of the Mercedes F1 W03 related to the DRS does not comply with what is described in the regulations and therefore that the German team’s system is illegal.
For the moment, only these two teams have decided to request a clarification, and the McLaren team does not support this approach. Martin Whitmarsh believes that the device designed by Mercedes is legal. Whitmarsh told Sky Sports that McLaren supports Mercedes, its engine supplier for 17 years now.
«Yes, I think so (that this system is legal). There is an exception for the DRS mechanism, and I think this is part of it. They used this exception to operate a system similar to an F-Duct. Regarding the regulations, that’s what I think, but I’m sure others will take a closer look at this point than I will, » also shared the director of the McLaren Mercedes team, as quoted by Autosport.
