The FIA clarified why it took no action against Mercedes following suspicions involving the W17 front wing in Formula 1. The entity accepted the team’s explanation and considered that there was no intention to obtain a performance advantage.
Read more F1: Binotto rules out immediate replacement after Wheatley’s departure
This situation drew attention after the Chinese GP, when observers identified that the Mercedes car’s front wing appeared to flex in two stages. The movement, in theory, could exceed the 400-millisecond limit set out in the regulations and generate a possible irregular aerodynamic advantage.
On the eve of the Japanese GP, it was reported that the FIA did not open a formal investigation into the case. Nevertheless, Mercedes implemented a change to the car, related to a reliability issue, which ensured that the W17 was fully within the rules.
Nikolas Tombazis, FIA head of single-seaters, explained that the decision took into account the current moment of the teams, still in the adaptation phase to the new regulations. According to him, the entity has adopted a consistent approach when dealing with minor irregularities: “These are new regulations and all teams are still going through various stages of adaptation. We have adopted a very consistent approach with all teams when it comes to minor irregularities, we are not prepared to take everyone to the stewards for every small issue,” Tombazis stated.
Read more F1: Mercedes leads, but McLaren pressures in Japan
The official also highlighted that the FIA did not identify any intention or attempt to exploit performance gain. According to him, the observed behavior was treated as a mechanical issue, similar to situations faced by other teams.
“On our side, there was no particular concern and it was not something done deliberately. It was a mechanical problem, similar to ones other teams have already had. Our way of dealing with these situations, when we identify them and are sure there is no performance exploitation, is to ask the teams to solve the problem, rather than turn something small into a big case,” he added.
Tombazis further downplayed the repercussions of the episode, emphasizing that the visibility of the problem ended up generating more attention than necessary. According to him, the competitive environment of Formula 1 contributes to more intense reactions: “In my opinion, it was not a big story. Of course, because it was visible, some people noticed. This is a very competitive sport and everyone reacts strongly, but I don’t think it warranted this level of attention,” he concluded.
Read more Pipo Massa praises family presence in Porsche Cup debut: «They support me»
