17 replies to this topic

[jonklug]

Ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, the FIA issued several new technical directives regulating the Formula 1 field.

Details are scarce at the moment, but PlanetF1.com can confirm that the technical directives were revealed during the week of Imola and are related to tyre treatment and the design of wheel bodywork and skids.

https://www.planetf1...s-imola-gp-week

So I guess McLaren weren't fully cleared as the media initially reported? Could explain how suddenly they seemed to lose pace. Or it could still be a lot of speculation and track specific, or a combination.

[onewingedangel]

I suspect any TDs would be related to teams queries of what would be permissible when trying to understand what McLaren's advantage is, but could even be targeted at things seen on other teams - but it'd be nice if the FIA could be more transparent and release the TDs and say why they were brought in rather than leaving everyone to speculate.

[jonklug]

More from The-Race:

FIA intervention prompts fresh intrigue in Red Bull vs McLaren battle
May 19, 2025
by Jon Noble

Fresh intrigue about the cause of the performance swing between Red Bull and McLaren in Formula 1 has opened up with it emerging that the FIA issued two separate technical directives ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.


Just a fortnight on from McLaren dominating the Miami Grand Prix thanks to its better tyre management, the tables were turned at Imola on Sunday as it was Red Bull that held the advantage by being more on top of the tyres.

While a host of factors are understood to have played their part in what happened – which includes the track layout hurting McLaren, Max Verstappen running in clean air, and upgrades on Red Bull's RB21 – another fascinating element has since come to light.

Senior sources within Red Bull have not ruled out another factor at play – and that is of two technical directives (TD) issued by the FIA in the build-up to the Imola race potentially playing a role in what happened by slowing McLaren.

It is this which is understood to have triggered Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to suggest after the race that the shock of Verstappen's win was not of the pace advantage his squad had.

"We were sort of more surprised about McLaren's lack of performance," he said.

FIA communications
The Race has learned that the issue revolves around communications on two separate topics that the FIA made in the days before the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

The first TD relates to the measurement of skid block materials and the way that some teams had found clever ways to pass the probe tests that measure the depth of the plank after the race.

The TD clarified the type of materials that can be used in the area of the skids, plus how they could be mounted, in a bid to stop teams trying to find ways to run closer to the limit but still pass the minimum depth test.

Any team that had been exploiting this area in the past to help run their car lower to the ground would have had to lift it up for the Imola race.

A second TD did not change any of the FIA's interpretations of regulations but was instead the publication of a communication between the governing body and Red Bull relating to some questions about devices that could potentially be allowed to help with tyre cooling.

It is understood that the FIA made clear that a host of design ideas relating to the use of water cooling of wheel assemblies and tyres, plus other systems, would not be allowed.

This type of dialogue between teams and the governing body, where ideas are suggested only to be ruled out, is commonly used to smoke out concepts that rivals could be running to exploit grey areas of the regulations.

With the FIA publishing to all teams its guidance to Red Bull on what it felt would not be allowed, this would rule out any of its competitors being able to continue running anything covered in these documents.

McLaren 'not involved'
From Red Bull's viewpoint, the timing of the intervention of the FIA on two key areas of car performance coming ahead of a weekend where its main rival did not enjoy its previous level of dominance certainly seemed to be more than coincidence.

However, from McLaren's perspective, it is absolutely adamant that the TDs had no role at all in what played out at Imola.

Team insiders are clear that the skid block clarification did not force it to make any change to its car nor the way the MCL39 was run – as it felt that this TD was potentially aimed at other competitors.

Furthermore, on the tyre cooling issue, the FIA has already examined McLaren's wheel assembly and brake system several times – which included a detailed physical inspection after the Miami Grand Prix.

At all times, the FIA has declared it is satisfied with what McLaren is doing with sources suggesting that its concept is "clever." This means that it was running at Imola exactly the same way as before.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has repeatedly suggested that rivals are looking in the wrong areas when it comes to pointing fingers at what his squad is doing - with it already having faced suspicions over flexi wings, water in tyres and mini-DRS.

Speaking at Imola last weekend, Stella said: "For us, it's good news when our rivals get their focus – rather than on themselves – onto some of the aspects that allegedly are present in our car, and that effectively are not even present.

"And certainly, even if they were – let's say, flexi-wings like a front wing deflection, like everyone else – it has nothing to do with the reason why McLaren is very competitive.

"So, I hope that in the future there will be more of these kinds of sagas because it means that our rivals keep focusing on the wrong things. And this is, for us, just good news. It's just helping our quest."

What's interesting is that this clarification was requested to basically fish out any things competitors might be using by making the FIA clearly state what is and is not allowed. So this might be nothing, but certainly the timing is suspicious and it was the first time all season when RedBull had better race pace.

Key paragraph for me that makes this interesting:

With the FIA publishing to all teams its guidance to Red Bull on what it felt would not be allowed, this would rule out any of its competitors being able to continue running anything covered in these documents.

Of course McLaren are saying they changed nothing, so no problem for them going forward if true.

Edited by jonklug, Yesterday, 19:34.

[Autodromo]

With this comment above about Verstappen being in free air, I went back to look at Piastri was nearly 2 seconds behind starting about lap 4 or 5 until he pitted.  He pitted quite early, but Norris, who had been trailing Russell quite closely within DRS for many laps seemed to be much easier on his tires and he went for much longer (catching Max, even).  Pretty impressive by Lando.

[Autodromo]

More from The-Race:

What's interesting is that this clarification was requested to basically fish out any things competitors might be using by making the FIA clearly state what is and is not allowed. So this might be nothing, but certainly the timing is suspicious and it was the first time all season when RedBull had better race pace.

Key paragraph for me that makes this interesting:


Of course McLaren are saying they changed nothing, so no problem for them going forward if true.

But if the FIA looked at it in Miami and said it was fine, they wouldn't have changed their mind just because RB asked.  More likely, it was an attempt by Red Bull to see if that is what they were doing.  Now that eliminates that approach so Red Bull can concentrate/speculate elsewhere.

[Analog]

With this comment above about Verstappen being in free air, I went back to look at Piastri was nearly 2 seconds behind starting about lap 4 or 5 until he pitted.  He pitted quite early, but Norris, who had been trailing Russell quite closely within DRS for many laps seemed to be much easier on his tires and he went for much longer (catching Max, even).  Pretty impressive by Lando.

I think that "catching Max, even" was just a result of Max managing a convenient gap. Each time Lando took a tenth from the 9.5 seconds gap, Max took it back immediately.

[Autodromo]

I think that "catching Max, even" was just a result of Max managing a convenient gap. Each time Lando took a tenth from the 9.5 seconds gap, Max took it back immediately.

Probably.  Though he must have realized that he was still racing Piastri as well so he didn't want to get too lax.  Still, Norris made the tires last substantially longer than Piastri, which I thought was interesting.

[Analog]

Probably.  Though he must have realized that he was still racing Piastri as well so he didn't want to get too lax.  Still, Norris made the tires last substantially longer than Piastri, which I thought was interesting.

We don't know that either, McLaren switched him to a two stopper while he still had pace in his tires. I guess they hoped Max would come in the next lap to cover.

[pup]

But if the FIA looked at it in Miami and said it was fine, they wouldn't have changed their mind just because RB asked. More likely, it was an attempt by Red Bull to see if that is what they were doing. Now that eliminates that approach so Red Bull can concentrate/speculate elsewhere.

I think the TD was just the FIA closing out the matter. Probably the same with the floor boards - something that was actually dealt with earlier, but here’s the paperwork.

[jonklug]

But if the FIA looked at it in Miami and said it was fine, they wouldn't have changed their mind just because RB asked. More likely, it was an attempt by Red Bull to see if that is what they were doing. Now that eliminates that approach so Red Bull can concentrate/speculate elsewhere.

It can be both. Say they were using some sort of PCM that is easily removed, they now have a clear directive with what can't be added.

I would have said we'll see how things look in the next few races, but with the Spain TD it's going to be probably hard to see if this particular clarification had any real effect on anyone.

[Autodromo]

It can be both. Say they were using some sort of PCM that is easily removed, they now have a clear directive with what can't be added.

I would have said we'll see how things look in the next few races, but with the Spain TD it's going to be probably hard to see if this particular clarification had any real effect on anyone.

I still think it makes zero sense.  The FIA said that what McLaren was doing was fine so this directive should be consistent with that and what they are doing is still fine.  I cannot see how they would reverse themselves explicitly in just two weeks.  If McLaren removed it before the FIA inspected it, that would be pretty brazen.

[Garagista]

More from The-Race:

What's interesting is that this clarification was requested to basically fish out any things competitors might be using by making the FIA clearly state what is and is not allowed. So this might be nothing, but certainly the timing is suspicious and it was the first time all season when RedBull had better race pace.

Key paragraph for me that makes this interesting:


Of course McLaren are saying they changed nothing, so no problem for them going forward if true.

I found really strange Zak having the Tire water bottle, having in mind that was such a "last year" thing. Now makes sense as for sure they were talking about it in the background.

[BertoC]

I found really strange Zak having the Tire water bottle, having in mind that was such a "last year" thing. Now makes sense as for sure they were talking about it in the background.

Horner brought up the water that weekend again. Zak bottle was an answer to that.

Edited by BertoC, Yesterday, 20:46.

[jonklug]

I still think it makes zero sense. The FIA said that what McLaren was doing was fine so this directive should be consistent with that and what they are doing is still fine. I cannot see how they would reverse themselves explicitly in just two weeks. If McLaren removed it before the FIA inspected it, that would be pretty brazen.

It said their system is fully compliant yes. I am more than happy for RedBull to have made a huge step forward on their own but the timing, RedBull being ahead on race pace and others much closer, plus the fact that this directive was once again kind of stealth instead of made public from the get go is what makes it intriguing.

[jonklug]

The other confirmed and interesting part was that some teams were likely running lower with that skid block trick that has now been banned. Would be interesting to know who they were.

[pup]

It's pretty well established that the Fia now likes to deal with technical issues informally first, then issue formal directives later, sometimes several races later.  It's highly likely that there was nothing in these directives that would have affected any team on the grid.  The floor board directive may have been related to Ferrari's floor board 'problems' earlier in the season, and the brake and tire handing directive just them giving formal answers to the myriad conspiracies that Horner dreamt up.  

 

And yes, I also think Red Bull's 'step forward' was a combination of Max having clear air and the conditions just generally not giving McLaren any race pace advantage.  Similar to Japan.

Edited by pup, Yesterday, 21:07.

[jonklug]

It's pretty well established that the Fia now likes to deal with technical issues informally first, then issue formal directives later, sometimes several races later. It's highly likely that there was nothing in these directives that would have affected any team on the grid. The floor board directive may have been related to Ferrari's floor board 'problems' earlier in the season, and the brake and tire handing directive just them giving formal answers to the myriad conspiracies that Horner dreamt up.

And yes, I also think Red Bull's 'step forward' was a combination of Max having clear air and the conditions just generally not giving McLaren any race pace advantage. Similar to Japan.

0 credit to RedBull, so you think it's all Max? Hey I didn't say it.

[nivoglibina]

In race pace everyone was closer to Mclaren this race, Ferrari ran almost as fast as Mclaren for instance.

I still think it's circumstances, and not a TD or Red Bull upgrades that causes this.