Although there is no track activity this week, the Formula 1 proceeds briskly towards the last 4 appointments before the summer break. The climate is tense and not only due to the close fight between Red Bull e Ferrari. Just a week ago there FIA made it official technical directive aimed at countering the phenomenon of porpoising. A request loudly expressed by one team in particular: Mercedes, which he found in Canada the missing performance. The star team in Montreal has aroused however i suspects of the rest of the paddock, after brought in Canada a solution, then not used, which had not yet been disclosed to teams. There question porpoising therefore risks becoming a real case.
the FIA, on the eve of free practice in Canada communicated to the teams the invalidity of technical directive 39 for the weekend. Among the reasons, that of allowing the Federation to store data on acceleration peaks e oscillation frequencies. However, the second tie rod on the W13 aroused suspicions among the insiders introduced by Mercedes just a few hours after the directive came out. The star team has proven itself well prepared, far too much, and for this very reason, Christian horner, Mattia binotto and other Team Principals such as Otmar Szafnauer they have no doubts: the Mercedes “knew” of the directive and all this must be stopped before arriving at "distorting" the World Cup.
The FIA directive is not convincing
What was to be born as a provision for protect health of the pilots is turning into a political and power struggle over performance. According to some teams, in particular Red Bull e Ferrari, allies in the fight, this would be the main objective of the requests made by Mercedes. The other drivers didn't particularly complain about this problem, and the German team's project is also the least competitive of the three.
La new technical directive imposes a vertical oscillating metric that would force teams to limit the bounce of their cars, with the risk, if this limit is not respected, of having to increase height from the ground. The regulation as the days go by, however, it always becomes less clear e Red Bull e Ferrari they do not believe it is right to proceed this way, and change the regulation in the running, given that the problem would appear to be one-sided. Mercedes would obviously like to reduce the gap that separates it from the effective competitiveness of Red Bull and Ferrari. But reach an agreement that brings together the three teams it would seem impossible given the big difference in the basic designs.
"Very simply this technical directive seems to try to help a single team that could simply raise the ground clearance of the car - says Christian horner. “If it's safety we're talking about then the FIA could simply show the black flag in the race against Mercedes. Toto (Wolff) said all the riders complained about the bouncing, mine sure didn't though. "
Binotto launches the accusation
Mattia binotto already a Baku had sounded the alarm. The team principal of the Reds has expressed his opinion fears after the appointment of Shaila Ann Rao – former legal director Mercedes – in the role of General secretary for sports and Executive Director of F1, replacing Peter Bayer. According to Binotto, although Rao brings experience and expertise to F1, the past in Mercedes it cannot be a factor to be taken lightly.
In a recent interview reported on RacingNews365.com the Ferrari Team Principal said: “I can't hide some concern. Rao is a fantastic person with experience and will certainly do a good job, but it's a concern. It is up to the FIA to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest. It is the president's job to ensure that this is ensured. I am sure they will and demonstrate that our concern, like Ferrari, is completely unfounded".
Of a different opinion Otmar Szafnauer, Alpine Team Principal who commented: “It came from the FIA, so it was originally from the FIA. I think the great thing is that he has gained team experience as well as the FIA, and it's always good, if you have that double experience. I'm not worried. He's a lawyer. I think she takes an oath to be honest and trustworthy, so I think there's no problem."
However, the "yellow” on the new directive for the pouring that would have involved Mercedes, and the presence of Rao in F1, does not do that feed the suspicions of Mattia Binotto and the others present in the paddock. But if this remains only a suspicion, the evidence is that there are still many problems to be solved on the porpoising front. For this before Silverstone i team will meet again with the Federation, looking for a agreement for protect the riders but also the honesty of this sport.
Statements source: FormulaPassion and RacingNews365.com
