F1 teams think FIA had good reason to act on "rubbery nose boxes"

As revealed by Autosport earlier this week, the FIA has issued a draft technical directive stating that from the Singapore Grand Prix it is to take a tougher stance on the flexibility of bodywork – especially front and rear wings.

The FIA stated in the document that it believes outfits are exploiting "regions of purposely design localised compliance" plus "relative motion between adjacent components" to deliver a significant boost to aerodynamic performance.

It added that it felt designs that rotated around fixing points or flexed in certain specific areas were in breach of the regulations.

While the TD is understood to not just be aimed at one team, with several squads having been under the spotlight, it is clear that suspicions have swirled for several months.

Speaking at the Italian Grand Prix, leading team bosses welcomed the FIA intervention, as they suggested that the governing body would only have taken action if it felt some squads were pushing the rule boundaries too much.

Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner said: "It's not something that affects us, but we've seen a few rubbery nose boxes, shall we say? So, we'll see those get addressed, I guess, in Singapore."

Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Erik Junius

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained that he felt the TD was good news for McLaren, as it would mean a more level playing field from the next race.

"The FIA, they have a lot of information, and they can see things that other teams can't see in terms of inspecting cars," he explained.

"They are very competent, so we 100% trust their judgement and their approach. And, if they thought that it was the time to release a technical directive, then it means that there is a reason for that.

"We're not very concerned about that, to be honest. So we take the positive that, if the FIA felt it was needed, it means that there is something to clamp down. And for us, I think it is good news."

Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur added: "We have to trust the FIA that if they consider that they have to do the TD, it is because the regulation was not clear enough. And we trust the FIA in this direction."

While speculation has suggested that Aston Martin is one of the teams that has already had to make tweaks to its front wing this season, the team has drawn short of elaborating on the situation.

Asked at Monza if the latest TD would pose any headaches for teams in terms of extra work to comply with new FIA demands, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said: "I cannot speak for the other teams, but for us it will not be a headache."