Why F1’s latest technical wrangling is nothing new
F1 teams have been accusing each other of playing fast and loose with the technical rules for many years. And sometimes, reveals PAT SYMONDS, that provides a great excuse to fix something that wasn’t working in the first place…
Every Formula 1 season brings a new contentious technical argument that occupies the attention of teams, the FIA and fans alike. This year there has been a focus on flexible wings, but unlike many previous discussions, such as the Mercedes dual-axis steering system from last year, this one is anything but new.
We can go back as far as 1980 in the technical regulations, then known as Appendix J of the Sporting Code, when the entire set consisted of just 11 pages compared to today’s 137, to see the origins. There it is stated that the coachwork, as it was quaintly known then, must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car and must remain immobile in relation to the car.
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