Publication date: July 4, 2020
Christian Horner has said Red Bull wanted “clarity” about the legality of Mercedes’ innovative dual-axle steering system.
After seeing DAS return during practice on Friday before the Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull filed an official protest with the FIA alleging that the system was violating regulations.
The governing body declared it legal in the early hours of Saturday morning in Austria and gave a lengthy explanation of why it was complying with the rules.
There was a suggestion that Red Bull might perhaps appeal the decision, but Horner revealed during his response that he now considers the matter closed.
“We wanted to get clarity,” Horner told Sky Sports F1.
“We wanted to protest at the earliest point in the weekend so that it would not be interrupted by the outcome of the race.” Therefore, it would be legal or illegal on Friday, so it would give Mercedes the opportunity to rectify in any way for Saturday and Sunday.
“Having seen it [DAS] In the car on Friday, we chose to use the avenue of a protest to achieve that clarity.
“We informed Mercedes before starting the protest.
“Basically, the system is very, very complicated and it asks: what is a flyer for?”
“The stewards obviously support the decision [that DAS is legal] and then we have that clarity now.
“If we want one [our own DAS system] we will have to design that and incorporate it. “
When asked what Mercedes really uses the DAS for, Horner added: “It is to achieve balance changes during tire warm-up, particularly after the Safety Car periods, in that sense it has nothing to do with the direction of the car because they will only use it in a straight line.
“But that is sometimes the ambiguity that these regulations create, although it has been fixed for next year.
“We did not feel, from the engineering feedback we had, that DAS was not fully compliant with the standards this year.
“So that’s why we questioned it and got that clarity last night, so as far as we’re concerned, everything is closed now.
“I suppose if they use it in the qualification, then we could ask that the conditions of the park be modified.
“If that is now allowed, then obviously you will request to make a change not with the steering wheel, but with a set of keys, to your tilt and wheel, and so on, whatever you control.”
“It is what it is. I take my hat off to Mercedes, it is a smart system, but if incorporating it for this year, when it will be banned for next year, it will be very difficult.”
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