Red Bull launched a protest against rivals Mercedes over the use of its dual-axis steering system (DAS) during practice on Friday at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Mercedes caught the attention of the F1 paddock in testing earlier this year when it first launched the system that allows the driver to change the alignment, or the angle of the fingers, of the front wheels while the car is on the track. It is operated by moving the wheel from side to side, although Mercedes has not responded to speculation about how it affects performance.
The system, which has already been banned in the 2021 regulations, was used by Mercedes in opening practice sessions for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, reigniting debate over its legality when Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished. the first and second day. After the second practice session, Red Bull protested the system, claiming that it violates Article 3.8 of the technical regulations, which prohibits mobile aerodynamic devices, and Article 10.2.3, which prohibits changes to any suspension system while in the car. it is moving.
Speaking before the protest was filed, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “First of all, it’s a very smart system, so all credit to the ingenuity behind it. I think the fundamental question for is it if you comply with the regulations?
“In what is fundamentally a gray area, we obviously want clarity, as it has an impact over the rest of this year. It’s a forbidden thing for next year, so the question is, is it correct for this year? “These are the questions that we will ask the FIA through the necessary channels.”
The gray area appears to focus on whether the DAS is viewed as a steering system or a suspension device, although Red Bull has also protested its use as a mobile streamlined device. Toe angle (the alignment of the front wheels, which the DAS alters) is included as part of the suspension setup, the teams stay at the FIA before leaving the pits for qualification and therefore , a change against the regulations could be perceived.
However, Mercedes will probably argue that DAS simply changes the angle of the wheels through the steering wheel, which is legal for obvious reasons. Furthermore, the fact that the 2021 regulations had to be changed to ban DAS suggests that the FIA believes it is legal under the 2020 rules.
Representatives of Red Bull and Mercedes were called to the stewards of the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday night to present their case.
Mercedes did not mention the specific advantages of DAS, but on Friday it seemed that drivers were using it on their warm-up laps before a fast lap. That suggests it is related to tire conditioning, possibly changing its alignment to control the temperature in the rubber.
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