Before this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, the FIA released a statement in response to allegations that a team was making adjustments to the bib clearance after qualifying but before the race.
The team was accused of bypassing the rule that prohibits making alterations to the car after qualifying except for the front wing.
There were allegations that the team was adjusting the ride height from the low-fuel configuration used in qualifying to a setup more appropriate for the race start with a full fuel load.
Although the regulations require that changes be impossible without tools, it was alleged that a device in the cockpit was being used to bypass this rule.
“Yes, (the device) does exist,” a Red Bull spokesman conceded, “but it is inaccessible once the car is completely assembled and prepared for operation.”
“In the numerous correspondence we have with the FIA, this part came up and we have agreed a plan going forward,” they added.
The claims first surfaced over the Singapore weekend, after rivals became aware of such a device courtesy of the FIA’s open-source system, which is open to all the teams.
After difficult outings in Italy and Azerbaijan, Singapore saw Max Verstappen back on the podium, albeit one step lower than Lando Norris with whom he is battling for the title.