FIA introduced the TD39 mid-season last year and they have done the same thing again. While many complained about having new regulations implemented far into the season, FIA did not budge. But with the history repeating yet again, eyes of suspicion have turned towards FIA. The question of whether this is to slow Verstappen or speed up Lewis Hamilton rose. Nonetheless, the technical director of FIA, Tim Goss was asked why the regulations were being introduced halfway into the season. He was also asked if it was to stop a team or driver in any way. And according to Tim Goss, it’s not the case at all.
Goss explained the motive behind introducing the new regulations. He told The Race, “We want the FIA and the teams to have a common vision of where we will put the limit. TD says we expect to see uniform flexing, or rotation, on the parts we will test. Therefore, We are saying that the wings can move or rotate but must do so uniformly along their span.”
https://t.co/P0sTeS9B2O – At Singapore, the focus will be on two ‘old’ FIA directives, which will be crucially important in Marina Bay. This directive is TD18, which focuses on the anomalous bending of the wing components of the cars.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) September 12, 2023
Therefore, the board has no intention of slowing anyone. That said, the Red Bull team is still confident about their top seat. Meanwhile, the team’s technical director showed concerns for Mercedes under the new regulations. This could make Verstappen slower however, it will not stop Max Verstappen from dominating for now. The driver has earned some time until other teams catch up. Needless to say many have anticipated the return of the legendary Verstappen-Hamilton rivalries.
How the FIA held Lewis Hamilton & Mercedes back with untimely regulation tweaks in the 2010s
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton were once the showrunners. The team collected 8 consecutive Constructors Championships while Hamilton made history. However, after an untimely dominance in the sport, everything started coming crashing down for the team. In 2021, new regulations started being implemented which meant Mercedes had to discard a lot of things. However, the team managed to hold onto their position until the end.
In 2020, FIA banned the DAS which left Mercedes in a bit of a pickle. But they did not stop there to slow them down. In 2020, FIA announced mid-season there would be regulations for the floor of the car. The regulations were to slow down the cars especially Mercedes and Aston Martin since they are low-rake cars. This also reduced the downforce of the car.
I mean. Mercedes introduced in 2020 and the FIA stated it would be banned in 2021. Other teams didn’t run the system. https://t.co/HDG3RqcNyFhttps://t.co/hvu8Rd5nvX https://t.co/WqzYoU0INW pic.twitter.com/88rODaACF3
— Soph 💙💛⁷⁷ ¹⁶ ²⁸ (@SophieTalksF1) May 16, 2023
Toto Wolff however, spoke against it in an attempt to get to FIA. He told Sky Sports, “We lost the 2021 drivers’ championship for many reasons. One was the final race. But we also lost it because those regulations were set in place in order to reduce the advantage we had,”
Nonetheless, with the new regulations, Mercedes can hope for something better. The team has been bringing in upgrades that haven’t favored them. After trying everything, their focus has become 2024. With new regulations mid-season, Mercedes can look out for a favor by the FIA. Or will this affect them more than their Red Bull Rivals?
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