The FIA has responded to a request by Mercedes, which asked for clarification on technical co-operation between teams after suspicions Ferrari and newcomer Haas were benefitting from unlimited wind tunnel use.
Currently, existing teams are subject to strict restrictions on wind tunnel and CFD use, however new teams, such as Haas, aren’t governed by those same restrictions until they are confirmed on the entry list in December.
With Haas striking a technical partnership with Ferrari to use their wind tunnel, rival teams had suspicions that the Italian team could be benefitting from Haas’ unlimited wind tunnel time.
In response, the FIA has tightened up the rules surrounding technical co-operations, with new teams having to abide by the restrictions from the moment their entry is accepted.
This won’t be enacted retrospectively, therefore Haas and Ferrari have done nothing untoward.
“The Stewards recommend to the FIA that in future once a potential competitor (as opposed to Official Entry) applies to be a competitor in the FIA Formula One World Championship and this application is accepted, that competitor should be bound by Appendices 6 and 8 (and for that matter any other appropriate sections of the Formula One Sporting and Technical Regulations).
“That intention is understood to be to place limits on the amount of aerodynamic development each competitor is able to carry out and to prevent an escalation of the costs associated with research particularly, for Appendix 8, in the area of aerodynamic testing.
“None of the representations of the teams or any other party challenged this underlying objective. Accordingly our interpretation of the regulations as they stand has reflected the above intention.”
