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The Formula 1 paddock is bursting with rumours surrounding one team allegedly using a cockpit-activated device which can change the height of the leading edge of the floor (the ‘bib’ or ‘tea tray’) between qualifying and race, prompting immediate FIA action that was first reported by Autosport on Wednesday.
Mark Hughes shares his understanding of what has happened behind the scenes and the benefits of such a device.
“Any adjustment of the front bib clearance during parc fermé conditions is strictly prohibited by the regulations," read an FIA statement surrounding the story which has developed ahead of this weekend's United States Grand Prix.
"While we have not received any indication of any team employing such a system, the FIA remains vigilant in our ongoing efforts to enhance the policing of the sport.
"As part of this, we have implemented procedural adjustments to ensure that front bib clearance cannot be easily modified.
"In some cases, this may involve the application of a seal to provide further assurance of compliance.”
Following a tip from a rival, it is believed the team concerned (which was revealed to be Red Bull after this article was first published) was reminded after qualifying in Singapore last month that changing the clearance of the bib was prohibited by the parc ferme regulations and that for the race, that team complied with the requirement to maintain the setting used in qualifying.
In theory, being able to adjust the height of the floor’s leading edge would allow you to derive maximum aerodynamic performance from running the floor low in qualifying.
Raising the floor for the race would not only allow for the increased weight of the car when fuelled up but could also avoid wearing out the underbody plank beyond the permitted 10% thickness.
If forced to run a lower ride height than ideal for the race, the driver would need to take care not to ground out the car over bumps and not be so aggressive with the kerbs.
From this weekend, any adjusting controls for the bib height need to be physically sealed.
