Lando Norris says contentious Red Bull ride-height device could have aided Max Verstappen in title battle Trending Global News

Lando Norris says the controversial ride-height device – which resulted in Red Bull making changes to its car – could help Max Verstappen claim a significant advantage in their championship battle.

Red Bull confirmed on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix that they have agreed a plan with the FIA ​​to make changes to the RB20 following talks with the sport’s governing body.

Rival teams were suspicious that a device on Red Bull could allow them to advantageously alter the car’s ride height via the front ‘bib’ of the floor in restricted ‘park firm’ conditions, which would be a breach of the rules of the sport. will be.

While confirming the existence of the device, Red Bull insisted that it could not be used for any untoward incident as it was not accessible to use when the car was fully assembled.

Before Red Bull’s comments, the FIA ​​had previously said it had “found no indication of any team employing such a system,” but that the use of such a device would be against the rules.

“It’s one thing to have it on your car, it’s another thing how much you exploit it and use it, which we have no idea about,” said Norris, who joins Verstappen in the drivers’ position with six. is on top with 52 points with two rounds remaining in the 2024 season.

“If it’s helping them, if they’re using it the way people think it should, then maybe it will shift in our direction.

“But, when you talk about things like that, he might not have gotten as many pole positions or wins because of that device.

“I don’t think it will change anything in the scheme of things. Maybe in some qualifying sessions, when it’s divided by hundredths or thousandths, you can say, ‘Okay, maybe this will change the direction. Or help in that direction.

The controversy comes after the FIA ​​asked McLaren to replace the ‘mini-DRS’ rear wing device on their car following last month’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris claimed a major win in Singapore the following week.

Norris said: “I think it’s great that the FIA ​​is doing such a thing.

“There’s a difference between that kind of black and white stuff, then there’s the difference between F1 and pushing the boundaries and creating new things, innovating within that space where you’re allowed to do something new.

“As McLaren we’ve done a good job at it, but we’ve certainly not gone beyond it.”

Verstappen: Device has no impact on performance

Both Verstappen and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez insisted that the device provided no benefits due to the car being unavailable for use after being fully assembled, reiterating the team’s claims in their earlier statement. Is.

In a statement released earlier on Thursday, a Red Bull spokesperson said: “Yes, [it] is present, although it is not accessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to go.

“In our many correspondences with the FIA, this part came up and we have agreed on a plan to move forward.”

The FIA ​​had previously said it would implement procedural adjustments to this weekend’s sprint event in Austin “to ensure that front bib clearance cannot be easily modified”.

Details of the Red Bull design feature were available to other teams on the FIA ​​server under rules regarding open-source parts.

Asked about the reaction within the team to the situation, Verstappen said: “Nothing. I mean, it’s open source, right? Everyone can see it.

“For us, when the parts were off it was a simple tool that was easy to adjust. But once the whole car is built together, you can’t touch it. So, for us, that doesn’t change.. .

“When I read it, I was wondering ‘Are other teams doing this?’ And then I found out it was related to our team, we never mentioned it in the briefing, so it’s a handy tool to adjust things.”

Asked whether the device had any impact on performance, Verstappen replied: “No.”

Perez said: “There’s nothing we were doing with it. We never really talked about it. It was impossible.”

“I knew it existed, but it wasn’t available to us.”

Norris confident as Verstappen expects upgrade effect

The dispute has heightened the intensity of the resumption of the title fight, with tensions building almost a month since Norris’ stunning victory in Singapore last time out.

Ominously for Red Bull and the rest of the field, Norris says his expectations for McLaren are higher than those at the Marina Bay Circuit.

“Probably more (full of confidence),” said the Briton. “If you look at where we were here last year, compared to Singapore in the car, I think it was a better weekend for us.

“We led in the first half of the race. It was a good weekend. Some things have changed on this track with the new surfaces, so there are always questions to answer.

“With how we performed in the last three, four, five races last year, we’re confident we can finish on top.”

Verstappen expects Red Bull to be able to present a bigger challenge to McLaren than in Singapore, where Norris won by more than 20 seconds, but admits he finds the recent pecking order “absolutely Don’t expect an upgrade to RB 20.

The Dutchman said: “If you look at the speed difference in Singapore, definitely not (the upgrades are not enough to catch McLaren).

“But every track is different. We know Singapore is not our strongest track anyway. But I don’t expect it to suddenly become completely different, and we are going to be the car that dominates.

“We already had some limitations with this car all year, now we’re trying to make it better. But I don’t expect it to change completely.”

Sky Sports F1 live United States GP schedule

Friday 18th October
6pm: United States GP Practice One (session starts at 6.30pm*)
8.30 pm: Press conference of team principals
10pm: United States GP Sprint Qualifying (Qualifying starts at 10.30pm*)

Saturday 19th October
6pm: United States GP Sprint Build-up
7 pm: United States GP Sprint
8.30am: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
10pm: United States GP Qualifying Build-up*
11pm: United States GP Qualifying*
(Sunday) 1 am: TED’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday 20th October
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: United States GP build-up*
8 pm: United States Grand Prix*
10 p.m.: Checkered flag: United States GP reaction
11pm: Ted’s Notebook

*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event (Sunday’s race build-up from 7.15pm)

There are only six races left in Formula 1 2024 and the season resumes this Friday with a sprint weekend at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month subscription – no contract, cancel anytime