Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA has targeted the use of clever steering systems to improve aerodynamic performance as part of a long-running clampdown on trick suspensions.
Race Director Charlie Whiting has been assessing such devices aimed at mimicking the FRIC (Front and Rear InterConnected) suspension which has banned in 2014 with mainly the top teams testing the boundaries of the regulations with additional pre-loaded elements which were designed to control the ride height of the car through the corners.
The latest concept is focused on an idea that teams are using the input through the steering to exaggerate the amount a car lowers through the corners increasing the downforce and therefore the speed through a corner.
A meeting of FIA and team Technical Directors was recently held in London with the subject reportedly discussed at length and before Christmas, Whiting issued a new Technical Directive in response.
“It became clear during the season that some teams were designing the suspension and steering systems in an attempt to change the front ride height of the car,” it read.
“Whilst some change is inevitable when the steering wheel is moved from lock-to-lock, we suspect that the effect of some systems was a far from an incidental change of ride height. We also believe that any non-incidental change of ride height is very likely to affect the aerodynamic performance of the car.”
It is claimed the three top teams, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all had differing resolutions ranging from maintaining the status quo in the case of Red Bull, Ferrari calling for stricter regulation and Mercedes wanting a return to active suspension with hardware and software supplied by the FIA.
Issuing his final ruling, Whiting added: “Any change of front ride height when the steering wheel is moved from lock-to-lock should be wholly incidental. We believe that ride height should change by no more than five millimetres when the steering wheel is moved from lock-to-lock.”
The Race Director also asked teams to provide all documentation referring to the impact the steering system had on the front ride height but Motorsport.com quoted one team as downplaying the importance of the decision.
“I suspect it can’t be policed anyway, and teams will just ignore it,” the unknown source claimed. “It is just the FIA’s ‘view,’ it’s not actually the ‘law’. Nothing will change.”
What is clear is the decision could have an impact on any team who has incorporated such a design into their 2018 chassis with the ruling coming just as teams prepare to crash test their new cars.
