F1 set to strip Mercedes F1 of 130 HP advantage and trick suspension (2nd Update)
"We had been warned at the weekend something could come of this. We got this letter from Charlie Whiting, a technical directive.
"Most of the teams, if not all the teams on the grid, are using this kind of suspension system which better connects the vehicle's dynamics.
"I think some teams may have been extreme, which is maybe why the FIA is questioning the legality of this system."
Boullier is confident the McLaren cars will not be adversely affected, but for others it could be a different story.
"In the case of McLaren we are quite relaxed to be honest. We don't see any issue with it for us," added Boullier.
"I don't think there would be too many disturbances for the rest of the season.
"We don't like it when there is a technical or sporting change during the course of the season, but maybe there is some reason behind why the FIA wants to do it.
"Maybe there are a couple of teams who have been extreme and who could potentially be in trouble in switching back to a non-connecting system.
"I don't know to be honest. But for most of the teams, I think it won't be a game-changer." (Of course not, they have a 130 HP advantage). Sporting Life
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| Hamilton and Rosberg set to lose their 130 HP advantage? |
07/09/14 (GMM) If the latest developments are any indication, Mercedes' dominance might not last for too long.
Last year, we reported that a secret under the skin of the silver car is 'Fric' — standing for 'front and rear interconnected'.
Emulating active suspension, the system is now widespread up and down the pitlane, but the FIA's Charlie Whiting has sent a letter to teams warning that Fric's legality "could be called into question".
An immediate ban is reportedly on the cards. And that is not all.
The Spanish sports newspaper Marca reports that the FIA is also considering clamping down on the rate and flow of hybrid power from the new 2014 'power units'.
A source was quoted as saying that while the actual combustion engines produced by Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault this year are remarkably close in performance, the big advantage enjoyed by Mercedes is in the 'hybrid' areas.
The source said Mercedes' advantage could be as much as "between 110 to 130 horse power on the straights".
Finally, Mercedes could be set to lose a first-lap advantage over its rivals, after Williams' Felipe Massa complained about the behavior of the silver cars on the formation lap at Silverstone.
"I had to stop twice, pulling in the clutch," the Brazilian is quoted by Spain's sports daily AS.
"They're doing it (driving slowly) for some reason. We always complain, and Charlie said he was going to fix it, but no one has been penalized yet," Massa added.
07/08/14 Formula 1's FRIC suspension systems, believed to be one of the strengths of the dominant Mercedes car, could be banned for the German Grand Prix, AUTOSPORT reports.
Less than a fortnight before the next race at Hockenheim, the FIA has informed F1 teams that it believes the Front-and-Rear Interconnected Suspension (FRIC) systems used by most of them are illegal.
According to sources, the governing body wrote to teams on Tuesday to tell them that following detailed investigations into the design of the FRIC systems, it believes they are in contravention of the rules.
In the note, a copy of which has been seen by AUTOSPORT, Whiting said: "Having now seen and studied nearly every current design of front to rear linked suspension system we, the FIA, are formally of the view that the legality of all such systems could be called into question."
Whiting suggests that the way the suspension systems help control pitch and roll could be in breach of article 3.15 of F1's technical regulations.
Article 3.15 is the catch-all regulation that relates to moveable aerodynamic devices. It outlaws any part of the car that influences the aerodynamics that is not "rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom)."
The FRIC systems link the front and rear suspension to maintain a constant ride height for improved performance.
Lotus (then called Renault) was the first team to introduce the concept in 2008.
Mercedes more recently took the design to the next level and is now believed to run the most complicated system, however it is unclear which team would suffer the most from a ban. Yahoo Eurosport