Red Bull agrees to change newly exposed ride height device

Red Bull has admitted to having changes to the RB20 after talks with the (FIA) after the uncovering of an apparent “trick” mechanism controlling the car’s ride height.

Controversy

The story was a hot topic in the pits ahead of this weekend American Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas with many observers suggesting that the issue was that a device may have been used to change a car’s ride height in parc ferme between qualifying and the race.

“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,” the ruling body said in a statement.

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Teams are not allowed to make set-up changes between qualifying and the race.

A Red Bull representative said: “Yes, it exists, although it is inaccessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to run. In the correspondence we have with the FIA, this part came up and we have agreed a plan going forward.”

Max ‘not worried’

Current champion Max Verstappen has indicated that he remains unconcerned over the issue.

“I’m not worried about anything and I just want to go out and have fun and do the best I can to do well in the race. There’s a lot of changes including the track, too, so let’s see how it goes,” he said.

After a three week break since the last round in Singapore in September, the championship now enters its American leg with races in US, Mexico and Brazil, before returning back to the States for the second Las Vegas Grand Prix of the modern era on 23 November.

The series then makes its final stop in the Middle East on 1 December at the Lusail circuit in Qatar, before the season finale at the Marina Bay track in Abu Dhabi seven days later.

Additional reporting by Charl Bosch

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