United States GP

FIA visit Red Bull garage over controversial F1 device

Red Bull were forced into an immediate car change at the US GP

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 19 October 2024 21:48

The FIA have paid a visit to the Red Bull garage following a ruling over a device in the cockpit of their car which caused quite a stir among the paddock at the US GP.

Formula 1 returns to COTA this weekend for the 19th round of the 2024 season, with Red Bull battling to defend both their reigning titles with just six races remaining.

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Having been toppled from the top of the constructors' standings by rivals McLaren, Christian Horner's outfit are already on the back foot heading into the race in Austin, but star driver Max Verstappen is still clinging on to his lead in the drivers' championship.

His team-mate Sergio Perez on the other hand will be feeling the pressure as reports of his uncertain future at the team grow stronger, having disappointed with his on-track performances for the majority of this season.

Friday's action on track saw the return of the sprint qualifying, where Verstappen landed pole position despite all the noise around the legality of the RB20, whereas Perez only managed P11. Verstappen went on to comfortably win the sprint on Saturday to extend his championship advantage by two points.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will be hoping the FIA find no further issues with their Red Bull machinery

Red Bull will need to maximise points at COTA to enhance their championship chances

Red Bull battling FIA inspection at US GP

A ruling from the FIA ahead of the weekend led to an immediate change being required on both Red Bull cars, despite Red Bull claiming they had not used the 'bib' in the cockpit of their car to alter ride height during parc ferme conditions.

Regardless of their compliance, the sport's governing body sent representatives into the Red Bull garage to be shown the device, claiming that they are checking how the system works on all the team’s cars.

In a clip from Sky Sports, two FIA officials could be seen inspecting the car, with a Red Bull mechanic demonstrating how the device works.

Following reported complaints from other teams on the grid, the FIA will now look to ensure they find a way to measure whether the Red Bull device is being used illegally, after accusations of an unfair advantage had been suggested, most notably by championship challengers McLaren.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen FIA Formula 1 COTA US GP