FIA set to clamp down on teams 'reverse engineering' cars
- Published on 15 Aug 2020 08:45
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- By: Coilin Higgins
The FIA has announced its intentions to clamp down on teams 'reverse engineering' future cars by preventing the use of photography and other techniques used by teams to copy rival designs.
The decision was made in response to the controversy surrounding Racing Point and the design of its 2020 car, the RP20.
Despite being initially cleared by the FIA, the team were found guilty of copying Mercedes' 2019 title winner the W10 after appeals were lodged against the team.
On the run-up to the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, it was also announced the team were fined €400,000 and deducted 15 championship points for being found guilty of using Mercedes brake ducts.
The fine and deduction prompted a number of appeals from teams such as Ferrari and Renault, while Racing Point itself appealed the decision, believing the team stayed within the boundaries of the regulations at all times.
The intention was made clear in a letter addressed to all ten teams by FIA secretary-general Peter Bauer, who also wrote about other regulation changes, such as the recent ban on qualifying engine modes.
“We are in full agreement with many of you that it is not the direction that the sport wants to head towards." The letter read.
"Additions to Article 22.3 of the 2021 technical regulations will expressly prevent teams from using photography or other reverse engineering techniques to copy large parts of other teams’ cars,” adding that “designs from the first race of the 2020 season may still form the legitimate basis for further evolution in 2021.”
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Replies (7)
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Posts: 6
They could start right now, and clamp down Racing Point. It is Pure reverse ingenered car..
f1dave
Posts: 782
I guess that means that there will be no more pictures allowed on this or any other site that the teams might look at or cell phones allowed in the stands or television coverage just to be sure.
F1 is becoming a joke !
f1dave
Posts: 782
I guess that means no more pictures on this or any other site that the teams might look at, no more cell phones in the stands, and no more television coverage.
F1 is becoming a joke !
f1ski
Posts: 726
This is bs. How do you enforce this. Video photos on the web. This will be the demise of smaller teams. Much like the engine token rules that allowed mb to have 3 unchallenged seasons.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
it is, but it'll also stop Abiteboul from nagging the FIA to bits for a while, so can't blame them. ;)
that said, it can be enforced, they'll just have to compare the cars and dev documentation more carefully from now on. it isn't quite as bad as the token token system.
F1todayfan101
Posts: 120
Stupid. FIA are grtting too long in the tooth and the other teams need to stop crying and git gud. I want to aee racing, i dont care if that means tracing.
f1ski
Posts: 726
Remember thy Renault’s tech director had a position with fia so he knows something about everybody let’s have racing point challenge The fia to ensure Renault has nothing that was poached from other teams