The FIA has forced Mercedes to make last-minute alterations to the rear of their car at the Austrian Grand Prix after issuing a rule clarification that effectively outlaws a diffuser design the team introduced at the Canadian Grand Prix. The governing body acted following a protest from Ferrari, whose driver Lewis Hamilton had earlier been spotted inspecting the back of Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes after the Monaco Grand Prix.
Ferrari's Complaint and FIA Action
Ferrari raised concerns with the FIA about the Mercedes diffuser design, which used serrated wedges to extend the diffuser's length for aerodynamic gain. The Italian team argued that approving such a design would open the door for other radical solutions and pointed to a potential safety issue if the serrated parts came into contact with other cars during racing, risking punctures and damage. The FIA's clarification has now outlawed the innovation.
Mercedes Forced to Modify Car
To comply, Mercedes had to make changes on Friday at the Red Bull Ring. Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz and tech analyst Bernie Collins spotted the modifications in the pit lane. Collins explained: "You can see just at the very last element of the diffuser, there's two little tabs on each side. Those tabs extended further, previously, and that was in order to produce more downforce off the very, very end of the diffuser. Mercedes, for this event, because they don't have a lot of time, have just had to grind those off, which is why we can still see the little tabs."
Kravitz responded: "That means that they will have lost a bit of downforce, surely? Those bits wouldn't have been on the diffuser if they didn't create downforce." The performance impact is understood to be very small, but Ferrari will be pleased to have successfully argued that a marginal gain be taken away from their rivals.
Other Teams Affected
Racing Bulls, who had also adopted a similar design, have had to make tweaks to the back of their cars for this event to comply with the FIA's clarification. Haas are also believed to have used the idea, but because their own design was not so radical, they have not been forced to make any modifications at short notice.
Wider Context at Austrian GP
Most teams have brought upgrades to the Red Bull Ring, with Cadillac's update the largest as 10 different performance-related elements have been introduced. Red Bull are hoping that their new parts will deliver at their home track, having managed to shed more weight off their cars, while Ferrari are set to introduce their new engines when the competitive action begins on Saturday.
