The FIA informed the teams ahead of the Styrian Grand Prix this weekend that for safety reasons they would be slowing down pit stop times from next month’s race in Hungary, forcing the teams to remove some automated procedures.
The move was made for safety reasons and was welcomed by some teams, but Red Bull – the fastest team in the pits this season – called the decision “disappointing”.
Ferrari Sporting Director Laurent Mekies urged the FIA to sit down and discuss issues with the teams instead of simply sending a technical brief after recent measures were taken on rear wing flexibility and tire pressures.
Alfa Romeo F1 boss Vasseur expressed himself directly in his criticism and made it clear that he did not agree with the crackdown on the pit stop.
He questioned why the FIA had not made the switch over the winter, citing the difficulty travel restrictions will impose on his team, and warned that the FIA should not regulate the series through constant technical instructions.
“I think managing F1 through TD-ing over the course of the season is not the way to go in my opinion,” said Vasseur.
“We have all winter to prepare things. The pit stops haven’t changed from last year and if they needed to change it could have been last winter.
“Now we’re moving in a hurry for safety reasons, but we have to change a few things between Silverstone and Budapest. I’m not sure it’s a good step forward for safety.
“In our case, we are not allowed to go back to the factory between Silverstone and Budapest with the quarantine in Switzerland.
“I think it is not the way to go that we now have more TDs than press releases on Monday morning.
“Every Monday we have a list of TDs. It’s the new way to rule F1 and it’s not the right way.
“The next topic will be the deflection of the front wing. We have to talk about that. “
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Technical guidelines are used by Formula 1 rule-makers to fill in loopholes in the regulations that are often triggered when teams question the activities of rivals.
A technical guideline on the flexibility of the rear wing was triggered last month by inquiries about the design from Red Bull, while the tire damage in Baku prompted new measures on the test pressure level.
Alpine Sports Director Alan Permane said the latest technical guideline on pit stops would “clarify” the rules that sensors can only be used passively, but he sympathized with Mekies’ argument about having more communication with the teams.
“I read something Laurent Mekies of Ferrari said and he said he wished they’d talked to us a little first and I understand that,” said Permane.
“That will surely be better for us. But these systems are so sophisticated and specialized, and teams have an army of people working on them.
“I think it’s a shame that the FIA has just dealt an irrefutable blow. And I think [it would be better] if we all sit down and let ourselves first consider what is safe, because now some questions about security are raised. “
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