Source: Motorsport.com
SILVERSTONE, England – Following a protest lodged by the Racing Point team, the FIA stewards held a teleconference hearing Oct. 23rd to evaluate whether a brake bias adjustment system used by Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg’s Renaults in Suzuka was legal.
In the end, while the stewards believed that the secret system was not in contravention of F1’s technical regulations, they did feel that it was a driver aid. As a result, Renault’s Ricciardo and Hulkenberg have been stripped of their sixth and ninth placed finishes.
Racing Point’s protest was based on claims that it believed a pre-set lap distance dependent brake bias adjustment system was in breach of a number of F1’s regulations. FIA documents revealed the suggestions had originally been made by an ex-Renault employee.
The Silverstone-based team argued the system was against Article 27.1 of F1’s sporting regulations which demand a driver drives the car alone and unaided. Plus it felt it breached Articles 11.1.3, 11.1.4 and 8.6.3 of the technical regulations that outlaw powered devices which alter brake balance, or any system not controlled by the driver.
Renault insisted that its brake bias adjustment system did not use a lap distance trigger, and was within the technical regulations. It offered full details of the system to the FIA, but these have been kept confidential and have not been revealed in public.
Following the teleconference hearing between the Japanese GP stewards, it was concluded that Renault’s secret system did comply with the technical regulations.
The stewards found that…
1. The rear brake controller software used by Renault is an integral part of the control system referred to in Article 11.9 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations. As such, it is used in compliance with Article 11.1.3 and 11.1.4 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations.
2. The described control system is not pre-set, lap-distance dependent as alleged.
3. Renault drivers use buttons mounted on the steering wheel to control brake balance in compliance with Article 8.6.3 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations. These are connected to the FIA Standard ECU.
4. Given the above, the Stewards conclude that while Renault used innovative solutions to exploit certain ambiguities in the Technical Regulations and other supporting documents, their system does not breach any current Technical Regulation.
