Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is unhappy at Mercedes as he feels they are trying to change the rules to suit them.
Safety has become a concern for some of the drivers amid the “porpoising” and bouncing caused by the new technical regulations which saw the return of ground effect aerodynamics.
The FIA stepped in at the Canadian Grand Prix by introducing a new technical directive that enables them to ask teams to raise the ride height of their car if it is bouncing too much.
They measured everyone’s oscillation during that weekend, and found that some unnamed teams have been using flexible planks in parts of the floor that are not covered by regulation, as well as moving skid blocks to provide better comfort for the drivers due to a reduction in wear.
READ: Six teams protesting rule change as FIA accused of aiding Mercedes
The moving blocks will be banned as of the Belgian Grand Prix, while the flexing floors are up for debate going into next season.
Furthermore, a raft of changes is being proposed for 2023, with the front wing edges and diffuser throats set to be raised, while stronger deflection tests and more accurate oscillation sensors are expected to be brought in.
There is a general feeling from the Red Bull camp that changes are being made at Mercedes’ behest so that they can climb back to the front.
“It’s not so much the directive that’s an issue, I think the problem is what they are looking at as a remedy is for next year because the directive is neither here nor there for us,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think there’s an awful lot of lobbying to change regulations significantly for next year so a certain team can run their car lower and benefit from that concept, which, you know, it’s a very late point in the year to be doing this.”
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is reported by Auto Motor und Sport to believe that safety is a nonsense argument for changing the regulations.
“There is no reason to classify the whole thing as a safety problem,” said the Italian.
“Most teams have long since had bouncing under control and for the race at Spa there are fixed limits anyway.
“If the cars comply with the specifications, they should be safe with it.
“And if there is no safety argument, the normal voting process has to be followed when the rules are changed.”
The German publication also report that the 52-year-old plans to protest the rule changes should they come into effect.
“Binotto even went so far as to say people would protest against the rules if they just wanted to push them through with the safety argument,” explained Binotto.
“The FIA does not have to prove there is a safety problem, however proof could have to be provided before a civil court that safety is not endangered in this case.”
Mercedes responded to the accusations against them by affirming that there is no evidence the change in regulations would work in their favour.