The FIA does not see anything untoward with the direction the teams have gone in with their cars under the new regulations, but are said to have suggested that some teams are cutting it fairly fine.
Formula 1’s technical regulations have changed massively ahead of the 2022 campaign, with a ground effect-led aerodynamic concept coming into force as well as bigger tyres to aid overtaking.
The teams are also working with a slightly less powerful fuel blend this season as F1 pushes for sustainability.
Following a reasonably circumspect first three days of testing in Barcelona, the FIA said that there had been no “alarm bells” regarding the exploitation of any loopholes provided by the new regulations.
But managing director Ross Brawn and CEO Stefano Domenicali have not ruled out the possibility of teams attempting to try something audacious that pushes the regulatory boundaries, with Brawn working with his team try to plug various holes.
A source close to the FIA has suggested that the governing body notes that some teams are “sailing close to the wind and bringing solutions that do not quite correspond to the spirit of the regulations.”
Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz reckons some teams will already have been looking with a keen interest at some of the creative interpretations of the new regulations employed by rival squads.
“They’ve already started!” he said in a Q&A.
“There are already lots of teams looking at various bits on other cars and going, ‘hang on, I didn’t think we were allowed to do that!’
“Every single thing is going to be objected or even protested. That’s the problem for these new race directors – these two guys are coming in at a particularly red-hot time for inter-team protests.”
A lot of teams will be bringing significant updates to the second test in Bahrain, with Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko confirming that their finished product will not be showcased until the first round of the season at the Sakhir International Circuit.