Have Red Bull been using illegal engine torque mapping at Hockenheim?
22 July, 2012
Sebastian Vettel in action during German GP qualifying
Jul.21 (Reuters) World champions Red Bull have been referred to Formula 1 stewards for a possible breach of the technical regulations ahead of German Grand Prix, after the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) raised concerns on Sunday, only hours before the 10th race of the season, about the engine torque mapping on the cars of Sebastian Vettel and team mate Mark Webber.
“It became apparent that the maximum torque output of both engines is significantly less in the mid rpm range than previously seen at other events,” said FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer in a statement. “”In my opinion this is therefore in breach….of Formula One technical regulations as the engines are able to deliver more torque at a given engine speed in the mid rpm range.”
“Furthermore this new torque map will artificially alter the aerodynamic characteristics of both cars which is also in contravention of (technical directive) 036-11. I am referring this matter to the stewards.”
Double world champion Vettel, third in the overall standings and due to start on the front row at Hockenheim, has never won a Grand Prix in his native Germany.
Webber is second in the overall standings behind Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, who starts Sunday’s race on pole position.
The FIA clamped down on the use of engine electronics and exhaust gases for performance gain last year after teams were found to be using what technical director Charlie Whiting called “extremely extreme” engine maps.
Red Bull still won both of last year’s championships but have been less dominant this season even if their car is widely held to be the fastest.
The team’s 2011 car was designed heavily around the exhaust system and now-illegal ‘blown diffuser’ and Red Bull have had to try and recover some of that lost performance.
It was not immediately clear what penalties the team might face if stewards ruled a breach had occurred.
Latest story on this subject here: Red Bull escape penalty as FIA concede engine map rule is vague
Related posts:
- FIA preview the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim
- Webber: I won’t accept criticism in respect of winning with an illegal car
- FIA order Red Bull to fix the illegal hole on the RB8 floor
- F1 teams use clever engine mapping to reduce tyre wear
- FIA to restrict engine mapping in Valencia
If there mapping was technically within the rules even if It breaks the spirit then fine rewrite so spirit equals what’s written. Don’t just say its not the intention to allow that redcbull and other big money. Competitors have lawyers looking over regs for loopholes. That’s sport find a weakness and exploit it . Redbull has an immense operating budget no wonder they don’t want caps . If yo your gonna harass a team cause they have cash to burn that’s not right.
The over-reaction to this issue,and suggestions of dramatic penalties is sickening. This issue will likely result in another FIA investigation, as is now the standard FIA response, with clarifications that will clamp regs down even further for all. What a bore.
So Red Bull gets another free pass. Forumla One has become nothing but a big joke. Each tracks stewards are allowed to enforce the rules as they see fit.
There needs to be one group that enforces the rules and when a car is found to violate those rules it should be penalized with set penalties.
No more having each track with their own local stewards decided what they want to enforce and what they don’t want to enforce.
Also teams should no longer be allowed to withhold taking action when rules are broken. i.e. teams allowing each other several races to get their cars into spec as has happened this year. This just provides a self serving excuse for the teams to do what they want flaunting the rules.
I have lost all respect for Formula One.
Maybe RB has found away to hide thier engine mapping in the ECU and have a “phantom” setting they can put the car in when it is being inspected. This way the ECU will lie to the FIA’s testing equipment to show the car is legal.
No Action is going to take against the Redbull
I remember there was talk during prev GPs about the RB cars/engine sounding suspecious at off-throttle situations. I think if what the steward says is true, and reason for it is not a clear misstake, RB cars should be disqualified from the event. Otherwise the F1 interpretation of “cheating” needs to be rewritten…
RB was allowed to keep the points it had from running with illegal holes in the floor – fine, a missunderstanding or not enough explicit rules. But when this is allowed to continue forever (RB consistently overshooting the rules and recieve no meaningful penalty) (what is left of) the credibility of the sport becomes at risk…
Scrutineers not doing there job there!!~! why all of a sudden they say it’s illegal they been taking part of Friday and Saturday to do that FIA been meddling too much
I think they should not be cleared to race today
I’ll leave the tech stuff to others;
I will say gonna be lots of mad fans at this week’s race if this holds up.
Depending on you Yalla to be Johnny-on-the-spot on this one.