McLaren CEO Zak Brown has called on the FIA to launch a “thorough investigation” into whether Red Bull did actually use its front bib adjuster under parc ferme conditions.
Red Bull has found itself at the centre of intrigue over a device it has fitted under the heel support in its cockpit, which allows a mechanic with a tool to lift or lower the height of the front bib.
While the system itself is not illegal, rival teams are unhappy because they suspect that Red Bull may have used this system in the past to adjust its car between qualifying and the race.
Such a move would be illegal as parc ferme restrictions do not allow the alteration of any aerodynamic components apart from the front wing.
Red Bull strongly denies that it ever used the adjuster in such a way, and the FIA itself has said it is satisfied there is no evidence of such a regulation breach by any team.
However, that is not enough for Brown, who has suggested that there are still many unanswered questions over the whole matter – and has called on the FIA to look deeper into what Red Bull may have done.
Speaking about the FIA increasing its policing over the front bib matter for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Brown told Sky Sports F1: “I'm very happy to see the FIA is on it.
“I think it needs to be a very thorough investigation because if you touch your car from a performance standpoint in parc ferme, that is a black and white material, substantial breach - which should come with massive consequences.
“Touching your car after parc ferme is highly illegal within the rules. So I think the FIA needs to get to the bottom of: were they, weren't they?”
Brown suggested that the very fact Red Bull was the only team on the grid that had fitted such a system within the car was enough to prompt doubt about why it chose its concept like that.
He also played short shrift to comments from Red Bull that claimed the adjustment could not be made when the car was fully assembled.
“When you see cleverly worded comments like you can't do it when it's fully assembled…I know the car isn't always fully assembled," added Brown. "And then the FIA feels they need to put a seal on it. Why would the FIA need to put a seal on something if it wasn't accessible?
“Transparency is critically important in today's day and age. So I still have questions. I know from talking to other team bosses, they still have questions. So until those questions are answered, I think it is still an ongoing investigation to bottom out, you know: what do we know?
“I'd like some more answers before I'm prepared to kind of go: 'Right, I guess they were or they weren't.' But I think the FIA will bottom it out.”
Asked if he felt Red Bull had broken the rules, Brown said: “Why would you design it to be inside the car, when the nine other teams haven't?
“It'd be unfair of me to say, of course. I have an opinion on whether I think they have or haven't, but I think the FIA needs to be very diligent in their bottoming out whether they think they [Red Bull] have or haven't.”
