Christian Horner, Circuit of the Americas, 2019

Red Bull satisfied directive will prevent “illegal” power unit use

2019 United States Grand Prix

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the FIA’s technical directive on power units will ensure teams do not break the rules on how they are to be used.

The was widely believed to be aimed at Ferrari, who have had consistently strong performances on power-sensitive tracks this year.

However Ferrari rejected suggestions from Red Bull driver Max Verstappen that the issuing of the directive was connected to their sub-par performance in Austin, where no Ferrari finished on the podium for the first time since May.

Horner said he was satisfied with the directive issued by the FIA, which came in response to a query from Red Bull.

“The power unit is an incredibly complex piece of machinery, both from a hardware and software perspective,” he said. “The clarifications that we requested were standard stuff that goes backwards and forwards continually between the teams and the FIA. So it’s always good to get clarity before wasting effort.”

“The technical directive was very clear,” he added. “I think it’s not to say anybody was doing anything, but if they were, it would obviously be illegal.”

Horner was asked whether he believed Red Bull’s deficit to Ferrari on the straights had been reduced at the Circuit of the Americas. “It looks a little bit closer in qualifying, I would say,” he replied. “I haven’t seen any data from the race.”

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12 comments on “Red Bull satisfied directive will prevent “illegal” power unit use”

  1. Is this fake news? “I haven’t seen any data” Rbr is always referencing their gps and sound analysis.
    What are we clarifying? Ferrari almost got pole anyway, was quick in s1, not so quick in s2 where the big straight is. Ferrari also had a failure on leclerc.
    I want answers, this ferrari thing appeared mid season last year, long time ago.

    1. I’ll answer the question. You want answers?

      I think I’m entitled to them.

      You want answers?!

      I want the truth!

      You can’t handle the truth!

      1. The Skeptic (@)
        4th November 2019, 9:38

        @coldfly – you are clearly one a very few good men.

    2. saviour stivala
      5th November 2019, 7:54

      First, RBR GPS race data like all others on the grid is supplied by the FIA. Secondly, nobody on the grid knows better than RBR not only how to cheat the fuel flow limit but also the consequences of such fuel flow cheating.

  2. How long before this matter becomes named Ferrarigate?

    1. If we name it Ferrarigate people will have no idea which Ferrari scandal we are talking about in 1 year.

      Fuelflowgate or something like that would be better but things are never named with any sense behind it ;)

  3. Assuming Ferrari were bypassing the fuel sensor, just for argument’s sake, then first they must be wondering how Red Bull were clever enough to work out finally what they were doing. This isn’t about Ferrari completing a lap quicker than everyone else. It’s about the technical data the other teams have been analysing for much of the season, showing where Ferrari get speed boosts and how these don’t fit normal patterns. Mercedes seemingly couldn’t work it out. Red Bull’s ‘hypothetical’ explanation of how a team might try to circumvent the rules (cheat blatantly by avoiding fuel flow sensors) suddenly seems to have ‘normalized’ Ferrari’s speed performance. If so, what happens now? Nothing, obviously. Ferrari deny anything was happening, with various shades of affront that anyone might think they would, while the other teams let it drop since they want Ferrari around (and maybe one day they’ll get caught pushing some other regulatory boundary). As cheats go, it would be a low one. There’s a difference between a clever exploitation of a design loophole, like the double diffuser or bendy aero bits, and simply bypassing a sensor for a basic performance regulator like how much fuel you can inject. But it’s really a sad reflection of Mercedes’ dominance that Ferrari would, if they did, have to resort to such a tactic.

    1. John Anthony Underwood
      4th November 2019, 23:32

      How is it a sad reflection on Mercedes dominance?

  4. The fuel flow sensor has two opposing piezoelectric elements, upstream and downstream, that send pressure pulses between each other at high frequency, by measuring the time difference between the two actions flow velocity and hence flow rate can be determined.

    According to the internet, which of course is never wrong, the piezoelectric element is insensitive to electromagnetic interference (EMI), but its signal must be boosted by an amplifier which can be influence by EMI. The amplifier is therefore placed close to the sensor and presumably shielded. But, if you deliberately place a massive conductor carrying an equally massive current right next to this flowmeter assembly, ie potential for huge EMI, what happens to its reported reading?

    I suspect both Ferrari and Red Bull know the answer to this question, I don’t..

  5. The gumption of that man to accuse Ferrari of cheating (if wrong word – apologies) or being more polite “exploiting a loophole”. This is a “man” who left his heavily pregnant wife for a Spice Girl. Highly objectionable. Lower that whale *expletive* Mr Horner. Lest we mention his and Mr Newey’s flagrant rule touting historically – multiple engine maps, the holes in the undertray, the flexible front wings, hiding the camera in bodywork…very distasteful that team….

    1. Ok, shoot the messenger but you may also need to break out the deodorant to squirt over team red.

    2. Right on mate. RBR are a very devious team. I find it amusing that the pot is calling the kettle black and I also think Horner is a slippery dishonest snake salesman who would walk over his own mothers grave to gain an advantage. The man oozes sleezyness.

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