With McLaren being asked to change their rear wing from Singapore onwards, the question of ‘cheating or loophole’ has once again been thrust into the spotlight.
Formula One is widely regarded as the ‘pinnacle of motorsport’. This is due to the developmental nature of the sport, which separates it from other Motorsports such as IndyCar or the Feeders series of F2 and F3. The idea is that every team can take a different direction with each aspect of the cars, unlike IndyCar where each team use the chassis and the engine manufacturers and set-ups make up the difference.
This aspect of Formula One means teams interpret regulations differently. In years with new rules, it often means teams show up with very different-looking looking cars. They are highlighted by Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes design choices for 2022.
However, the room that allows the team to choose their direction often allows for loopholes and boundaries to be pushed. Teams focus on what isn’t mentioned rather than what is.
Since the beginning of the sport, there are clear examples of the lines being crossed but also examples of the regulations being worked around while still within the legality. Sometimes these ‘loopholes’ lead to championships like with Brawn GP in 2009. Sometimes it ends in a disappointing downturn in performance, like for Ferrari in 2019.
But what is the difference between a loophole and illegality? And when has that line been drawn in the past?
Brawn GP – 2009
The story of Brawn GP has become a tale of triumph. Much like a phoenix from the ashes, Brawn is the story of a team coming from nothing to take the title with Jenson Button in 2009. An exhilarating championship that had innovation at the centre.
The 2008 financial crisis had led to Honda pulling out of F1 and selling their team to Ross Brawn for just £1. The team still had financial troubles and was the poorest constructor on the grid.
With 2009 marking the first year under new regulations, many teams had been working on designs with ideas to reduce downforce. Thus the famed double diffuser was found.
It is believed to have come from a young Japanese engineer who had been working for Honda. When reading the 2009 regulations, he realised that there was a vagueness in the regulations surrounding the size of the diffuser.
Realising that the regulations only specified the dimensions from one viewpoint. Therefore you could make the diffuser bigger without breaking the regulations. The Honda turned Brawn GP engineers manufactured a second diffuser further forward, increasing the overall volume.
Brawn arrived in Australia with the fastest car by a margin. Naturally, teams protested and the FIA investigated. In this case, the loophole engineers had found was deemed legal.
After just the first race there were protests, and not long after the FIA gave their ruling, which gave teams the majority of the season to bring double diffusers. Luckily, the early stages of the season had given Brawn such an edge that they still won both championships.
However, it seems a key factor in ‘cheating or loophole’ rulings is the point in the season they are found, and whether it goes against the nature of competition.
Ferrari’s ‘illegal’ engine – 2019
Ferrari found themselves at the centre of controversy in 2019. After struggling with their engines for years 2019 marked a change for the prancing horses. They arrived at the 2019 season with superior straight-line speed and an advantage with power in qualifying.
It wasn’t long before competitors began lodging complaints against the historic team and finally when Red Bull asked for clarification on the fuel system, Ferrari were investigated.
The rulings and investigation have been shrouded in mystery for years. Although it is widely accepted that Ferrari had found a way to trick the fuel sensor. Allowing the team to put more fuel in their car, while the sensor reading that they were putting in the legal amount. The exact method is still all speculation.
The investigation by the FIA once again proved no wrongdoing. Though the 2020 regulations around fuel sensors were tightened. It was also rumoured that in 2020 Ferrari was made by the FIA to carry less fuel, which is why they had such a difficult season.
So although they weren’t ‘cheating’ the rules were changed and the team received a penalty behind closed doors. Some speculate the penalty was because the loophole Ferrari found was against the spirit of the regulations.
Going against the spirit of the regulations and competition seems to be a fairly consistent reason behind features that are banned despite being legal.
Mercedes ‘DAS’ system – 2020
2020 was the final year of Mercedes’s domination. The Brackley team had dominated the entirety of the hybrid era up until 2021, remaining at the forefront of innovation. One of their most famous pieces of innovation was the DAS or Dual Axis Steering system.
The system allowed drivers to adjust the toe angle of the front wheels by moving the steering wheel. Giving Mercedes the ability to change the directions the front wheel was pointing as it went into corners, changing it back for the straights.
It was heavily questioned throughout pre-season testing. However, the FIA deemed it legal.
Regulations had stated that suspension was not allowed to be altered while a car was in motion. But there was no definition on whether the toe angle alters the suspension or just steering.
Although the FIA had deemed it legal and allowed Mercedes to continue running it throughout the 2020 season, the system was banned for 2021 despite the regulations not being changed till 2022.
Many reasons were thrown around regarding its ban. The main ones were it was too expensive under the impending cost cap for other teams to develop their own.
Once again going against the ‘spirit of the regulations’ as it put Mercedes at an unfair advantage into 2021 if they had kept it.
McLaren’s rear wing – 2024
Finally, the most recent display of a grey area being used is McLaren’s rear wing from Baku.
For the 2024 season, McLaren and Mercedes have sported a flexible front and rear wing. Although teams such as Ferrari and Red Bull have called into question its legality. So the FIA had been running tests on both teams throughout the season. At Monza, the FIA declared that all of the flexi-wings were legal.
However, after Azerbaijan videos surfaced of Oscar Piastri’s rear wing heading down the straight. With the flexibility of the win allowing the corners of the DRS flap to lift slightly. Effectively giving the McLaren a ‘mini-DRS upgrade’ as Charles Leclerc called it. This incited a further investigation from the FIA into the wing that was used in Azerbaijan.
Then, for Singapore, the FIA requested changes be made to the wing. Despite confirming that it was still ‘legal’. Other teams have now set their sights on McLaren’s front wing. Some teams have immediately begun the process of replicating the legal aspects of McLaren’s rear wing.
There are different scores of thinking behind why this decision was made, although the McLaren’s rear wing passed tests, many teams thought it was beginning to go too far with the flexing. McLaren wants to avoid having any run-ins with FIA later with this season being so close.
Cheating or loophole
The FIA hesitate when calling car design aspects cheating. Unlike events such as Spygate or Crashgate, it isn’t clear-cut.
Formula One doesn’t want to discourage innovation, but equally, they want good racing, with teams close together and fighting for wins. Making that possible for teams by not allowing them to exploit the regulations is key, or giving teams the green flag to replicate the innovations of others.
One thing is clear, as long as there is Formula One there will always be teams making the most of a loophole.
Featured Image Credit: Joe Portlock – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images