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Formula 1 United States GP

Red Bull working on car changes to help satisfy FIA over ride-height adjustment

F1’s world champion squad is working with FIA on minor tweaks to its RB20 challenger

Jonathan Noble
Jonathan Noble
Edited:
Red Bull Racing RB20 front bib detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Yuki Tsunoda, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Teamo

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Red Bull Racing RB20 front bib detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Ferrari SF-24 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Red Bull Racing RB20 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Haas VF-24 front wing detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Ferrari SF-24 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Red Bull RB20 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Haas VF-24 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
The United States flag flies above the grandstand

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer, Scuderia Ferrari, Oliver Bearman, Reserve Driver, Ferrari and Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Oliver Bearman, Reserve Driver, Ferrari and Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, Stoffel Vandoorne, Test and Reserve Driver, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team, Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, the Alpine F1 Team celebrate their special livery

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing, takes a selfie with a fan

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Jak Crawford, Driver Development Program, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Alex Albon, Williams Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

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Kick Clean C44 detail

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Mick Schumacher, Reserve Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Teamo

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Mike Krack, Team Principal, Aston Martin F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Circuit detail and trackside branding

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Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Front wing details of the Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Quavo in the Paddock

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
The flag of the state of Texas, the Lone Star state

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Circuit detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Front wings of the Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Alex Albon, Williams Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Pato O'Ward, Reserve Driver, McLaren F1 Team

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Andy Cowell, Group Chief Executive Officer, Aston Martin F1 Team

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Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team

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Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

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Pierre Gasly, Alpine

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
A fans shows off their fan made cowboy hats in support of Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team

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A fans shows off their fan made cowboy hats in support of Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

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Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team, Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team with the special liveried Alpine A524

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Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing

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Haas team members practice a pit stop. Toyota branding is visible on the rear wing

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Haas VF-24 detail

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Ferrari SF-24 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Ferrari SF-24

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Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Red Bull RB20 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
Haas VF-24 detail

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
McLaren MCL38 frotn wing detail

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Red Bull Racing RB20 front bib detail

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Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team

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Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team and Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team

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Mick Schumacher, Mercedes, Dirk Mueller

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Franco Calapinto, Williams

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Thursday
88

Red Bull hopes that car modifications to assure the FIA its ride height adjustment device is not used under parc ferme conditions will be ready for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Milton Keynes-based team has been at the centre of technical intrigue ahead of this weekend's United States GP after it emerged the FIA was ramping up its monitoring of a potential way that adjustments could be made to its car between qualifying and the race.

As first revealed by Motorsport.com, concerns had been voiced by several teams that a device Red Bull had inside its car allowed settings to be changed to alter the height of its front bib under parc ferme conditions.

The FIA is clear that there is no evidence Red Bull had ever made changes illegally, and the Milton Keynes-based squad is also adamant that it has always fully complied with the regulations.

However, from this weekend's race in the USA, the FIA is being more robust in checking what teams are doing – and looks set to add seals to the Red Bull device to ensure that it cannot be moved once parc ferme conditions begin in qualifying.

Furthermore, following discussions that have taken place between Red Bull and the FIA, a plan has been agreed about further guaranteeing that it is doing nothing untoward – and it is understood that part of this involves the team making modifications to its car in this area.

Red Bull RB20

Red Bull RB20

Photo by: Andreas Beil

Sources have suggested that the revisions are not something that can be done immediately, because the adjustment device is in an intricate part of the car, but it is hoped the changes will be ready for the race at Interlagos next month.

The height adjustment device is nothing more than a screw-type system that can be twisted by a mechanic with a tool to raise and lower the height of the T-tray.

All teams have such a system, although it is understood that Red Bull's is unique in it being accessible from inside the car - so it is hidden from view to outside observers.

The outfit has also been open that it is not hiding anything, especially because the design of its adjustment device has to be published on FIA servers as part of the open source element of the regulations.

A senior team figure said in Austin about the adjuster: "Yes, it exists although it is inaccessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to run."

The device is not very easy to see, with it requiring a panel fitted to the cockpit to be lifted, to allow a mechanic to then reach within a recess to adjust it.

While this means it is not something that can be done quickly and easily by the team, the FIA is well aware that it is also something that could be done during the work that is regularly completed on cars after qualifying to prepare them for the race.

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