In an article entitled “Ferrari: shadows, suspects, spies”, ‘F1 Analisi Tecnica’ explains the scenario and context which led to F1’s latest engine technical directive push which resulted in Ferrari’s loss of power.
The article alleges that Red Bull and Mercedes suspected faul play by Ferrari regarding the engine, but their clarifications asked from the FIA initially amounted to nothing.
A FIA-person, who was embedded at Ferrari found out the trick Ferrari was pulling off (bypassing the fuel flow sensor) and forwarded that information to either Mercedes (or Red Bull) who then asked the FIA for clarification, leading to the technical directive that hurt Ferrari, and the FIA-Ferrari settlement.
To put that into context; the FIA can’t issue technical clarifications of their own volition. A team needs to prompt the FIA, upon which they can issue a technical directive. This FIA-person therefore handed over this info about the Ferrari engine to Mercedes.. allegedly, which eventually led to the technical directive.
Ferrari felt betrayed by this FIA-person (who in their eyes illegally shared Ferrari private information with others) and feel that Toto Wolff’s wrath was in retaliation to Ferrari vetoeing him as Chase Carey’s successor as the head of Formula 1.
It is believed (by those in or close to Ferrari) that other (read: most likely Mercedes) engines still operate in a grey area, while Ferrari is now fielding the only truly legal engine.
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