Red Bull finds itself at the center of a minor “mystery” after the Federation decided to rewrite an article of the technical regulations regarding brakes. On July 31, the FIA announced some small changes to the sporting and technical regulations of F1. One of the updates to the latter, concerning the brakes, is said to be “targeted” at Red Bull. After a brilliant start to the season, with four wins in the first five races, the Milton Keynes team now finds itself involved in a four-way battle with McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
It was the only defeat in that initial phase, the Australian Grand Prix, that raised some concerns among FIA technicians. In Melbourne, Max Verstappen had to park his RB20 on the third lap due to an issue with the right rear brake. According to the racingnews365.com outlet, this rather unusual retirement generated some suspicion among the Federation’s technicians.
The Regulatory Change and Initial Suspicions
At the end of July, and after a unanimous vote, the FIA completely rewrote an article of the technical regulations. This is a rare occurrence: normally, minor changes during the season are made through technical directives. This suggests that there were no protests from other teams, no official investigations, but only the suspicion that the article allowed for gray areas that someone might exploit. This change, moreover, went largely unnoticed due to other more important updates, such as those on the “mule cars” for the new regulations.
The article in question, No. 11.2.1 of the technical regulations, concerns the symmetry between the two sides of the braking system, both front and rear. The original version stated: “The braking system must be designed in such a way that, for every single braking event, the forces applied to the pads are of the same intensity and act in a perfectly opposite manner on the specific brake disc.” The latest version adds a clarification to what was previously written: “Any system or mechanism capable of systematically or intentionally producing asymmetrical braking forces on one of the two axles is prohibited.” This suggests, according to the same outlet, that “a team” was going against the spirit of the rules, rather than committing a real infraction.
The Technical Aspect: What Did Red Bull Come Up With?
Specifically, it involves a small T-valve inserted at the center of the rear axle, which could shift to the left or right depending on the corner. The fact that only one of Max Verstappen’s two rear brakes had an issue might indicate a difference in usage between the two sides. Craig Scarborough, a respected English technical analyst, explained this theory more precisely, with accompanying images, on X: he noted that the theory aligns perfectly with the Federation’s modification. This simple valve, placed in the brake splitter, can alter the pressure between the two discs by shifting to one side or the other due to G-forces while the car is cornering.
This system, therefore, does not affect the safety or precision of the braking system but only the drivability of the car and, according to Craig Scarborough, tire wear. The system was allegedly used by the world champions up until the Chinese Grand Prix, after which Max Verstappen’s complaints increased, and the competition closed in on Red Bull. Additionally, after that weekend, Sergio Pérez began his steep decline, with his greatest difficulties occurring at corner entry.
It is important to note that there are no confirmations from the parties involved, and there probably never will be, but more importantly, the system would have been perfectly legal under the rule at the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season. What matters to fans is that Red Bull has returned to Earth, and the upcoming Grands Prix promise uncertainty and excitement.
