5 hours Ago By Fraser Watson
Lewis Hamilton has proved an unlikely ally for Red Bull following the ‘ride height’ controversy that has dominated the build-up to the United States Grand Prix. Christian Horner ’s team have confirmed ahead of the race in Austin that they have made a change to their cars following talks with the FIA , with rivals accusing them of breaking regulations. Other teams claim the reigning Constructors’ champions are using a device which can change the ride height of their vehicles under parc ferme conditions, giving them an unfair advantage.
McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have both hit out, with the Australian pointedly saying: “Something like this is not pushing the boundaries. It's clearly breaking them.” Hamilton, however, has defended Red Bull .
Despite his notoriously spiky relationship with Horner and Max Verstappen , which peaked during the pair’s ill-tempered 2021 title battle, the seven-time world champion has argued the team had shown initiative with their so-called ‘tea-tray’ mechanism. “I’ve only just heard about it, before I got here,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 . “But I think the name of our sport is all about innovation.
Red Bull have been the leaders and they’ve innovated. “Ultimately all the teams look at the rules and try to find how to massage those rules and get the most out of it, even if it’s just over the edge a little bit. You just need to continue to evolve and be better policed.
” However the 39-year-old did slyly imply the addition to Red Bull ’s cars may have been benefiting them for years before now. “At the end of the day they did a better job. God knows how long they’ve had that, and they’ve been winning championships,” he added.
“Maybe that stops now, although I don’t think that’s the one thing that’s going to stop them. But I think everyone else, we’ve got to continue to be innovators and leading rather than trying to catch up.” After finishing qualifying and Grand Prix races, drivers must leave their cars in the parc ferme area at F1 circuits.
There, they are scrutinised for potential breaches in set-up regulations. Despite the controversy, the FIA have released a statement confirming no rules had been broken, saying: “Any adjustment to the front bib clearance during parc ferme conditions is strictly prohibited by the regulations. “While we have not received any indication of any team employing such a system, the FIA remains vigilant in our ongoing efforts to enhance the policing of the sport.
As part of this, we have implemented procedural adjustments to ensure that front bib clearance cannot be easily modified. In some cases, this may involve the application of a seal to provide further assurance of compliance.”.
