Mattia Binotto feels ‘Technical Director cannot change regulations’

Nikolas Tombazis allowed adding an extra stay to bolster the floor, which was discovered on the Mercedes cars in Montreal.

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto in a file photo. (Image: Twitter)
By Niranjan Shivalkar | Jun 21, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

After the severe bouncing that has been synonymous with the 2022 generation of cars was worsened in Baku, F1 drivers from a number of teams petitioned the FIA to intervene, citing health concerns. The FIA replied by providing a technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix to assist mitigate the consequences. It advised the teams that it intended to develop a meter to quantify the vertical acceleration loads of the vehicles and push the teams who are most impacted to reduce bouncing.

However, the FIA’s head of single-seaters, Nikolas Tombazis, also granted teams the opportunity of adding an extra stay to bolster the floor, which was discovered on the Mercedes cars during Friday practice in Montreal. F1’s technical regulations formally only allow a single floor stay to stiffen up the floor. Mercedes lifted the second stay on Saturday after rival teams argued there was cause for a protest because Tombazis’ technical order was merely advisory in nature and its car may still be found unlawful by the FIA’s scrutineers.

‘Technical directives are not applicable’

Ferrari CEO Binotto argued that by releasing the technical directive, the FIA did not follow the necessary processes, since a TD does not affect the regulations, ahead of more negotiations this week to reach a solution on 2022’s heated subject. “For us it’s that technical directives are not applicable, the reason they are not applicable is that a TD is there to clarify regulations or to somehow to address policing, but a TD is not there to change the regulations.” expressed Binotto.

The correct way

On safety considerations, the FIA may amend the rules without the teams’ permission, but it would still need to be approved by the World Motor Sport Council. The council’s next meeting is scheduled towards the end of the month, ahead of the British Grand Prix, so a rule change might be implemented before the following event. Binotto added “Even on safety grounds, FIA needs to first have a consultation with the TAC [technical advisory committee], change the regulations and go straight to the world council for a formal approval of the change of the regulations without having the approval of the teams on safety grounds.”

Read more: F1 teams to meet with the FIA to discuss porpoising remedies

Porpoising worth addressing

Binotto acknowledged that porpoising should be addressed in the future to alleviate worries about the drivers’ long-term health, but he feels the difficulties can be minimized without FIA involvement as teams continue to construct their 2022 cars, which are still in development. “Porpoising, it’s something that we need to tackle for the future and try to reduce it, and we need to do that through maybe technical change.”