Wolff labels Red Bull bib device “outrageous”, laughs at ‘Bugs Bunny’ tool

The situation surrounding Red Bull’s front bib adjuster has come under attack from Mercedes

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has slammed Red Bull Racing‘s front bib adjustment device as “outrageous”, as he suggested the FIA may yet look further into the matter.

Red Bull was at the centre of technical intrigue over the United States Grand Prix weekend after it emerged the FIA was ramping up monitoring of a system the Milton Keynes-based squad has to raise and lower its front bib height.

While the presence of the device, which has to be adjusted by a tool, is allowed, what would be against the regulations would be for it to be changed under parc ferme conditions.

That is why the FIA fitted a seal to it over the Austin weekend to ensure it was not altered between qualifying and the race. Furthermore, the team has promised to make more permanent changes to its car for later this season.

The FIA’s head of single-seater matters Nikolas Tombazis says there is no indication that Red Bull used the device in the past, and so considers the matter closed. However, that may not necessarily be the end of the matter.

Wolff, whose team has battled Red Bull hard in the past, thinks that the situation is far from acceptable as he hinted that senior figures at the FIA – including its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem – may yet be pressured to take things further.

Speaking about the Red Bull system, Wolff said: “My view is, from the distance of what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard, it’s outrageous.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has slammed Red Bull Racing‘s front bib adjustment device as “outrageous”, as he suggested the FIA may yet look further into the matter.

Red Bull was at the centre of technical intrigue over the United States Grand Prix weekend after it emerged the FIA was ramping up monitoring of a system the Milton Keynes-based squad has to raise and lower its front bib height.

While the presence of the device, which has to be adjusted by a tool, is allowed, what would be against the regulations would be for it to be changed under parc ferme conditions.

That is why the FIA fitted a seal to it over the Austin weekend to ensure it was not altered between qualifying and the race. Furthermore, the team has promised to make more permanent changes to its car for later this season.

The FIA’s head of single-seater matters Nikolas Tombazis says there is no indication that Red Bull used the device in the past, and so considers the matter closed. However, that may not necessarily be the end of the matter.

Wolff, whose team has battled Red Bull hard in the past, thinks that the situation is far from acceptable as he hinted that senior figures at the FIA – including its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem – may yet be pressured to take things further.

Speaking about the Red Bull system, Wolff said: “My view is, from the distance of what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard, it’s outrageous.”