DAS on the Mercedes steering wheel: Red Bull Racing files a complaint with the FIA
The Red Bull Racing team has officially protested to the FIA against the DAS system used this Friday by Lewis Hamilton on the steering wheel of his Mercedes during the second practice session.
After FP2, Red Bull Racing went on the offensive against Mercedes: in front of the FIA, the Austrian team officially filed a complaint against the DAS system. The information was revealed this Friday afternoon, shortly after the session, by Spanish journalist and analyst Albert Fabrega.
Introduced on the W11 steering wheel during winter testing in Barcelona, the DAS was used again this Friday in Austria by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Used by the driver pushing the steering wheel, the DAS (Dual Axis Steering) is a system that allows adjusting the position of the front wheels on a straight line.
Such an action results in slightly changing the toe-in of the front wheels on a straight line and reducing tire wear.
For Red Bull Racing, which had already criticized the legality of the system, this use is a violation of the FIA regulations, and its articles 3.8 and 10.2.3.
These articles state “that all parts influencing aerodynamics must remain stationary” and “that no adjustment can be made to the suspension system while the car is in motion.”
For its part, the Mercedes team has not yet indicated whether it will remove the system this Saturday for the third practice session, followed by the qualifying session. Everything will obviously depend on the decision made by the FIA beforehand, which must rule on the legality of the device, potentially influencing the start of this 2020 season!
Protesta de Red Bull contra Hamilton y Mercedes. pic.twitter.com/BCvNE08uCO
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) July 3, 2020
