Oscar Piastri has joined the debate surrounding the alleged ‘illegal’ feature of the RB20. Despite McLaren being scrutinized by the FIA earlier this season due to their flexible wings, the Australian driver is clear in his judgement. According to the Melbourne-born racer, Red Bull is crossing a line.
On Thursday, it was revealed that the RB20 has an ‘illegal’ feature that allows the ride height of the car to be adjusted between qualifications and races. The Austrian team’s competitors have frequently complained to the FIA about this so-called bib of the Red Bull car, but according to Red Bull itself, the feature is “not accessible once the car is fully assembled”.
Therefore, there is no evidence that Red Bull has used the device under parc fermé conditions. However, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri is clear in his judgement. “We are clearly pushing the boundaries of the technical rules,” the two-time Grand Prix winner told international media. “Everyone does that and that’s what makes Formula 1 what it is. But from what I’ve heard and been told, something like this is not pushing the boundaries: it’s clearly crossing them!”
‘Mini-DRS was legal’
McLaren was also under scrutiny earlier in the season when multiple teams questioned the legality of the British team’s wings. According to Piastri, the comparison between Red Bull and McLaren’s components is not valid. “Our mini-DRS was legal,” the Australian defends the MCL38 once again. “Even though we had to make some changes, it’s not revolutionary for the car. We’ll see if it has an effect.
