Ferrari respond to Red Bull allegations of illegal...

Ferrari respond to Red Bull allegations of illegal…read more

Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, has addressed recent allegations that certain F1 teams, including Ferrari, may be employing a “trick” involving tyre cooling systems to gain an advantage on track. The controversy was first reported by Auto Motor und Sport, which cited claims from Red Bull suggesting that McLaren might be adding a small volume of fluid to its tyre systems to help maintain cooler tyre temperatures, potentially giving the team an edge in performance.

Ferrari and other teams were also reportedly implicated in this strategy, with the alleged trick allowing tyres to stay cooler for a longer period. This latest rumor is just one of several technical controversies to emerge this season, following scrutiny over McLaren’s rear wing design in Baku and Red Bull’s innovative front bib system.

Despite the buzz, Vasseur is taking a firm stance against engaging with such claims. In a statement to RacingNews365 and other media, he made it clear that Ferrari is focused on maintaining its internal stability and avoiding unnecessary distractions, especially as they aim to break a 16-year championship drought. “I don’t know where these accusations are coming from,” Vasseur said. “I won’t go into this field because one of our team’s strengths this year is staying away from all the polemics. I don’t understand the theory because I think we are all trying to remove humidity from everywhere, not add something to the tyres.”

Adding to the conversation, Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Head of F1, asserted that there’s no data suggesting interference by the teams with their tyre compounds. According to Isola, Pirelli has observed nothing unusual in the performance data that would suggest teams are manipulating tyre temperatures or using methods that are outside the regulations. “I cannot see anything strange from the data we have,” Isola remarked. “I don’t have any evidence. It’s up to the FIA now to decide what to do and to tell us if we can support, because at the end of the day, the only thing we can do is to support them.”

Ultimately, the FIA will be responsible for investigating any allegations and deciding if further action is needed. For now, Ferrari seems intent on keeping its distance from such controversies, with Vasseur reinforcing that the team’s focus remains on-track performance and achieving their long-awaited title success.