F1 teams seek to exploit rulebook’s grey areas

A preferred shade for advantage seekers in the highly colourful world of Formula One is its grey area. And that’s because it can be used to cloud over otherwise clear issues on the rules.

Forget the strict and inelastic laws in black and white that allow no room for manoeuvre by those who seek an advantage, it is that grey area with its looser limitations that indulges those bordering on the devious.

And there are plenty so minded in the recesses of grand prix racing, either for financial or status gain, who pore over the legislation looking for loopholes.

The FIA, the sport’s rule-makers, did not, of course, intend it to be that way — it is just that, for every regulation, a route around it is sought by the astute brainboxes behind the scenes.

And the recent rumpus regarding the Mercedes secret tyre test in collusion with F1 suppliers Pirelli is a fine example of a team and its hierarchy chancing it in the grey area. Whether or not they will get away with it will be decided at a tribunal on June 20.

The German outfit went to extreme lengths to keep secret their 1,000km run-out in Barcelona, following the Spanish grand prix, with both their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, disguised in black helmets with anonymity paramount.

If their rivals, who point out any tyre test has to be agreed by them all, have their protest wishes met, then Mercedes could suffer a serious setback. Quite what a penalty could be imposed, if they are found to be guilty, is open to question.

The fact is there are no limitations on the FIA’s power of punishment, ranging from a slap on the wrists to a massive fine or even a ban in the light of such an attempt to gain an unfair advantage. Whether the team did benefit is, again, open to question.

Red Bull’s Christian Horner, a prime mover on the complaint front, has already registered his verdict ahead of the hearing, saying: “We all work on the grey areas — but this was clearly against the rules.”

So, what about censure? It could even be that team boss Ross Brawn, a masterful thinker and planner and the strategist behind all of legend Michael Schumacher’s seven world titles, could be up for the high jump as a scapegoat.

I hope not. The Manchester man’s presence in F1 is essential for its well-being and a one-off situation like his and his team’s interpretation of the rules this time around, is not, surely, enough to see him reprimanded to the point of exclusion either by their hand or his own.

Rumours have abounded that the mega-rich Brawn, a keen spare-time angler, could be reaching his zenith after a lengthy and no doubt exhausting run in the very top ranks of his chosen occupation. And the upcoming case could open the exit door for him.

That really would be a sad loss.

— The writer is a motorsport expert based in the UK