Lando Norris: Red Bull’s bib trick “black-and-white” F1 rules offence

Lando Norris has praised F1 governing body the FIA’s intervention over a device trick which Red Bull have admitted to having on their car.

Red Bull have agreed a plan to make changes to their car after rivals alerted the FIA to a mechanism in the RB20 which they suspected could be used to change the ride height of the front of the car's floor under parc ferme conditions, which contravenes F1’s rules.

Ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Red Bull confirmed such a device exists on their car but denied doing anything untoward.

“Yes it exists although it is inaccessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to run,” a senior Red Bull team representative said. ”In the numerous correspondence we have with the FIA, this part came up and we have agreed a plan going forward.”

Norris said the clampdown could end up favouring McLaren as he looks to hunt down championship rival Max Verstappen, who holds a 52-point lead with six grand prix - and three sprint races - remaining.

“I think it’s one thing having it on your car, it’s another thing on how much you exploit it and use it, which we have no idea on,” Norris said on Thursday in Austin.

“If it has been helping them, if they have been using it in the way people think they have then maybe it will shift in our direction. But when you talk about things like that, it’s not going to have gained them several pole positions or wins just because of such a device.

“I don’t think it will really change anything, in the scheme of things. But when we look at certain qualifying [sessions] and we look at the gap in certain races this year, when it’s been split by hundredths of a second in qualifying or maybe thousands, then you might say ‘okay, this has helped in that direction or this direction’.

“I think it’s good that the FIA are doing such a thing. There’s a difference between black-and-white stuff like this and pushing the boundaries and creating new things and innovating within the space that you’re allowed to innovate in.

“I think that’s what we at McLaren have done a very good job in. We’re sure not to go any further than that.”