The FIA has made a rare mid-season change to the regulations following speculation over braking systems.

Among a number of changes agreed by the World Motor Sport Council during its most recent meeting was a change to the existing regulations in order to end speculation over a team thought to be using asymmetric braking.

Previously, Article 11.1.2 of the technical regulations read: "The brake system must be designed so that within each circuit, the forces applied to the brake pads are the same magnitude and act as opposing pairs on a given brake disc."

Now, however, an additional line reads: "Any system or mechanism which can produce systematically or intentionally, asymmetric braking torques for a given axle is forbidden."

While no team has been identified as having used asymmetric braking, talk in the paddock pointed to Red Bull, with some suggesting that the impending ban accounts for the team's drop in form since Miami, and even Max Verstappen's retirement from the Australian Grand Prix.

However, the FIA has denied the talk, insisting that the rule change isn't about what someone is currently doing but more about ensuring nobody tries it on in the future.

"There is no truth that any team was using such a system," said an FIA spokesperson.

McLaren famously had asymmetric braking in the late 1990s, its cars using a second brake pedal that could apply the brakes to just one side of the car.

The system produced almost instant results, with Mika Hakkinen improving by half-a-second in testing, ensuring that the Woking outfit incorporated it into its car for the remainder of the (1997) season.

The device, the brainchild of Steve Nichols was subsequently banned, the regulations stating that "any powered device, other than the system referred to in Article 11.6, which is capable of altering the configuration or affecting the performance of any part of the brake system is forbidden".

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 23/08/2024 13:56

"@Spindoctor - What was thing Renault had that ended up being banned during the Alonso days? Some kind of hydraulic device on the nose of the car?

F1 is becoming more and more a spec car series. Would to see more dramatic &diverse exterior differences between the cars. Not to mention the inner workings!"

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 23/08/2024 12:29

"@Max Noble - quite agree, though I'm not sure that this "gimmick" is particularly innovative - McLaren did it years ago, though automating it would (was?) quite smart. The assurances that no teams have tried this trick are a tad unconvincing....

F1 probably stopped any pretence at "innovation" after the general switch to turbo motors in the late 1970's. The famous Tyrrell 6-wheeler & the Brabham Fan car were probably the last true innovations (I wait to be corrected!) and were banned PDQ.

It seems likely that the 2026 Regs (of which this ban is a precursor) will see F1 disappearing ever further up its own exhaust pipe with petty-fogging & trivial regulation of everything that moves...."

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3. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 23/08/2024 1:13

"If the FIA put half as much effort into making racing interesting as they do into these prescriptive restrictions we'd have amazing racing."

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4. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 22/08/2024 12:47

" "the FIA has denied the talk, insisting that the rule change isn't about what someone is currently doing but more about ensuring nobody tries it on in the future."

Uh-huh, some dude in Paris was just combing through the rules book and arbitrarily found this loop hole and decided to tighten it up. Yes, makes sense, I think to myself as I climb up a ladder to scrub Santa's old boot prints of my roof.
They must think we just fell off the turnip truck. FIA are not this proactive. Someone is doing it and someone squealed. At least, in this respect, they are sticking to one old F1 tradition of "If you can't beat it, get it banned." "

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5. Posted by kenji, 22/08/2024 11:44

"Innovation is now a dirty word...."

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6. Posted by Wokingchap, 22/08/2024 9:55

""Talk in the paddock".... is usually spot on !"

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7. Posted by Max Noble, 22/08/2024 8:46

"FIA = “Finest Innovations Aborted.” Heaven forbid clever thinking could get you ahead in a technical sport… Whatever next? People would pay a fortune for smart engineers, and designers and pay them far too much…
"

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FIA puts brake on speculation

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