30/06/2013
NEWS STORY
Mat Coch writes:
If rumours emanating from the paddock are anything to go by, there is trouble brewing at Lotus.
Reports have emerged that the Enstone outfit could be in trouble over its suspension, though nobody is willing to say much on record, least of all Lotus itself.
The concern surrounds the car’s suspension, which McLaren queried with the FIA on Friday. The Woking squad is understood to have been keen on developing its own system using the same concept, however the FIA responded by stating that the solution contravened Article 10.5.2 of the Technical Regulations, and that the matter would be dealt with in time for the German Grand Prix.
Article 10.5.2 deals with how the suspension uprights connect to the wheels, specifically stating that "up to three members may be connected together." The design used by Lotus is alleged to have four and is therefore in contravention of the regulations.
It's understood a member of the Lotus team confirmed the details to journalists, which in itself is a strange move given a simple denial would have effectively killed the story. With that in mind it raises the question of just who stands to gain from having this information in the public domain, not to mention how or why it got there.
At this point there has been no protest against Lotus, though given that the FIA has allegedly confirmed the design is in contravention to the regulations, and that the entire pit lane is now aware of it, it's possible one could be forthcoming.
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