MAY 14, 2018

FIA should make quicker technical decisions says Lauda

Niki Lauda has urged the FIA to speed up its process of deciding whether parts of F1 cars are illegal.

Niki Lauda has urged the FIA to speed up its process of deciding whether parts of F1 cars are illegal.

In Barcelona, Ferrari arrived with winglets attached to its new Halo-mounted mirror supports, but the FIA said they will have to be removed for Monaco.

"We think it's about the interpretation of the term 'attachment' and we think what they have done is not an attachment," said FIA race director Charlie Whiting.

"Now we will send out a technical directive to the teams where we will state everything very clearly."

He said clarifying a rule after a team pushes the boundaries is "normal", especially when rivals express "a difference of opinion".

"If it was clear that the Ferrari solution was against the rules, we would have not allowed it in Barcelona. Instead we are now going to explain everything," Whiting added.

It is not the only technical controversy regarding Ferrari at present.

Mercedes team chairman Lauda said: "There have been rumours about the smoke produced by the Ferrari when it starts. We're quite limited in the amount of oil you can burn."

He told Bild am Sonntag there is also a question mark about Ferrari's battery.

"That means they (The FIA) are investigating something. We do not think they're illegal, what I'm saying is that you cannot just investigate forever.

"Someday you have to decide: Is it ok or not? For me it has taken too long," said the F1 legend.

(GMM)