user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
FRIC removal 'will not affect Mercedes much' - Lauda

FRIC removal 'will not affect Mercedes much' - Lauda

  • Published on 11 Jul 2014 11:22
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Niki Lauda has played down the effect the removal of the complex 'FRIC' system will have on F1's dominant team. The triple world champion is also the F1 chairman at Mercedes, who along with Red Bull are considered the teams most affected by the FIA's questioning of the legality of systems that mimic active suspension.

The governing body has not actually banned the 'front and rear inter-connected' systems, but the door to disgruntled rival teams lodging protests is now open. It is believed Mercedes and Red Bull, among others, will remove 'FRIC' from their respective cars as of Hockenheim next weekend.

Germany's Auto Bild said the Mercedes system in particular is complex and highly beneficial, also bringing the Pirelli tyres up to optimum temperature and working in perfect harmony with the championship-dominating W05 car. "The competition suspects a ban could make the Silver Arrow up to five tenths of a second slower per lap," said correspondents Bianca Garloff and Ralf Bach.

But Lauda insists: "It (removing FRIC) will not change much. At the same time, you have to wonder why a system that was legal for one and a half years is suddenly banned."

It was left to correspondents Garloff and Bach to wonder if the FIA is moving to "make formula one artificially exciting" in 2014 by banning FRIC and allowing Mercedes' rivals to catch up. But they also claim Mercedes and Red Bull's grandee rivals McLaren and Ferrari lobbied hard on the 'FRIC' issue in the days and months before Charlie Whiting's letter to the teams after the British grand prix. "The motives of McLaren and Ferrari are obvious," said the correspondents.

Red Bull is also facing up to having to remove Fric before Hockenheim for fear of protests. "In recent years we have often had to re-do something that has previously been declared legal," Dr Helmut Marko said. "It's the same with this system now. But our disadvantages are perhaps not as great as some others." (GMM)
F1 News Pirelli Ferrari Mercedes McLaren
<< Previous article Next article >>

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

World Championship standings 2021

Pos
Team
Points
1
Mercedes
141
2
Red Bull Racing
112
3
McLaren
65
4
Ferrari
60
5
Alpine F1
15
6
Alpha Tauri
10
7
Aston Martin
5
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Team profile

Pirelli
  • Team name Pirelli
  • Base Milan, Italy
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
21 - May 23
Monaco
Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
25 - Jun 27
France
Paul Ricard
2 - Jul 4
Austria
Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom
Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary
Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy
Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil
Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia
Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
21 - May 23
Monaco Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
25 - Jun 27
France Paul Ricard
2 - Jul 4
Austria Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar