Red Bull boss Christian Horner has stressed that the FIA must ensure teams are not turning Pirelli tyre tests into "aerodynamic or performance development" runs amid controversy involving rivals Ferrari. His comments come after Ferrari were cleared of any wrongdoing by the FIA for using two different floor specifications at an Imola tyre test. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both took part in the tyre test, held following the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend, but were running different floor specifications as they did so. This prompted other teams to ask questions, as F1's sporting regulations dictate that new car components cannot be used during tyre testing, and any parts must have been used on track at some point during a previous Grand Prix weekend.
Horner: It's up to the FIA to police
Horner did not offer his thoughts on the FIA's verdict, but was keen to make clear that he is against teams gathering aerodynamic performance data during tyre tests. "Ultimately, it's up to the FIA to police," explained Horner, speaking to media including RacingNews365.com . "My understanding of the regulations regarding tyre testing is that you have to run in a fixed format of car specification, and if you need to replace a part it can only be to an older specification part that has previously been run. "I think the excitement about the Ferrari floor was that it was certainly different between the morning and the afternoon, and appeared to have some new components."
Horner makes F1 tyre testing demand
According to RacingNews365.com technical analyst Paolo Filisetti, the floor Sainz used at the Imola test had been trialled by Leclerc during the Australian Grand Prix weekend, meaning no rules were broken. Following communication with Ferrari on the matter, the FIA are satisfied with both the explanation they have received and the evidence that the Scuderia have provided. "I think it's for the FIA to do that police work and due diligence," Horner continued. "What we certainly want to avoid is, because these cars are so immature, and it's still so very early in their development stage, that tyre tests don't turn into aerodynamic or performance development tests." He stressed: "That is not the purpose of those tests."
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