T-Tray and F1 parc ferme breach: first team under FIA investigation revealed
Today at 10:20 AM
Last evening, the Federation brought the T-Tray issue to light, a critical component of current single-seaters. This case adds to the many that have emerged during 2024, where the search for gray areas has become increasingly intense. As a result, Mercedes has emerged as the first team at the center of the FIA’s investigation into the T-Tray.
The scandal broke last night and referred to suspicious movement in that area during parc fermé conditions. According to reports, the T-Tray has two positions: one for qualifying and one for the race, with adjustments made directly from within the cockpit. Modifying this area results in a substantial change to the aerodynamic map of the car, with a setup tailored more for race or qualifying conditions.
By opening this tray, there would be a greater airflow into the Venturi channels, resulting in a performance gain. However, increased downforce during the race would also lead to a lower ride height, posing a problem for plank wear. For this reason, the “bib” would close to reduce the airflow.
Mercedes first among suspects
Sources from the Italian website F1inGenerale confirm that Mercedes is the first suspect in this case. When asked to delve deeper into the matter, our source reported strong internal rumors suggesting Mercedes may be “cheating.”
This could also explain the W15’s issues in races, where it is extremely fast in qualifying but underperforms in races. All of this could be related to the new floor introduced in Belgium, which provided a peak of downforce for a single lap, while in the race, the car lost positions due to abnormal tire degradation. This issue might not occur in the United States Grand Prix at the Austin circuit with the debut of the new floor on the W15. However, the suspicions are quite well-founded given the phenomenon described above, with pressure to investigate likely coming from rival teams.
The fight, as it has been for a long time, is not limited to on-track performance but also to politics, where everyone tries to undermine their opponents’ projects and gain advantages.
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