Technical Directive 12/05/25

[pantherxxx]

The first TD relates to the measurement of skid block materials and the way that some teams had found clever ways to pass the probe tests that measure the depth of the plank after the race.

The TD clarified the type of materials that can be used in the area of the skids, plus how they could be mounted, in a bid to stop teams trying to find ways to run closer to the limit but still pass the minimum depth test.

Any team that had been exploiting this area in the past to help run their car lower to the ground would have had to lift it up for the Imola race.

A second TD did not change any of the FIA's interpretations of regulations but was instead the publication of a communication between the governing body and Red Bull relating to some questions about devices that could potentially be allowed to help with tyre cooling.

It is understood that the FIA made clear that a host of design ideas relating to the use of water cooling of wheel assemblies and tyres, plus other systems, would not be allowed.

This type of dialogue between teams and the governing body, where ideas are suggested only to be ruled out, is commonly used to smoke out concepts that rivals could be running to exploit grey areas of the regulations.

With the FIA publishing to all teams its guidance to Red Bull on what it felt would not be allowed, this would rule out any of its competitors being able to continue running anything covered in these documents.

Full article https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/fia- ... en-battle/

So there seems to be one legit TD regarding the skid block, this could potentially have real consequences for teams that were doing something there. The second TD isn't so much a TD but a clarification on RB's queries. Maybe this does catch someone out, but seems unlikely given the FIA have already looked into it.

If McLaren was running some clever wheel assembly cooling concept, maybe using heat sinks, ducts, special materials, or perhaps fluid-assisted cooling in brake ducts/hubs to control tyre surface or carcass temperatures — this TD effectively told everyone to stop.

Even if McLaren wasn’t literally using water, it’s very possible they had:

A passive cooling feature built into the wheel assembly or brake ducts

A system that skirted definitions (like Mercedes' 2018 wheel rim holes)

A method the FIA wasn’t fully aware of until Red Bull asked their question

The publication of this TD would shut that down immediately.

[SB15]

Anybody noticeably running higher at Imola? I would argue mercedes did not exhibit their usual ridiculously low ride height at Imola (the one that Albon called out saying it must be illegal at Miami)

They were trying in FP .... there's in car from GR following KA and giving running commentary about floor strike severity. Assuming they lifted it for Q & race running.

Great plume of plank dust exit to rear diffuser expansion, that seemed mostly toward v-max from my recall.

Russell also reported bouncing on his own car

Russell also reported that the ride was worse, meaning it was too stiff. I may seem Mercedes is the team getting hammered the most, unless others are affected as much or worse by the time they race in Barcelona.

[AR3-GP]

I wonder if there is a connection between the skid clarifications on May 12th, and Mercedes not bringing their new floor to Imola... Prior to Imola, Mercedes messaging was that they would bring everything and the kitchen sink to Imola, that they were focusing on race pace, that the updates would close the gap to Mclaren, etc etc. They were sounding quite confident. Imola turned into their worst race of the season. The race pace was nowhere.

They had other changes (new wings), but their performance was surprisingly poor (qualifying hid the problems because Russell had tow on his banker lap on C6, and then benefitted from Medium tire on the final run. Antonelli didn't make Q3). It's all very strange and very sudden. They were even behind Ferrari on race pace. This is a trend to continue to watch.

[Matt2725]

I am also inclined to believe something was said about rear wings. Mercedes suddenly dropped massively and their RW is suddenly looking much more solid... Do we have Mclaren rear view?

Mercedes just did a repeat of Jeddah. Overheated their tyres on a circuit with fast flowing corners. Their car doesn't enjoy circuits with fast flowing corners. They should be up there for Monaco quali but more likely Canada of the next handful of races.

Skid design concerns is a new one.

Anybody noticeably running higher at Imola? I would argue mercedes did not exhibit their usual ridiculously low ride height at Imola (the one that Albon called out saying it must be illegal at Miami)

Albon wasn't talking about the ride height IIRC. It was about Merc getting in the way on track.

I'd be surprised if Merc were the ones being hammered hardest. They tend to play well within the lines and 99% of the time get forward clarification from the FIA if there may be a question about a development. I think some posters are getting a little over excited because they struggled at a circuit with characteristics they've struggled at previously already.

[Waz]

I am also inclined to believe something was said about rear wings. Mercedes suddenly dropped massively and their RW is suddenly looking much more solid... Do we have Mclaren rear view?

Mercedes just did a repeat of Jeddah. Overheated their tyres on a circuit with fast flowing corners. Their car doesn't enjoy circuits with fast flowing corners. They should be up there for Monaco quali but more likely Canada of the next handful of races.

Skid design concerns is a new one.

Anybody noticeably running higher at Imola? I would argue mercedes did not exhibit their usual ridiculously low ride height at Imola (the one that Albon called out saying it must be illegal at Miami)

Albon wasn't talking about the ride height IIRC. It was about Merc getting in the way on track.

I'd be surprised if Merc were the ones being hammered hardest. They tend to play well within the lines and 99% of the time get forward clarification from the FIA if there may be a question about a development. I think some posters are getting a little over excited because they struggled at a circuit with characteristics they've struggled at previously already.

Simone Resta is now at Mercedes. Maybe he shared some F1-75 secrets.

From all accounts it does look like Mercedes were the ones.

[Matt2725]

I am also inclined to believe something was said about rear wings. Mercedes suddenly dropped massively and their RW is suddenly looking much more solid... Do we have Mclaren rear view?

Mercedes just did a repeat of Jeddah. Overheated their tyres on a circuit with fast flowing corners. Their car doesn't enjoy circuits with fast flowing corners. They should be up there for Monaco quali but more likely Canada of the next handful of races.

Anybody noticeably running higher at Imola? I would argue mercedes did not exhibit their usual ridiculously low ride height at Imola (the one that Albon called out saying it must be illegal at Miami)

Albon wasn't talking about the ride height IIRC. It was about Merc getting in the way on track.

I'd be surprised if Merc were the ones being hammered hardest. They tend to play well within the lines and 99% of the time get forward clarification from the FIA if there may be a question about a development. I think some posters are getting a little over excited because they struggled at a circuit with characteristics they've struggled at previously already.

Simone Resta is now at Mercedes. Maybe he shared some F1-75 secrets.

From all accounts it does look like Mercedes were the ones.

Which accounts? As honestly all I'm seeing is speculation, in some cases hopeful. As I said, some posters are getting a little too excited based on no tangible evidence, seemingly because they want it to be a particular team that has been hit.

Ultimately, we do not know as this stage as we have a sample of one race. I'd at least be waiting until Austria/Silverstone before making any grand accusations/assumptions.

[Farnborough]

Mercedes just did a repeat of Jeddah. Overheated their tyres on a circuit with fast flowing corners. Their car doesn't enjoy circuits with fast flowing corners. They should be up there for Monaco quali but more likely Canada of the next handful of races.



Albon wasn't talking about the ride height IIRC. It was about Merc getting in the way on track.

I'd be surprised if Merc were the ones being hammered hardest. They tend to play well within the lines and 99% of the time get forward clarification from the FIA if there may be a question about a development. I think some posters are getting a little over excited because they struggled at a circuit with characteristics they've struggled at previously already.

Simone Resta is now at Mercedes. Maybe he shared some F1-75 secrets.

From all accounts it does look like Mercedes were the ones.

Which accounts? As honestly all I'm seeing is speculation, in some cases hopeful. As I said, some posters are getting a little too excited based on no tangible evidence, seemingly because they want it to be a particular team that has been hit.

Ultimately, we do not know as this stage as we have a sample of one race. I'd at least be waiting until Austria/Silverstone before making any grand accusations/assumptions.

Agree with this. Over the next three (Monaco obviously an extreme marker in being so different) bigger view at Spanish, then to another after in giving us some sort of cross checking as to if the status has substantial shift from team to team.

It'll be an interesting period nonetheless, with all the denials and truths being played out in fact once the results are rolling in.

[FittingMechanics]

About the pace:
The McLaren pace in Imola was very similar to Verstappen. Without Piastri trying to undercut with two stops he would have probably followed Verstappen few seconds behind. Norris also lost 10 seconds until he was able to overtake Russell. So it could have easily looked like Japan, McLaren closely following Verstappen but unable to overtake.

Both cars roughly matched Verstappen pace, only difference is that Piastri thought he can't make a one stop.
Big gap showed up due to Piastri missing the strategy and Lando losing 10 seconds to Russell and then 10 seconds to a VSC stop Verstappen made.

About the TDs:
Any change of rear brakes/ducts couldn't be replaced in a week. It is very unlikely that any team would be able to accommodate a change so quickly. And now reports are this is just a clarification what is allowed and what is not.
Skid block materials, maybe could be done in a few days. Did any team stop sparking as much? I thought McLaren used to spark quite heavily so I could see that being a TD that affects them (if it does).

[organic]

Autoracer come with more details

There were two technical directives that came into effect for imola. Relating to what you are and aren't allowed to do in the baskets and at the front of the floor (not clear)

And there is a third concerning the skid block that will come into effect for Canada

https://autoracer.it/it/red-bull-fia-di ... la-mclaren

[Luscion]

The new FIA TDs also stem from clarifications requested by Red Bull to target McLaren. Since Imola, those relating to the floor and especially one on tire cooling through the wheel covers have been in effect. From the CanadianGP, a third TD concerning the skid - https://autoracer.it/it/red-bull-fia-di ... la-mclaren

New FIA technical directives, two already at Imola: there's significant influence from Red Bull. The third part arrives in Canada and will concern the skids.
On the eve of the Grand Prix held at Enzo and Dino Ferrari, it was discovered that the International Federation had issued three new Technical Directives, communicating them to the teams on May 13. Rather than substantial rule changes, the directives consist mostly of clarifications on what is and isn't permitted technically on the cars. A first clarification, already in effect from the Imola race, concerned the floor, in reference to the front area and the procedures it's already subjected to during technical verifications by Joe Bauer's team. Also relating to the floor, but on the lower part, a directive communicated to the teams once again concerns the skid: according to information obtained by AutoRacer, one of these will only be valid starting from the Canadian GP, and concerns the thickness of the plank and the related post-race checks. The matter of skid wear is always something very delicate as teams are always looking for the possible limit regarding ride heights. This is an aspect that has already cost Ferrari a disqualification in China. It will therefore be something to observe carefully, in a period rich with Technical Directives. The most important one will debut the week before, in Barcelona, to counter the much-coveted flexible front wings.

The third directive, the one in which Red Bull would have pushed more decisively for clarifications from the FIA technical office, concerns the "trick" of tire cooling through the wheel covers. This is an area in which we know the Milton Keynes team is working to introduce an update that emulates how the MCL39 manages to handle tire overheating. In the meantime, however, the FIA has received requests regarding regulations that Nikolas Tombazis' team has promptly clarified relating to the area around the wheel corner and the cooling functions that those components can have. At Imola, as Waché pointed out, Red Bull also had degradation almost better than McLaren, although Max Verstappen was constantly driving in clean air.

[organic]

The fact that red bull are still asking for clarifications about grey areas in the wheel corner suggests they still don't know how to emulate the McLaren tricks

[AR3-GP]

The skid directive that is being "Delayed" until Canada suggest that 1 or more teams will be modifying their cars. They wouldn't delay the TD if everyone was compliant already and skid adjustments tend to require more time for teams to make.

I would not rule out any of Red Bull, Mclaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes being hit by the Skid TD for Canada. The highest performing teams tend to be the ones with the most unusual car features...

[vorticism]

https://autoracer.it/it/red-bull-fia-di ... la-mclaren

The third directive, the one in which Red Bull would have pushed more decisively for clarifications from the FIA technical office, concerns the "trick" of tire cooling through the wheel covers. This is an area in which we know the Milton Keynes team is working to introduce an update that emulates how the MCL39 manages to handle tire overheating.

Had the same initial suspicion a couple weeks ago but realized that the wheel covers are standard shared supplier components (SSC). Same as the wheels and tires. It's illegal to modify these parts. Perhaps its a translation issue and by covers they mean any of the inner brake & upright housings (ducts, cake-tin/barrel, deflectors, etc). By the wording of the regs the "wheel covers" are the plastic hubcaps/discs that cover the wheel spokes.

As for SSC parts, like any of the others, the tyres cannot be modified and generally this means geometrically modified as that is the only way to discern changes, really. Chemical modification could be achieved while still meeting the expectation of the rules, and regardless, could be invisible outside of chemical analysis. The pressurizing gas of the tires however has loose wording: they can be filled with air or nitrogen. A question then is: what is air? The word air is not defined in the regs. Air on Earth, Mars, or Venus? Air can be and is anywhere from 0-100% humid. Maybe that played into the tire water meme.

[SB15]

Williams look prepped to be the biggest gainer from these new TD rules

[AR3-GP]

It would be funny if Williams end up competing for podiums after all of the TDs, when they were the first ones to switch to 2026.