FIA blames quantity of new technical directives on 'fierce title battle'

Michael Masi has been busy writing new technical guidelines this season. While Red Bull Racing complains that Mercedes are getting plenty of hearing from the FIA, Masi says that this is not directly affecting the FIA's choices.

If the teams' own interpretation doesn't correspond with the wishes of the sport and the FIA, then usually the FIA will come up with new technical guidelines to give more meaning to the original rule.

So it's not so much an adjustment to the rules, but more a clarification of what they are supposed to mean. Three new guidelines have already been set this season. The rear wings will be tested in a different way, tyre pressure will be checked more often and from the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards the guidelines for pit stops will also be changed.

Mercedes called for all these changes, and this is causing frustration for Red Bull Racing, who feel that Mercedes are deliberately trying to make them slower. However, according to race director, Michael Masi, this is not the case.

''It's clear that the battle for the title is fiercer in a number of areas than we've seen in a long time. And the need for clarity in certain areas has indeed increased. But I think it's increased mainly as a direct result of what's going on on the track in terms of competitiveness,'' Masi tells Motorsport.com.

''It is of course a way of communicating with all the teams about how certain rules can be interpreted from the perspective of their technical departments. Or about certain procedures that can be followed, to determine whether they are compliant or not. ''Everyone always wants more clarity in certain areas, hence the number of them,'' Masi concludes.