FIA adapt new Technical Directive after Barcelona tests

After a new technical directive came into effect at the Spanish Grand Prix in terms of the flexible front wings, there is a change to TD015 as well, the FIA revealed.

This concerns the construction and attachment of skid blocks to the car. The skid blocks are measured to determine whether a team ran their car too low. For example, Lewis Hamilton was disqualified for this reason at the Chinese GP earlier this season.

It was suspected that certain teams had also found ways to circumvent the mandatory tests, thus allowing them to run lower ride heights themselves. The directive specify among other things the materials of the skid block and how it should be attached to the car.

For the weekend in Barcelona, alternative skid blocks made of stainless steel were tested. This came after the incidents at the Japanese Grand Prix, where the grass caught fire on multiple occasions because the sparks supposedly coming from the titanium skid blocks.

After the evaluation of the test in Barcelona, the FIA shared in a statement: "Following analysis of the stainless steel skid block trials in Barcelona, the FIA has revised the implementation plan outlined in TD015. Titanium skid blocks will remain the mandated material for the remainder of the season."

In order words: the titanium one remains mandatory for now, but the stainless steel version also has to be present at all times. In addition, the FIA continues to plan extra tests to take place to further analyse the effects of using the stainless steel onel.