FIA set to ban Red Bull's sidepod trick just as Max Verstappen starts winning again

The FIA is reportedly changing the 2027 technical regulations just as Red Bull and Max Verstappen return to winning ways.

Under new proposals, the floor body stay mounted to the car's floor would be cut from 20mm to 5mm. That would close the sidepod loophole Red Bull has been exploiting on the RB22.

Reports suggest that the FIA's technical delegates will amend the rulebook for 2027 however, no definitive explanation has yet been given or confirmed.

The timing is awkward for Red Bull. Verstappen has won the last two Grands Prix, first in Malaysia and then in Singapore and comes just before the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend in Austin, a race where Red Bull hope to make it a hat trick of wins.

The loophole was first highlighted by F1 technical expert Craig Scarborough. In an Instagram breakdown, he explained where the advantage comes from:

The team fitted a structural cable running down the lower ridge of the sidepod and because the regulations permit bodywork sitting directly near that support stay to have a tiny 20mm radius, Red Bull was able to mould a significantly sharper, more aggressive undercut than rivals running standard bodywork.

The trick was first introduced by Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix in June. It worked well enough for Audi to copy it in Baku a few rounds later.

Cutting the allowance to 5mm would completely close off that loophole Red Bull has capitalised on, and will force the Milton Keynes-based outfit to redesign the area for 2027 and Audi will also need to redesign the area, if the proposed technical changes are implemented.

Until such a change, Red Bull and Audi can use the design as it conforms to the current regulations but that could ultimately change next season.