FIA skid block intervention hit Ferrari “a lot” in budget terms

Ferrari says the timing of the FIA’s recent intervention in issuing a technical directive surrounding skid blocks meant it took a hit to its Formula 1 budget.

Shortly ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the FIA wrote to teams for a clampdown on the use of satellite skid blocks that were being used to help protect the underfloor plank.

This prompted several squads to make urgent revisions to their cars to modify the skid blocks to ensure that they complied with the FIA’s latest interpretation of what it felt was legal.

But while the changes required are not believed to have made a big difference to the competitive order, they were not without consequences for some teams – especially when it came to having to rush through modifications to their cars.

Ferrari, which was one of the teams suspected of making best use of the satellite skid blocks, was not especially happy with how it had all played out -with team boss Fred Vasseur saying in Las Vegas that he thought it was an unusual circumstance.

“We had to make the change, but we had also the confirmation before this that the plank was legal, that from the FIA,” he said during an official press conference.

“I think it was the right attitude for us not to fight because I want to stay focused on the championship and not on this kind of discussion. But the approach was strange.”

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Pushed subsequently on what he meant by it being ‘strange’, Vasseur suggested that the late call had triggered some unnecessary expense.

“It's true that the TD came very late because we received the TD last Friday, one week before the quali,” he explained. “This is a bit tough.

“But it is like it is. It's not an excuse for [the performance in Las Vegas], it's two separate things.

“I think the issue [in Vegas] was more about tyre management, and so it has nothing to do with this.”

Asked to clarify if he felt it had cost Ferrari some performance,  Vasseur said: “In terms of budget? Yes, a lot, because we had to redo all the skids.”

Despite the changes, Ferrari enjoyed a strong Las Vegas GP, with Carlos Sainz finishing third and Charles Leclerc fourth.