FIA: Wheel rim dispute is 'settled'

The FIA has closed the book on Mercedes’ wheel rim spacer design with Charlie Whiting saying the “matter is settled.”

Mercedes courted controversy earlier this year when they fan a spacer that featured small holes and groves designed to reduce heat around the wheel.

However, fearing a protest from a rival team, most notably Ferrari, Mercedes removed the spacers after last month’s Japanese Grand Prix.

The team turned to the FIA requesting further clarification on their design and were given the all-clear.

They still opted not race it in the United States, where they sealed the holes, nor later in Mexico or Brazil.

However, as far as Whiting is concerned, the matter been put to rest.

“We think the matter is settled,” said the FIA race director.

“If they’ve asked the stewards to do the same thing they did in Mexico, my answer to you was, no they didn’t.

“The reason they were allowed to take it to the stewards in Mexico was because in the sporting code, they were asking to settle a matter. They did that.

“If they came back with the same question the stewards would be unlikely to do it because the last time it didn’t settle the matter. So, that was it really.

“It’s just a technical opinion that we’ve given. We will continue to use that opinion in any similar cases.

“In the meantime I imagine that we will, once the dust has settled on this season, we’ll attempt to do something about it.”

Source: Read Full Article