“Teams are experimenting with titanium bottom blocks to gain an advantage”, — write: sport.ua
According to the Japanese publication as-web.jp, several managers and technical directors of the teams approached the FIA after suspicions about the use of heated blocks by competitors.
The plates are installed under the cars to control the minimum height of the car and protect the chassis from excessive wear. They, together with the bar, are checked after each race. Excessive wear and tear can lead to disqualification – as happened to seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton at this year’s Chinese Grand Prix.
During the Brazilian stage, the team managers noticed that some of the competitors’ cars were driving very low to the surface, not getting the expected wear. The lower landing gives a significant increase in grip and, accordingly, an advantage on the track.
FIA technical delegate Joe Bauer reportedly noticed the problem and checked all the skid blocks before qualifying. Devices designed only to heat the blocks were discovered and ordered to be dismantled before qualifying began. This could explain the difference in the speed of the cars between the sprints and the qualifying sessions.
It is believed that almost all teams used this method to one degree or another, gaining a particularly noticeable advantage on tracks where you can lower the car very low.
The FIA is currently preparing a new technical directive to curb this practice. However, with regulatory changes coming into effect in 2026, the impact of this trick could be significantly reduced.
