Formula 1 teams have been blindsided by the FIA's decision to ban protective devices for the skid blocks on 2024-spec cars.
In the current ground effect era, running cars close to the track provides a significant performance advantage. However, excessive floor wear risks making the cars illegal. To address this, several teams implemented protective solutions to their skid blocks.
"About 50 percent of the field believed they had found a loophole in the regulations," reported Auto Motor und Sport journalist Michael Schmidt.
Red Bull reportedly raised the issue with the FIA, targeting rivals such as Ferrari, Mercedes, and Haas. The reigning constructors' champions warned that protests would be lodged if the FIA did not address the situation.
"A week before the Las Vegas GP, all teams received a technical directive in the mail," Schmidt revealed. "The FIA announced that the protective skids in question were not permitted."
According to Schmidt, Ferrari had lobbied for the ban to be postponed until the Qatar GP but was unsuccessful.
The sudden rule change could force affected teams to raise their cars to avoid floor wear issues in the final three races, potentially leading to a drop in performance.
