Max Verstappen and Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko believe recent FIA clampdowns on certain technical solutions could give their team an advantage during the Las Vegas GP.
In response to Red Bull's urging, the FIA this week directed teams to remove a specific protective solution for 'skid blocks' beneath the floors of some 2024 cars, including those fielded by Ferrari and Mercedes. Some think McLaren may also be affected.
"Hopefully, things have changed, but not from our side," triple world champion Verstappen told Dutch media on Wednesday. "I hope that in these last three races we will see the real, proper performance of all the cars."
Affected teams may need to raise their cars' ride height to comply with the directive, which could lead to a performance drop. Both Ferrari and Mercedes confirmed on Thursday that the ruling required changes.
"Yes, we had to make the change," Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur admitted. "But we also had the confirmation before this that the plank was legal.
"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." Speaking to Sky Italia, he downplayed the potential impact, suggesting the tweak would not affect performance significantly.
Marko also suggested McLaren may have enjoyed an advantage until a recent FIA investigation into the team's alleged use of water in the tyres for cooling purposes.
"It was unbelievable how fast Lando Norris was able to drive, especially towards the end of the race," Marko told f1-insider.com. "Our tyres were completely worn out. We didn't have a chance.
"In the sprint in Sao Paulo, we were suddenly faster than McLaren and Ferrari, even though we hadn't changed anything. But they suddenly had to deal with high tyre wear. That was very strange."
Despite these changes, Verstappen remains cautious about Red Bull's chances this weekend.
"Because in dry weather we still lack speed," he said. "Winning in Brazil was nice and special, but it does not mean that everything is suddenly great."
Nonetheless, Verstappen could clinch his fourth consecutive drivers' world championship this weekend, with two races still to go. When asked about preparations for possible party celebrations, the Dutchman replied: "I don't know and I don't want to know."
