FIA new laser scans catching illegal F1 parts | thejudge13

As Formula One entered the biggest rule changes seen in its history for 2022, another innovation largely went under the radar. The FIA was finally updating its archaic tape measure and pencil methodology for measuring the legality of the dimensions of the F1 cars.

During the 1980’s and 90’s the FIA’s technical department was something of a laughing stock as F1 teams regularly gamed the system knowing the technical know how was not present to detect their latest tricks.

In modern times the governing body of F1 has grown the technical team and expanded its policing capabilities and for 2022 laser scanning was introduced for track side scrutineering.

Nicholas Tombazis, the FIA’s head of single seater racing explained at the time: “The aerodynamic regulations have become quite a lot more complex, and its not a matter of deciding whether you are in a box, there are a lot more regulations determining the geometry permissible.

“Because of that we needed to change the game on checks, so we have gone for a fully electronic state-of-the-art scanning system.”

The new more accurate measuring capabilities means the FIA can work to greater levels of accuracy when measuring items such as the legality of the thickness of the underfloor plank. This was the finding of the FIA which resulted in Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc being disqualified from last year’s US Grand Prix.

Now Williams have suffered a similar fate after bringing a number of upgrades for their FW46 to the first race after the summer break. Following Logan Sargeant’s huge crash during practice three, Alex Albon went on to secure a remarkable P8 qualifying position only for the FIA to rule his car illegal.

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The team had brought an updated floor which appeared to propel them to the head of the midfield in Zandvoort, yet the dimensions were proved to be in excess of the allowable width from the laser scan conducted by the FIA. “The facts are we were disqualified for a floor that was too wide,” Vowles said in a video Williams published on social media.

The team boss also revealed the Williams car has been scanned previously this season and on each occasion has passed the FIA’s scrutiny. Yet this was a brand new floor and despite Williams presenting the evidence it was legal when scanned prior to the weekend back at base, somehow they failed to account for certain “complex shapes” says Vowles which resulted in the car being declared illegal.

The car was also scanned on Thursday when the F1 cars are unpacked and are scrutinised by FIA officers. “But what matters is the adjudication of the FIA, their measurements and their systems, and that we entirely accept,” says Vowles.

“What we now need to do is understand how we could have been wrong in our measurements and what we need to change in terms of process with immediate effect,” he added.

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This is embarrassing for Vowles who his heading up a modernisation project for the ageing Williams HQ and equipment. He has been projecting ‘positivity’ of how the programme is progressing and even persuaded Carlos Sainz to ignore F1 works team offers to drive and join the Williams project instead.

Williams began the year with no spare chassis due to changes in their cumbersome manufacturing procedures which resulted in Logan Sargent being forced to sit out in Australia after Alex Albon destroyed a chassis in free practice one.

Albon missed FP2 as the engineers went to work, but the chassis was eventually deemed irreparable so the Thai born driver was given the one driven by Logan Sargeant.

Vowles was critical of Sergeant’s crash in Zandvoort describing it as “completely unnecessary” and his ire now turns on the engineers back at base. “There’s only one area of the car that we were not compliant with and it’s an easy fix, but irrespective of the rule, it’s the rule and it’s black and white in that regard.

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“We cannot spend hours of work developing an update kit. We cannot ask our drivers to put everything on the line in order to secure points scoring positions to then throw it away with not being completely there on every single boundary of the regulation. And there’s no one really accountable for that, but ourselves, that’s on our shoulders.

“No one else outside of that has any responsibility. We need to address and get on top of that with immediate effect.”

Vowles believes the minor infringement which has seen Albon disqualified from qualifying will not affect the positive performance improvement the floor has clearly brought to the car.

“The performance of the car was positive,” he said. “We’re in a situation where that update is now producing good results. And in a very tight midfield, we’re able to put the car back into that qualifying three position, back into a point-scoring position for the race today.

“That’s also mirrored by a long run on Friday that again was positive. It had pulled clear of the midfield and we were in a situation, in fact, at times where a long run was overlaying with Ferrari.”

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This is a bold claim from the Williams boss, yet Albon made it comfortably into final qualifying unlike Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc who were knocked out in Q2. Vowles believes even in the high winds of Zandvoort, the upgrades are working well which bodes well for the remains of the season.

“We still have beyond here, this race weekend, where I feel we have a strong enough car to be able to fight through the field. I’m excited by the prospects of today because the car remains quick and we have opportunity in the race.

“And beyond here, we have nine more races where we have to deliver time and time again with perfection in order to score points and fight our way up the championship.

“This isn’t the standard I want us to hold ourselves to this weekend, but let’s now make it a process change to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Vowles concluded.

Martin Brundle has added his voice to those questioning the wisdom Williams retaining Sargeant beyond this weekend. “Williams must look at this situation now and think, ‘we can’t afford to keep running Logan Sargent through the rest of this season.’”

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