Explained: Why Red Bull’s adjustable bib isn’t being punished by the FIA:
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-rb20-bib-adjustment-device-no-punishment-explained
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How does Red Bull’s bib height adjustment system work?
Details of how the bib height adjustment system on the RB20 operates have been reported by Australian publication Speedcafe, which reveals the adjustment is, technically, in the cockpit of the car.
The adjustment screw is within the footwell and cannot be accessed with the driver in place – the mechanism is located under the heel support. To access it, Red Bull’s mechanics would have to remove the nose cone, a separate panel, and the carbon section within the footwell.
This would be particularly difficult to do under parc fermé conditions without attracting the attention of the FIA, nor is it work that can be carried out surreptitiously – it’s a proper dismantling of the car required to get to the adjustment mechanism. ...
Why Red Bull hasn’t been, and isn’t likely to be, punished
... the height adjustment mechanism in itself isn’t illegal to have – and Red Bull didn’t attempt to hide the possibility of its presence, as evidenced by the documents uploaded to the FIA servers.
Why would Red Bull have such a system, one may reasonably ask? The practical use of it would be for height adjustments throughout the weekend when it’s legal to make such setup changes.
According to the statement from Red Bull, the height adjustment device is completely inaccessible when the car is fully assembled and “ready to run”.
Aside from theoretically small windows of time while carrying out any of the above permitted parc fermé changes, Red Bull’s mechanics would thus be unable to access the adjustment and, even if possible, would risk being spotted by the FIA’s technical babysitters or the garage cameras which are stationed above each car for overnight monitoring.
The Red Bull RB20 may be fitted with a device that allows, in theory, for illegal changes to be made, but there’s no evidence of its use at the times when it is illegal to use.
With Red Bull not attempting to hide its existence via documentation, and the ease with which the team would be caught if it did try to make a quick change while in parc fermé, it falls into the lap of the FIA to clarify whether or not further action is required and, on this occasion, logic would suggest Red Bull should be given the benefit of the doubt.
Certainly, championship leader Max Verstappen was nonplussed about the extent of the furore as he spoke to media, including PlanetF1.com, on Thursday.
“For us, it was just an easy tool. When the parts were off, it was easy to adjust,” he said. “But once the whole car is built together, you can’t touch it. So, for us, it doesn’t change (anything). When I read it, I was thinking about other teams doing it. And then I found out it was related to our team. We never even mentioned it in the briefings, it was just an easier tool to adjust stuff.”
With no breach of the technical regulations, no evidence of breach of the sporting regulations, and a team that has not attempted to disguise the existence of such a system – the cries of “cheating” are simply overblown, just like earlier in the year when the theory of an asymmetrical braking system on the RB20 was hypothesised without evidence.
Certainly, while rival teams flagged up the possibility of this system existing with the FIA, there has been no indication from the governing body – yet again – that any wrongdoing has taken place."