Prior to the Valencia weekend, the Scuderia used a “filming day” excuse at the Italian circuit to test their new version of the blown diffuser. Soon enough, all the other teams started pointing fingers at the Prancing Horse for using a loophole in the FIA rulebook to test its new aero parts. The Italians were not the first ones to do it either, as Mercedes GP proceeded to the same tactics a few weeks before, when testing a new engine cover design.
According to British publication Autosport, it seems that the representatives of all 12 teams in the paddock discussed the situation over the British Grand Prix weekend and agreed that no team should conduct filming days with car parts that haven't been raced before in the championship.
“I personally did not feel there was any ambiguity, but others argued that there was. But that is pressure, and when people are under pressure they try and take a different view,” revealed the chairman of the FOTA and McLaren's team principal Martin Whitmarsh, according to the aforementioned source.
“It is now clear that, if you are doing a demo run, then you must use components that have been raced before – and it has to be a legitimate demo run,” added the British official.
The changes have already been implemented with immediate effect.
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