AUGUST 2, 2012

Ferrari refutes manual ride height claim

Ferrari has denied an accusation in the German media that it has been running with an illegal manual suspension adjustment capability in the aftermath of the controversy that erupted in Hungary when it emerged that the FIA had requested Red Bull to make modifications to its car in Canada.

Ferrari has denied an accusation in the German media that it has been running with an illegal manual suspension adjustment capability in the aftermath of the controversy that erupted in Hungary when it emerged that the FIA had requested Red Bull to make modifications to its car in Canada.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told the German Auto Motor Und Sport: "We have never adjusted anything by hand. I don't know why the others are upset -- we know Ferrari has used something like that for a year."

In Hungary, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner denied that any suspension modifications had even been made in a parc ferme situation, which would contravene Article 34.5 of the FIA sporting regulations, but conceded that in Canada the FIA had opined that the effort needed to make such a change was "too low."

The rules require that a tool must be used to make such changes, so that technical scrutineers are better placed to police fair play than they would be if illegal changes were capable of being made by hand.

Marko made the Ferrari allegation while saying that there was envy towards Red Bull from certain areas of the paddock because the success of a drinks manufacturer was ruffling feathers.

Ferrari, confronted with the manual adjustment allegation by Autosport, responded: "That is completely untrue."