It appears that Red Bull Racing have been given the all-clear to race at Sepang this weekend, following doubts over the safety of the suspension of their RB4.
Representatives for the team were called up in front of race stewards and asked to provide a report for the FIA after David Coulthard s suspension broke during practice session 1 of the Malaysian Grand Prix. The FIA called for a report over concerns that Red Bull s car was too fragile.
Both Christian Horner and Adrian Newey immediately stated that it was a one-off issue with a track rod on the car and that they didn t feel that there was a serious safety problem with the RB4. Having updated the FIA with the design and operating parameters of the car, it appears that the FIA have agreed with the pair and are happy to allow the team to race.
“We have been through everything with the FIA and they are happy with everything that has been provided,†Horner explained. “They are happy with the way the team has dealt with the issue and the information we provided them with from our proof testing and laboratory testing in the UK.â€
When questioned why representatives had once again been called up after practice Horner replied, “They are just following the process through I would be surprised to have to go back after qualifying as well but they have every right.
“I think the FIA and the stewards are being responsible from a safety point of view and they have been looking to understand the process throughout the weekend.â€
Horner also explained that the team had made a minor modification to the RB4 s suspension to ensure that there would not be any more incidents.
“We made a precautionary change to one shim, the material of one shim, but nothing of an real significance,†he explained. “We are happy that there is more than sufficient margin within the design of the suspension to absorb any abnormal, under normal working circumstances, load What these cars are not designed to do is have large impacts after travelling through the air.
“Obviously it is an area that, of course, naturally we will focus on but we are confident that there is absolutely no issue with the car in normal working parameters. The key thing is the cars are not designed to fly over the bumps off-track.
“We have done thousands of kilometres with three different drivers at several different circuits during the winter, with very heavy kerb strikes in Barcelona, Jerez and Valencia, without a single incident. So I don t think it to be a factor during normal operating circumstances here.â€
