FIA don't want to 'dictate' wheel rim hole development

The FIA has spoken out on the controversial wheel rim hole debate, saying that it does not want to be seen as a 'dictator' after refusing to ban the development after it appeared on the Mercedes cars last season.

The development was first added by the team for last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

The upgrade, which included a series of holes on the on the wheel rim in order to improve airflow and cool the tyres, was deemed fully legal by the FIA, despite concerns from other teams that the upgrade was in breach of regulations that bans movable aerodynamic devices on the cars. M

Mercedes, in fear of causing any unwanted attention, opted not to run the upgrade for the rest of the year.

"The Mercedes solution was legal and the idea was taken up by others", the FIA's head of single-seater technical matters Nikolas Tombazis told Autosport.

"But if you want my opinion, I tell you that these complicated designs are not a good thing for F1, because they cost a lot."

It is understood that thanks to the FIA giving the development the green light for the 2019 season, Mercedes have opted to use the design for this season.

Ferrari, Red Bull and Williams are also have been reported to be trialling their own versions also.

"When they appeared in October we could not change things without a dictatorial act, because we found that they respected the rules", Tombazis added.

"So it does not surprise me that other teams are coming to take advantage of the same concept."