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Honda not allowed to tweak its engine upgrade in Japan

Published on 09 Oct 2018 10:36
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By: Harry Mattocks

Before the start of the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, Honda were forced to revert back to their previous engine settings, even though their request to make a change was approved by the FIA.

It requested to tweak the engine settings on Pierre Gasly's car during parc ferme conditions, which was supposed to address the oscillations that were happening when shifting up through the gears in its most recent engine upgrade.

The team had its request approved by the FIA's technical delegate, Jo Bauer. However, it is believed that they did not carry out the change exactly as it was requested, so it was informed on the grid that the Japanese manufacturer needed to switch back.

There has been no statement from the FIA, but Honda said: "We submitted the parc ferme change request to the FIA. They approved it, that's why they issued the document."

"I need to find out exactly why they changed their decision; what was done by someone. We were surprised, because they said yes. Suddenly, on the grid, they said no. We need to respect the FIA's decision, so we didn't use it."

Gasly added: “In quali I had some calibration issues so I didn’t have the best setting and was hurting the reliability, was hurting the power, but also the reliability for the race."

“It was a pretty big concern ahead of the race so we ask them [the FIA] if we could change it. Then they first accepted and then after they reverted. I was backwards [to] qualifying’s setting which was a bit down on power and not ideal for driveability as well."

“20 laps to the end I could feel lot of vibration and lot of blisters on the rear which just got worse and worse, and the last 10 laps I could not even see on the straight it was vibrating so much.”

LightIsRight

Posts: 113

It is how racing works! It's called parc ferme! It's to stop people cheating after qualifying. That's how you qualified and it is how you should race. Can't go modifying the car, it makes qualifying null and void then. Obviously they changed something they didn't get clarification on and were for... [Read more]

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Oct 11 2018 - 09:23

F1 News Pierre Gasly Scuderia Toro Rosso

Replies (8)

calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
So either Honda were clumsy or the FIA stupid. I can believe either.
- + 0
- Oct 9 2018 - 12:17
- mcbhargav
  
  Posts: 1,332
  Why can't it be both?
  + 0
  
  Oct 9 2018 - 16:44
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Aah, I like the way you are thinking!
  + 0
  
  Oct 9 2018 - 16:44
f1dave

Posts: 782
Having to request the FIA to approve making the car go faster. . .that is not how racing works.
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- Oct 9 2018 - 16:05
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I agree it sounds weird at first, that was my first thought, however I can see the reason. The FIA need to make sure teams dont run illegal mappings that could e.g override sensors and shit, and they need teams to deliver the kinda stuff they asked for permission to get. I kinda hope it was Honda that had messed up the paperwork or something, otherwise this might get more complicated.
  + 0
  
  Oct 9 2018 - 16:33
- boudy
  
  Posts: 1,168
  This story is bit weird and uncommon ... what's going on?
  + 0
  
  Oct 9 2018 - 17:44
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Whatever the case, I hope we'll get clarification soon enough.
  + 0
  
  Oct 10 2018 - 16:07
- LightIsRight
  
  Posts: 113
  It is how racing works! It's called parc ferme! It's to stop people cheating after qualifying. That's how you qualified and it is how you should race. Can't go modifying the car, it makes qualifying null and void then. Obviously they changed something they didn't get clarification on and were forced to change it back. Fair is fair.
  + 1
  
  Oct 11 2018 - 09:23