Red Bull breathes a sigh of relief: T-Tray Case closed after FIA inspection

The Red Bull-FIA T-Tray saga has come to an end: no irregularities found following further FIA checks. The T-Tray case is now officially closed

“The investigation has concluded that no violations were found, confirming the position previously adopted by the FIA during the US Grand Prix in Austin” reads a statement from the FIA regarding one of the most contentious issues of recent weeks: the T-Tray case. The controversy first emerged ahead of the Austin race weekend, with Red Bull accused by several teams, notably McLaren, of manipulating their setup between qualifying and the race via the T-Tray device. Now, this chapter seems to have been (at least for the time being) definitively closed, with the FIA’s latest declaration putting an end to the matter.

Red Bull, initially criticized by all teams at the outbreak of the issue, quickly denied any wrongdoing regarding the T-Tray and any setup changes. They later modified their stance, admitting to having opened a dialogue with the FIA. Despite the harsh criticism from other teams, the FIA ultimately opted for another compromise in this ongoing season, similar to the resolution of McLaren’s “mini-DRS” controversy during the Azerbaijan GP.

FIA Statement on the T-Tray

Following a surprise inspection at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory, the FIA clarified the T-Tray issue: “The FIA regularly monitors teams’ compliance with technical, sporting, and financial regulations, which may lead to random checks at the circuit or inspections and investigations directly at team factories. Similarly, teams may bring to the attention of the FIA any concerns regarding the compliance of other competitors’ cars, a phenomenon that intensifies in seasons where the competition for the championship is more fierce, as it has been in 2024.” .”

The statement continues: “The FIA takes any such issues very seriously and goes beyond the regular compliance checks carried out during race weekends. As part of this assessment process, FIA technical delegates visited Red Bull Racing’s headquarters to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent accusations related to the front floor design and its usage.” “.

What was the outcome of the investigation? As previously mentioned, the FIA closed its statement by saying: “The investigation has concluded that no violations were found, confirming the position previously taken by the FIA during the US Grand Prix in Austin”. Following Max Verstappen’s stunning victory in Brazil, Red Bull can now breathe easy and continue their pursuit of Ferrari and McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship with a renewed sense of calm—for now, at least.

Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing, McLaren