MEASURING HOLE

F1 might use cutting-edge technology but it seems a simple plank has distinguished Lewis Hamilton’s struggling Mercedes from his rivals this season.

A piece of hardwood, or skid block. is attached to a car’s chassis to prevent it running too low, reducing the risk of porpoising. Unlike Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari are said to have left a gap between the plank and the monocoque to allow the wood to flex upwards, enabling cars to drop closer to the track. This improves performance. The rules stipulate that the plank must be 10mm thick (9mm post-race) but it has been suggested that the smarter teams have found a way around this by splitting up the plank, with a separate piece around the holes where the measurement is taken. The wood around the holes is said to move up and down independently of the skid block, avoiding wear and tear and ensuring the thickness is ‘retained’. The FIA have introduced more stringent tests for today’s Belgian GP.