Force India backs rules probe for Ferrari-Haas partnership

Force India has joined Mercedes in querying the A-Team and B-Team relationship between Ferrari and F1 newcomers Haas.

Earlier in Abu Dhabi, Mercedes lodged a request with the stewards to clarify the rules about so-called customer cars, particularly relating to restricted wind tunnel time.

Now, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reveals that Mercedes-powered customer Force India has lodged a similar request for clarification amid the arguably ambiguous rules.

The apparent suspicion is that Ferrari and Haas are finding a loophole in the rule limiting each team to just 25 hours of wind tunnel time per week.

Force India’s technical boss Andy Green confirmed: “It could be that engineers are working 50 hours in the wind tunnel — 25 for one team and 25 the other. The results are not shared between one team and the other, but what is learned is still learned.”

“So we want to know how far we can go,” said Green, hinting that a green light from the stewards could mean other teams forge similar Ferrari-Haas-like partnerships.