FIA investigation into Red Bull's front bib solution reaches its conclusion: Reports

The FIA on Tuesday concluded its report on Red Bull's alleged use of the front bib. The F1 governing body, as per reports, concluded that the Austrian team did not use the front bib adjuster to enhance performance. This has come after the FIA formed a team to thoroughly investigate the allegations.

Ahead of this year's United States Grand Prix at Austin, Texas, Red Bull found themselves in the middle of a tool kit controversy. According to the allegation, the Milton-Keynes-based team was using a tool kit to raise and lower the height of the car during race weekends.

This, as per the Parc Ferme rule, would have been illegal, and if proven, Red Bull could have faced enormous fines or point deductions. However, the FIA official, as per Autosport, confirmed that Red Bull did not use any illegal means to improve performance.

According to reports, the FIA looked at all the data and car design and spoke to relevant personnel at Red Bull's factory situated at Milton Keynes, following which the governing body concluded the investigation.

Following this, they released an official statement:

"The FIA regularly reviews and inspects the conformance to the technical, sporting, and financial regulations of the F1 teams, and this may involve spot-checks at the circuit or inspections and investigations at the teams' factories.

"As part of this assessment process, FIA technical representatives visited the Red Bull Racing headquarters to investigate in-depth recent allegations about their front floor design and its use. This investigation concluded that no breach has taken place, and therefore confirmed the position adopted by the FIA during the US Grand Prix in Austin."

However, Red Bull's rivals were far from happy with the outcome. Key competitors such as McLaren and Mercedes shared their concerns following the FIA investigation.

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Mercedes and McLaren shared concerns about Red Bull investigation

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and his McLaren counterpart Zak Brown at the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia - Final Practice - Source: Getty Images

Red Bull's historic rivals McLaren and Mercedes expressed their unhappiness about the FIA investigation. McLaren boss Zak Brown asked the FIA to dig deeper into the matter, while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff wanted the FIA President Mohammed ben Sulayem to intervene. He said (via Autoweek):

"I cannot speak for the FIA at all. I cannot speak for Nikolas. Obviously, that's something that's been not spotted for a long time," Wolff said. "But I think the leadership of the FIA is going to look at that and say, 'What are we doing with this?'"

Notably, the FIA also concluded its investigation on the tire cooling tricks. Suspicions emerged during the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix that teams were using water to cool their tires to gain performance after moisture and water droplets were found as cars left the parc ferme. However, the FIA closed the matter now after a thorough investigation.