The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team climbed the success ladder in F1 after their incredible performances in the past eight years. The team dominated the hybrid era and even though some teams came close, Mercedes always prevailed. However, that is not the case in the current season, with a persistent porpoising issue plaguing the team.

The complaints from the drivers and teams regarding the bouncing forced FIA to issue a directive. The late directive ahead of the Canadian GP did not give any team enough time to react apart from the Silver Arrows.

The last-minute action from Mercedes raised eyebrows and F1 entities are hinting toward foul play. The FIA directive that allowed teams to add a floor-stay wasn’t put into effect by any other team but Mercedes. There is a rumor that Mohammed ben Sulayem’s new chief of staff, Shaila-Ann Rao, who was previously Mercedes’s Special Advisor, tipped them off.

Mercedes and FIA deny all accusations. However, Bernie Ecclestone said this about Rao: “It’s bloody dangerous. Toto started all this nonsense about the cars needing to change. She told them about the new directive, obviously. She worked with Toto for two or three years.”

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“I wanted to get Luca di Montezemolo as chairman of the company when I was running things. But the teams went mad because he was Ferrari’s man. It was seen as a conflict of interest, so how can she do this job?”

There are serious accusations from the former CEO of F1, as Mercedes were well within their rights to take advantage of the directive.

The quick action to FIA directive by Mercedes questioned by team bosses

The other team noticed a second tie rod mounted at the bottom of the W13 as per the late Thursday directive. The addition of the second tie rod only a few hours after the directive came out puzzled the other teams.

And the Ferrari boss, Mattia Binotto, said, “Wolff said they installed it overnight. We have to trust. We would not have been able and I am surprised that a team has been able to do it overnight.” (Translated by Google)

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Binotto also suggested FIA did not follow proper channels before issuing the directive. The entire porpoising issue is bouncing out of proportions, but we will definitely see a resolution to this problem. If there is a punishment levied for a foul play by Mercedes, it might make the matter more controversial.