F1: McLaren to remove FRIC for Germany

McLaren has become the first Formula 1 team to confirm intentions to remove its FRIC suspension system for the German Grand Prix.

The FIA offered to delay a move to get rid of FRIC from F1 until the start of next season, as long as all teams agreed, but hopes of a deal appear to have been dashed. While a majority of teams indicated last week they would support a push to keep FRIC in this season, other teams had reservations about doing so. Without unanimous support, any team that ran with FRIC from the German GP risked being protested by any outfit that did not have it on its car.

Furthermore, the FIA could have notified event stewards that it believed cars running FRIC did not comply with the regulations. Although the FIA has not published any official information about the status of the FRIC situation ahead of the German GP, McLaren revealed on Monday that it was settled on removing the suspension system from its cars.

"McLaren does not currently intend to run a FRIC suspension system at the German Grand Prix," a McLaren spokesman said. "McLaren will comply with the FIA's rulings on the matter."

The decision by McLaren to remove FRIC will almost certainly be followed by other leading teams, none of which will likely be willing to gamble on running FRIC for fear of a protest. However, a team could choose to use the Thursday of the event as a test case for the legality of FRIC in a bid to challenge F1 technical delegate Charlie Whiting's view that FRIC systems could be in breach of the regulations.

If the team loses its case then it would then have to switch to a more standard suspension configuration for the remainder of the race weekend.