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HOCKENHEIM, Germany - Constructors' and Drivers' championship leader Mercedes will remove the sophisticated fric (front-rear,inter-connected) suspension from its dominant W05 car for the 2014 German GP.
This follows an International Automobile Federation ruling.
It is understood that other teams, among them Red Bull, McLaren, Force India, Toro Rosso and Caterham, are also preparing to run without the hydraulically-controlled system.
The reason? Some fear some rivals might lodge official protests against the technology, following the federation's announcement that Fric might be contrary to technical regulations.
'NO SENSE TO COMPLAIN'
It's believed the system aboard Mercedes' silver cars, which have won eight of the nine races so far in 2014, is perhaps the most sophisticated and worth perhaps a half-second a lap.
Team boss Toto Wolff told Germany's Auto Motor and Sport: "It makes no sense to complain. Whether it (banning fric) makes sense during the season is a moot point. I have my personal opinion but it doesn't matter.
"We need to analyse all the data very carefully to be best-prepared for the change. Everybody has said that a fric ban will hurt us most but we want to prove that is not the case."
DIFFERENCE 'NOT SO GREAT'
Auto Motor and Sport claims Mercedes conducted trials without a fric on the car at the recent Silverstone test. Drivers' championship leader Nico Rosberg insisted: "The difference between 'with fric' and 'without fric' is not so great.
"For sure you notice it but other teams have also been using it in 2014. I don't even want to think about it too much. I have the fastest car and I want to win at Hockenheim."
This follows an International Automobile Federation ruling.
It is understood that other teams, among them Red Bull, McLaren, Force India, Toro Rosso and Caterham, are also preparing to run without the hydraulically-controlled system.
The reason? Some fear some rivals might lodge official protests against the technology, following the federation's announcement that Fric might be contrary to technical regulations.
'NO SENSE TO COMPLAIN'
It's believed the system aboard Mercedes' silver cars, which have won eight of the nine races so far in 2014, is perhaps the most sophisticated and worth perhaps a half-second a lap.
Team boss Toto Wolff told Germany's Auto Motor and Sport: "It makes no sense to complain. Whether it (banning fric) makes sense during the season is a moot point. I have my personal opinion but it doesn't matter.
"We need to analyse all the data very carefully to be best-prepared for the change. Everybody has said that a fric ban will hurt us most but we want to prove that is not the case."
DIFFERENCE 'NOT SO GREAT'
Auto Motor and Sport claims Mercedes conducted trials without a fric on the car at the recent Silverstone test. Drivers' championship leader Nico Rosberg insisted: "The difference between 'with fric' and 'without fric' is not so great.
"For sure you notice it but other teams have also been using it in 2014. I don't even want to think about it too much. I have the fastest car and I want to win at Hockenheim."