Lewis Hamilton speaks out after Red Bull's over-the-edge number trick was exposed

Red Bull's number trick may have been “a bit over the top” but Lewis Hamilton has praised their innovation… although he wonders if their winning streak has now come to an end.

Ahead of Formula 1's return from the autumn break with the United States Grand Prix, it was reported that an unnamed team was suspected of exploiting a system to adjust the height of its cars using the race number or T-tray.

Lewis Hamilton: God knows how long they've had this…

Adjusting the bib or T-bar, a key aerodynamic component under the car, affects airflow and how air enters the tunnels under the car's floor.

According to the initial report, the device was discovered in the open source documents that the teams provide to the FIA ​​and which the motorsport governing body has confirmed PlanetF1.com that “any adjustment of the front bib distance in parc ferme conditions is strictly prohibited by the regulations.”

Red Bull further revealed that they had such a system “although it is no longer accessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to drive” and that after correspondence with the FIA, “this part came up and we settled on one “We have agreed on a plan for the future.”

It should be stressed that there is no evidence that Red Bull used the ride height adjustment system in parc ferme conditions, while new details about how it is operated also make it clear that drivers in the car's cockpit have no control over it had.

More about the adjustable bib from Red Bull

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👉Explained: Why Red Bull's adjustable starting number is not penalized by the FIA

However, big questions remain unanswered. One of them is how long Red Bull has had the starting number trick on its cars.

The Milton Keynes squad won three Drivers' Championship titles from 2021 to 2023 with Max Verstappen and are on track to secure a fourth this year.

They also won two consecutive years of the Constructors' Championship, 2022 and 2023, the latter being a record season with 21 wins in 22 races.

Hamilton, who lost the 2021 title to Verstappen, has reflected on whether the FIA's crackdown on such tricks, which “may include the application of a seal to further ensure compliance”, spells the end of Red Bull's winning streak.

But even if there was a bit of “over-the-top” trickery involved, he praises the team's innovation, because that's what drives Formula 1.

“I just heard about it before I got here. But I think the name of our sport is all about innovation. Red Bull have been leaders and innovators,” the Mercedes driver told Sky Sports F1.

“At the end of the day, all teams look at the rules and try to figure out how they can implement those rules and get the most out of them, even if it's a little over the top. They simply need to evolve and be better monitored.

“In the end, they did a better job. God knows how long they've had it, and they've won championships. Maybe this will stop now… I don't think that's the only thing that will stop them.

“But I think everyone else needs to continue to innovate and lead instead of trying to catch up.”

Red Bull heads into the final six races of the season at the top of the drivers' standings, with Verstappen 52 points ahead of Lando Norris while McLaren is 41 points clear of Red Bull.

Verstappen is firmly convinced that the FIA's new approach will have no impact on his performance in Austin.

“For us it was just a simple tool. Once the parts were removed it was easy to adjust. But once the whole car is assembled, you can't touch it anymore. So nothing changes for us,” said the Dutchman.

“When I read it, I thought about other teams doing it too. And then I found out it had something to do with our team. We never mentioned it in the briefings, it was just a simpler tool to customize things.”

Read more: Details are emerging about how the height adjustment of Red Bull's race number works