Lewis Hamilton has emerged as an unlikely ally for Red Bull following the ‘ride height’ controversy which has dominated the build-up to the United States Grand Prix. Christian Horner’s team confirmed ahead of the race in Austin that it had made changes to its cars following discussions with the FIA, with rivals accusing them of breaching regulations.

Other teams claim the reigning manufacturers’ champions use a device that can change the ride height of their vehicles in parc ferme conditions, giving them an unfair advantage.

McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both struck, with the Australian pointedly declaring: “Something like that doesn’t push the limits. This clearly breaks them.

Hamilton, however, defended Red Bull. Despite his notoriously tense relationship with Horner and Max Verstappen, which came to a head during the 2021 title battle, the seven-time world champion argued that the team had shown initiative with its so-called ‘plateau’ mechanism. tea “.

“I just heard about it, before I got here,” Hamilton said. Sky Sports F1. “But I think the name of our sport is synonymous with innovation. Red Bull has led and innovated.

“At the end of the day, all teams look at the rules and try to figure out how to change them and get the most out of them, even if it’s a little overkill. You just have to keep evolving and be better monitored.

However, the 39-year-old slyly hinted that the addition to Red Bull’s cars may have benefited them for years. “In the end, they did a better job. God knows how long they’ve had this and they’ve won championships,” he added.

“Maybe it will stop now, although I don’t think it’s the only thing that will stop them.” But I think we need to continue to be innovators and leaders rather than trying to catch up. »

After completing the qualifying and Grand Prix races, drivers must leave their car in the parc ferme area of ​​the F1 circuits. There, they are scrutinized for possible violations of installation rules.

Despite the controversy, the FIA ​​released a statement confirming that no rules had been broken, saying: “Any adjustment of front bib clearance in parc ferme conditions is strictly prohibited by the regulations.

“While we have not received any indication that any team is using such a system, the FIA ​​remains vigilant in its ongoing efforts to improve control of the sport. As part of this, we have implemented procedural adjustments to ensure that the Front bib clearance cannot be easily changed. In some cases this may involve the application of a seal to provide additional assurance of compliance.