Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has criticized rival teams for what he describes as “paranoia,” following the FIA’s decision to place a seal on a device in the cockpit of their car. The move came after complaints from McLaren about a mechanism capable of altering the front bib height on Red Bull’s car, leading to concerns over its compliance with Formula 1 regulations.

The controversy began when Red Bull confirmed the presence of the adjustment device, which they claimed was “inaccessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to run.” The team insisted that the component was not designed for use during the restricted periods between qualifying and the race. Following discussions, Red Bull reached an agreement with the FIA on how to proceed, including adding a seal to ensure compliance.

However, McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown, raised doubts about Red Bull’s assurance, expressing concerns that the device could potentially be used to adjust the car’s ride height illegally. Brown emphasized that any modifications without proper authorization would violate the rules, and he called for “massive consequences” if Red Bull was found to be exploiting the device against regulations.

“Being able to run the car lower is a competitive advantage,” Brown stated. “From what we can see, Red Bull is the only team that has the ability to adjust the ride height from inside the cockpit, and that raises questions. It’s very clear that if you modify your car without permission, it is against the regulations.”

Responding to the allegations, the FIA implemented “procedural adjustments” to ensure that the front bib clearance could not be modified without authorization, placing a seal on the adjustment device in question. This measure was introduced ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the first race following a four-week break.

Horner, speaking to Sky Sports, dismissed the concerns as mere “paranoia” from rival teams, asserting that the component had been listed as an open-source part for three years, making its design publicly accessible. He suggested that the uproar was a diversion tactic used by competitors to deflect attention from their own issues.

“I think there’s been a bit of moaning from one of our rivals,” Horner remarked. “And it’s the FIA’s job to look into these things. It’s on a list of open-source components, so it’s been publicly available for the last three years. The FIA is happy with it, and I think this is just to satisfy some paranoia elsewhere in the paddock.”

Horner further hinted that the complaints were a strategy to create distractions, saying, “Sometimes, to distract from perhaps what’s going on in your own house, you try to light a fire somewhere else.”

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Zak Brown has since expressed his confidence in the FIA’s handling of the situation, stating that he is “comfortable” with the governing body’s approach to addressing the potential issue.

The issue unfolded ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, where Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured pole position for the sprint race, with his closest title contender, Lando Norris, starting in fourth. With six races left in the season, Verstappen currently leads the standings by 52 points, putting him in a strong position to claim another world championship.

As the season nears its climax, the cockpit seal controversy has added an extra layer of intrigue to the ongoing battle between F1’s top teams. While Red Bull remains focused on racing, the exchanges between Horner and Brown highlight the intense competition and mind games that characterize the sport’s highest level.