Ferrari has ruled out going as far as lodging a protest over Formula 1’s ongoing compression-ratio row.
However, it does think it essential a clear ruling is made by the FIA over the matter as soon as possible.
The Italian squad is one of four manufacturers that are unhappy about Mercedes having exploited a loophole in F1’s technical regulations relating to the compression ratio.
Mercedes is understood to have found a way to comply with the testing requirement to hit the 16:1 ratio limit when the engine is measured in ambient conditions, but run at a higher level when its power unit is at hot operating temperatures.
Ferrari has been joined by Audi, Honda and more recently Red Bull in trying to agree on a new hot testing procedure that can then be pushed forward for potential approval by the FIA and FOM.
The matter is set to be discussed at next week’s F1 Commission meeting in Bahrain, where sources expect a final verdict to be laid down by the FIA on whether or not it sees any need to alter its viewpoint, having previously expressed to Mercedes that what it is doing is fully legal.
There has been talk that if the FIA stands by the Mercedes approach then its rivals could choose to challenge the matter with a protest at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen even suggested that those complaining should “get some skin in the game” and make a formal complaint if they were unhappy.
Speaking during testing in Bahrain on Friday, however, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur ruled out such a course of events.
“We are not there to make a protest,” he said. “We are there to have a clear regulation and to have everybody with the same understanding of the regulations. But [we] don't speak about protest.”
From Vasseur’s perspective, the critical thing is simply to get an official stance laid down, so that then allows his own engine plans to either stay as they are for the long term or shift towards developing in the Mercedes direction.
Vasseur explained that he was not naïve enough to believe there would be no grey areas in the rules after such a major regulation change, but what was most important was getting clarity on areas of dispute so that everyone was on the same page.
“With the new regulations on the battery, on the engine, on the chassis, on the tyres and the sporting regs, we were going into the direction where we have grey areas,” he said.
“There were [going to be] different understandings of the regulations from teams to teams, and sometimes from teams to the FIA. It's a direct consequence of the new regulation, and it was always like this.
“The most important for me is to get clarity. Everybody can accept that we made mistakes, or we didn't have the same understanding before.
“But what we need is to have it clear cut that it’s now 'like this'. I think it's what we can expect from next week.”
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Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache said that his outfit was also awaiting answers from the FIA over the matter – and that its main priority was ensuring the rules were fair for everyone.
“We are just following what the FIA says to be honest,” he said.
“We just vote as a PU manufacturer as to what we think should be fair for the system, and afterwards the governance system will choose what it will be.”
Asked about Red Bull having potentially shifted its stance over the matter to side with Mercedes’ rivals, Wache said: “I'm not sure we changed our mind. We just followed the process on our side.
“As a newcomer, we just want to be fair with the system and follow the governance.”
