With nowhere to turn and nowhere to hide, their quest for a fourth consecutive championship looking increasingly uncertain as the competition finally begins to challenge them, Red Bull Racing F1 has resorted to bending the rule book rather than focusing solely on engineering solutions in an attempt to stall McLaren’s progress.

The current World Championship leaders lodged a complaint with the FIA concerning an exposed sensor in the brake drum of the McLaren cars. In response, McLaren promptly covered the sensor with duct tape.

The FIA permits teams to install sensors to collect data during free practice sessions, but they must cover the holes made for these sensors by Saturday or remove them altogether.

Eagle-eyed Red Bull engineers spotted an additional hole in the front and rear brake ducts of the McLaren MCL38 and duly reported the infringement to the FIA.

Another unnamed team was also reported for the exact same infringement. Under closer scrutiny from the FIA, the holes were reportedly covered again in accordance with regulations for the Austrian Grand Prix and British Grand Prix.

Nevertheless, McLaren’s competitive performance remained strong throughout both weekends, as they opted for a simple solution of using tape to cover the disputed area.

As the race for the constructors’ championship tightens, we can expect more extreme scrutineering from Red Bull Racing F1 and revenge scrutineering from McLaren.