The Formula 1 teams have reportedly been issued a new technical directive ahead of Las Vegas after Red Bull ‘pointed out’ rivals were running ‘special protection’ on their skid blocks and fastenings.

Formula 1 has defined regulations for the car’s skid blocks, the plank underneath the car that stretches from the front to the back and protects the floor from bumps and kerbs.

FIA reportedly issue new TD after ‘special protection trick’ discovered

The thickness is set at 10mm thick, with a tolerance of +/- 0.2mm while the minimum thickness due to wear is 9mm.

Last season both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the United States Grand Prix when their skid blocks were found to have suffered excessive wear.

But with the teams determined to run the cars as close to the ground, thus opening the door for the skid block and the screws that are used to take a hit, Auto Motor und Sport claims some teams have been using tricks to protect the fastening screws.

Running insulation around the block and the screws, AMuS reports that the latest ‘trick’ being used is to place ‘special protection’ that in particular applies to the ‘fastening screw in the rear area of the base plate’.

This allows the teams to lower the ride height of the car to gain more downforce while avoiding falling foul of the FIA’s measurement tests.

The report adds that ’50 per cent’ of the field have been playing around in the grey area.

The loophole has now been closed after Red Bull ‘pointed out to the FIA that the trick was illegal’, prompting motorsport’s governing body to issue a new Technical Directive ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Sending a letter to all the teams, the FIA announced that the ‘protective skids in question were not permitted. This assessment applies with immediate effect.’

One team reportedly wanted the FIA to delay the TD, that said to be Ferrari as raising the ride height of the cars to protect the skids and crews could cost teams lap time.

This is not the first technical issue that the FIA have had to police this season, motorsport’s governing body involved in flexi-wings, holes in brake drums and also McLaren’s mini DRS to name a few.

McLaren will line up on the Las Vegas with a 36-point lead in the Constructors’ Championship over Ferrari with Red Bull a further 14 points off the pace.