BARCELONA • Formula One's governing body has moved to ban for 2021 an ingenious new Mercedes steering wheel that has been the talk of pre-season testing.

The FIA's race director Michael Masi pointed to a change in the technical regulations, published at the end of last year, that effectively ruled out the future use of the DAS (dual-axis steering) system.

"You have been very wise in noticing the change to the 2021 technical regulations," said the Australian when asked by reporters, confirming also that there were no safety concerns about the system.

The new rule decrees the "re-alignment of the steered wheels... must be uniquely defined by a monotonic function of the rotational position of a single steering wheel".

The DAS allows a driver to change the "toe angle" of the front wheels into corners and on the straights by pushing and pulling on the steering wheel, rather than just moving it sideways.

Mercedes technical director James Allison had said on Thursday, when DAS made its track debut, that the system had come as no surprise to the FIA, which had been kept informed along the way.

The team have been diligent in ensuring FIA approval thus far and it seems likely the governing body's knowledge of the system led to the rule change to ensure the potentially game-changing loophole is closed in 2021.

Whether or not that was the case, and how quickly rivals might be able to copy it and whether they might protest after the opening race, remained topics of conversation ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on March 15.

"I think we need to first understand how it works and understand what would be the performance benefit," said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto, who added that he would look to the FIA to determine the DAS' legality for this season.

"I don't think that at the moment we've got any idea."

But Alan Permane, Renault's track operations director, said that Mercedes could draw significant benefit before anyone caught up.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas said he had first heard about the project nearly a year ago.

"There are no issues so far with it, it's pretty easy to use," the Finn said.

"When a team brings something new, there's always going to be talk about whether it's legal.

"I don't think our team would start making and designing something that would get banned."

REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN