FRIC suspension systems banned by FIA.

[Rob]

By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, July 8th 2014, 16:02 GMT

http://i61.tinypic.com/2z6ry1z.jpg

Formula 1's FRIC suspension systems, believed to be one of the strengths of the dominant Mercedes car, could be banned for the German Grand Prix, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

Less than a fortnight before the next race at Hockenheim, the FIA has informed F1 teams that it believes the Front-and-Rear Interconnected Suspension (FRIC) systems used by most of them are illegal.

According to sources, the governing body wrote to teams on Tuesday to tell them that following detailed investigations into the design of the FRIC systems, it believes they are in contravention of the rules.

In the note, a copy of which has been seen by AUTOSPORT, Whiting said: "Having now seen and studied nearly every current design of front to rear linked suspension system we, the FIA, are formally of the view that the legality of all such systems could be called into question."

Whiting suggests that the way the suspension systems help control pitch and roll could be in breach of article 3.15 of F1's technical regulations.

Article 3.15 is the catch-all regulation that relates to moveable aerodynamic devices. It outlaws any part of the car that influences the aerodynamics that is not "rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom)."

The FRIC systems link the front and rear suspension to maintain a constant ride height for improved performance.

Lotus (then called Renault) was the first team to introduce the concept in 2008.

Mercedes more recently took the design to the next level and is now believed to run the most complicated system, however it is unclear which team would suffer the most from a ban.

FIA OPEN TO DELAYING BAN UNTIL 2015

With limited testing time before the next race at Hockenheim, and 2014 designs being based around FRIC, the FIA is open to delaying the ban if there is consensus among teams.

It has asked teams to vote on whether or not they will be in favour of delaying the ban until the start of 2015 rather than it coming into force for the German GP.

However, for that to happen it would require unanimous support from all the teams on the grid.

It is unclear how easy it will be to achieve unanimous support for a delay - especially if any team feels its FRIC design is not as good as a rival's, or indeed if a team is not running the system at all.

If unanimous support is not reached, then Whiting has made it clear that from the next race in Germany, any team running FRIC risks being reported to the stewards by the FIA for non-compliance with the regulations.

The fact that the FIA has indicated it believes FRIC to be illegal also opens the door for a team to protest one of its rivals from the next race.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114881

[Rob]

Cannt see it being banned before Hockenheim f they did there goes Mercs advantage. Be done for next year.

[Hornet]

If it's already illegal, then I see no reason to defer it to 2015. Ban them now I say :-P

[Muhammad Ansib]

Is Ferrari Using FRIC suspension? I know Mercedes are using it they have been for a long time since 2013 I guess, can anyone please name the teams that are using the FRIC suspension?

[mirafiori]

If Ferrari is using the FRIC suspension system then let the teams use it until 2015, if we don't use this system then ban it straight away.:lol

[macks]

Just ban them now I say. Ferrari uses a FRIC system too but losing the use of it can hardly make the car any worse than it is. Ban it and take the gamble that it affects other teams more than us :)

[Hornet]

Is Ferrari Using FRIC suspension? I know Mercedes are using it they have been for a long time since 2013 I guess, can anyone please name the teams that are using the FRIC suspension?

All teams use this system now, but it is said that some are better than others.


This article says it affects the mechanical grip of the car as well as aero. Well, maybe ours isn't good considering our mechanical grip issues, lol.


Teams have been using interlinked suspension for a number of years now in order to control either Roll or Heave or in the case of Mercedes both in same times, which allows them to control Pitch. The advantages of running such systems is helping with mechanical grip and aiding in a consistent and stabile aerodynamic platform.
http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/fric.html

[Ed Harley]

Make it legal and the teams do not have to use huge sums of money to redesign the systems and relearn their car behaviours.

[Zytes]

Just ban them now I say. Ferrari uses a FRIC system too but losing the use of it can hardly make the car any worse than it is. Ban it and take the gamble that it affects other teams more than us :)


I was thinking the same thing, as obviously our system is not working...the way our cars skip around the corners and all.

[Hornet]

Make it legal and the teams do not have to use huge sums of money to redesign the systems and relearn their car behaviours.

Not really, they will just revert back to the old system which the regulation hasn't changed in years. This on the other hand, is new, more complex, and have significantly larger room for development due to it's complexity. By keeping this new system, teams will actually be forced to actively develop in this area, as there are more potential to be unlocked.

[Ed Harley]

Nobody has experience of the old suspension systems combined with the existing cars and engines. There are little if any (?) testing sessions left meaning the teams would be pretty much lost for a while with the cars.

[Greig]

Nobody has experience of the old suspension systems combined with the existing cars and engines. There are little if any (?) testing sessions left meaning the teams would be pretty much lost for a while with the cars.

They are clever people.

[Hornet]

That would probably be the incentive for all teams to agree on the 2015 deferment. But it will still be disallowed next year, which I do think is cheaper in terms of development (for next year onwards of course)

[Ed Harley]

Yes, to postpone it for 2015 would seem logical way to go.

[Suzie]

Why can't they just keep the rules consistent throughout an entire season?

[Kiwi Nick]

Why can't they just keep the rules consistent throughout an entire season?

So, you favor making the teams go back to the older system immediately. I agree, keep the rule in place. If they are breaking the rules they need to get right, immediately. Why should a team(s) that are breaking the rules get a pass. Suppose they had done that with the Renault mass damper, or flexing front wing, or flexing floors. The teams broke the rules, now fix it.

[DIEK]

Something tells me Red Bull would be the most benefited, again... :roll

[NickEice]

Why just now is this coming out? The FRIC system has been talked about in the media since last year. There have even been technical diagrams shown to the public. The cars go through scutineering every weekend. Why now is the FIA deciding to make this change? Just more incompetence from them I guess.

[Kiwi Nick]

Why just now is this coming out? The FRIC system has been talked about in the media since last year. There have even been technical diagrams shown to the public. The cars go through scutineering every weekend. Why now is the FIA deciding to make this change? Just more incompetence from them I guess.

Just this weekend the boys who do F1 in the states were talking about how the front and rear suspension work together. Never has been a secret, so I never thought it was against the rules.

[Alonsomaniac]

Something tells me Red Bull would be the most benefited, again... :roll

Haha....that was the first thought that crossed my mind when I read the article......:lol

[Alonsomaniac]

If all teams use it, then a unanomous support for delay shouldn't be a problem I guess, unless there is a team that has already a solution of course.......

[NickEice]

If all teams use it, then a unanomous support for delay shouldn't be a problem I guess, unless there is a team that has already a solution of course.......

I think if I am Luca I vote for it to be banned. We need to try something. I would assume that Mercedes would suffer most. I also think if it makes the cars harder to drive it benefits Alonso that much more.

[FerrariF60]

I think if I am Luca I vote for it to be banned. We need to try something. I would assume that Mercedes would suffer most. I also think if it makes the cars harder to drive it benefits Alonso that much more.

either that ( which would be GOOD) or it really messes up Mercedes and benefits RED Fools and either Richiardo or Pettel (hope not) wins the rest of the races as well as WDC...which of course would be bad again because we DON'T want another WDC won by another red bull driver...well actually YES so long is not PETTEL the finger boy

[Kiwi Nick]

Let's not worry about who it may or may not benefit, let's do the right thing. Ban FRIC and enforce the ban.

[Nova]

We dont know who would benefit or not..Why wasnt this brought up b4?
The fia appears to be out of touch. Can the cars revert by the next race?
I think they would also need to have a test session to make sure things
are safe. Ya dont simply change the susp then throw them out on a track.

[Rosso Corsa]

Let's not worry about who it may or may not benefit, let's do the right thing. Ban FRIC and enforce the ban.

^ This

[Kingdom Hearts]

After 9 races they figure is not ok to have it?, lol. They want to manipulate the championship and they don't know how to do it.

[PURE PASSION]

If the latest developments in Formula 1 are any indication, the Mercedes’ utter dominance might not last for too much longer.

Last year, we reported that a secret under the skin of the silver car is: FRIC – standing for front and rear interconnected.

Emulating active suspension, the system is now widespread up and down the pitlane, but the FIA’s Charlie Whiting has sent a letter to teams warning that FRIC’s legality could be called into question.

An immediate ban is reportedly on the cards. And that is not all. The Spanish sports newspaper Marca reports that the FIA is also considering clamping down on the rate and flow of hybrid power from the new 2014 V6 turbo power units.

A source was quoted as saying that while the actual combustion engines produced by Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault this year are remarkably close in performance, the big advantage enjoyed by Mercedes is in the ‘hybrid’ areas.

The source said Mercedes’ advantage could be as much as “between 110 to 130 horse power on the straights”.

Finally, Mercedes could be set to lose a first-lap advantage over its rivals, after Williams’ Felipe Massa complained about the behaviour of the silver cars on the formation lap at Silverstone.

“I had to stop twice, pulling in the clutch,” the Brazilian is quoted by Spain’s sports daily AS. “They’re doing it [driving slowly] for some reason. We always complain, and Charlie said that he was going to fix it, but no one has been penalised yet,” Massa added.
http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/07/09/fric-ban-may-end-mercedes-dominance/

[Rob]

Technical analysis: The implications of a FRIC ban in F1
By Craig Scarborough Wednesday, July 9th 2014, 11:45 GMT

http://i60.tinypic.com/sn0y7r.jpg

Following the British Grand Prix, Formula 1 teams received an FIA technical directive that aims to ban hydraulically interconnected suspension, better known as FRIC.

While not coming completely out of the blue, as the FIA had plans in place to ban the system as part of the cost-cutting measures, the urgency in the technical directive did come as a surprise.

F1 teams need to unanimously agree to run the system until the end of the year, or it will be banned for the next race in Germany in just under two weeks' time. This presents the F1 pack with a huge technical hurdle to overcome - potentially within a very short timescale.

FRIC has been around F1 for a long time - its earliest incarnations predate the active suspension era and its latest generation has been on the cars since 2008.

Now every team has a system of some description, although several teams are still in their first year or two of experience of the set-up.

Those teams that adopted the system early, such as Lotus, Mercedes, Ferrari and Marussia, have the car's design fully adapted to the slightly different mechanics of the FRIC.

In most cases teams have replaced the third heave element on each end of the car with a hydraulic element. The chambers in the telescopic device compress hydraulic fluid that passes along the car, through valves and accumulators to a matching device at the other end of the car.

Removing the system and replacing it with an unconnected set-up is not quite as simple as it sounds. The car's ride height, mechanical and aero set-up will all need to change.

The teams with suspension fully optimised around the FRIC design do not necessarily have the mounting points for a full complement of side, heave and roll elements that an unconnected system requires. There may not be the space or sufficient hard points inside the car to create these at short notice.

As a result the extremely low ride heights at the front of the car, which FRIC allows teams to run, will have to be compromised. A raised front ride height is required to keep the splitter and plank off the track and avoid them suffering excessive wear.


http://i57.tinypic.com/30vhi88.jpg
With these higher ride-heights the cars' front wing and underbody will need to be changed. Different specifications of wing and floor are designed for specific ride height ranges, and as the car will have to run higher, the bodywork will need optimising to cope with this. Otherwise the car will lose downforce and suffer balance changes at different speeds.

It could be argued that a rushed FRIC ban will be unsafe, but it is probably more fair to say that the change will compromise cars' handling and teams' ability to predict it. But there should not be the dramatic effect seen when active suspension was banned for 1994.

In any rule change there will be winners and losers, and the teams mentioned above with more time and car design invested in FRIC will suffer the most. Those on the initial learning curve will be able to step back earlier and will most likely have the car equipped to run without FRIC anyway.

As a ban under the cost cutting measures was already mooted, some teams had already commenced a test programme to research their car's performance without FRIC. This could help them if a unanimous decision cannot be reached and the ban is applied with immediate effect.

As always with F1 it is the teams with resources and budget that will adapt to the change quickest regardless of their FRIC status.

It is unlikely to knock Mercedes' dominance of the sport this year, nor have a huge effect on the running order behind it.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114890

[SilverSpeed]

Mercedes, Lotus and RB have the most advanced systems so ban it if deemed illegal, logic no?

[13njb]

What I don't like is the FiA shifting responsibility for what should be their decision onto the teams. If they believe something is illegal they should act according to the rules and regulations.

[gjoko-mkd]

JULY 10, 2014
Mercedes to remove Fric for Hockenheim

Mercedes will remove the complex 'Fric' system from its dominant F1 car ahead of next weekend's German grand prix.

The FIA surprised the entire world of F1 this week by informing teams that it now regards the innovation, which mimicks outlawed active suspension, as potentially illegal.

The technical directive issued by Charlie Whiting opened the door for some teams to lodge protests in Hockenheim and beyond that could forseeably be upheld by the stewards.

On Thursday, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported that the teams most likely to lodge protests are McLaren, Ferrari and Caterham.

The technology, linking the four suspension corners hydraulically, has been around for at least a couple of years, when it was pioneered by Lotus.

It is therefore a surprise to most F1 figures that, suddenly, the FIA is wondering aloud if it contravenes the catch-all regulations against moveable aerodynamic devices.

Most cars in 2014 feature some sort of 'Fric' iteration, but it is widely believed that Mercedes and Red Bull have developed the most complex and effective systems.

Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda said on Thursday: "The system has been used for two and a half years and all technical inspections have occurred without objection.

"So it is difficult to understand why suddenly the perspective has changed," he told Auto Motor und Sport's respected correspondent Michael Schmidt.

Lauda called on the FIA to take a precise position on the legality of the system.

"We don't want to invest any more in something that is against the rules. We want to know whether it is legal or illegal," he said.

Schmdit said he expects Red Bull will also remove 'Fric' - standing for 'front and rear inter-connected' - from its title-chasing car for Hockenheim.

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/493762/Mercedes_to_remove_Fric_for_Hockenheim/

[ferrari4life]

ban it.. maybe this f1 season would be worth following finally.
if they can pull stupid stunts like they are doing to improve the "show" then lets mix up the pack a little.

Ferrari will probably get the short end of the stick anyway. It's just how we roll...

[mirafiori]

ban it.. maybe this f1 season would be worth following finally.
if they can pull stupid stunts like they are doing to improve the "show" then lets mix up the pack a little.

Ferrari will probably get the short end of the stick anyway. It's just how we roll...

The big question is has Mercedes breached the rules, have we breached any regulations if so why are we or any other team not penalized.

[Kiwi Nick]

There is something fundamentally wrong with the way that the FIA scrutineers go about their business. Shouldn't they inspect every car at every race for conformity to the rules? Why must they rely on teams lodging complaints? Could it be that there are far, far too many rules for them to check?

If a car/system has been inspected and approved, then it should continue to be approved until and unless it is changed.

The teams are doing what they are supposed to do; develop cars and systems that allow them to optimize their performance within the scope of the rules. The FIA are, as usual, playing politics when they should be meticulously enforcing the rules.

[Silent Bob]

Sometimes rules can be interpreted different ways and maybe sometimes someone points out that certain 'solutions' contradict certain rules, and explains to the FIA how they contradict the rules. Which means you're probably right, too many rules

[Hornet]

Without much resistance from any team, I think Scarbs is right in his article where he said it won't change the running order. If Mercedes could potential lose a any advantage, they would have fought against it

[Greig]

There is something fundamentally wrong with the way that the FIA scrutineers go about their business. Shouldn't they inspect every car at every race for conformity to the rules? Why must they rely on teams lodging complaints? Could it be that there are far, far too many rules for them to check?

It would take hours and hours to go through every car with a fine toothcomb. F1 does rely on an element of self policing.

[REDARMYSOJA]

This is all about the titanium skid plates and making sparks next year. Sounds crazy, but follow me on this one...


It is a shot across the bows, designed to make the teams aware that for 2015 this practice will cease to be legal, especially with the changes made by the FIA in 2015's regulations and ratified by the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) a few weeks ago pertaining to the skids and plank. These changes will make it difficult to run with such an aggressive rake, due to the now mandated material of Titanium for the skids (whereas most teams have been using Tungsten over the last few years as it wears less). If the topic of FRIC was left alone the teams would make concerted efforts in this area to overcome the changes made to the skids for 2015, nullifying their effect. This change is being introduced to force the teams to run with less rake and to further rob them of downforce, creating a car more focused on mechanical grip, an objective of the new regulations (2014/15).

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/313397/technical-formula-1-s-impending-fric-ban/

So, the FIA just really want them banned for next season, but, since the rules are supposed to be the same next season, if they are illegal starting next season then they must be illegal now. The FIA had to make the announcement now so teams wouldn't waste time and money designing next years cars with the FRIC, and making the announcement means teams could protest race results if anyone is still using the FRIC.

I know, I know, it sounds stupid, but makes as much sense as anything.

[REDARMYSOJA]

Without much resistance from any team, I think Scarbs is right in his article where he said it won't change the running order. If Mercedes could potential lose a any advantage, they would have fought against it

Yeah, strangest of all is how so many are saying it won't really make a difference. If it doesn't, why are they using it to begin with. :Hmm

[Stormy]

The FRIC system is a loophole, nowhere in the F1 rule book specifically says that this kind of system is illegal.
This is what winning teams do, finding innovative loopholes in the rules :-D

[Samcar222]

If Mercedes have been using this since 2012 (per Lauda), how much pace can we realistically expect them to loose, if any? Race pace, quail pace? If the system controls body motions (roll pitch yaw et al.), you'd think any change would be most evident in race trim, considering tire deg and fuel burn (weight loss, shift in F/R balance). Maybe they're trolling the whole field and have another quarter to half second deep within that power unit and won't be affected at all..?

[Kyss4k]

If Mercedes have been using this since 2012 (per Lauda), how much pace can we realistically expect them to loose, if any? Race pace, quail pace? If the system controls body motions (roll pitch yaw et al.), you'd think any change would be most evident in race trim, considering tire deg and fuel burn (weight loss, shift in F/R balance). Maybe they're trolling the whole field and have another quarter to half second deep within that power unit and won't be affected at all..?

There is a rumour that it would cost them about .5 of a second.

[Nova]

Without much resistance from any team, I think Scarbs is right in his article where he said it won't change the running order. If Mercedes could potential lose a any advantage, they would have fought against it

Unless theyre hiding something//funny that they r so willing to remove it.
The games afoot.

[Nova]

AND I may add, if they DO introduce 18" tires next season, teams are going to have a lot more work to do.

[Hornet]

Yeah, strangest of all is how so many are saying it won't really make a difference. If it doesn't, why are they using it to begin with. :Hmm

Well, I think the reasoning is that most teams, or at least the bigger ones, have been able to develop their own working system. So the teams use it because it provides a performance advantage, but then most teams are able to do the same anyway so it doesn't contribute much to the performance differences between the teams.

[Alessandra]

If Ferrari is using the FRIC suspension system then let the teams use it until 2015, if we don't use this system then ban it straight away.:lol


Sounds good to me:lol

[Rob]

Analysis: Costs, not conspiracy behind FRIC ban in F1
By Jonathan Noble Friday, July 11th 2014, 14:23 GMT


Driving costs down in Formula 1, rather than a conspiracy to slow down the dominant Mercedes team, is the real reason behind an FIA push to get rid of FRIC suspension systems.

The FIA informed F1's teams earlier this week that it believed the complicated suspension concepts used by most outfits could be in contravention of the rules.

However, in a bid to avoid the threat of team protests, or even the possibility of the FIA notifying stewards it believed cars were illegal, it has sought unanimous support for a pact between teams not to complain about each other this year so a ban can be properly sorted for 2015.

Not all teams have agreed to this yet.

The move by the FIA to rid F1 of FRIC has prompted numerous conspiracy theories of an agenda to stop the dominant Mercedes outfit, whose own concept is widely accepted as being the most complicated on the grid.

However, the reality is motor racing's governing body is reacting to a concern it has had for some time that FRIC systems risked becoming too complicated and too expensive to justify remaining a part of F1.

BAN FIRST PROPOSED IN MONACO

The first discussions about outlawing FRIC for 2015 came up at the Monaco Grand Prix as part of wider cost-cutting discussions, but teams rejected the idea then as they suggested they would prefer to keep them until the possible return of active suspension in 2017.

However, with correspondence between a number of teams and the FIA about FRIC developments getting increasingly frequent, the governing body elected to begin a detailed investigation into the systems shortly afterwards.

In mid-June, it asked each team to provide detailed explanations of how their FRIC suspension worked and what benefit they brought to the cars.

It was the response from teams, with most admitting that they were doing it for aerodynamic reasons to keep the ride height of the car constant, that set alarms bells ringing.

In fact, it is understood one technical director told the FIA that his team was well aware that FRIC was purely there for aerodynamic gain, so could be at risk of being an illegal moveable aerodynamic device.

The information that was provided to the FIA from all teams during this investigation is what prompted FIA race director Charlie Whiting's decision to view FRIC as potentially in breach of the rules.

FIA HAPPY TO WAIT UNTIL 2015

While the FIA is happy for a proper ban to come into force for 2015, there remains the prospect of teams being forced to take them off cars at the German Grand Prix if some outfits choose to go it alone and threaten protests over anyone running FRIC.

But while there have been conspiracies that banning FRIC is an effort by either F1's chiefs or a team to harm Mercedes' form, the reality appears to be different.

And the fact that Mercedes' main rivals - Red Bull, Ferrari, and Williams - have joined McLaren, Lotus and Marussia so far in saying they are happy for the systems to stay on board for 2014, proves that there is no plot to slow the Brackley-based outfit.

Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that stripping FRIC off cars will have any impact in the competitive order.

As one source said: "If complexity equals performance then Mercedes are a long way ahead, but I don't know whether that link exists."

FIA PUSHED FOR QUICK DECISION

Although the timing of the FIA intervention - mid-season - has been viewed as strange, announcing the plan any later would have compromised work that teams are already doing on their 2015 design.

Teams will not want to waste months designing gearboxes and suspension systems based around FRIC, if in the end they have to run without it.

An FIA insider said: "A lot of teams asked that if you are going to make a move, make it now. We want to know."

While there remains uncertainty about what will happen for the German GP, the reality is that the FIA has grounds to believe that F1 as a whole will be better off without FRIC.

The question now is whether it is gone from next weekend in Hockenheim or only from the start of 2015.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114922

[Rob]

F1 teams fail to agree to delay ban on FRIC suspension
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, July 15th 2014, 12:51 GMT

Formula 1 teams have failed to agree unanimously to delay a ban on FRIC suspension until the end of the season, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

The situation means that the door is now open for protests to be lodged at this weekend's German Grand Prix against any outfit that runs with the front-and-rear-interconnected suspension concept.

Following last week's letter from F1 technical delegate Charlie Whiting outlining his belief that FRIC could be challenged, efforts have been ongoing to try to get full backing for a non-protest pact between all outfits.

But although a majority of the teams were in favour of such an agreement, some of F1's smaller outfits were more reluctant to allow FRIC to remain for the rest of the campaign.

Their stance is understood to have prompted some of the big squads that initially were willing to go along with a delay to change their view - ending all hopes of a deal happening.

An FIA spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the governing body was no longer expecting to get a deal in place to prevent FRIC being challenged from this weekend.

"We have not yet got, nor do we expect to get, the agreement of all teams to the proposed amnesty," he said.

TEAMS FACE FRIC CALL

The failure to get full support for a non-protest pact means each outfit must now choose whether or not to run FRIC.

The danger for any team running it is that they risk being disqualified from the results if they are protested and found to be in breach of the rules.

The FIA is not expected to offer any advice about what teams should do now, having made clear in last week's letter that it believed the system could be viewed as illegal.

McLaren on Monday became the first team to confirm that it was taking FRIC off its cars for Hockenheim, and other outfits are expected to follow suit.

However, with the FIA indicating that it will likely take a 'hands off' approach and not step in to report any outfit running FRIC, the situation will come down to whether or not any team will be willing to protest one of its rivals.

One possible scenario is for an outfit to use the Thursday of the event as a test case for the legality of FRIC - as it is the race stewards who have the ultimate say in the legality of components.

If the concept is ruled illegal, then FRIC suspension could be removed before first practice begins on Friday.

If the stewards disagree with Whiting's view that FRIC is an illegal moveable aerodynamic device, then the way would be left clear for all teams to run it again.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114969

[Alonsomaniac]

FIA: "It could be illegal, which means it also could be legal......but we won't tell you untill after you run it" . :-??

[Ferris]

McLaren is behind the FRIC ban.

Mercedes have the most advanced FRIC system on the grid and this is largely known by the other teams. It is followed closely by RB.

Ron's team has had very limited access to the Merc engine in the back of their cars given that they are about to jump ship to Honda for 2015. This has upset the team considerably but is understandable from a Merc perspective.

In addition to this Ron feels (whether this is warranted or not is unknown) that both FI and Williams enjoy and better specification (probably around the electronics) PU from Merc than what they are currently offering Mclaren. Ron cant fathom how minnows like FI and Williams could best his team given the same PU.

This has irked Ron that he has played the FIA politics card and has lobbied for FRIC to be removed as he believes it will hurt Merc much more than McLaren.

If you look at the comments from Eric around the FRIC ban it becomes pretty clear that McLaren were involved. Whilst all other teams have largely kept quiet on the issue, Mclaren have not and were the first team to announce that they would not run FRIC to send a message to the rest of the grid that they will contest the race results of teams who do run FRIC.

Ahhh, the politics in F1 are alive and well.

I have a feeling Merc will have the last laugh. Anyone want to wager on a Mclaren PU failure in the next GP? :)

[Senna4Ever]

After McLaren also both RedBull teams will ban FRIC for Hockenheim (at least) ...

[Kingdom Hearts]

Are the teams forced to reveal if the will use it or not?.

[radosav]

Are the teams forced to reveal if the will use it or not?.

Probably not, but if someone appeals a protest, teams who have it will be disqualified !

[Lesky]

Probably not, but if someone appeals a protest, teams who have it will be disqualified !

Not only investigated? Is it certain they will get punished?

[radosav]

Not only investigated? Is it certain they will get punished?

I've read that smaller teams haven't yet accepted proposal from teams that use this system that they ban it from 2015. It was said that in a way smaller teams are blackmailing bigger teams with their position of being able to protest it after the race and disqualification of FRIC teams!

[Hornet]

Hardly surprising that an agreement couldn't be reached. I just wished the FIA would set a definitive decision on their own and stick to it. If they intended to ban from 2015, then they should just stick to that. If they want to ban it now, then they should outright enforce it (and not wait for someone to complain).

Right now it's like they can't make their mind up, it's declared illegal but they won't do anything, unless someone complains.

[FerrariF60]

Hardly surprising that an agreement couldn't be reached. I just wished the FIA would set a definitive decision on their own and stick to it. If they intended to ban from 2015, then they should just stick to that. If they want to ban it now, then they should outright enforce it (and not wait for someone to complain).

Right now it's like they can't make their mind up, it's declared illegal but they won't do anything, unless someone complains.

so why isn't FERRARI complaining??? they surely got nothing to lose
it's NOT that we have such system on our cars...common, were NOT that inventive as Merc's are....even if we were, we would NOT get it working as it should

maybe now with James Allison onboard, we'll be more inventious and with a lot of cool stuff that actually WORKS

[Ferris]

so why isn't FERRARI complaining??? they surely got nothing to lose
it's NOT that we have such system on our cars...common, were NOT that inventive as Merc's are....even if we were, we would NOT get it working as it should

maybe now with James Allison onboard, we'll be more inventious and with a lot of cool stuff that actually WORKS

We have the system also but our new team boss does not speak to the media as much as the others. He has gone old school.
Our system is not thought to be as advanced as Merc's or RB's.

Will be interesting to see how the pecking order adjusts. I don't think we will see a change in the pecking order but maybe the margins between teams will change.

Will be an interesting weekend.

[RedRebel40]

Aldo Costa suspension expert comes to my mind :Hmm

[Alessandra]

F1 teams fail to agree to delay ban on FRIC suspension
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, July 15th 2014, 12:51 GMT

One possible scenario is for an outfit to use the Thursday of the event as a test case for the legality of FRIC - as it is the race stewards who have the ultimate say in the legality of components.

If the concept is ruled illegal, then FRIC suspension could be removed before first practice begins on Friday.

If the stewards disagree with Whiting's view that FRIC is an illegal moveable aerodynamic device, then the way would be left clear for all teams to run it again.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114969


So, today's the day then?

What a ridiculous situation for F1 to get itself into - again:roll

[Hornet]

Sky reporting that Lewis says he's "comfortable" after testing the Merc car without FRIC at Silverstone test.

I hope our drivers can get up to speed on Friday. I'd imagine there will be some setup changes required

[aroutis]

Sky reporting that Lewis says he's "comfortable" after testing the Merc car without FRIC at Silverstone test.

I hope our drivers can get up to speed on Friday. I'd imagine there will be some setup changes required
l would expect nothing less from LH. He has an ongoing battle in Merc.