Barcelona updates and revised exhaust blown diffuser regulations

[Fiondella]

Our drivers have been told to eat plenty of cabbage and sprouts before qualifying!

[scuderiafan]

Our drivers have been told to eat plenty of cabbage and sprouts before qualifying!

surely that would overheat the car too much?

[ferrari4life]

So cars dont have the change the design. they just cant use the 100% throttle to keep the gases flowing even when they are brakeing?

[ferrari4life]

WOW THIS IS BIG.. I wonder if it was done because of the obvious advantage that the RB team has during quali.

[ferrari4life]

Once again I dont know what to make of this.
The great FIA once again rewards creativity and millions of dollors spend developing this tech with a BAN..

[Jose Lorca]

Once again I dont know what to make of this.
The great FIA once again rewards creativity and millions of dollors spend developing this tech with a BAN..

As long as it advantages Ferrari in some way, which it does, I don't really give a **** about any other implications.

Forza Jean Todt!

[scuderiafan]

there has been a rule that throttle input must be controlled by the driver. so if they banned this because of that, then i understand.

[ferrari4life]

As long as it advantages Ferrari in some way, which it does, I don't really give a **** about any other implications.

Forza Jean Todt!

well and good to say until Ferrari inovates something that is subsequently copied and then banned.

[scuderiafan]

confirmed that ferrari bringing in new Floor, and different front and rear wings. maybe diffuser also.

could the flex be possible????

[ferrari4life]

The game is afoot

[FerrariF60]

could the flex be possible????

...hopefully a little bit of FLEX in the floor...LOL as well in the front wing...one (and by that i mean ME) can only hope

[SilverSpeed]

Haha wanna see Horner's face now

[Rob]

apparently it might be because blowing extra gas is not 'green' with the fia trying to improve its green image, maybe this story might have some weight to it.

It isnt extra gases. It is the exhaust gas. So there is no more C02 than there would be with the conventional exits. What im making of this is that FIA reduced the car aero, but the teams have found an old and brilliant way of clawing back some of it. Been used in past, the teams have invested in this millions and designing the cars to maximise the gases, now it may well be banned.

Good news for us and Mclaren, as RBR relies on this and the mapping alot. Yet again FIA stoppong the designers and engineers doing what they do best and get paid to do.

[de Portago]

Blimey! One needs to be an engineer to understand how that thing works!

[RockyRaccoon]

Wow, that came out of nowhere! Can't help but feel it's a little unfair against the teams who have effective systems. Another case of randomly changing the rules mid-season for no real reason.

How they can allow that crazy flexy front wing and ban this is beyond me!

[Rob]

Wow, that came out of nowhere! Can't help but feel it's a little unfair against the teams who have effective systems. Another case of randomly changing the rules mid-season for no real reason.

How they can allow that crazy flexy front wing and ban this is beyond me!

yeah it is silly how they can not ban that but ban the blown diffuser.

[alogoc]

i dont understand one thing if FIA says that it is banned to use exoust gases to help aerodynamics why dont they bann the blown diffusor all the way instead they jus banned engine modes when of trothle ....

[puto.havana]

Once again I dont know what to make of this.
The great FIA once again rewards creativity and millions of dollors spend developing this tech with a BAN..

To be fair to the FIA it is a very difficult balance to strike between allowing the teams to be ingenious and creative (and spending a lot of money!) on the one hand and creating a fair and level playing field on the other.

However whether this is the right move from the FIA remains to be seen.

[puto.havana]

i dont understand one thing if FIA says that it is banned to use exoust gases to help aerodynamics why dont they bann the blown diffusor all the way instead they jus banned engine modes when of trothle ....

Well it would be difficult and unfair to ask the teams to fundamentally change the exhaust/diffuser concept they have come up with - they will probably put an all out ban on exhaust blown diffusers for next season.

[scuderiafan]

looks like teams will gave to find another way of finding downforce now, as the blown diffuser will be less effective than before.

IMO the fia did this to stop Vettel running away with the title, much like what they did in 2006 and all through our glory days.

make Friday even more interesting though, doesn't it?

[ferrari4life]

i dont understand one thing if FIA says that it is banned to use exoust gases to help aerodynamics why dont they bann the blown diffusor all the way instead they jus banned engine modes when of trothle ....

Well the idea behind the ban is that they cannot force the engine to provide more exhaust than what is needed for straight acceleration.
They are not banning how exhaust gases are being used. they are instead banning the forced production of extra exhaust gases to keep the advantage of the diffuser throughout each section of the track..

[Jose Lorca]

IMO the fia did this to stop Vettel running away with the title, much like what they did in 2006 and all through our glory days.

Agrred. So glad they banned it before Monaco - where it would have been most effective. Vettel can take all the credit for a very dominant car, but he's never had a Monaco pole or victory, and now it looks even more unlikely.

Speaking of Monaco, which teams look best at low speeds. Renault, ...?

Silly question, but our car has changed so much since Ausralia that I honestly don't know ...do we still have superior mechanical grip like we did last year?

[Tony]

I'm not a fan of mid-season rule changes to be honest.... the rules should be consistent throughout the year.... changes should only happen for the next season....

Just bring back testing so that teams that are behind can catch up with more testing.... which is the right way to do it to be honest, since it means that the team did it the right way, by developing its car....

[scuderiafan]

Agrred. So glad they banned it before Monaco - where it would have been most effective. Vettel can take all the credit for a very dominant car, but he's never had a Monaco pole or victory, and now it looks even more unlikely.

Speaking of Monaco, which teams look best at low speeds. Renault, ...?

Silly question, but our car has changed so much since Ausralia that I honestly don't know ...do we still have superior mechanical grip like we did last year?

I hope so. the car isn't much different to last year,so I guess it could be true.

btw, Renault along with RedBull looks set to lose out a lot without this exhaut stuff according to James Allen. their traction and mechanical grip depends a lot on thar fee.

[alogoc]

from now on it is Ferrari vs Mclaren just like old days

does anyone think that redbull used the now banned sysem in race trim also?
because if they did this will be a serious hit for them!
if i am right our car was originaly designed whitout the blown difuzor

[Jose Lorca]

from now on it is Ferrari vs Mclaren just like old days

I wouldn't be so sure about this. Don't forget that Red Bull are still aerodynamically superior on the track, and Newey is genius!

does anyone think that redbull used the now banned sysem in race trim also?

I haven't been to any races this year so I can't give conclusively answer that, however other people who have been to Grand Prix's this year have said that Red Bull only run it in qualifying, and occasionally practice as well.

I doubt anyone would use it in the race - It puts a lot of stress on the engine.

[scuderiafan]

the million dollar question is (literally)

now that this avenue of developmen is closed, where will the teams find their lost downforce. and what ingenious idea will it be? could it be a
trick floor, or some other part?

will it be Mercedes, or McLaren, or will RedBull astound us again, or will Renault find a great idea again. or will it be us, with a new idea?

don't forget, even though we may have found out about this today, the teams have known since just free the Turkish gp. it sure will be interesting to see what they have all come up with to get that speed back.

I hope it is us.

[Julie B]

From Twitter....

NobleF1Jon Noble
Late breaking news: F1 teams have been given a reprieve by the FIA on a change to the blown diffuser regs for the Spanish GP. Story soon

[Sianellen]

Teams get reprieve over blown diffusers

By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, May 17th 2011, 21:11 GMT


Formula 1 teams have been given a reprieve to continue using blown diffusers freely from this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, AUTOSPORT can reveal, after the FIA had a rethink about going ahead with a major change to the regulations.

As reported earlier, the FIA issued a clarification to teams following the Turkish Grand Prix that would have banned them from using clever engine mapping settings to keep gases pumping through the diffuser even when the driver was off-throttle.

Teams had been benefiting from keeping gases flowing through the diffuser at the same rate as when the driver was on throttle, even when he was fully on the brakes. This maximised the downforce benefits gained from the use of a blown diffuser.

However, a directive from the FIA clarified that teams were only allowed to use the throttle settings for increasing torque, not for 'aerodynamic performance' - which effectively banned them from keeping gases pushing through the diffuser off-throttle.

That edict meant teams faced work to tweak their engine settings for this weekend's race at the Circuit de Catalunya, and leading figures - including Red Bull Racing's Christian Horner and Mercedes GP's Ross Brawn - said they were unsure how the competitive order would be affected by the changes.

However, following dialogue between the FIA and the teams, AUTOSPORT can reveal that the governing body decided late on Tuesday not to go through with the change to the blown diffuser regulations for Barcelona.

A high level source indicated that the decision had been taken because a number of 'unforeseen and unintended consequences' of the ban had been brought to the FIA's attention.

It is not clear what these consequences were, but teams that had benefited the most from the blown diffuser regulations may have complained about potential difficulties that they may have faced in making necessary changes to car set-up in such a short space of time.

Although off-throttle usage of blown diffusers remains in place for now, AUTOSPORT understands that the matter has been put to the top of the agenda for the next meeting of F1 think tank, the Technical Working Group.

It is understood that the FIA is keen for the off-throttle usage to be stamped out as soon as it can be implemented without causing further complications for the teams.

[scuderiafan]

well that was quick. Barcelona won't be much interesting then.