Back track on 2013 ground effect rule change.

[The Outlaw]

Thanks for the heads up. I just read a article related to this, and all I can say is....what a (typically) dumb decision this is, especially now that we're already a few races into the season More importantly, what are they trying to achieve by this? Do they not realize this basically handicaps all of the teams resources and hampers development and innovation within the sport?

AFAIK, a few teams (Ferrari & Mclaren) were bringing rather large exhaust upgrades to Barcelona, which means they might only be good for just one race due to this mid season change of the rules (or rather a change in the enforcement of the rules after roughly a year and half has passed with teams using this trick ). Not only that, but pretty much all of the teams (especially the teams running more extreme blown exhaust layouts/ Especially Renault) will now be forced to spend more money and resources on an exhaust design will which work more effectively with the new restrictions, that are intended to dramatically reduce/limit exhaust flow on the engines run down...

Instead of limiting exhaust retardation on the run down, the FIA should have further investigated the controversial flexi front wing/drooping nose IMO (which has been a bit questionable in terms of legality from the get go, and has also given one team a large advantage for quite some time now).

 

[Alex.]

I can't believe how the FIA can't see that and we can. Crazy.

 

[The Outlaw]

From my perspective, authority (whether it be FIA, government, etc.) often commit quite questionable/irrational decisions (whether it's because their naive or they do so for their own personal interest), so this of no real surprise.

Anyway, I just read another article and it does in fact sound like they will be enforcing the exhaust flow on run down this weekend at Barcelona....which is pretty big news I would say.

I just wonder what a team like Renault will do, as their car would likely be pretty undriveable with the front blown exhaust layout and a dramatic reduction in exhaust flow on the engines run down (when the driver is physically off throttle). Having to retrofit to a more traditional exhaust system will be no easy task given the limited amount of time either.

Edit: I wonder how this will affect the RB7, as it runs a great deal of rake in an attempt to increase the rear diffuser volume, by using the exhaust pulses as a thermal & physical skirt to help seal the diffuser side areas. This concept may no longer be effective with this new enforcement. Too bad Ferrari also spent a bunch of money/resources on this concept which they were supposedly going to implement this weekend at Barcelona

 

[Ardius]

The FIA have clamped down hard on blown exhausts, banning the teams from running air when the driver is off the throttle. The conversation must've gone something like:


"Hey, a new idea, better ban that to slow the teams town and not focus on innovation"
"Why?"
"Well you know, that's a new idea to increase the car's pace, which clearly is not allowed"

The FIA banning various pieces of technology and innovation in the sport pisses me off so much. It's like it's a bad thing to invent something that makes the car faster.

Wrong thread, posting this here is just going to confuse the debate. The back track on 2013 is not to do with the FIA, so why post FIA-2011 decisions here?

In any case, the FIA have now decided to wait a bit before banning the constant-throttle diffusers. I'm not really bothered by it, banning technology is what keeps the designers innovating, if nothing was banned, we would still be arguing about engines being too powerful for one team or another and how its too hard for the smaller teams.
I don't really care for constant-throttle diffusers, its not like we see them though we can hear them. Its not like restricting engines to V8s or whatever, do you really care about this?

I have to say though, it does smell of trying to mix up the competition Mosley-style, rather than a legitimate concern in the regulations.

 

[The Outlaw]

I agree, it probably would have been best to create a new thread for this topic (as it's rather big news and a bit irrelevent to the intended discussion of this thread)...but no biggie! At least IMO lol

Also a new article has been released that puts a much more reasonable twist and outlook on the situation: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91481

According this the article, teams were notified of the crackdown on ecu settings at Turkey. More importantly, the FIA has yet to officially ban such off throttle ecu settings...so we won't be seeing teams having to scury for new exhaust setups for the next race fortunately. Basically, "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." Which I don't really have much of an issue with 👍

 

[TenEightyOne]

May i suggest a 2-class Formula 1 World championship?.

No!!! NOOOO!!!

We've had that, and it was terrible. That's why there have statistically been so many American drivers in F1 compared to any other nationality. Not that it's a bad thing that they were American, just that the racing was terrible and the accidents were many.

At least we might not see THIS happen now - and anything that keeps Craig Pollock away from F1 is definitely a Good Thing.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Are you on commission from worldleagueracing?