"The Spirit of the Rules": Diffuser Discussions

[Captain Hammer]

To stop the discussions about the diffusers from dominating threads on the actual races, I thought it might be sensible to create a thread to openly discuss the matter. I'm not going to go through the expositionary phase and explain the issue, because chances are that if you know F1 Rejects, you know Formula One. And you can't really have been paying attention to Formula One without hearing of the diffusers in some way, shape or form. So I'm just going to cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Firstly, I think this whole "Spirit of the Rules" thing by Red Bull, Ferrari and Renault is a joke. No, make that an insult.

Let me explain: the last time someone cited their actions as being in the "Spirit of the Rules" was Brazil in 2007 when McLaren moved to have Heidfed, Kubica and Rosberg thrown out for illegally-cooled fuel. But they made no move to bring action against Nakajima, who had exactly the same thing going on. Ignoring for the moment the fact that the the advantage the four cars would have gained was negligible, Heidfeld, Kubica and Rosberg all finished ahead of Hamilton, and having them excluded from the results would have meant Hamilton got the points he needed to take the World Championship from Raikkonen. To me, it reeked of McLaren trying to do everything they could to win the championship even through it had already been fairly decided. I used to have a lot of respect for them, but after that weekend and the way they came across as sore losers and justified it as being in the sport's interests, they've plummeted down the order. They could at least have included Nakajima in their protest to make it seem like they were being altruistic.

And now it's the same thing with Red Bull, Ferrari and Renault. I can't suspend my disbelief long enough to believe they actually think this protest is wholly for the benefit of the sport. It seems more like they are running to the stewards because the other teams came up with something clever that they didn't think of. They can't get up and say "We're doing this because it's the right thing to do and we gain absolutely nothing from it". If Barrichello's comments after the race - namely that when Kovalainen got him at the first corner, it damaged the diffuser - are true, then Brawn's speed comes from something else entirely, but that's moot point. I know that everything is going to be a little hinky at first with the rule changes, but I hope 2009 doesn't become a case of teams finding speed by getting the other cars banned; if I were in Brawn's shoes, I'd much rather lose the race on the circuit than in the tribunal court.

[Bert]

I don't know where I heard this, but the triopoly had no representation on the Technical Working Group who provided recommendations for the 2009 season. Perhaps it is a case of, after months of developing rules proposals, not being able to see the trees for the forest, whereas the triopoly, having a fresh view could see the leaves!

Go Triopoly!

Do you know how hard it is to type standing up?

[Kuwashima]

Aye, aye, Capt'n H. I admire your analysis.

Bert's comment reminds me of a discussion we had with Mischa, of www.Formule1.nl and Sat podcast fame, who suggested to us that he thought whatever loophole was in the regulations was put there deliberately to encourage innovation and to shake up the grid a little. He simply couldn't believe the regulation-writers would be stupid enough to miss obvious opportunities for dispute unintentionally. I'm not so sure, but then it's his theory, not mine...

Cheers,
Jamie.

[Chilled Phill]

What a very interesting thought.

Although it's a bit worrying that this issue has been around since January and these three teams have done absolutely nothing to do about it prior to the release of Brawn GP which is a good two months. Knowing the sheer technical power behind these three teams involved, two months is surely enough time to produce a similar system...?

[Nuppiz]

Aye, aye, Capt'n H. I admire your analysis.

Bert's comment reminds me of a discussion we had with Mischa, of http://www.Formule1.nl and Sat podcast fame, who suggested to us that he thought whatever loophole was in the regulations was put there deliberately to encourage innovation and to shake up the grid a little. He simply couldn't believe the regulation-writers would be stupid enough to miss obvious opportunities for dispute unintentionally. I'm not so sure, but then it's his theory, not mine...

Cheers,
Jamie.

I'm thinking quite a bit the same way as Mischa seems to think. FIA has always seemed watertight in their new regulations, and it would be odd that they would have let this kind of a significant loophole in the new regulations unintentionally. So my guess is that they really are trying to allow a bit more freedom for the teams in designing the cars, perhaps trying to smoothen up their rather cold relations with FOTA. But only time will tell us the truth.

[AndreaModa]

Yes, Captain Hammer has hit the nail on the head...

...ah my humour is wasted on you people!

the sport is meant to be the pinnacle of technology in sport, if Ferrari, Red Bull, and Renault don't like the way Williams, Brawn, and Toyota have got their thinking caps on then they can go and join in the BTCC and make it a bit more exciting now only Vauxhall are left as the only constructors. At least there they won't have to worry about plenty of new innovations that keep popping up in rival cars!

Interestingly it seems that Red Bull actually intend to actively persue fitting a new Brawn et al-style diffuser asap if the tribunal goes against them, i guess its a shame only they in the field have decided to bolt their rear suspension to their gearbox leaving almost no room for diffuser alterations...well thats their problem not Brawn's isn't it?!

[Captain Hammer]

I just hope the FIA will make the right decision. They were consistently inconsistent last year, so my hopes aren't high, but now that we have a season where several teams who are not the Usual Suspects are competitive, I kind of want it to stay that way. Brawn might hve the advantage now, but as the race proved, aerodynamics is only a small part of the game now: tyre management and KERS will each play their parts in the races to come.

[RejectSteve]

I just hope the FIA will make the right decision. They were consistently inconsistent last year, so my hopes aren't high, but now that we have a season where several teams who are not the Usual Suspects are competitive, I kind of want it to stay that way.

Because it isn't the Usual Suspects (read: Ferrari), it won't.

[Captain Hammer]

Like I said, Barrichello claims that Kovalainen took out his diffuser when he played dominoes with everyone else at the first corner, so I don't think it's going to be a case of Brawn, Williams and Toyota going from dominating the field in practice and qualifying to it being a case of the six drivers fighting amongst them to see who advances to Q3 because they're so slow.

It would really suck if the Brawns were thrown out and the results adjusted, because it would mean Lewis Hamilton won and what would have been one of the most memorable races would become one of the most controversial. Fortunately, Brawn, Williams and Toyota aren't racing under appeal, so they can't have their results revoked.

[rffp]

What would happen if Ferrari were the ones to design their cars with the diffuser? Would they be at risk like Brawn, Toyota and Williams?

[Captain Hammer]

It's likely, becaue they would have been included in the protest by Red Bull and Renault. I gather that this entire episode is a charge being led by the Red Bulls, with the other teams agreeing that tey think the parts are illegal.

[BB01]

I would probably expect what has happened in the past like with the Ferrari rear diffuser which was said to be too flexible. They used a loophole to their advantage but then the rules were changed (whether it was a rule or just the tolerance allowed in the testing procedure, its the same thing) and the loophole closed after it was complained about.

They can't disqualify the teams for the race just for breaking the "spirit" or "intention" of the rules, but they can change the rules for the future to close loopholes and that's what i expect to happen.

The problem that the teams have is that until it goes to a hearing, they can't be totally sure that its legal. Do they go down the path of designing something that exploits this apparant loophole, only to have the FIA close it again after they've spent a lot of time and money? Or do they wait it out for the loophole to be closed knowing that those teams that have an advantage will lose it? One thing is for certain is that the sooner they clear the matter up, the better, so that teams are on a level ground as far as interpretation of the rules is concerned.

I do, however, still find it funny that if Ferrari find a loophole, its called cheating and if anyone else does it, its just a loophole...

[Matt]

Surely this has been going on since rules were first invented. You look at the regs and see what you can get away with. Six Wheel Tyrell, Brabham Fan Car all saw that these were allowed within the rules, took a punt on them and got a good car that was soon banned.

The thing you really want in the sport is people running close to the regulations so that you get all new ideas, wings, ground effect, difussers. The people that are complaining are doing it purely through sour grapes and nothing more.

I for one think its great that a "small" team on a low budget can have a single designer that has a good idea can get it on the car and make the big boys look stupid, it rewards the smaller innovators much much more.

[shinji]

Bumping this for the sake of funsies.

[ADx_Wales]

I'll say it before , and I've said it again........in THAT order.

There is no such thing as the "Spirit of the Regulations"

Not unless you count the one keeping Nelson Piquet Jnr awake at night.

[DonTirri]

Bumping this for the sake of funsies.

Holy necroposting batman!

[Porrima]

Bumping this for the sake of funsies.

Holy necroposting batman!

There was this post, this post I really loved. I truly loved that post. Then someone told me it was dead.

They said to me my love was wrong.