When I listen to Whiny McWhiny at Red Bull complain that Merc’s new design concept goes against the ‘’Spirit’ Of the regulations he should be reminded there’s no such thing. Your car design either conforms to the regulations or it doesn’t. I don’t think he’s happy that the FIA have checked it said that the Merc does.
He's right, as always. F1 doesn't need the complication of compliance tests, or scrutineering. All that's needed is for each team to look at each other's cars and confirm "yes, that's what the regulations were trying to say". They'd all reach the same verdicts. It's the same with the sporting regs. The sport doesn't need Stewards. Everybody understands the spirit of racing.
And when you need the regs to be interpreted in a different manner for your benefit, simply suggest it. It's all simples.
Same for ferrari. I dont see anywhere in the regs where a wing mirror is not an aero device par se. Sayingnits a convention doesn't make it a reg. As far as I can see they should stick to the letter of the regs and determine if that aero wing is legal or not. The rest of the body all looks fine to me from my limited side. I can't see who anyone can refer to stewards for legality putside that wing being an extra.
Even if they define the wing/mirror ledge as illegal, I feel like they could sculpt that in to the top of the zero pod and it then be legal.
They are allowed a support off the body and it says may be one off the side pod so that's very different to a full wing but if you lose the wing as its either not a continuous body then the air flow being directed down is lost. What can be done then to make this thing work as it looks very practical for them to have that body but they need to power the floor edge and this wing is forcing air down there.
I do like that Merc have come with a unique sidepod design. The big question though is is it a fast car as currently they are lapping 2 seconds slower than the Alpha's! OK so it's still testing and we may not see the real speed till first practice session but it must have the other teams worried or wondering if they can do the same? It seems like it's a difficult concept to apply to an existing car without lots of CFD and tunnel time not to mention £££ out of budget!!! I would like it to be close racing and have different teams taking the top spot on the podium.
They have not opened the taps imo and won't if they think it will lead to first race protest. They'll hammer all and sundry in quali.
I would..... Say you are ferrari and your concept is not toast but its not far off red bull so far, what would you do? Seek to redesign knowing you can't get it done before say summer break and know you'll be 3rd Or do you roll the dice and try force.merc to run their more standard design and well.. End up 3rd
That's what I'm saying. That could quite easily become a continuous part of the body with some creative sculpting and slotting, if it's deemed illegal. But I'm pretty sure they will have checked, double checked and triple checked that it's within the regs.
It was a long range shot of Horner chatting to Peter Bayer an FIA single seater boss across a table. Ted was saying body language things about Horner leaning forwards, hands out across table and leg crossed pointing and FIA bloke sitting back in chair arms folded. I know nothing about body language but folded arms are normally a sign of NO!!!
What is the difference between the FIA technical people who scrutinise designs and say what is legal and race stewards? The FIA technical scrutinisers must know as much or more than the race stewards, so how can the race stewards declare a car illegal? I can understand race stewards scrutinising new upgrades once the season starts but beforehand, no.
Stewards won't be declaring a car legal/illegal, but if a car fails to comply with technical regulations during scrutineeeng, they will apply the appropriate penalty based on the infringement, if I'm correct.
I agree. I think there different sets of stewards. The temp ones who view the race but I think there are others that carry out the scrutineering and apply the load tests etc. They must be skilled engineers?
It the same as the rear wing gap. You let quali happen and if say merc 1/2 by a second and ferrari are 3/4... just say. Ignore the red bull hate and think if you were ferrari would you not lodge a specific complaint about car 44 not complying with regulation x.x because of whatever and get them excluded? Surely it doesn't matter what team it is that's second here, if there is a clear case of a car not complying with a reg them the stewards have to exclude it. Imo this is what bother ferrari and red bull will be looking at in the back offices right now. I personally don't see what Ted is on about with the side pod shape the shape itself seems not much of an issue. It's having am extra wing still I don't know about
Whenever 'spirit of the rules' is mentioned in respect to car design, you know someone is pissed their designers haven't thought of it.
