AMuS are speculating that Red Bull have some sort of rear wing F-Duct. They guess that the front air inlet is used for it when DRS is open. McLaren and Mercedes are also hinted for using a rear wing F-Duct and front wing W-Duct....... Never seen so much speculations floating around!
There seem to be two camps on the W-duct. Some say it's a complete myth invented by Mercedes to explain why the car is more stable through corners while they were trying to hide development of the RRH system, others going crazy over every little dint or reflection claiming they're inlets feeding the systems that stall the front wing. Red Bull's RW slots are the subject of interest too - Scarbs reckons they're illegal. Red Bull says RB8's new exhaust is legal, which probably means it isn't demonstrably illegal.
It's only the exhaust positioning regulations for 2012 that is makes blowing the diffuser with the exhaust impossible by last years methods. The slots in the floor are legal as is blowing the diffuser. The teams this year are using body work to channel the flow of gases, then air flow over the car to move the exhaust plume to where it works best. All of which is still legal providing the strict exhaust rules are met.
It's not simply with the technical regulations that exhaust flow must comply, though. There is also the technical directive that states, "that any exhaust designs that reingest or redirect exhaust flow for principally aerodynamic reasons will not be permitted." That's a judgement call and, unfortunately, it prevents any of us from concluding that the design is indubitably legal. As tomcat pointed out, even Horner hasn't gone that far: "Obviously we feel the car is fully compliant with the regulations..." What's more relevant to the argument than what Horner, Newey or any of us say is that the teams understand not just the technical regulations but also what the technical directive's objectives are and how Charlie Whiting thinks. Red Bull won't take a car to Australia that they think has a significant risk of being thrown out of the race. With all the theatrical drama surrounding the unveiling of the supposed B-spec car, however, I wouldn't put it past them to test a car that isn't legal.
History says that F1 designers will get away with everything they can, from Water cooled braking systems to lead shot in the petrol tank to deeply buried electronics systems. The main problem rule writers have for f1 is there are so many ways to skin a cat that rule writers can only envision so many was around a problem, and invariably someone will see a way around them (too easy tbh). I doubt it's too hard to move something somewhere else so it directs exhaust flow as it's secondary function, which would circumvent the rule nicely. The guys that work in F1 are some of the smartest engineers on the planet, and their main area of study is centred around figuring a way around the rules.
Well, they haven't got away with anything yet. They've only evaluated it in testing. Earlier I saw an article in Italian whose accompanying photo indicated that Ferrari have a similarly positioned single slot on one of their rear wings. Both are supposed to be for the new passive RW F-duct that tomcat reported yesterday. Mercedes are supposed to have one, too, so I guess McLaren must? Whether any of them will make it to Australia is unclear.
Sebastian Vettels RB8 has got a name finally: Abbey. http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/vettel-names-new-red-bull-abbey/
Perhaps its after Abby Titmus as there are videos knocking around on the tinterweb of it blowing things it shouldn't be blowing?
Mark webber admiting RB is not 100% confident in its car http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17339329 (former Mark Webber Column) Truth or mind games?
Scarbs is tweeting out some hardcore glamour shots. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at, to be honest. He draws attention to the "tortuous" exhaust. please log in to view this image
I'm glad someone else has the same reaction as me when these type of shots turn up. Scarbs - "A shot of the rear Red Bull showing the wide contour of the grubnuts and the high flange shielding on the exhaust manipulator handle. Me - "Ahhh, right, I see.....er.....is that good?
