http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport/story/51678.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Sebastian Vettel does not think the proposed ban on off-throttle blown diffusers will hit Red Bull's performance harder than its rivals. All the teams in Formula One use exhaust gases to improve the performance of their diffusers and increase downforce. This year the top teams have been developing ever more complex systems so that the exhausts continue to pump gases over the diffuser even when the driver is off the throttle. It is believed Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault have taken this concept the furthest by introducing so-called 'hot blowing' diffusers. In these cases, fuel continues to be dumped through the engine while the ignition is ******ed so that it explodes in the exhaust rather than the combustion chamber. This practice continues to feed the diffuser with hot gases when the driver is off the throttle, while also creating a very distinct and noisy sound. Red Bull first introduced this practice last year with the help of its engine supplier Renault, which revealed earlier this year that its engines use 10% more fuel as a result. The FIA is keen to clamp down on the practice which it believes is not only wasteful, but also contravenes rules relating to the driver influencing the car's aerodynamics. Red Bull has made clear that it is not entirely happy with the ruling, with Adrian Newey saying in Canada: "I agree with rule changes in the middle of a championship for good reasons, like safety, but this is not the case. It's absurd." But despite his team's vocal objections, Vettel does not believe a ban will hurt his championship campaign. "If it is happening then I think it will hit everyone," he told ESPNF1 in an exclusive interview. "I think if you look at the concept of our car then we are not bad off if it [the ban] happens. I think there are other people that will lose more, for instance the Renault or Mercedes teams which are completely relying on that technique. "Surely it will hit everyone as we all rely on it in terms of performance. It does make us quicker, and if you ban it it will slow us down. But I think, compared to others, we won't be at a disadvantage." The proposed ban will allow for 10% of the current level of blowing to continue off-throttle, which will reduce the amount of downforce the cars have on corner entry. But Vettel said the change will not have a massive effect on the way a driver approaches the corner. "It will change, obviously, how much speed you are bringing into the corners and round the corners - anything in the off-throttle mode," he said. "I think we were all very used to driving the cars like they were last year [before the introduction of off-throttle blown diffusers] and you have to adapt quickly anyway in a race, things change. "Grip levels change with the tyres, so it's not that much of a loss overall. Surely it will slow us down - it will slow everyone down - but it's not as if you will have to change your driving from black to white."
I agree with Newey about the ban being ridiculous. Especially the FIA's weak justification of it. The exhaust gas is always going to affect the aerodynamic performance of the car, and as the driver controls the engine speed they're always going to influence how much gas flows out. So if they're going to ban off-throttle blowing, they should also ban internal combustion engines for exactly the same reason.
Braking also lowers the front of the car, changing the aero. This is driver controlled so should be banned. Right so now we've banned Engines and Brakes shall I get to my point I'm interested to find out who looses what from this ban. My head says RB will loose out most in qualifying, going from poles to fighting for a front row. In the race I feel everyone will loose out leaving RB, McLaren and Ferrari still at the front with a fairly even pace.
I'm quite hoping that this affects all the top teams equally and levels the playing field for the rest, if only briefly: Imagine Kobayashi gets his first win at Silverstone; Perez, Maldonado, Di Resta and the Toro Rossos fighting for the podium places..
If it was really was restriction worthy, why didn't they stamp this out earlier on in testing. It's common knowledge on the grid on how much fuel it will consume. Why restrict it nearly halfway into the season?
Yeah, sure it wont Vettel. That's why Red Bull are still trying to stop the ban going ahead. They will keep trying because they know that they stand to lose a lot - at least a lot more than McLaren and Ferrari. Possibly, Lotus Renault could be affected slightly more than Red Bull, but that won't worry Newey because LR aren't in a position to challenge his cars.
Yes, I think that's spot on. I suspect that what may be compromised for RBR is the pole to first lap getaway trick, which has been key to their runaway success this year.
I know Red Bull are running 45% with this technique, but whats the percentage for Ferrari and McLaren? We keep hearing "Red Bull, Red Bull", how do we know McLaren and Ferrari are not in the same percentage?
they may not be the hardest hit,but they could be harder hit than their closest rivals,and thatll be a disaster for them. but we'll just have to wait and see.
Thank heavens for Sebastian Vettel. Hopefully now Adrian Newey will stop getting his knickers in a twist about it. It's the product of a diseased mind anyway. And yes, SilverArrow. They should have stamped on it as soon as they realised what was going on. Oh wait - they tried to, didn't they?
I'm glad it's happening from a spectator point of view, but I think banning it mid season is a disgrace, I can't help but think that if it had been McLaren, Ferrari or even Mercedes making the most out of it then it would be allowed to stand until the end of the season. I will go one further BLS, as the car moves it's aero changes, so if they follow there own rules which they seem to be pedantically twisting to help out Ferrari and McLaren, they have to ban all the cars, now the 'drivers' will now have to run around the track.
Its not the percentage that matters - its the effect on the car aero. RB may well be the worst hit - but wouldn't want to admit it. So -if less fuel is used by the hardest user - they will lose some weight and have to adjust balance on the car - could be interesting?
Yes !!!! lets have an old fashioned start - drivers must stand behind their car with 1 mechanic, who will tighten the belts after they climb in. This approach might get about 6 mechanics killed - so possibly will not get voted in?
It's a good question Silver but there is a reasonably simple answer: In order to alter regulations in order to ban something, first of all there needs to be a very good practical understanding of the technology. Once this has become clear and is deemed not to be in the interests of F1, only then can the process of drawing up an effective means of policing the thing which is to be outlawed begin. Just like civil law, a new law always lags behind any precedent because it takes time to agree a reasonable decision and even longer to implement.
I feel if it got banned before the start I wouldn't of minded: (Oh well it's not allowed, still got 2-3 months to think of something else to replace it, Newey must surely have some other ideas down on paper.) But now it just seems: (Hang on a second! why is this happening now? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh I see, it's because other teams can't get it to work as well. This stinks of manipulation to keep the season close) Ofc I know McLaren and Ferrari fans will be jumping for joy if it does make them considerably slower, but if the shoe was on the other foot you would be the same as me and visa versa. @Cosicave, yeah that makes sense.
the started blowing the exhausts midway through last year I think, so they had plenty of time to ban it before pre-season, but they were trying to figure out a way to ban RBR's flexiwing. This really just stinks of favoritism to Ferrari and McLaren who will gain the most out of it, and who're also the 'big 2', we see the same sort of favouritism in football given to the teams that bring the FA the most cash.
It's not EBDs that are the immediate problem. In fact, blown diffusers probably wouldn't have come under the spotlight if it wasn't for the extremes to which teams are going with engine mappings to blow the diffusers when there shouldn't be enough effluence to do so. That has only ramped up this season. There is no in-season change to the rules, either, and nothing's being banned, it's just that the rules are going to be enforced more rigidly from the British GP onwards by imposing a restriction that is implicit in the rules. It's a shame that EBDs are going to banned from 2012 because it's an excellent utilisation of waste product to gain a performance increase. Off-throttle blowing, however, is wasteful and the FIA is right to restrict it.
