Tomorrow it comes to the appeal trial of the rejected protests by Red Bull, BMW and Ferrari of the races in Australia and Malaysia.
The question is whether the FIA is again contradicted himself, or have the "diffuser gang" contrary to the actual meaning of the Regulations. As absurd as it sounds - that's what it seems now to go. Not a question of whether those things are legal, but only about whether you have failed to sense the regulations. For, according to the letter, it seems as if one could Toyota, Williams and BrawnGP harm. To exert more pressure to the opponents of the new diffuser also point out that with this new idea and the ground effect could again move into Formula One stop. The consequences are unpredictable. It is a great stir in Formula One, but the question of how useful all these arguments are.
Somehow it is indeed not shake the feeling that some teams put (BMW), mainly because of so vehemently to defense, because they themselves are bad because at the moment. If you are pecking order (at least in quality) look and subtracting the three-diffuser cars, Red Bull is ahead of Ferrari, and only then does BMW. And even without the diffuser has to ask himself whether Brawn is still faster. The true potential of the car you have not seen well. The buzz is that the BrawnGP is easily one second before the rest of the world, but the diffuser takes only five to six tenths. Were still at least four-tenths.
Of course, the decision of Red Bull and Co to protest understand. It's all in Formula One is not just about who has just performed well, but also for sponsors, etc., etc. A team that is just barely escaped a bankruptcy, but the manufacturers drive around the ears, is not a good light on the other engineers. But what about tomorrow's decision will actually bring?
Protest denied:
Many suspect that the season is gone then. Once the FIA declared the cars of Williams, Toyota and Brawn GP was legal, Toyota and Brawn will probably fight for the championship. Of course, Ferrari and Red Bull also probably a part of the distance to catch up again, but at the same time develop the other of course also continue. And as I said, no one knows how fast the Brawn really are. If the distance from a second lie is not aufholbar. In addition, although the team can recreate the diffuser, but because of the driving test canceled during the season can not be tried if the conversion works. Would be affected, especially BMW, which at the moment seem to have the greatest distance of the top teams (other than McLaren, but they have other problems). This could also lead to a rethink within the company when it comes to Formula One, which in the end could even end up with an exit. The neutral fans might, however, looking forward to an interesting season.
Protest approved:
The biggest losers would probably Williams and Toyota, which fall without the diffuser well back into midfield. For both teams it would be a decision affecting their own existence. Williams relies heavily on good results, so you can attract new sponsors. At Toyota, during the winter also considered whether we should not get off. Another season in the midfield with no real chance of victory at Toyota could be the voices get louder, the advertising anyway with a new appearance at Le Mans, where it would compete with Audi, Peugeot and Aston Martin.
The biggest winner would be Red Bull, which seem to have the fastest cars without the double diffuser. Neither BMW nor Ferrari in quality in the vicinity of the RB, the ride even without the KERS, although Renault has already done. As mentioned above, but before, but then would the question of whether Brawn would not lie ahead.
In both cases, the FIA is also much at stake. There is no precise information, such as the FIA has treated the issue before 2009. The discussions that had been there were probably only "Overtaking Committee", is more unterrangig. Red Bull has so far not been conclusively demonstrated in public that they had in the fall of 2008, a similar idea from the FIA can check, and this had been rejected. So far, all the technical delegate of the FIA have confirmed the legality of the diffuser. Now, if a court of the FIA to explain the opposite circumstances, the FIA and its technical committee as pretty stupid.
The problems would be very far reaching. Because if it would show that before the Court of Appeal of the FIA has also done well when several protests by the FIA delegates were turned away would probably come upon a veritable wave of lawsuits over the Formula One. Each team could launch during or after a race, any protest, which would then weeks later decided only. This would mean that the FIA would be completely undermined in terms of rule interpretation and race results until weeks or even months later would be available. That there is enough material in terms of protest, Williams has already shown with the retracted counter-protest in Australia.
For this reason alone I do not think that will have the protest against the diffuser of the three teams success. It would take the Entscheidungsgewahlt the race stewards and hosts the FIA completely absurd and the FIA itself that has failed a few weeks ago already miserably with a new scoring system, also weaken. The Max Mosley can not and will certainly not, certainly not in a year in which he would eventually be re-elected again as president. Mosley would be concerned that the diffuser would be banned, he would have long since been more or less openly announce in the press. His statement that he did not know what would solve this "independent" court shows rather that his course against the manufacturers in the motor sport will continue to endure.
That was my professional opinion. My private, I hope that BrawnGP, Toyota and Williams to retain their diffuser. I think that the Formula One season, one in which all times is a little different, can make very good use. For the technical achievements should be good, even if they explore the rules up to a certain extent, not be prohibited. If Ingenierskunst and ingenuity back more to the fore, the series do just fine.
And what else?
Short preview weekend, because after the break for Easter, it starts again properly. Formula One in China, NASCAR (SC / N) in Phoenix. IRL and ALMS at Long Beach, the Aussie V8s are on the road in Hamilton (NZ).
Image: Williams F1
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Hmm, I seriously wonder why you see so far refused BMW? In Melbourne, Kubica was absent without KERS easily able to keep the Ferraris at bay, also on Red Bull is not much.
From my point of view of the established manufacturers, BMW is currently without a diffuser placed at the top. If Kubica first KERS has definitely he will refer the Ferraris on the courts and ... well, it comes with Heidfeld just like always form on the day.
The reason is the BMW protested so vehemently against the diffuser is probably not the one knocked off at the moment but so far the most serious problems we would have the car to upgrade to a diffuser. More than the other top teams.
I see BMW on the performance of Malaysia behind Ferrari. Australia was ne track where it mattered not so much on the drive, which saw in Malaysia already different. China will as surely bring even more clarity.
I agree there more to Don. BMW's performance was not very good now, you had in Melbourne, the happiness of the "efficient". The Ferraris were only close once again to what Stupid, as in Malaysia.
I can still not believe that the FIA bans the diffusers. With the technical rules, it seems even now not to offend, because if it were that simple, not Whiting and the Melbourne-Come Isare had approved the diffusers.
The argument with the "Spirit of the Rules," I think this is nonsense. It may be that because I represent a very German concept of justice, but for me, it's only what is written down and not do what we could interpret pure. And even then, the spirit of Formula 1 rules for me, within the limits laid down as quickly as possible to build car ^ ^
By the way, is even something in the rules, which could indicate derselbigen as "Spirit", namely the introduction to Article 3: "Bodywork and Dimensions" it says: "One of the purposes of the regulations under Article 3 below is to minimize the detrimental effect that the wake of
a car may have on a following car. "After interviews I've read, it should be but rather leave behind cars with normal diffuser drive renault difficult, especially after the so likely would have protested against the quoted ;-) passage also implies even that there are more purposes of the rules, but which are not mentioned ... It may be, however, that the British or French Rechtsaufassung is a little different when it comes to such interpretations.
What could then be considered yet is the issue of safety, which was also examined in the previous edition of the print-MSa Norbert Ockenga. The old ground effect cars were forbidden so far as I know, because it was possible that due to sudden changes in flow conditions of the ground effect could be disrupted and could happen in serious accidents at high speeds. But I think as far as these diffusers are not yet developed, that this danger exists.
Let's wait what's coming at us because tomorrow ...
A small thing but you've forgotten:
Even if Brawn, in the event of a ban, is still a fast or the fastest car would, so is questionable whether Brawn has any "normal" diffuser in the closet!
By his own testimony would not be in Melbourne to start if the car had failed the acceptance test.
The diffusers are LEGAL!! FIA HAS RULED!