Teams protest McLaren's rear wing

[snowy]

Autosport:

A spokesman for the Woking-based team said: "We're very confident that our car is entirely legal - and we're not aware of any protest. In fact, we've spoken to Ferrari this morning and they're not aware of any protest either."

Ferrari sources have confirmed to AUTOSPORT that the team has no intention of taking the matter further, and have ruled out the possibility of it lodging a protest.

 

[Brogan]

Hmmm, it would seem Christian Horner was speaking on Ferrari's behalf without knowing the full facts then.

We've asked the FIA for clarification although I think Ferrari are probably more excited than we are to be honest.

 

[snowy]

McLaren is confident that the car adheres to the rules, and the FIA confirmed that Whiting had been invited to check it at the team's Woking base.

"We have no concerns with it, but we have been invited by the team to view the car so Charlie is going down to have a look," an FIA spokesperson told the Daily Telegraph.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh expects Whiting to quickly ratify the MP4-25, telling the Telegraph that the team had sought clarification from the FIA earlier in the design process.

"The wing is different and innovative, yes," Whitmarsh said. "But we have been in contact with Charlie over a period of several months to check that it complies with regulations. We have been assured that it does".

So why does Charlie need to go to the factory to inspect the wing?!

 

[Brogan]

So why does Charlie need to go to the factory to inspect the wing?!

It makes no sense as usual.

If the design was submitted to the FIA and approved, why do they now need to inspect said design and ensure it's legal?

 

[teabagyokel]

Just to double check, because some people seem to be kicking up the brown stuff about McLaren's rear wing vent thing.

My advise:

GET ON WITH IT!

 

[FB]

Can I assume Charlie Whiting said "nothing wrong with that boys, carry on"?

 

[teabagyokel]

I think he was delayed!

 

[Speshal]

I think he was delayed!

Maybe he was getting a lift with Sir Stirling Moss?




/coat

 

[Brogan]

Apparently CW's plane was delayed (from Brazil) so now he won't be able to inspect until this weekend in Bahrain.

McLaren are taking an alternative wing just in case...

 

[snowy]

I would hope they'd chose to race under appeal as was done with the DDD.

 

[Brogan]

Early reports would seem to suggest that the wing is legal

Green light for McLaren's controversial wing

 

[Muddytalker]

Having checked the rules, there wan't much of a case to answer I don't think.

3.10.2 Any bodywork behind a point lying 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line which is more than 730mm above the reference plane, and between 75mm and 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between the rear wheel centre line and a point 350mm behind it. When viewed from the side of the car, no longitudinal cross section may have more than two closed sections in this area.

That last sentence is massively open to interpretation, isn't it? Only 2 closed sections, but as many open sections as you like? It just adds to the theory that these rules are written with deliberate ambiguity.

 

[Galahad]

It's good news to have it clarified, but I must say I still don't understand how it can be legal, really. Surely in cross-section there must be three sections - two parts to the upper flap and the lower wing?

I hope someone finds out how they've done it.

 

[Muddytalker]

It's good news to have it clarified, but I must say I still don't understand how it can be legal, really. Surely in cross-section there must be three sections - two parts to the upper flap and the lower wing?

I hope someone finds out how they've done it.

I think this is how - The air inlet to the upper part of the rear wing occurs within the central section, which isn't governed by the rule above. Therefore, in the areas 75mm away from the centre line, there is only an 'outlet' section to the upper flap, the leading edge is closed, so it's a one-piece structure.

 

[Galahad]

Of course, silly me! I hadn't read it properly - the central section is excluded.

Thanks muddy.

 

[Muddytalker]

If that is how it works, then it's so blindingly obvious the likes of Adrian Newey must be slapping himself with a wet flannel, unless they don't think it's worth bothering with.

As an aside, would this reduction in drag have an effect on the following car? Could this leave Button the McLarens vulnerable to being overtaken?

 

[Brogan]

I wonder if we'll see more teams introducing it after the first few races, the same as it was last year with the rear diffuser?

 

[slickskid]

I wonder if we'll see more teams introducing it after the first few races, the same as it was last year with the rear diffuser?

I'd put money on that if it's all deemed well

 

[Galahad]

As an aside, would this reduction in drag have an effect on the following car? Could this leave Button the McLarens vulnerable to being overtaken?

Good question. If it achieves the objective of increasing the straight-line speed, which from the testing figures it looks like it might, then it should make them less easy to overtake. Whether it would be easier to pick up a slipstream from a McLaren I couldn't say.

The turbulence issue only comes into play in the corners, when the driver won't be engaging this device, so there would still be the problem of the following car getting close enough coming on to the straight in the first place.

 

[snowy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8558279.stm

All 12 teams on the grid have had all their cars passed by scrutineering ahead of Friday's first practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix.