The controversy has started

[Muddytalker]

Thanks Gordon, an excellent diagram - that's exactly how I perceived it to be.

I've had a head-scratch, and think it is down to this - "Any intersection of the surfaces in this area with a lateral or longitudinal vertical plane should form one continuous line which is visible from beneath the car"

Ferrari, Renault et al have taken that to mean that the diffuser surface must be constant and without gaps ("continuous line"). However, I'm guessing that Brawn would argue that where the gap is, there is no actual surface, and so only the actual 'false ceiling' needs to adhere to the rule.

Thanks again to both yourself and Brogan.

 

[Muddytalker]

Bernie, Flavio, I now declare you owners of QPR. Why have you sold Dexter Blackstock?

Yep surprised me that one, but thanks (a Forest fan)

 

[cider_and_toast]

I'm just a humble electronics engineer with very little knowledge of motorsport engineering but let's see if I can't give the FIA and hand here.

C_A_Ts Diffuser rules

1) No part of the bodywork that makes up the rear diffuser shall be higher than 200mm (or whatever height deemed) when measured from the ground. (for the purpose of this ruling the ground shall be considered to be the floor of an FIA approved scrutineering bay).

2) No part of the bodywork that makes up the rear diffuser shall be further than 300mm (or whatever length deemed) from the vertical centre line of the rear wheel.

3) No part of the bodywork that makes up the rear diffuser shall be wider than 100mm (or whatever width deemed) from the centre line of the car in either direction.

Clear enough? Your diffuser can only be so high, so long and so wide???? Is it just me or is that too simple ??

Now for rule four

No one under the height of 5ft 10" is to be allowed to interfer with the governing of the sport.

But in seriousness, If I get what GM/Bro have shown correctly, the big sticking block here is this very bizarre "when viewed from below" bit. It would seem to suggest that by placing a plate across the middle of your diffuser the plate becomes the height above the reference plane from which your diffuser is measured. It's a pretty clever exploitation of a loop hole and a really good explenation by GM. If you look from below the outline of the diffuser in all planes is a box however when looking from the rear the diffuser appears higher because there is an upper chamber that is not included in the rules. Clever!

 

[Galahad]

"No part of the bodywork that makes up the rear diffuser"

You've fallen at the first hurdle. They'll say "it's not part of the rear diffuser, it's part of the crash structure/rear wing/gearbox" or whatever. Hence it doesn't say "diffuser" anywhere in the regulations, it's all "bodywork".

 

[sobriety]

How about this?

Your car must be a maximum of x wide, z long and y tall.

It must pass the regulation crash test.

Have fun.

 

[Brogan]

Sounds good to me

 

[cider_and_toast]

Sobriety. Spot on

GM I still stand by rule four in that case.

I see what you mean though. I was going to question the "visible bit" after editing my earlier post but that's just come to me now after what you've said. As you say, if you couldn't define the defuser and then change the rule to read all body work must be measured at height X from the ground then your rear wing would only be 175mm from the floor or you would have a diffuser the size of the rear of the car.

It's a proper mine field but that's what happens when you try to write the rules to define even the smallest nut and bolt which takes us neatly back to sobrietys point.

 

[Galahad]

A bit more freedom in the regulations wouldn't be a bad thing. But then would we ever get any racing?

Whatever happens Rule Four MUST stay!

 

[teabagyokel]

A bit more freedom in the regulations wouldn't be a bad thing. But then would we ever get any racing?

Whatever happens Rule Four MUST stay!

Steady on, if I ever become famous and run the FIA...
One inch lower
One inch
Its all I ask!