Technical What the fric are the FIA up to now?

Hmmmn... I would have expected this bombshell to be dropped in the month long break after Hungary.

Very interesting development. Charlie right on top of things as usual.
 
The FIA have announced that they have decided that the FRIC suspension that connects the front and rear to add extra stability.

It is thought that this is one area that Mercedes in particular have optimised, leading to part of their dominance over other teams.

The FIA have said that they would be happy to allow it until 2015, but only if all teams agree unanimously!

Can anyone see this happening? Personally, I suspect that McLaren and Williams especially would love to see this banned, as they seem to be a little behind on mechanical grip, whilst Lotus and Mercedes will be furious!
 
You just have to shake your head that its gotten to this point. This system has been widely known for a long time, Lotus (Renault) has been tinkering since 2008, and 2014 cars are using it as their centerpiece.

Whiting said: "Having now seen and studied nearly every current design of front to rear linked suspension system we, the FIA, are formally of the view that the legality of all such systems could be called into question."

I guess Charlie just got a chance to peruse the paperwork however....
 
I think the clue is in the phrase "...system that MOST teams are running..."

Does that suggest it comes from a complaint from the "have-nots" about those who have?
 
My understanding was that the system was adopted by almost all teams, but
Mercedes>Red Bull>Lotus>Williams>McLaren...

I'd expect to see McLaren jump up the order in hockenheim, as rather than using a Trick FRIC, they have traditionally used a stiff setup!
 
I wonder which teams don't have FRIC?
There's no way they'll get all teams to agree anything.
The FIA always have to meddle, surely something as big as this should be clarified brfore the season starts.
If they ban it for Germany are we going to see a repeat of the USGP with 6 cars running?
How peed off are the Germans going to be if Mercedes are banned?!!
 
In situations like these, I have always wondered how, if a team has been using an "illegal" item on their car from the beginning of the season, they don't have all of their results expunged. I also wonder why it takes the FIA so long to detect the "illegal" part(s). Were their inspectors that oblivious (nothing about the purported illegal systems was hidden from view and were, in fact, a matter of public knowledge), or has the FIA decided to re-interpret their own regulations. If the latter, why do so in mid season?

I suspect Galahad has it exactly right.
 
They're just pegging back Mercedes, they did the same to Red Bull with the EBD, then again this year with the new exhaust exit.

I'd have no real problem with the ban were it not in the middle of the season, teams deserve the advantage they now hold if they had the foresight (and money ;)) to design their car around such a system in the first place.
 
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No, I don't quite agree, no-FIAt-please. The teams that have not utilised such a system may have done so because they interpreted the rules as Charlie Whiting has done so they are currently being penalised for not transgressing.
It'll all come to nothing though, as fivers will be waved at the smaller teams who haven't had the money for this development and if, as is suggested, McLaren have not developed it and it is proscribed for 15 then they will have a chassis that's more advanced as a baseline for next year.
 
To be honest, I don't know how any team thought this wasn't illegal; it clearly was akin to a front-rear active suspension system, which we have known to be illegal since Canada 1993.
 
A ban on FRICS would boost Force India, they have had problems with theirs this season and removed it completely at Monaco.
 
Everything in F1 usually comes down to leverage, nothing is what it seems, smoke and mirrors and all that. The FIA have been frustrated recently and want some agreement on spending cuts. The fact that banning fric is going to cost a fortune is unlikely to have occurred to them though. Eeejuts. >:(


Formula 1 teams are locked in a dispute over the introduction of a cost cap in 2015. Whilst all teams agree that a general reduction in spending is important there is a division over how it should be done. At one point earlier this year there was a unanimous agreement to introduce a cap after a meeting in Geneva but the controversial F1 Strategy Group overturned the agreement and the cost cap was declared dead. However Caterham, Marussia, Force India and Sauber have since lobbied the FIA to ensure the agreement to introduce the cap as planned. However the strategy group has proposed a number of alternative measures aimed at reducing spending, including banning interlinked suspension, re-introducing active suspension and an increase in the number of spec components on the cars.
 
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According to Scarbs, Force India are the only team to not permanently run some sort of FRICS.
 
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