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[vlad]

[bud]

I don't think there is any conspiracy to favour RedBull.

For a second there I read that as a conspiracy to fLavor RedBull.

probably because I spelt favour with the U

[bud]

Diffuser ban to go ahead
ESPNF1
The FIA's planned blown-diffuser ban from the British Grand Prix will go ahead following a meeting of Formula One's Technical Working Group.

The governing body wrote to the teams during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend to inform them of the new date having previously delayed the ban indefinitely. Initially the FIA wanted to ban the practice of blowing diffusers off-throttle from the Spanish Grand Prix but the teams managed to gain a temporary reprieve as they claimed it would prove costly and affect some teams more than others.

After the new date was announced, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Autosport that he would be questioning whether the ban was a result of the correct interpretation of the rules.

"There are two issues," Horner said. "One is the impact of it, which I doubt will probably affect us any more or any less than any other team. But the other one is the mechanism and the understanding behind the technical directive. That is what will undoubtedly be debated in the TWG next week, which is probably the right forum to discuss it.

"There are certain questions that we want to ask about the technical directive that we need clarification on."

Following the meeting in London on Thursday, the FIA saw no reason to delay the ban any further. The news is encouraging to McLaren, who believe the result will impact Red Bull heavily, especially in qualifying trim, while Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali told Sporting Life that he hoped the ban will kickstart his team's season.

"We need to see at Silverstone what will be the change in effect with regard to the regulations about the exhaust," Domenicali said. "After Silverstone we will then be able to make a judgment, and if there is one, all I can say is that I hope it (the ban) affects us less than the others."

[What's Burning?]

There may be some truth that Red Bull may not be affected any more or any less than other top teams, but putting yourself in their shoes, I guess the mentality is that they can lose more than they can gain, hence their resistance. They're already comfortably ahead with the technology so banning it is a roll of the dice. As they say they may not lose any more than another team, but why take the gamble if you don't have to? That's why I feel there is such a hard push back from them... or they may indeed know exactly how much it will impact them in qualifying.

Regardless, we've got 2011 2.0 beginning in Silverstone.

[acosmichippo]

question to you guys: while watching qualifying, do you honestly get the feeling that RBR has an advantage while the driver is off-throttle? It doesn't seem that way to me.

[youtube]ut7rymFufj8[/youtube]

this is the only side-by-side qualy video i could find from this year. If anything, it seems that the ferrari has an advantage while approaching hard breaking zones, while the red bull has the advantage exiting them. Of course this is only one example, but it's the general feeling I've had for a few races now.

[What's Burning?]

question to you guys: while watching qualifying, do you honestly get the feeling that RBR has an advantage while the driver is off-throttle? It doesn't seem that way to me.

this is the only side-by-side qualy video i could find from this year. If anything, it seems that the ferrari has an advantage while approaching hard breaking zones, while the red bull has the advantage exiting them. Of course this is only one example, but it's the general feeling I've had for a few races now.

You're doing a side by side comparison of the Red Bull at it's worst track, and it still comes out ahead.

[spankyham]

question to you guys: while watching qualifying, do you honestly get the feeling that RBR has an advantage while the driver is off-throttle? It doesn't seem that way to me.

this is the only side-by-side qualy video i could find from this year. If anything, it seems that the ferrari has an advantage while approaching hard breaking zones, while the red bull has the advantage exiting them. Of course this is only one example, but it's the general feeling I've had for a few races now.

You're doing a side by side comparison of the Red Bull at it's worst track, and it still comes out ahead.

Correct WB. Also, mechanical grip (including braking) is one of Ferrari's strong suits.

[bud]

Ferrari were only a tenth behind, that would be impossible to see with the naked eye. Most other tracks where they have had a second gap im sure even then it would be hard to spot, as in corners it will be a few tenths here and there but they add up.

[What's Burning?]

You know what... F@k it... As much as I disagree with the change of rule mid season and see it as an affront on the RB dominance. I can't help but feel as if the year's pattern has already been forged. If this new interpretation of the rules stirs things up, then why not, it may turn out to be too little too late. As spanky has been beating his drum loudly about, the right thing to do would have been to nip this pre-season.

[acosmichippo]

question to you guys: while watching qualifying, do you honestly get the feeling that RBR has an advantage while the driver is off-throttle? It doesn't seem that way to me.

this is the only side-by-side qualy video i could find from this year. If anything, it seems that the ferrari has an advantage while approaching hard breaking zones, while the red bull has the advantage exiting them. Of course this is only one example, but it's the general feeling I've had for a few races now.

You're doing a side by side comparison of the Red Bull at it's worst track, and it still comes out ahead.

That's exactly my point. If RBR have a bigger advantage from the EBD than ferrari, i'd expect them to approach tight corners much more quickly. And Canada has a LOT of heavy breaking zones. But they DON'T have an advantage there, so I won't expect them to lose much ground in Silverstone. At least not compared to Ferrari.

Is that flawed?

[spankyham]

question to you guys: while watching qualifying, do you honestly get the feeling that RBR has an advantage while the driver is off-throttle? It doesn't seem that way to me.

this is the only side-by-side qualy video i could find from this year. If anything, it seems that the ferrari has an advantage while approaching hard breaking zones, while the red bull has the advantage exiting them. Of course this is only one example, but it's the general feeling I've had for a few races now.

You're doing a side by side comparison of the Red Bull at it's worst track, and it still comes out ahead.

That's exactly my point. If RBR have a bigger advantage from the EBD than ferrari, i'd expect them to approach tight corners much more quickly. And Canada has a LOT of heavy breaking zones. But they DON'T have an advantage there, so I won't expect them to lose much ground in Silverstone. At least not compared to Ferrari.

Is that flawed?

In relation to SF v RB, straight line braking and braking into low speed corners has, for quite some time, been a very great strength of SF. The fact that RB can match that probably shows just how good and effective this is for them.

I think we'll only really know how much the overrun has helped when the future ban unfolds. We will learn a little at Valencia and a lot at Silverstone. For now, I think the biggest indicator as to how much it will effect teams is who has been most vocal. No doubt RB have been campaigning very heavily to keep it.

We will learn a little at Valencia because I understand that from Valencia the cars in parc ferme (after q) will not be allowed to change mappings (up to now this is something that has been allowed in parc ferme). RB were very vocal against this - so we will see if Seb's magical second in Q3 is as apparent next weekend.

Also, at the meeting in London this week, Red Bull and Renault were the teams arguing to limit the changes. They put forward their compromise to keep cold-blown overruns or higher percentages. Ferrari flatly refused, their line seems to have been if its illegal, its illegal and should be banned.

Of course, if Red Bull feel they haven't been cheating and the overruns should be allowed, then they should appeal and overturn the decision.

[bud]

If RedBull use it at Silverstone then you can label it cheating. At the moment it's just another clever idea that the FIA decided it didn't agree with.

[spankyham]

If RedBull use it at Silverstone then you can label it cheating. At the moment it's just another clever idea that the FIA decided it didn't agree with.

Certainly it will be stopped from Silverstone and I think that's fair enough. Was it cheating? Well, it is being banned under the same rules that existed when they were using it.

Knowing what we know now, do you think it would have been better if the FiA had acted before the start of the season on it?

[bud]

Personally I don't see it as a moveable aero device, but I would rather the FIA decide these things before the season starts it's hard on someone like Renault who invested heavily in their exhaust system.

[spankyham]

Personally I don't see it as a moveable aero device, but I would rather the FIA decide these things before the season starts it's hard on someone like Renault who invested heavily in their exhaust system.

Could not agree with you more on that, if they knew about this at the start of the season, they should have acted then.