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[texasmr2]

Everybody is pushing the envelopes. I remember Matchett saying something about engine parts and time and money being invested in development of those parts that is considered all within the regs.
Ferrari just seem to be a step ahead of their competition as it has been a lot of times in the past. Remember those wheel covers and the poopooing of them and crying foul last year? Now almost everybody runs them.
I wouldn't be surprised if Ferrari (and many other teams for that matter) have at least one designated employee who knows the technical regs in his/her sleep and whose only job is to dream up new ways of exploiting the rules and finding imaginative ways to bypass restrictions.

Bravo bravo!!

[bud]

DD its easy to push the envelope when you know you wont get caught, if only all teams could apply the same motivation to their design squads

[8-ball]

I guess it is time for the sane Ferrari fan to impart some impartiality.

Ferrari make great engines but if they have found a loophole to gain an advantage then good on them, other teams should have that same level of creativity. The problem comes when other teams exploit loopholes and get fined for it or have to have it removed. (Renault's damper springs to mind). Ferrari have the better car overall and would still win most races even if they didn't stop other teams developing cars to thier full potential. If they spent more time developing their own car to get better rather than stopping everyone else get to thier level then they would have much more creditability

[darwin dali]

A Ferrari official has played down reports that the Italian team exploited a 'loophole' to race ahead in the engine horse power stakes in 2008.

It was reported on Friday that Ferrari may have used the pretext of boosting reliability to add up to 25 more horse power to its V8 unit this year, despite the so-called 'freeze' on engine development.

But an unnamed Ferrari chief is quoted as saying by the German newspaper Bild: "Our new oil system is simply working better. It flows faster and brings more power."

Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni added: "Everything has been done according to the permitted limits."

[McLaren Fan]

Ferrari make great engines but if they have found a loophole to gain an advantage then good on them, other teams should have that same level of creativity.

True, but other teams have found perfectly legitimate loopholes and had the innovation removed. For example, if you can find the old 1997 and 1998 seasons technical rules manual you would find there is nothing wrong with McLaren's rear-wheel braking system, but Mosley and his cronies couldn't wait to get rid of it. There was not really anything wrong with Renault's mass damper system either, but, again, the FIA were quick to dispense with it.

Like I say, if Ferrari have found something to increase the performance of their car within the rules, that's fair enough and I congratulate them on it. Indeed, I rather admire their creativity. I just wish the FIA would allow other teams the same liberties as Ferrari receive in this department. My beef is with the FIA allowing Ferrari to get away with almost anything, not Ferrari themselves. If you are being afforded certain liberties you are hardly going to turn them down, are you?

[Mikep99]

Ferrari make great engines but if they have found a loophole to gain an advantage then good on them, other teams should have that same level of creativity.

True, but other teams have found perfectly legitimate loopholes and had the innovation removed. For example, if you can find the old 1997 and 1998 seasons technical rules manual you would find there is nothing wrong with McLaren's rear-wheel braking system, but Mosley and his cronies couldn't wait to get rid of it. There was not really anything wrong with Renault's mass damper system either, but, again, the FIA were quick to dispense with it.

Like I say, if Ferrari have found something to increase the performance of their car within the rules, that's fair enough and I congratulate them on it. Indeed, I rather admire their creativity. I just wish the FIA would allow other teams the same liberties as Ferrari receive in this department. My beef is with the FIA allowing Ferrari to get away with almost anything, not Ferrari themselves. If you are being afforded certain liberties you are hardly going to turn them down, are you?

I agree with both of you.
But all the wispers at the moment are about SOMETHING so until that SOMETHING is known we should hold back on the criticism a bit I thing.
I would call the "rear-wheel braking system" & "mass damper system" SOMTHING just like Ferrari's flexible floor last year.