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[sennasational]

I'll say it again; don't read anything into the practice form, with everyone on different test and setup programmes; the results are likely to be skewed. We'll find out the true pace of the teams on Saturday afternoon in qualifying. I don't expect a McLaren to be splitting the Red Bull's unless one of them has a problem!

IMO the practice sessions are at least worth taking notice of. It's surely better to make a prediction after watching the practice rather than 'expecting'. Mclaren and RBR both did light and heavy runs on the option tyre and had very similar times. Maybe Mclaren were going all out and RBR were holding back but that is speculation. From what we have seen the gap is close, we will find out exactly whats what in qualifying but until then the practice information is the most relevant to go on.

[McLaren]

Ferrari's new rear wing from yesterday has been deemed illegal.

[McLaren]

Lots of teams have taken their diffusser updates off for qualifying and the race, Lotus are sticking with there updates. .Hopefully it might get them up the field a bit.

[bud]

Ferrari's new rear wing from yesterday has been deemed illegal.

Well it is 20mm higher than allowable. Dont think it will hurt them too much.

Will be interesting about the off throttle diffusers, HRT has said if they dont qualify they will protest the teams with it.

[spankyham]

Ferrari's new rear wing from yesterday has been deemed illegal.

One fans pleasure is another fans pain

It's interesting with all the discussions about so many parts and things being legal or not, that the one team that is instantly punished/banned is Ferrari. Everything else is either not even investigated or, as with the EBD, the teams are allowed to keep using them. Having said that, I don't think it will be significant to Ferrari's performance.

Interesting quote here "Charlie Whiting had said in Spain on Friday: "It's a very clever interpretation of the rules and we have got to decide whether it's a good interpretation of the rules."

Full article here.

FIA bans Ferrari's new rear wing

By Jonathan Noble Saturday, May 21st 2011, 08:44 GMT

Ferrari has been told by the FIA that it cannot continue to run with a new design of rear wing, after the governing body deemed it to be in breach of the technical regulations.

The Maranello-based team's cars featured a higher than normal flap extension on their rear wings in Friday practice in Spain - which the FIA had been looking at closely to work out whether it should be allowed under the rules.

Although the wing was theoretically too high, Ferrari had tried to exploit an area in the rules relating to slot-gap separators – which are not taken into consideration when measuring the wings.

FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting had said in Spain on Friday: "It's a very clever interpretation of the rules and we have got to decide whether it's a good interpretation of the rules."

The FIA's decision means that Ferrari has had to take the new wing design off its car for the final free practice session in Spain, and it has reverted to the specification of rear wing that it used at the Turkish Grand Prix.

[spankyham]

Ferrari's new rear wing from yesterday has been deemed illegal.

Well it is 20mm higher than allowable. Dont think it will hurt them too much.

Will be interesting about the off throttle diffusers, HRT has said if they dont qualify they will protest the teams with it.

Virgin was interviewed by the BBC a few minutes ago and they said it was highly unlikely that they would protest, however, they changed both their cars this morning to run the Turkey exhaust - which doesn't have EBD. So, technically they could protest the whole field if they race with those car. A Virgin 1-2

[myownalias]

I'll say it again; don't read anything into the practice form, with everyone on different test and setup programmes; the results are likely to be skewed. We'll find out the true pace of the teams on Saturday afternoon in qualifying. I don't expect a McLaren to be splitting the Red Bull's unless one of them has a problem!

IMO the practice sessions are at least worth taking notice of. It's surely better to make a prediction after watching the practice rather than 'expecting'. Mclaren and RBR both did light and heavy runs on the option tyre and had very similar times. Maybe Mclaren were going all out and RBR were holding back but that is speculation. From what we have seen the gap is close, we will find out exactly whats what in qualifying but until then the practice information is the most relevant to go on.

That's fine; if that's the way you want to look at it; but personally I never read anything into practice pace... I've seen plenty of practices where a lower midfield car set the fastest lap (glory run)!

[McLaren]

One thing to take notice of this session though is Nick Heidfeld's fire.Could well mean him starting from the pit lane.Good news for the teams near the back of the grid if that is the case.

[vlad]

Red Bull on their own, that's the most certain situation today.

[Coronis]

All Red Bull front row, awesome

[McLaren]

All Red Bull front row, awesome

Don't count your chickens before they hatch

You just never know with F1,although it does look likely i must confess

[Yoruba]

live streaming anywhere for Qualy?

EDIT: Digisport on Sopcast

[vlad]

Kovalainen in Q2!

[McLaren]

Kovalainen in Q2!

[Jabberwocky]

Cheeky Q2 trip from lotus there by Kovy