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[Gaz]

ARTICLE 3 : BODYWORK AND DIMENSIONS

(Ammemndment 18/03/09 (Mav)):

One of the purposes of the regulations under Article 3 below is to minimize the detrimental effect that the wake of
a car may have on a following car.
Furthermore, infinite precision can be assumed on certain dimensions provided it is clear that such an assumption
is not being made in order to circumvent or subvert the intention of the relevant regulation.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/regulati ... nship.aspx

Oh dear. Looking through they've banned the centre sections on the Brawn wing front too.

[Jamie]

Goshh.......
Thats kind of sad too

thing is though they were working on that car last year?

-VB

[EwanM]

f***ing typical.

[Gilles 27]

Can't really tell a whole lot about what specifically is banned without some kind of diagram

[bud]

Can't really tell a whole lot about what specifically is banned without some kind of diagram

even with the diagram its hard to make sense

Picture 2.jpg

[Gilles 27]

yeh i was hoping for something about the rear diffuser? wasn't that front wing center section the regulation anyway?

[cap-dude]

Typical FIA. They come across as knowing nothing about the very sports they run.

Anyways. I think it's unfair that they're doing this now, after all the teams have finished testing. If this effects brawn, it means Brawn GP will go to Australia with parts they haven't been able to test. I find that a little unfair.

[Gaz]

Ecclestone believes that good results for Brawn GP early on, however, will not rest easy with rival teams - as he fears a potential protest about the legality of the diffuser on the BGP 001 being lodged at the season opener in Australia.

Brawn GP has joined Williams and Toyota in interpreting the diffuser regulations differently from other teams - which has allowed it to use a 'double decker' design.

Some rival teams have already questioned whether those diffuser designs are within the regulations, and autosport.com understands that one team has already sought clarification from the FIA regarding the matter. Ecclestone believes that the diffuser controversy will likely only reach a head in Melbourne.

"I guarantee whoever wins the races in Melbourne will be told they are cheating, and it doesn't matter who it is," he explained. "In this case it seems two teams, maybe three, certainly Toyota and Brawn, have interpreted the regulations in a different way to the other teams.

"The FIA at the moment says that interpretation is correct, but possibly some other teams will put in a protest before Melbourne. It won't affect racing but will be looked at after."

Source:Autosport.com

Looks like there good for Oz then but then were gonna have a week of wondering.

[Gilles 27]

yeh thats' the impression I got. I can't see anything in that FIA document that relates to the banning of the Toyota, Willaims and Brawn rear diffuser/crash structure component

[Gaz]

yeh i think so too but that said bernie is not the FIA.

so they might just be total <Edited for content>

[scotty]

Seems to me like they've just created a grey area, which will allow them grounds to ban Brawn's parts if they dominate - thus artificially levelling the playing field. Lame. Unsurprising though, this always happens (Renault's J-Damper, McLaren's double brake system, the banning of active suspension etc to stop Williams' early 90's domination).

[Gilles 27]

Seems to me like they've just created a grey area, which will allow them grounds to ban Brawn's parts if they dominate - thus artificially levelling the playing field. Lame. Unsurprising though, this always happens (Renault's J-Damper, McLaren's double brake system, the banning of active suspension etc to stop Williams' early 90's domination).

yup agreed

total <Edited for content>.

how did that get through!? f***, s***,= ?!

[Denthúl]

It would be terrible if the Brawn diffuser was declared illegal, although I can quite easily see why it may be pushing the limit of the regulations too far.

[Monzilla]

Its kind of late to be deciding that isnt it? but of course Brawn racing looked to be front runners from the start...no wonder my mates who dont like 1 reckon its all a Fix. Like Saturday afternoon wrestling on ITV in the seventies

[Jensonb]

With any luck, if they do end up taking action, it will be one of those "in the future" things and the Oz result (Whatever it may be) will stand.

But frankly, I think this "changing the rules in the middle of the game" thing is so unfair. Why should Brawn, Toyota and Williams have to change their designs, which are technically legal, because someone else didn't think of it? That's just out of order, they designed their cars to a set of rules, and being forced to change them later because someone spat the dummy is out of line - especially since it might mean more design work than just installing a simplified diffuser (For example, changing other parts in sympathy).