http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,1895...190774,00.html

i'd like to see the proper report of the ruling though.

 

I bet Ferrari have revised diffusers on their cars this weeknd!

 

This is excellent news!!

Part of me feels that the FIA had no choice but to rule the diffuser legal. If not then this season would be a write off and the whole sport is a complete mess

 

One way or another this could still happen.

Despite the ban on in-season testing surely the teams who can will rock up to China with a new diffuser and test it in the warm up / qualifying.

Ferrari, for example, could be looking at 8th + on the grid, so if they do qualy one with a diffuser and are looking higher than that, they'll stick with it. If it's not working, stick the regular diffuser back on for Q2 and 3 (if they make it)

 

but only partially...

From what I understand (and it is a limited understanding only) the car needs to be considered as a system just sticking a revised diffuser on to a car may well not have the desired effect. A revised diffuser may develop more downforce but upset the balance so much as to make the car unstable.

I doubt that they (Ferrari/McLaren/Renault) will arrive with revised diffusers (unless they already planned to do so) in China but expect a number of changes at the first European round in Barcelona - the teams have loads of data for this circuit owing to the amount of testing undertaken there over the years, this in conjunction with wind tunnel results and some limited straight line testing - which I think is still allowed - means that they would be more certain of the benefits...

There is a theory that the diffuser isn't the key thing on the Brawn car - not only does the car appear aerodynamically efficient but it also has very good mechanical grip. The theory goes that if you steal a march on someone, give them something obvious to worry about (the diffuser) to distract them from what is really giving you the advantage (who knows)...

 

I think this will be very telling!

And I still think teams (including the red one) will pitch up with revised diffusers!

 

They'll have the Friday and Saturday practise sessions to test though, so whatever they bring to Q1 will be what they are racing, IMO.

 

It was shafted after Barichello was hit up the backside in Australia yet he was still one of the fastest cars.

That last comment reminds me of the 1st ground effect Lotus. Everytime the car went near anyone who might take note they slung very obvious covers over the (extremely ordinary) front and rear wings. Everyone was so busy looking for the magic feature on the wings they missed the subtle little skirts in the side of the car that were the real magic

 

As risk management I'd expect almost all the teams with the resources to do so will have been developing them on the (what a lot of people have been saying probable) result that the teams would be cleared.

 

They will close the gap with the diffusers, but the fact is that the whole package just works so well together. I doubt anyone but Toyota is well enough placed to stay with or potentially over-throw the Brawn car as the quickest out there.