Quote:
Originally Posted by TF110
Who cares what it is? It looks good and works. It's allowed. If teams want to benefit from it, then copy it. And yes Audi has had this before with the R8, so there should be no complaints. If they 'missed' something, that's on them. If Oak Racing came up with it this season and it didn't get banned I don't think we'd see the same guys saying it's illegal  Just because teams didn't do what Toyota did doesn't mean it should be banned. That's how F1 works, and many here criticize that series for it's clamp down on innovation. |
The R8 solution is irrelevant as the wording, "Any aerodynamic element the function of which is only to generate down force and is not permitted by the regulations," wasn't in the regulations at that time. It was added in 2009 and immediately banned the R10's Spa wings (
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/AudiR10PLM2008-MF4.jpg), and we've never seen them, or any other add-on downforce devices (Audi R15 proposed but ACO banned winglets, there's already precedent at the ACO's hesitation to these types of devices:
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/audir15-3.html), since. Until now that is.
Why now? Are Toyota that "clever?" Of course not; it's not as though Toyota's execution isn't the most obvious one. Hence my cynicism about this. The Toyota execution isn't clever and the winglets have only one function and clearly fall under the provisions described in Art 3.6.2. That the ACO has decided to loosen that up just at the time they need to solidify at least one additional manufacturer to race against Audi is the one and only fact that needs observing. And if you're Toyota, you did the ACO a HUGE solid by racing earlier than you planned and the ACO owes you one. This is but one of many favors we'll see I'm sure...it's politics as usual. Ask teams up and down pitlane, I don't come to my conclusions in isolation...