Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Cheese » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:20 pm

Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris The FIA’s International Court of Appeal meets in Paris on Tuesday to consider the legality of the diffusers used by the Brawn, Toyota and Williams teams at the first two Grands Prix of 2009. Whatever the outcome, the Court’s decision is likely to have a huge impact on this year’s title chase.

The revised technical regulations for 2009, designed to cut downforce, specify a much smaller rear diffuser. Brawn, Toyota and Williams have interpreted the rules differently to their rivals and have adapted other areas of bodywork to effectively enlarge their diffusers.

Stewards at both the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the second round in Malaysia declared the ‘double-decker’ designs, which use bodywork openings to feed them more air, legal. However, BMW Sauber, Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault have all appealed the stewards’ findings, questioning whether the diffusers adhere to the wording and spirit of the regulations.

Should the Court agree with them, it could in theory strip Brawn, Toyota and Williams of their points from Melbourne and Sepang, which would dramatically alter the face of the championship table. Alternatively, it could insist they change their diffusers for a more ‘conventional’ design.

If the Court deems the diffusers legal, then it will leave the other seven teams on the grid playing catch-up. Many have already begun development of similar diffuser designs - thought to be worth as much as half a second per lap - which, if required, could be introduced as early as the Bahrain Grand Prix later this month.

A decision is expected from the Court on Wednesday afternoon.

© Formula1.com
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby niko197 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:34 pm

it's a bunch of shit!
they check it in australia and malaysia and they give them a green light!
so now they will decided is that ok!?
this formula is getting worse and worse every single day!
now you don't have to watch race any more. just read the newspapers every day to see what is the new decision!

f***ers!!! :disgust:
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Cheese » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:44 pm

niko197 wrote:it's a bunch of shit!
they check it in australia and malaysia and they give them a green light!
so now they will decided is that ok!?
this formula is getting worse and worse every single day!
now you don't have to watch race any more. just read the newspapers every day to see what is the new decision!

f***ers!!! :disgust:

Exactly mate.
There used to be a time when you past the chequerd flag first you knew you had won the race.
Now you have to wait a few days to see if the stewards are happy. :rolleyes:
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby StLGooner » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:57 pm

Cheese wrote:
niko197 wrote:it's a bunch of shit!
they check it in australia and malaysia and they give them a green light!
so now they will decided is that ok!?
this formula is getting worse and worse every single day!
now you don't have to watch race any more. just read the newspapers every day to see what is the new decision!

f***ers!!! :disgust:

Exactly mate.
There used to be a time when you past the chequerd flag first you knew you had won the race.
Now you have to wait a few days to see if the stewards are happy. :rolleyes:



Hopefully they can "diffuse" the situation. :P I'll get my coat. :redface:
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Briggsy » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:03 pm

It should be called Alonso1 because the rules always seem to favour that jumped up Berkshire!
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Reverend Gooner » Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:06 pm

niko197 wrote:it's a bunch of shit!
they check it in australia and malaysia and they give them a green light!
so now they will decided is that ok!?
this formula is getting worse and worse every single day!
now you don't have to watch race any more. just read the newspapers every day to see what is the new decision!

f***ers!!! :disgust:


I know, this is the worst run sport in the world. It is amateur hour every week.
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby liam_cork » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:23 pm

from my limited understanding of the situation 3 teams use them? if the other teams think they make a difference and they are legal why don't they use them? they cant make much of a difference?
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby niko197 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:27 pm

liam_cork wrote:from my limited understanding of the situation 3 teams use them? if the other teams think they make a difference and they are legal why don't they use them? they cant make much of a difference?


because this 3 teams wouldn't be punished that way!
and that's all we want in formula 1!
to see the other team punished!! :rolleyes:
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Cheese » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:39 am

niko197 wrote:
liam_cork wrote:from my limited understanding of the situation 3 teams use them? if the other teams think they make a difference and they are legal why don't they use them? they cant make much of a difference?


because this 3 teams wouldn't be punished that way!
and that's all we want in formula 1!
to see the other team punished!! :rolleyes:

Spot on Niko.

I think McLaren are the only team not to appeal this. Still all the other teams are just pissed off because these three teams have come up with a special part to help increase speed. As soon as it's passed legal all the teams will be using it.

Brawn will still be facted though because they've got the most understanding about it. The old Honda have been preparing this car for over a year-and-a-half.
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Cheese » Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:45 am

'Diffuser Three' set to escape punishment

Jenson Button's Formula One World Championship bid is set to remain on track on Wednesday as the sport's "diffuser gang" look poised to escape punishment.

The International Court of Appeal are due to announce their verdict following an exhaustive eight-hour hearing on Tuesday at the FIA's headquarters in Paris.

At the centre of the debate aired in front of five judges, and with a remarkable 38 other personnel present - either legal counsel, team or FIA representatives - was the legality of the diffuser currently used by Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams.

The device has helped Button win the opening two grands prix of the season in Australia and Malaysia, giving the Briton the lead in the Drivers' Championship, and with Brawn GP heading the constructors' ahead of Toyota.

Although Ferrari, Renault, Red Bull and BMW Sauber argued fervently against the design, the judges are likely to side with the FIA and the stewards who had already determined the part was legal.

That will leave Brawn GP, along with Toyota and Williams, free to race in this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, and forcing their seven rivals into playing catch up.

As Paul Harris, the lawyer for Brawn GP argued: "It has been said this level of innovation is not good for Formula One.

"Well, what's good for Formula One is to have a team like Brawn GP competing with the established, well-resourced teams."

The lead throughout was taken by Ferrari's legal representative, Nigel Tozzi QC, who successfully argued the team's case regarding 'spygate' and again at last year's inquest into Lewis Hamilton's chicane-cutting move at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Tozzi severely grilled Brawn and FIA technical director Charlie Whiting, concluding the former was "supremely arrogant" and accusing the latter, along with the FIA, of "not understanding the point".

Central to the so-called "double-decker" diffuser concept are two apertures that assist airflow, so increasing downforce, which in turn results in greater speed.

Tozzi, applying his own interpretation relating to the wording of the current technical regulations, scored few points against Brawn.

Although he noted of Brawn that "only a person of supreme arrogance would think he is right when so many of his esteemed colleagues would disagree", Formula One's newest team boss gave as good as he got.

"It (his team's diffuser) was an innovative approach of an existing idea, and Formula One is all about innovative design," said Brawn.

"It's a cornerstone and objective of the sport."

Tozzi arguably caught Whiting with a few deft blows, and although he struggled at times under a 75-minute cross-examination, he was insistent the aerodynamic part did not contravene the rules.

The judges' deliberation focuses on a ruling made by the stewards at the Australian Grand Prix that the Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams cars are indeed legal.

Although the verdict will be announced today, their full findings are not due to be revealed until either later this week or early next.

At stake are the race results in Melbourne and Sepang as the judges have the power to overturn them, although that is far from expected to be the case, with the "diffuser three" expected to win the day.

© PlanetF1.com
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby Cheese » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:42 am

F1 appeal rules in Brawn's favour

Motorsport's governing body has ruled the Brawn GP car, which has taken Briton Jenson Button to two wins this season, is legal.

A panel heard eight hours of strongly worded evidence on Tuesday after complaints that Brawn, Toyota and Williams, use an illegal diffuser.

And the five International Court of Appeal judges said the designs "comply with the applicable regulations".

All three teams are free to race in the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

Brawn GP currently lead the constructors' world championship with 25 points, with Toyota in second place on 16 points.

A Toyota statement issued immediately after the ruling said: "Our team studied the wording of the new 2009 regulations in precise detail to ensure we interpreted them correctly.

"We also made full use of the consultation procedure with the FIA which was a helpful process to ensure our interpretation of the technical regulations was correct.

"Therefore we had every confidence that the design of our car would be confirmed as legal, firstly by race stewards in Australia and Malaysia and subsequently by the Court of Appeal."

The judges in Paris heard evidence from both sides, with Ferrari's legal representative, Nigel Tozzi QC, describing Brawn GP team boss Ross Brawn as "a person of supreme arrogance".

Brawn defended himself robustly and insisted his team's diffuser was simply "an innovative approach of an existing idea".

And Brawn's criticism of Ferrari consultant Rory Bryne and Red Bull technical guru Adrian Newey saw sparks fly in the courtroom, with the Englishman refusing to retract his statements.

FIA technical director Charlie Whiting was also grilled, with accusations that his organisation are "getting it wrong, and not understanding the point".

The row broke out when Ferrari, Renault and Red Bull protested against the legality of the split-level diffusers on the eve of the season-opening grand prix in Australia, but race stewards in Melbourne rejected their claims.

BMW Sauber then had a similar protest rejected at the Malaysian Grand Prix while McLaren have recently added their weight to the official protest.

Speaking from outside FIA headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, BBC sports news reporter Joe Wilson said: "Rear diffusers this season were supposed to get smaller, but Brawn and a couple of other teams have ended up with bigger ones, exploiting a little loophole in the laws.

"An independent panel of judges, looking at things with a legal mind, may just uphold this appeal - though there will be widespread surprise, if not shock, if Brawn end up losing their points this season."

The protesting teams say the split-level design contravenes a rule that states the diffuser - an aerodynamic body part which aids performance - must have an upper edge that runs in a horizontal straight line.

They also believe the design is negating the main aim of this season's new rule changes, which is to make overtaking easier.

The split-level diffusers generate more downforce at the rear of the car, resulting in a clear performance advantage of around 0.5 seconds per lap.

With the FIA's ruling, the seven teams who are running without the split-level diffusers are expected to try to incorporate the design into their cars as soon as possible.

Setting about such a radical redesign with the season under way will not be easy.

Many of the teams running with regular diffusers argue the cost of making the changes is too great, especially during a climate of cost-cutting within the sport in the face of the global economic crisis.

"I've heard several of them complaining about the cost," said Brawn before the verdict.

"But there are lots of things teams copy from each other and the cost doesn't get debated.

"I think some teams will be able to do it very quickly, but for other teams it will be more difficult because of their suspension configuration or other elements of the car."

© BBC Sport | Formula1
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby damo1583 » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:12 am

Get in there, Brawn are now set for greatness..............
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby BennisBergkamp » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:21 am

I really don't understand this. It strikes me as teams like Ferrari just whining because some supposedly 'smaller' teams have come up with a much better design than them. It would be like football teams complaining about another team having better players or using a smarter formation. Get over it, Ferrari, and start playing catch-up!
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby gzagee » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:06 pm

Well done. It's a triumph for foresight over resting on laurels and sour grapes.
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Re: Diffuser appeal hearing underway in Paris

Postby SE13 » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:45 pm

gzagee wrote:Well done. It's a triumph for foresight over resting on laurels and sour grapes.


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