Fia To Rule On Row Over Legality Of F1 Diffuser

Motorsport governing body the FIA is to rule this week on the legality of a number of cars on the F1 grid, including the current championship leaders Brawn GP, who are currently using the controversial split-level diffuser.

The FIA initially rejected a protest by rival teams of Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams who argue that the design of the diffuser does not conform to the new 2009 regulations.

However the argument has now passed to the International Court of Appeal which is expected to announce a ruling on the issue this week and could deduct points from the teams using the technology.

An independent panel is set to hear arguments from both sides at the meeting in Paris.

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.

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

If the protestors win their appeal the FIA has two options. It could allow the results of the first two races to stand, with the three teams concerned being forced to alter their cars from Sunday’s Chinese GP onwards, or they could remove any points won by those teams in Australia and Malaysia.