 The FIA has modified its bodywork tests to ensure a floor mounting system used primarily by Ferrari does not circumvent the regulations, autosport.com can reveal, after McLaren asked the governing body for a clarification over the matter.
The issue of movable floors reached a head at the Australian Grand Prix when McLaren boss Ron Dennis suggested that some rivals had interpreted the rules in a way that his team did not agree with.
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Article 3.17.4 of Formula One's technical regulations states that no
bodywork, such as the floor, can deflect more than 5mm vertically when
exposed to a 500 Newton load upward.
The spring device was allegedly calibrated to have enough resistance
to allow the floor to pass this FIA flexibility test when the car was
in the garage, but then give way when the car was exposed to higher
forces out on the circuit.
This would potentially allow the front of the floor to rise up when
the car is at speed, which would improve its aerodynamics and
specifically increase straight-line speed.
McLaren became aware of Ferrari's device, believed to be used by BMW
Sauber as well, early in the Melbourne weekend. Subsequently,
autosport.com has learned that McLaren's engineering director Paddy
Lowe wrote to the FIA in Australia, asking if his team could fit a
similar system to their car.
In his letter, which also contained a diagram of McLaren's plans,
Lowe wrote: "We would like to consider the installation of a mechanism
on the front of our floor, consisting of springs and pivots.
Although he did not specifically name Ferrari or mention the area of
movable floors - sources subsequently revealed that his team were
primarily concerned about a spring device fitted to the front section
of the F2007 floor.
"By a suitable arrangement and configuration of the springs (rates
and preloads) within this mechanism, we will be able to control the
flexibility of the bib so as to meet the requirements of the test
specified in Article 3.17.4, but to otherwise allow greater flexibility
at higher loads by a non-linear characteristic."
Lowe's letter was clearly aimed at clarifying whether or not the use
of such a device was deemed legal if its sole intention was to get
around the FIA's flexibility tests.
A week later, FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting responded to
McLaren, and in a letter also distributed to every other team, he
clarified the allowed usage of such a device - and revealed that
bodywork testing would be altered accordingly.
Whiting wrote: "The test described in Article 3.17.4 is intended to
test the flexibility of bodywork in that area, not the resistance of a
device fitted for the purpose of allowing the bodywork to move further
once the maximum test load is exceeded.
"Quite clearly, any such device would be designed to permit
flexibility and is therefore strictly prohibited by Article 3.15 of the
Technical Regulations.
"We have no objection to a device in this area which is fitted to
prevent the bodywork from moving downwards, provided it is clear that
it is not designed to circumvent the test described in Article 3.17.4.
"Therefore, with immediate effect, we will be testing bodywork in the relevant area with any such devices removed."
The move could effectively outlaw Ferrari's system, which would be a
welcome boost to McLaren after Ferrari dominated the first round of the
championship.
"We are going to improve our car one tenth to two tenths every
single race weekend, and that is now the race that is on," Whitmarsh
said in Australia.
"If Ferrari respond and they can improve at the same rate or quicker
than us, then we will find it tough. If they cannot, we will overhaul
them. And that is the challenge.
"They are a strong, competent team and that is why we are in F1 -
that is why we enjoy that challenge, that chase, and we will be pushing
hard this year."
source: autosport.com
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