FIA flip-flops on blown diffusers

Formula 1's reputation as a sport on the cutting edge of automotive technology is well known, however that has not stopped its governing body (FIA) from trying to limit the ingenuity of its technical boffins. HT reports.

Formula 1's reputation as a sport on the cutting edge of automotive technology is well known, however that has not stopped its governing body (FIA) from trying to limit the ingenuity of its technical boffins. The most recent instance of this occurred just yesterday when the FIA tried to stop the teams from flowing exhaust gases over the blown diffusers on their cars while the driver was not pressing the accelerator.

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British website autosport.com reported that the FIA had imposed a ban on 'off throttle' blown diffusers on Tuesday. The FIA stated that the outward flow of exhaust gases when the car is not accelerating would be outlawed starting from this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

Shortly afterwards though, the FIA reversed the ruling stating that it did not know how to regulate such a ban. The feature is implemented by every one of the 12 teams on the F1 grid. Had such a ban gone into effect, the current pecking order in F1 could have been significantly altered. This was the belief of Mercedes GP's technical director Ross Brawn. McLaren's engineering director went further to state that the ban would have been a 'setback' for both McLaren and their main rival Red Bull Racing.