• Italian Grand Prix

Williams expects F-duct advantage at Monza

Williams will run its F-duct at Monza © Getty Images

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Williams technical director Sam Michael is amazed some Formula One teams are considering removing their F-ducts for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Most teams are expected to turn up to Monza with the option of either running the system or leaving it off and will complete back-to-back comparisons during Friday practice.

The thinking behind leaving the system off is that the difference in drag between a stalled wing while running the F-duct and the low-downforce wing used at Monza normally is so small that there would be little to gain by running it. Instead, teams could lower the centre of gravity by removing the extra weight of the F-duct at the top of the engine cover.

But speaking at the last grand prix in Belgium, Michael said he was surprised some teams were contemplating not running an F-duct at Monza.

"I don't really understand that," he told reporters. "I don't know where that story came from to be honest. I think someone was just playing around."

Michael said using an F-duct at the Monza is a "no-brainer".

"On the Monza wing that we've got, it [an F-duct] is a massive drag difference. So I don't know why you wouldn't do it. It's a stalled wing, so if the wing stalls then it stalls. I think everyone will run it."

At Hungary and Monaco the majority of teams removed their F-ducts as the straights were not long enough to gain an advantage. McLaren did not, but that was only because it did not have an alternative engine cover and wing ready to race.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.