• 2011 Season

Double diffusers to be banned in 2011

ESPNF1 Staff
January 23, 2010 « Jose Maria Lopez secures US F1 drive | »
The source of the controversy: Brawn's double diffuser design © Sutton Images
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Formula One's technical directors have agreed to ban double diffusers from 2011.

In 2009 Brawn, Williams and Toyota pioneered the controversial double-decker design, which exploited a loop-hole in the rules to generate greater rear-end downforce. When the idea was found to be legal by the FIA's International Court of Appeal, all the other teams created their own versions in order to catch up.

Now, however, Autosport is reporting that the sport's Technical Working Group (TWG) has agreed to tighten the rules on diffusers, effectively outlawing the use of a two-layered design in 2011. The team's will continue to run further iterations of the concept in 2010 but, pending the approval of the F1 Commission and the FIA's World Motor Sport Council, will have to revert to a conventional design next year.

According to the report the ban on double diffusers is just one part of a plan to slow the cars down. If no further action is taken, the TWG's predictions suggest lap times in 2011 could be as low as they were at the end of 2008 when the current regulations were brought in to reduce downforce by 50%. However, increasing overtaking and controlling costs are also at the top of the TWG's agenda, meaning radical solutions will need very careful consideration.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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