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Force India keeping F-duct options open

Force India has one of the best straight-line speeds in the paddock © Sutton Images

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Force India has yet to decide whether it will use its F-duct at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix.

McLaren, Renault and Sauber have already said they will go to Monza with the option of leaving the system off the car if no advantage can be gained around the low downforce track. Force India is believed to have one of the more efficient F-ducts in the paddock, and at the recent Belgian Grand Prix had impressive straight-line speed.

But Tonio Liuzzi told ESPNF1 that the advantage gained by the F-duct would be negligible in Monza.

"We are thinking about [removing] it. It is definitely one of those tracks where it is not going to work as well as at other circuits, because the downforce level is much lower than any other circuit. It's not going to be a big thing there. It depends, we are doing a lot of simulation to understand if it is a good thing to use but we are still 50/50."

Liuzzi had problems with his F-duct during practice at Spa Francorchamps and said it was still not working perfectly for his charge through the field during Sunday's race.

"I was losing one second or more due to a problem with the F-duct," he said. "We found a solution just before qualifying but we had to dismantle the car and change a lot of the parts to get to the bottom of it. The team did such a good job to work night and day to give me the best possible car they could."

"But ultimately I think we got a bit lost in the problem. The F-duct is such a complex item and even after qualifying it was not working 100%. It was still creating problems during the race and we were conscious right from the start that we would not be getting the very best from the car."

Liuzzi added that going through Eau Rouge one handed to operate the F-duct would have been too sketchy in the Force India.

"No, Eau Rouge would have been impossible to do one handed because the F-duct would have spoiled the rear downforce of the car and it would have been really risky," he said. "I've crashed at Eau Rouge before and it's very scary so it's better not to try as it would have gone too light."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.