The FIA have declared that the Red Bull RB8 has an illegal floor.
It came to light at the Monaco Grand Prix that the RB8 had a hole in the floor which gave it an obvious speed advantage. There was no protest but the FIA have now deemed it illegal and has told the team that it must be sorted by the next round in Canada.
Because Webber's win in Monaco was not protested it means he will keep his win. However it does mean the team have plenty of work to do to work out how to keep their current pace while still keeping within the rules.
Click "read more" for all the quotes from the FIA
First here is a statement from the JLF1 Technical correspondent Matthew Somerfield on the Red Bull device:
"Red Bull will have to alter the floor of the RB8 for Montreal with the FIA making a u-turn over the legality of their 'Tyre Squirt Duct'
Red Bulls duct was termed by the other teams as a hole who were confused as rules allowing holes in the floor were outlawed when DDD's disappeared at the end of 09.
Both Ferrari and Sauber have similar devices in order to reduce tyre squirt. To be in line with the rules Sauber has extended a small slither to the floor edge in order for it to be termed a 'slot'. Ferrari have 3 tyre squirt slots and theirs meet with the edge of the floor.
Red Bull were using the aero strake to its side as a method of defining the hollow section as a slot not a hole. Using 2 rules to interact with one another.
The FIA had initially accepted Red Bulls explanation of their tyre squirt duct. However having received complaints from other teams and taking advice from the TWG (Technical Working Group) they have decided to revoke the right to use the rules combined. The reason for this is would allow for teams to further explore holes in the floor leading to worries another double floor situation could arise.
This however isn't the end for Red Bull who could add a minuet slot gap at either the green or orange lines on the picture above to circumnavigate the rules."
FIA quotes:
"Following on from a number of discussions in Monaco, during which it became clear that certain misunderstandings existed, we feel it would be helpful to make our position clear with respect to the presence of a fully enclosed hole in any surface lying on the step plane," the technical directive (codenamed TD/013-12) explains.
"It has been argued that, as it is not explicitly stated that fully enclosed holes cannot be located in a surface lying on the step plane rearward of a line 450mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit template, then they may be located in such areas. We disagree with this view and consider it implicit that fully enclosed holes may not be located there.
"If they were permitted the opening part of the second paragraph of Article 3.12.5 (which was added to the regulations at the same time as Articles 3.12.9 and 3.12.10 for 2011) would be superfluous."
"Furthermore, locating a fully enclosed hole partly or wholly within the 50mm band which is exempt from the requirements of Article 3.12.10 along the outer edges of the surfaces lying on the step plane does not exempt it from the requirements of Article 3.12.5, those parts lying outboard of Y650 are still parts of the surfaces lying on the step plane."
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
Click "read more" for all the quotes from the FIA
First here is a statement from the JLF1 Technical correspondent Matthew Somerfield on the Red Bull device:
"Red Bull will have to alter the floor of the RB8 for Montreal with the FIA making a u-turn over the legality of their 'Tyre Squirt Duct'
Red Bulls duct was termed by the other teams as a hole who were confused as rules allowing holes in the floor were outlawed when DDD's disappeared at the end of 09.
Both Ferrari and Sauber have similar devices in order to reduce tyre squirt. To be in line with the rules Sauber has extended a small slither to the floor edge in order for it to be termed a 'slot'. Ferrari have 3 tyre squirt slots and theirs meet with the edge of the floor.
Red Bull were using the aero strake to its side as a method of defining the hollow section as a slot not a hole. Using 2 rules to interact with one another.
The FIA had initially accepted Red Bulls explanation of their tyre squirt duct. However having received complaints from other teams and taking advice from the TWG (Technical Working Group) they have decided to revoke the right to use the rules combined. The reason for this is would allow for teams to further explore holes in the floor leading to worries another double floor situation could arise.
This however isn't the end for Red Bull who could add a minuet slot gap at either the green or orange lines on the picture above to circumnavigate the rules."
FIA quotes:
"Following on from a number of discussions in Monaco, during which it became clear that certain misunderstandings existed, we feel it would be helpful to make our position clear with respect to the presence of a fully enclosed hole in any surface lying on the step plane," the technical directive (codenamed TD/013-12) explains.
"It has been argued that, as it is not explicitly stated that fully enclosed holes cannot be located in a surface lying on the step plane rearward of a line 450mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit template, then they may be located in such areas. We disagree with this view and consider it implicit that fully enclosed holes may not be located there.
"Furthermore, locating a fully enclosed hole partly or wholly within the 50mm band which is exempt from the requirements of Article 3.12.10 along the outer edges of the surfaces lying on the step plane does not exempt it from the requirements of Article 3.12.5, those parts lying outboard of Y650 are still parts of the surfaces lying on the step plane."
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