Newey starts work on new diffuser
Adrian NeweyRed Bull Racing technical director Adrian Newey will not travel to this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix and will instead focus on re-designing the diffuser of the RB5.
Today's ruling by the FIA's appeal court that the diffuser designs used by Brawn, Williams and Toyota are legal has prompted Red Bull to change its car, which the team hopes will be ready for the Monaco Grand Prix at the end of May.
"We are working flat-out on a new solution already," said Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. "As the verdict became official, Adrian [Newey] immediately cancelled his flight to Shanghai and will stay in the factory. If everything goes according to plan, we will have the 'new' car ready for Monaco."
Marko says Red Bull was angered by the decision to approve the three double-decker diffusers because it had already submitted a similar design for approval and had it rejected.
"What angers us is the fact that we had approached [Charlie] Whiting for a clarification on a diffuser solution like the one in question and we were told it was illegal, therefore we did not pursue it any further though our design team had similar ideas," said Marko.
"I wonder what impact this will have on cornering speeds. I assume there will be problems soon when cars are going too fast, and the airflow the double diffuser creates for sure will make overtaking more difficult again. Thus it is against the spirit of the rules agreed in the working groups."
Theissen: Diffusers will hurt overtaking
By Steven English Wednesday, April 15th 2009, 16:45 GMT
Mario Theissen, BMW, 2009BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen has warned that the FIA's decision to approve the diffusers on the Brawn, Williams and Toyota cars will keep Formula 1 from reaching the intended reduction in downforce levels this season.
BMW-Sauber was one of several teams to appeal against the double-decker diffusers, but the International Court of Appeal today approved the designs and BMW has joined Ferrari and Red Bull in admitting it will have to re-design its diffuser.
"We will accept the decision of the International Court of Appeal," said Theissen. "This ruling means we now have clarity regarding the application of the regulations.
"However, it does not achieve the reduction in downforce and cornering speeds intended by the Overtaking Working Group when the new regulations were drawn up. At the same time, this decision means that seven teams will have to invest heavily in carrying out the necessary modifications to their cars."
fonte autosport
P.S.: ecco l'articolo del regolamento incriminato: