In the case of Sauber’s clever exhaust solution, Red Bull simply rolled out a copy in the days before the 2012 season.

Writing in O Estado de S.Paulo, Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio said the Sauber philosophy makes ingenious use of something called the ‘Coanda effect’.

In the wake of the FIA’s strict clampdown on blown exhaust technology for 2012, the C31 uses the Coanda effect – named after Romanian aerodynamics pioneer Henri Coanda – to legally entice the flow of exhaust to the diffuser.

Ferrari is understood to be the next team set to follow suit.

Red Bull, Ferrari and Lotus, however, have a vastly different attitude when it comes to Mercedes’ clever F-duct, which uses the existing DRS rules to redirect air from the rear of the W03 car to the front.

The concept not only significantly boosts straight line speed but also improves handling.

The FIA’s Charlie Whiting has declared that Sauber and Mercedes are doing nothing wrong.

But the three aforementioned teams continue to rail against the F-duct, even leaving open the threat of protest ahead of the Chinese grand prix.

Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko explains: “Lotus, who are very responsible, have discovered two ways in which the F-duct is not in accordance with the regulations.”

So is the difference in attitude when it comes to the Sauber and Mercedes innovations actually about the ease in which they can be copied?

Oricchio quotes Red Bull’s Adrian Newey as having said in Malaysia: “In regard to the aerodynamic (F) duct of the Mercedes, and sending the airflow from the back to the front, it is necessary to review the entire project.”

Sauber has revealed it cannot afford to simply jump in and copy Mercedes’ innovative F-duct solution.

The small Swiss team had almost winning race pace in Malaysia last weekend even without the extra straight-line speed that would be provided by a system along the lines of Mercedes’ DRS-complimenting concept.

Despite their complaints about the legality of the system, there is little doubt the big-budget teams will be working frantically to emulate the Mercedes’ concept, which to date has the blessing of the FIA.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, however, it will be a different story for the smaller teams.

“If we started now with a blank sheet of paper, we would be ready in two months,” said Sauber’s chief designer Matt Morris.

“But it would really add up. We have to ask ourselves whether it’s worth it for us, or whether we would be better off chasing the laptime with more conventional steps.

“On the other hand the big teams can handle a development like that in parallel to their normal programmes,” he added.

Also on the technical front, Auto Motor und Sport reveals that rival teams are closer to getting to the bottom of Red Bull’s ever-flexible front wings.

After the last day of testing in Barcelona, detailed photographs emerged of Sebastian Vettel’s stricken RB8 that appeared to show a sort of torsion bar inside the damaged front wing.

The report said the torsion bar may be pre-loaded in order to pass the FIA’s static load tests, but then bend at speed.

An FIA insider suggested the system, although permitted in private testing, “would not be allowed” at the actual grands prix.

The Red Bull team does not fear straight lines as much as it did earlier in 2010, according to a German media report.

After dominating on the slow, corner-dominated Hungaroring in August, the RB6 was subsequently beaten to the flag at Spa and Monza; circuits punctuated by long stretches of asphalt.

Then, before he dominated at Suzuka, Sebastian Vettel said the Japanese layout was “designed for” the Adrian Newey-penned car, even though the Renault engine was not expected to be strong on the front straight and the long run between Spoon and the chicane.

Team consultant Helmut Marko has been vocally worried about F1′s forthcoming trip to Korea, with the new layout featuring twistier sections separated by some very long straights.

After Mark Webber and the team pulled out leads in both world championships at Suzuka, the Austrian said “we need a cushion, especially for the next race”.

“One of the three long straights (in Korea) is 1.2 kilometres long,” Marko groaned.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, however, the RB6 is now performing better on the straights, thanks to the latest development of the car’s F-duct.

The report said Newey has essentially aped the Renault team’s F-duct solution, and as of Suzuka the RB6 is producing better straight line speed.

“We are no longer losing so much on the straights,” confirmed Vettel.

Timo Glock has joined a group of F1 drivers who think the ‘proximity’ wing idea is a bad one.

FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh has admitted that the proposal, with chasing drivers able to press a button and boost straightline speed next season, might not see the light of day.

“I think it’s highly dangerous,” Glock is quoted as saying by the website of the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell.

“From the viewpoint of safety, I think it’s a wrong decision.”

The speed difference between the Lotus and Red Bull cars was arguably the cause of last Sunday’s huge crash at Valencia involving Mark Webber.

“We’ve seen what can happen if the guy behind has significantly more speed,” Virgin driver Glock said.

“Mark was just lucky that there was enough run-off and he could just run into the tyre barrier,” added the German, suggesting that the return of KERS in 2011 could boost the speed differences even more.

“The drivers all have the same opinion; it is clearly too dangerous,” said Glock of the adjustable rear wing idea.

“Perhaps the (GPDA) drivers’ union can do something.  It should definitely be talked about.”

F1 drivers on Thursday sounded unconvinced about the debut next year of moveable ‘proximity’ rear wings.

The scheme, ratified by the FIA this week, will see chasing drivers able to press a button and boost straight-line speed if they are within a designated distance from the car in front, in a bid to improve the chances of overtaking.

But veteran Rubens Barrichello said in Valencia: “I don’t know if I like the idea that the one in front cannot use it and the one behind can.”

Robert Kubica had already voiced his opposition to the plan, and added on Thursday: “I don’t think there is a lot of entertainment in seeing cars overtake each other on a straight.

“To be honest, it’s a bit like a Playstation game when you have nitro or something.”

Mark Webber agreed: “It is good for the Playstation I think. Overtaking moves should be about pressurising, being skilful, and tactical.

“Yes we want to see more overtaking, but we also need to keep the element of skill involved in overtaking and not just hitting buttons, and not an IRL race where you pass each other four times per lap and everyone gets bored of that.”

And Force India’s Adrian Sutil added: “It’s very good for the show, it’s not so good from a driving point of view, because if you defend your position well it doesn’t really matter.”

Jun.16 (GMM)  Robert Kubica is the first formula one personality to oppose plans for ‘proximity wings’ in 2011.

After a meeting in Canada last weekend, teams agreed that drivers should next year be able to adjust their rear wings when they are following a car, in order to boost their chances of overtaking.

“I think that could be quite exciting,” said FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh, insisting that drivers will not be able to use the straightline speed-boosting system to defend position.

FOTA’s technical chairman Ross Brawn added: “It’s going to be an enhanced F-duct, where the car that is following will be allowed to reduce its drag to attack the car in front.

“I think that will give a lot more opportunity for overtaking.”

But Renault driver Kubica insists that grands prix have been exciting enough in 2010 without the radical innovation.

“And secondly,” he told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, “why it is only now that people are noticing that overtaking is difficult?

“I watched my first formula one race in 1997, and there was not much overtaking then,” noted the Pole.

Jun.11 (GMM)  F1 is considering a radical innovation for 2011 in order to make overtaking much easier.

Technical bosses of the twelve teams met at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Friday, where it was agreed that the adjustable front wings will be scrapped at the end of the season.

Instead, drivers will next year be able to adjust the angle – by a factor of 50mm – of the rear wings, meaning that straight-line speed can be dramatically increased when the cars are not negotiating corners.

The intriguing twist, designed exclusively to boost overtaking, is that only chasing drivers will be able to adjust their cars’ wings.

A green light will shine in the cockpit when a car is close enough to the rear of his rival, thereby allowing the driver to trigger the rear wing button.

The systems will not be available to drivers during the first three laps of a race, but the wings may be triggered after a safety car period.

“Why do we need KERS now?” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joked to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.  “The overtaking wings will be enough!”

Red Bull might not test its new F-duct system on the long straights of Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next Friday.

The team took its initial version of the downforce-stalling concept off the RB6 after Friday practice in Turkey, after Sebastian Vettel reported that it had not functioned perfectly.

“We need to work on getting the right effect,” said the German.

It had been expected that the team would test the innovation again during Friday practice in Canada, where the straightline speed boost will be a big advantage on the fast layout.

But on Austrian television ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′ on Tuesday, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko indicated that the F-duct will not be used in Montreal next week.

“It did not work perfectly,” he confirmed on Tuesday, referring to the Istanbul Park test.

“Therefore, we are developing it further.  We will bring it again to Valencia,” he added.

(GMM)

With the Red Bull-fight raging, it is easy to overlook that the whole episode was triggered by the major step forward made by McLaren in Turkey.

The entire F1 paddock had predicted another race of utter dominance from the energy drinks-owned team.

But although Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel were leading at Istanbul Park, it was the pressure applied by the chasing Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button that revved up the urgency of Vettel’s ill-fated overtaking move.

“We were quicker than the Red Bulls,” said Button.  “It’s amazing how much of a leap we’ve made.  We’ve bridged the gap and the rest have stayed back.”

It is suggested that the success of McLaren’s F-duct on the long straights of Turkey has clouded the overall improvement to the MP4-25 car.

Red Bull tested its own version of the straightline speed-boosting innovation in Istanbul, and will test it again on Friday in Canada after the team decided not to qualify or race with the immature system.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner is busily sorting out the internal teammate crisis at present, but he is also expecting another hard fight from McLaren at the forthcoming races.

“We’ll bounce back in Montreal and Valencia, but those are two tracks that are going to play to (McLaren’s) straightline advantage,” he admitted.

Joan Villadelprat wrote in his latest column for El Pais newspaper: “The Mercedes engine, the most powerful on the grid, is another element playing in the favour of McLaren.”

And Ferrari test driver Marc Gene wrote in El Mundo: “We must applaud the British team.  They did a great race and the one-two was no accident.

“Their improvement has been remarkable and their jump has surprised everybody.”

(GMM)

Cosworth is not in Rubens Barrichello or Lucas di Grassi’s good books at the scene of the Turkish grand prix.

Williams’ Rubens Barrichello, just fifteenth on the grid at Istanbul Park, said the British team is “suffering” from a lack of power.

“The engine that we brought did not work,” he is quoted by Brazil’s Globo.  “The straightline speed is not good.”

Lucas di Grassi is also unhappy, having been outqualified by Bruno Senna of the struggling HRT team.

“My lap was good,” said the rookie, who is finally at the wheel of Virgin’s updated VR-01 car this weekend.

“The car was good in the corners, but the engine was not working on the straights or in acceleration.”

Di Grassi will have a fresh engine fitted for Sunday’s race.

(GMM)

Lewis Hamilton on Monday admitted he is worried about Red Bull’s plans to introduce an F-duct this weekend in Turkey.

The downforce spoiling concept was pioneered this year by McLaren, but key rivals including Ferrari and Mercedes have steadily followed suit.

The system promises a straightline speed boost, which is an ominous prospect for Red Bull’s rivals, given the current dominance of the championship leading RB6 car.

“With this system the best team becomes even stronger,” 2008 world champion Hamilton is quoted by Germany’s Sport Bild.

“The RB6 has many good, detailed solutions. I have already told my engineers that we must copy them,” added the Briton.
(GMM)

A written plea by McLaren did not convince the British team’s rivals that controversial ‘F-duct’ innovations should be allowed to stay in F1 in 2011.

During a team meeting last weekend in Barcelona, a majority of the bosses voted for a rule tweak that will outlaw the controversial downforce-stalling solutions for next year.

After McLaren invented the straightline speed boosting concept this season, teams including Sauber, Ferrari, Williams and Mercedes have experimented with their own versions.

It is also believed that Red Bull, Renault and Force India are working on the concept at their respective factories.

But Red Bull’s Christian Horner indicated that the vote against F-ducts for 2011 was influenced by the marginal safety of the systems seen in Spain last weekend.

Both the Sauber and Ferrari drivers were activating the airflow with one of their hands, often out of high speed corners like Barcelona’s turn 3, while simultaneously fidgeting with other controls including brake balance.

“It’s a clever piece of engineering and hats off to the guys who invented it, but some of the solutions this weekend look a little bit marginal when you see drivers driving with no hands basically,” Horner is quoted as saying by the BBC.

“So I think there is a safety issue and a cost issue to take into account,” he added.

(GMM)

Ferrari’s F10 car will not feature its new F-duct system on the streets of Monaco this weekend.

The Italian team finally got its hand-triggered blown rear wing concept up and running for the Spanish grand prix and set highly competitive straight-line speeds.

But boss Stefano Domenicali said the car will feature the conventional rear wing and engine cover this weekend because Monaco requires the highest levels of downforce at all times.

He also backed Felipe Massa amid claims the Brazilian’s struggle at the wheel of the F10 could cost him his seat for 2011.

“He is a great driver and we have to make him feel comfortable again with the car,” Domenicali is quoted by Spain’s AS newspaper.

He also played down suggestions the issue of tyre supply for 2011 is likely to be finally settled in Monaco this weekend.

“It is going to take another couple of weeks, although we will talk about it again in Monaco,” Finland’s Turun Sanomat quotes the Italian as saying.

(GMM)

(GMM) After finished last GP, Back at Maranello, Ferrari is hard at work to emulate the success of McLaren’s so-called ‘F-duct’ downforce-spoiling innovation.

On the British team’s 2010 car, the once-controversial solution – with the drivers controlling a flow of air through to the rear wing with their left knee – passed scrutineering at the Bahrain season opener.

At the next race in Melbourne, Sauber’s similar system made its first appearance, amid reports that Red Bull, Force India, Williams and Mercedes were also working on F-ducts at their respective factories.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said after Sunday’s Malaysian grand prix that Ferrari is also working on a version for the F10.

“We have seen that the advantage (of the system) is very, very big,” said the Italian, referring to the straightline speed advantage enjoyed by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

“We will bring it to the races as soon as possible, once we are sure that it is 100 per cent,” added Domenicali.