Ferrari querying suspension rules for 2017

[ajprice]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/127615...

Ferrari have written a query to the FIA about a hydraulic suspension system that replicates FRIC (which is banned), if it's clarified as illegal, its going to affect Mercedes' and probably Red Bull's suspension designs for this year. The argument is that because it affects the rake of the car, its a moveable aero device, which is illegal.

[thegreenhell]

Mark Hughes has an interesting take on the situation

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/has-f...

[rubystone]

I wonder why McLaren aren't mentioned in this context.

[lee_fr200]

Because mclaren struggle to finish a race let alone corner speed! Although such device would help them

[pits]

lee_fr200 said:

Because mclaren struggle to finish a race let alone corner speed! Although such device would help them

The McLaren chassis was easily the 4th best on the grid last year, the problem with the car is lack of power to get the aero working properly, but in general a very good chassis with a poor engine.

[2fast748]

pits said:

lee_fr200 said:

Because mclaren struggle to finish a race let alone corner speed! Although such device would help them

The McLaren chassis was easily the 4th best on the grid last year, the problem with the car is lack of power to get the aero working properly, but in general a very good chassis with a poor engine.

Eric is that you?!?

[Flooble]

From what I remember, the newer "heave spring" was one of the things which brought the car more to Rosberg and away from Hamilton in terms of preference. So this could be a doubly bad move by Ferrari - taking away Red Bull's advantage and bringing the car back towards Hamilton. Since Ferrari can generally trip themselves up without any help, I suspect Mark Hughes may be right.

Just when it was shaping up to be a real competition again.

[ISO51200]

I'm guessing Ferrari have completely fked up their implementation of this so are going down the "If we cant have it, then neither can you" route.

[The Surveyor]

Is this any more of a 'movable aerodynamic device' than any other suspension movement under aerodynamic downforce loads?

It's not an aerodynamic device in any interpretation of the word, it's passive suspension travel being optimised to make the cars more stable just like the traditional springs and dampers, but just in tandem with them and a lot more complex, and more effectively than Ferrari. It's not linked front to back so doesn't fail on that rule, and has been used for at least the last season without protest.

It would suggest to me that Ferrari have failed to build a competitive car for 2017.

[PhillipM]

No more than the mass damper was. The FIA are slowly tying their regulations in knots trying to ban things like this and all they do is make more and more convoluted loopholes as the wording is open to interpretation rather hard technical regs.

If they had any sense they'd regulate what you can have, not what you can't have.

[Ahonen]

Oooh, Ferrari are going back to the glory days of '98-'06 where they regularly asked for a 'clarification' of the rules and various entirely legal parts on the McLarens and Renaults were banned.

"Jean? It's Sergio. Yes, the bloke in the Timmy Mallett specs with the penchent for wearing Christmas jumpers even in 45 degrees and 99.9% humidity in Malaysia. That Sergio. Anyway, look Jean, remember the old days when you were in charge here? Well we need a little help..."