Flexible bodywork - again

[AndyL]

Those pictures of the underside of Mark Webber's car as it was being craned off at Monza seem to have thrown another log on this fire. Apparently a German web site (http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/f1-technik-exklusiv-red-bull-unterboden-illegal-4043971.html) drew attention to the odd wear pattern on Mark's "plank". Rather than being heavily worn at the leading edge, as you'd expect from a car with the high rake angle of the Red Bull, the most noticeable wear seems to be a couple of feet back from the leading edge.

Craig Scarborough has come up with a see-saw mechanism that would allow the leading edge of the splitter to rise (and therefore the front wing to drop closer to the road), which could explain this odd wear pattern:
http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/a-legal-but-flexible-t-tray-splitter-the-see-saw-solution/
Apparently the FIA tests for splitter flex are done with the car resting on its belly, not on the wheels. So the weight of the car would be resting on the back end of the splitter, preventing it tipping up under the FIA test.

[Robinho]

and since Italy the pack seem to have moved closer to Red Bull, or is it possible that something has been clarified (changed) and Red Bull have been brought closer ot the pack. Of have McLaren incorporated this new idea quickly and caught RBR. Or is it nothing to do with anything of the above

[Zico]

Does the theory fit in with the wear areas we are seeing on the Red Bulls though?

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/739/raiuno20100627142031.jpg

and the more evenly worn? plank on a Williams for comparison..

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7391/screenshot20111016at171.png

[AndyL]

Does the theory fit in with the wear areas we are seeing on the Red Bulls though?

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/739/raiuno20100627142031.jpg

Interesting, from that picture it looks like Red Bull had similar wear patterns last year. Yes that is the wear pattern that this idea is seeking to explain. A small patch of heavy wear about 2ft back from the front of the splitter, that possibly indicates the plank is bending in this area.

[pete c]

ohh dear another conspiracy theory.

[AndyL]

ohh dear another conspiracy theory.

Well, all F1 design teams are groups of people who come together to devise ideas and plans, which they then try to keep secret from everyone else. So in that sense I suppose you could call the design of an F1 car a conspiracy.

[ioan]

ohh dear another conspiracy theory.

:up:

[AndyL]

The FIA have issued a technical directive to the teams clarifying that this splitter design would be illegal:
http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/update-see-saw-splitter-fia-issue-a-technical-directive/

[Knock-on]

The FIA have issued a technical directive to the teams clarifying that this splitter design would be illegal:
UPDATE: (http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/update-see-saw-splitter-fia-issue-a-technical-directive/)

Sounds very like what happened when Ferrari were using an illegal device that got around the regulations and McLaren asked if they could use one :laugh:

Ended up costing about $100m :s