F1: FIA To Use Stricter Front Wing Tests

Formula 1

F1: FIA To Use Stricter Front Wing Tests

The FIA may no longer be as tolerant of the flexible front wings used by the Red Bulls and Ferraris in Hungary...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted August 01, 2010 Budapest (HUN)

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel finished third in Hungary. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

The FIA is to clamp down on so-called "flexible wings" by introducing more stringent load tests by the next race in Belgium.

LINK > UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX – HUNGARORING
LINK > UPDATED STANDINGS: HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX – HUNGARORING

The teams are being informed tonight that the governing body is making use of a rule which allows it to change the tests in the course of the season, should it be deemed necessary.

The FIA is to use Article 3.17.8 of the F1 Technical Regulations, which reads as follows:

"In order to ensure that the requirements of Article 3.15 are respected, the FIA reserves the right to introduce further load/deflection tests on any part of the bodywork which appears to be (or is suspected of) moving whilst the car is in motion.

“With the exception of the cover described in Article 6.5.2 (when used in the pit lane), the driver adjustable bodywork described in Article 3.18 and the ducts described in Article 11.4, any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic performance:

“Must comply with the rules relating to bodywork must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom):

“Must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car:

“Any device or construction that is designed to bridge the gap between the sprung part of the car and the ground is prohibited under all circumstances.

“No part having an aerodynamic influence and no part of the bodywork, with the exception of the skid block in 3.13 above, may under any circumstances be located below the reference plane.”

LINK > UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX – HUNGARORING
LINK > UPDATED STANDINGS: HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX – HUNGARORING

Adam Cooper notched up his 25th season as a racing journalist in 2009. Born in London, England, he saw his first F1 race at age 10 in 1976. He began freelancing for Autosport magazine in 1985 and was on the fulltime staff from 1987-92. He then went freelance again, initially spending two years in Japan before following the 1994 Champcar series from a base in Indianapolis. He has not missed a Grand Prix since Suzuka ‘94, a run that has extended to Abu Dhabi ’09. Adam has written books about Eddie Irvine, Piers Courage and Michael Schumacher and hosts a race preview show on Sirius XM. He has written about F1 for SPEEDtv.com since 2005. Check out Adam's Blog or follow him on Twitter