Kolles: "All cars are illegal"

[Wats-on]

HRT considering Monaco diffuser protest
22 May 2011

Hispania Racing may lodge a protest against teams using blown diffusers at next weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, team boss Colin Kolles has revealed. The technique being utilised allows for exhaust gases to continually flow over a car’s diffuser when a driver is off-throttle, something Kolles believes is illegal and should be banned.

When asked by BBC Sport about the possibility of his squad lodging a protest for the Spanish Grand Prix, Kolles replied: "The only reason why we are not considering it (for this race) is because we were not really involved in any sporting decision today. But it is clear that the other cars are illegal, we agree absolutely with Charlie Whiting’s view and we are not the only ones who agree.

"I think that if this is not going to be stopped then we have no other choice (but to make a protest). I cannot tell you at what stage during the Monaco Grand Prix, maybe after qualifying. This I cannot answer at the moment. The point is that it has been very clearly stated that it is not corresponding with the regulations.

"We have studied this very carefully - you cannot influence the aerodynamics with hot exhaust gases, you cannot influence the aerodynamics by any movements like gas pedals or moving devices on the engine. So this is illegal and it brings the other teams a huge advantage."

Source: GPUpdate.net

[lkjohnson1950]

I think maybe Bernie was right, HRT don't belong in F1. You don't win by protesting everyone in front of you.

Charlie needs to go away. You don't say you have decided to crack down on blown diffusers and then invite other teams to protest before everyone can change what they're doing. There is nothing in the rules that says you can't hold the throttle open on the over run. The FIA thru Charlie, is changing the rules on the fly again, by splitting hairs just like they did with the mass damper a few years ago. It wasn't the right way to do things then and it still isn't. 

Lonny

[John S]

I think maybe Bernie was right, HRT don't belong in F1. You don't win by protesting everyone in front of you.

Charlie needs to go away. You don't say you have decided to crack down on blown diffusers and then invite other teams to protest before everyone can change what they're doing. There is nothing in the rules that says you can't hold the throttle open on the over run. The FIA thru Charlie, is changing the rules on the fly again, by splitting hairs just like they did with the mass damper a few years ago. It wasn't the right way to do things then and it still isn't. 

Lonny

I think HRT didn't lodge the protest this race because they realise it will elicit just such a reaction. Everyone assumed that the first complaint came from HRT, but now it seems Williams or maybe Cosworth, whether intentionaly or not, put this whole farce in motion by seeking clarification about what they can do with exhaust blowing whilst off the trottle.
 
HRT can't win races by protesting the big boys, however why should they have to obey the 107% rule if all the rest are breaking another to get the faster times that might put them out of the race. The fix is simple put a hold on the 107% rule whilst all teams are given a few races before the clampdown on exhaust blowing is brought in 

For good or bad the referee's decision has to be obeyed or it becomes anarchy. There is an appeals procedure for teams that feel Charlie's interpretation is wrong, history suggests though that overturning an FIA, or any ref's, decision is difficult.

 

[cosworth151]

It's getting to be like NASCAR. They brag that their rules "are written in pencil."

[lkjohnson1950]

NASCAR has changed it's rules between qualifying and the race. The trailer's word is law. That's the biggest thing I don't like about NASCAR. There is nothing in the F1 rule book that says you can't program the the engine map to hold the throttle open on the over run, or burn fuel downstream in the headers to generate exhaust flow. Whiting is "interpreting" the rules by declaring that this is a driver controlled moveable aerodynamic device. Huh? If he wants to ban it fine, But you set a date, and until that time you don't allow protests against a device that's been in wide spread use for a year and a half. Whiting was an idiot when Max was president, Todt getting elected hasn't made him any smarter.

[Scott]

If Kolles thinks you can't influence aerodynamics with a movement like a throttle pedal, I guess the drives had better start racing simulators, because nothing affects aerodynamics (on the entire car, not just the diffuser) more than speed.

[Alianora La Canta]

Technically all the cars are illegal, but that's because the interpretation of Article 3.15 of the Technical Regulations as used in the mass-damper case bans such things as cars whose upper surfaces are not identical to their lower surfaces (i.e. to be legal all cars would have to be carbon fibre blocks with the only alterations being in places where the flat surface step changes, with such things as driver seats and wheels being missing). Colin should be careful with this otherwise his cars will be banned right along with everyone else's!

[lkjohnson1950]

What I don't like about F1 and the FIA is you can enter, race and win with a car that is illegal and be fine unless someone protests. In NASCAR or Indycar your car goes through tech before it ever hits the track. They tech it again after qually and after the race. Protests are very rare and are not encouraged. There is no doubt, if you are on the track, you are legal. For Charlie to say the cars are illegal, but they can run unless somebody protests is ridiculous. I don't think he could do or say anything more stupid. On top of that, I think it's just wrong to change the rules mid season no matter what organization does it.

Lonny

[Jericoke]

What I don't like about F1 and the FIA is you can enter, race and win with a car that is illegal and be fine unless someone protests. In NASCAR or Indycar your car goes through tech before it ever hits the track. They tech it again after qually and after the race. Protests are very rare and are not encouraged. There is no doubt, if you are on the track, you are legal. For Charlie to say the cars are illegal, but they can run unless somebody protests is ridiculous. I don't think he could do or say anything more stupid. On top of that, I think it's just wrong to change the rules mid season no matter what organization does it.

Lonny

I have no problem changing the rules on safety grounds. 

This is hardly an interpretation about safety though. (Indeed, a less grippy car is less safe.)

I don't understand what they hope to gain through this.  Neither Williams nor HRT are going to win, much less podium because of this change.  The best they can hope for is being one less lap down at the end of the race.  Is the goal of the sport to be that the best finananced teams can only use innovations that the least financed can afford?  If Ferrari isn't allowed to build a car better than HRT, then I'm out of here.  (Now, if HRT were to use their limited budget and create an innovative Ferrari beater, I'd be happy with that.  Brawn proved that you can win with a good idea and a small budget.)

[John S]

I have to correct that small budget Brawn theory Jeri, the big money had already been spent by Honda, before they pulled out, to get that car into race winning shape. The small budget only really bit later in the season when the others started to catch up, it became clear Brawn could not keep up with the upgrades like the big budget teams. Without the big margin built up in the first half of the season Brawn might not have made it to the top step.

[Alianora La Canta]

For Charlie to say the cars are illegal, but they can run unless somebody protests is ridiculous. I don't think he could do or say anything more stupid.

He didn't say that. What's been said is that following team protests, the idea of banning EBD will be reviewed after Canada. So EBD is definitely legal until at least then. Hispania don't have a leg to stand on with this.

What Hispania have to gain is that only they and Virgin lack EBD, so Hispania would get a podium at least and quite possibly a win if the Virgins break down.

[lkjohnson1950]

To quote Joe Saward on Charlie:

Whiting said that the governing body would not act to disqualify cars this weekend, but could not rule out protests from teams not running such systems, as they have a lot of gain if they can score points by having others excluded. Millions of dollars are at stake. If there are protests the FIA Stewards would have to decide on what is in the rules.

That sounds to me like you run it at your own risk and hope HRT or Virgen doesn't protest, if they do it's up to the stewards.

Lonny

[Alianora La Canta]

To me that sounds like Charlie's expecting protests but pre-warning that they will not be successful.