Stewards may challenge Williams/Toyota diffuser cleared by FIA

[John S]

Methinks some sort consistency between the race stewards and the FIA has got to be sorted, how can these teams get the green light but then face possible penalty when the actually come to race the cars?

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde, Autosport.com 

The rear diffusers of the Toyota and Williams teams have been cleared by Formula One's governing body, according to FIA president Max Mosley.

As reported by Autosport magazine last month, rivals teams were set to request a clarification about the diffuser designs of Williams and Toyota, with the outfits having opted for a different concept compared to their rivals.

The diffusers of the Williams FW31 and the Toyota TF109 appear to exceed the maximum height of 175 mm at their peak through clever aerodynamic shaping of the rear crash structure.

Mosley says, however, that the FIA has seen nothing illegal about the "clever" design, although he admitted a protest could not be ruled out during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

"It will always happen when you have got new regulations," Mosley told selected reporters on Thursday.

"The current FIA view is that Williams and Toyota have been clever and have exploited the wording of the rules in a clever way. But somebody may challenge it and the stewards may take a different view - it could happen.

"It is a curious idea in a way - where you are not allowed two surfaces, you have a surface and then something that is not a surface because it is unsprung. The view on our technical people is that it is okay, we will wait and see if someone challenges it."

Autosport.com has learned that at least one other team are now developing a similar diffuser design ready for the start of the season.

[cosworth151]

This sounds like the old, "If Dad says no, go ask Mom" story. F1 needs a rules structure that the teams can depend on. How may times in recent seasons have we seen stewards rulings that seem to come out of thin air?

[Steven Roy]

Any kind of sensible organisation would never allow a situation where you don't have someone with ultimate authority.  It's like the teams contacting Charlie to ask his opinion on a manoeuvre.  Either he has authority or not.  of course in his case he gives and opinion and changes his mind after the fact.