F1 POST : Mercedes Front DRS (controversial or creative?)

IT HAS BEGUN!!!!!! yes im a bit late but still, every year we seem to have a team come out with thier sexy new design that just complies to regulations due to loop holes in the rules, 2009 it was the Double diffuser, 2010 is was the F-duct and 2011 it was the Flexi-Front wing and this year its Ross Brawn again with the contoversy, thats twice in the past 3 years, ey yay yay

So what is it this year? well ill keep it as simple as possable, all F1 cars this year have a Rear flap at the back which at high speed (when downforce is BAD!! and slows you down) the driver opens the flap and reduces rear downforce and thus more speed on the straights.

Here we see the flap closed (High downforce, Good for corners, Bad for Straights)

Here we see the Flap open (Low downforce, Bad for corners Good for straights)

(Click read more for full post)

Now all cars of 2012 have this system, an the
system may be used when ever the driver wishes during practive sessions and qualifing, but during the race there is a designated straight and only in this straight can a driver use the system, and the driver can only use this system if he is less than a second away from the car infront, but enough of that.

So, now you know how the system works lets look at sneeky mercedes little adjustments. as mentioned before the DRS system only reduces rear downforce , but what about the front? well thats what mercedes have thought of, they have a small hole next to the flaps that leads air down tubes to the front wing and reduces the downforce. Thus more straight line speed.

So i wont bore you with the specific rules but the reason teams be hatin' on this is that after 2011 all F-duct like designs are banned and the nicknamed "Front F-duct" seems to work like it. but the rule is specific to drivers controlling and manipulating the air flow, where as here the driver manipulates the DRS and this manipulates the airflow, so the drivers are indirectly breaching the rules, but so far the FIA seem cool with it and so far no plans to ban it.

I have to say i like the idea and dont think its against any rules, but i want to get a general opinion, so please leave comments and let me know what you think ilegal or not?

By the way Massive thanks to google for helping me find the images and i certainly do not own the images.

Be Well ----------------------- Mustafa S. Wandi