Helmut Marko questions FIA decision to ban Blown Diffuser during 2011 season – Formula 1 news
Red Bull Motor Racing consultant Helmut Marko has questioned the International Automobile Federation (FIA) decision of banning the Blown Diffuser midway during the 2011 Formula 1 season.
Marko strongly stated that the previous two technologies, F-duct and Double Diffuser, were banned after the respective seasons were concluded but the Blown Diffuser is being clamped during the season which will be a setback for the Red Bull team.
Marko stated that Red Bull are going to be hit hard by the ban and Ferrari will rise to the occasion.
“What we hope now is that it doesn't hit us any harder than it does Renault, Mercedes and McLaren, while Ferrari is most certainly looking to gain an advantage,” commented Marko.
Marko further added that the Double Diffuser of 2009 and F-duct of 2010 were banned after the seasons were concluded but the Blown Diffuser is being banned right between the season.
He said, “Inventions such as the double diffuser and the F-duct were both banned at the end of the year. Now we see a ban in the middle of the season. That's pretty strange.”
In 2009, Brawn GP introduced the Double Diffuser which increased the aerodynamic capability of the car. At that time Jenson Button took six victories in the first seven races of the season due to the fact that other teams were waiting for a ban on the technology
which did not come half way through the season.
Similarly, in 2010 McLaren team introduced the F-duct, also called as RW80, which also enhanced the aero capability of the car. However, this time the technology was not too beneficial as the McLaren stayed out of the championship hunt for almost the entire
season. However, no ban was induced halfway through the season.
In the ongoing 2011 Formula 1 season, Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has taken five victories out of the seven races and has been second in the other two races mainly due to an extra edge he gets from the Blown Diffuser.
Nevertheless, the ban on the diffuser is to be implemented from the Silverstone Grand Prix set to take place in July 2011. Let’s see how much of a difference will it make for Red Bull Racing and other teams.
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