F1 Diffuser Saga Defused: Court of Appeal rules in favor of Brawn, et al.
by Frank Filipponio on Apr 15th 2009 at 3:29PM 
Brawn GP diffuser as seen by the competition
The FIA International Court of Appeal has just ruled that the "Diffuser 3" can continue on with their current shapely backsides, much to the chagrin of Formula 1 competitor Ferrari (among others). The Court had met in Paris to respond to a challenge issued by Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault, which questioned whether or not the rear diffusers being used by Toyota, Williams and Brawn met the regulations.
From the beginning of the season, the established front-runners have been amazed at the pace of those teams. Much of that pace has been attributed to a rear diffuser that seemed in theory to deviate from the straight-topped one the rules stipulated (which the rest of the field is using).
The other teams interpreted the 2009 rules one way and the Diffuser 3 adherents read the regulations differently. With the new ruling, it looks like the rest of the field will be playing catchup, and the V-shaped upper panel is sure to pop up on the rest of the cars very soon. Whether or not it will have an impact on the standings remains to be seen, as Brawn for one has proven to be a well-run operation with a strong engine and re-energized drivers.
[Source: F1-Live]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MachinaDC5 3:33PM (4/15/2009)
Never doubt the Brawn.
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Hugh G 3:45PM (4/15/2009)
Ditch those diffusers and KERS. I want my old F1 back....ya know, from when Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen used to battle it out every weekend.
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mcampasini 3:54PM (4/15/2009)
keep the diffuser but evey car has one,and ya i agree get rid of the kers.
mapoftazifosho 4:07PM (4/15/2009)
Kers is great because it makes the racing more fun...what is better, the extra energy boost or the weight savings from NOT implementing the system.
Look at BMW-Sauber, Kubica doesn't have KERS, and in Australia was faster than Heidfeld...
I think this has the potential be the most entertaining season of F1 in a LONG time. F1 with Schumacher was as predictable as a Sandra Bullock date flick...
bfd1 4:17PM (4/15/2009)
They are so lucky Mclaren didnt have this design or else they would throw everyone with it out of the sport and fine them 1 trillion dollars and all there first born children and force them all into IRL!
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Metar 5:36PM (4/15/2009)
Indeed. It's a political decision: Brawn, Williams and Toyota are all teams that just barely stay in F1: Brawn is the remains of Honda, who almost didn't make the grid. Toyota is under constant threat from it's management, and Williams is nearly bankrupt, as the last true privateer (now joined by Brawn). Deciding against those could've meant losing three teams.
If Ferrari, McLaren, BMW, RBR or even Renault came up with these, it'd be banned. It makes me sad that when Ferrari's floors were flexing, or Renault's Mass-dampers were used, the "spirit of the rules" argument was used to ban them - but now doesn't exist, even though the part goes against the spirit of the new regulations: Easier passing.
Mike 4:13PM (4/15/2009)
That's very nice and all. But for us dummies out here could you show a picture that does a compare and contrast so that we will know what the heck you are talking about?
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Bevill 4:33PM (4/15/2009)
You can see a picture of the Ferrari here:
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/4/9177.html
You'll notice that the top of the diffuser goes straight across where as the Brawn/Toyota/Williams dips down in the middle. It's also worth noting that the three teams using this weren't included in on the discussions when the specs were hammered out. It's hard to argue that a team a violating the spirit of the rules when they weren't involved in creating them. They interpretted the rules differently and it's working better for them.
osunick 4:14PM (4/15/2009)
I'm sure the other teams already have this "plan b" diffuser ready to go for this weekend, anticipating that a decision would be made by now.
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Metar 5:27PM (4/15/2009)
You would be correct. Ferrari completed a shakedown last week of a prototype double-decker diffuser (that's the adopted name of these diffusers) just last week - though we can't be sure if they'll be ready for China. They need a new gearbox design that doesn't interfere.
bgkeen 4:14PM (4/15/2009)
Once the rest of the pack get those diffusers, Jenson Button won't be so smug. We'll see if it's talent that's got him this far, or if it's just the diffuser. I am guessing the latter.
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Cameron 4:21PM (4/15/2009)
There is a lot more to the Brawn's speed than the diffuser. Just about every part is more developed than the competition.
Button is smug yes, but he's still a naturally smooth and fast driver.
Button's pole lap Australia 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otL_R0LJhEc
Unknown 7:04PM (4/15/2009)
Button has been anything but smug this season or even in prior seasons. Smug is Hamilton. Button's been extremely thankful and gracious to his team. I guess years of being at the bottom and going through months thinking you're looking at the end of your F1 career will do that to you.
The Brawn car is good. So good that even without the diffuser, it would have been good anyways. Button is a talented driver, I'm glad he stuck it out with the team through the hard times, and is now coming out the other side as a winner.
Richard 8:56PM (4/15/2009)
The diffuser is only part of the story. Barrichello's diffuser was destroyed on lap 1 of the Australian GP and he still ended up second.
Brawn had an entire eight months head start on the design for 2009 as they gave up on their 2008 car - rightly so - early on last year.
I am no Button FB (I like Massa and the Spaniard whose name dare not be mentioned). But, if you think of Button as smug, what the heck do you think of Louise Hamilton?!
HotRodzNKustoms 4:16PM (4/15/2009)
If I were a team that got the short end of this ruling I'd redesign my car with full ground effects and call it "a full body diffuser" just to screw with the FIA.
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Metar 5:28PM (4/15/2009)
Ferrari's Rory Byrne said that basically, that's what this ruling means: They can stretch these tunnels to the point of becoming full ground-effect underbodies.
Eric Liberatore 4:21PM (4/15/2009)
Yeah! This is good news. This will be one of the best seasons yet!
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Galley 4:23PM (4/15/2009)
"Brawn GP diffuser as seen by the competition"
I see what you did there.
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hyundaifans.com 5:06PM (4/15/2009)
Brawn is the man. Lots of experience in F1 probably taught him how to interpret the rules in his favor and get away with it.
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PauloBecker 7:03PM (4/15/2009)
I would have lost all faith in FIA if they hadn't ruled in favor of the diffuser.
This is going to be a very interesting season.
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