The FIA goes into the racecar design business

The FIA's research group has been playing with its whizzy new AMD-supplied supercomputer, and has come up with a new twin-wing design to reduce turbulence behind an F1 car, thus allowing more high-speed overtaking. The new design concept, shown above, was presented to the Formula 1 Commission in London on Monday, as part of a technical package proposal including a return to slick tires, and a change to a single tire supplier. The F1 Technical Working Group will now evaluate the proposals for possible introduction as early as 2007.

For 2006, the Commission agreed to change F1 qualifying to a three-stage format, with the five slowest eliminated in each of the first two rounds, and the remaining 10 fighting it out in a final 20 minute session. Tires will no longer be restricted, so we will once again see tire changes during pit stops, although each car is restricted to 28 identical tires for the weekend.

Unintended consequences department: One downside of the FIA wing is the elimination of a large, high-visibility advertising surface for sponsors. Not a trivial problem!