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I was under the impression that the F-Duct was banned indirectly, by simply banning shark fins that connect to the rear wing ...

F-duct is banned by FOTA and not FIA .. MW was not happy with it ... but he can do nothing abt it

FOTA cannot ban anything on their own.

Strictly speaking, autogyro is correct, only the FIA WMSC can "ban" things.

However, FOTA do have a number of agreements that the FOTA members adhere to as if they were formal rules. These have included the restrictions on testing, wind tunnels, KERS, & F duct. Some of them become FIA rules, so that's where it gets confusing.

gridwalker wrote:I was under the impression that the F-Duct was banned indirectly, by simply banning shark fins that connect to the rear wing ...

I read the rules for next year as that 'driver input' was banned except where allowed (front wing adjustment). The F-Duct (tube with cockpit hole, from front to rear wing) might be banned, but the fully automated systems, that require no driver input aren't. That was my understanding of the new rules.

Shaddock wrote:

gridwalker wrote:I was under the impression that the F-Duct was banned indirectly, by simply banning shark fins that connect to the rear wing ...

I read the rules for next year as that 'driver input' was banned except where allowed (front wing adjustment). The F-Duct (tube with cockpit hole, from front to rear wing) might be banned, but the fully automated systems, that require no driver input aren't. That was my understanding of the new rules.

Good point and also funny in some way. They changed such rules to make them more clear, but they still get understood in different ways

Shaddock wrote:but the fully automated systems, that require no driver input aren't

If there's something moving (like a valve closing the hole) it is not permitted.
However, there's a scope for a passive system that would stall the wing at a set speed. But it would be of no use on tracks such as Silverstone or Turkey.
Would be handy at Monza.

timbo wrote:

Shaddock wrote:but the fully automated systems, that require no driver input aren't

If there's something moving (like a valve closing the hole) it is not permitted.
However, there's a scope for a passive system that would stall the wing at a set speed. But it would be of no use on tracks such as Silverstone or Turkey.
Would be handy at Monza.

So by that logic would Mercedes' f duct and the Monaco 09 wing be permitted next year?

timbo wrote:

Shaddock wrote:but the fully automated systems, that require no driver input aren't

If there's something moving (like a valve closing the hole) it is not permitted.
However, there's a scope for a passive system that would stall the wing at a set speed. But it would be of no use on tracks such as Silverstone or Turkey.
Would be handy at Monza.

That was how I understood it - seems arse backwards to me though. Surely the passive systems are more likely to operate inappropriately than the active systems, and thus are more likely to cause a sudden loss of downforce leading to a crash?

wesley123 wrote:They changed such rules to make them more clear, but they still get understood in different ways

AFAIK the "rules" have not been published. Everything about it in this thread is conjecture. We're all guessing until someone shows us what the agreement actually says.