Ferrari F10

[LegendaryM]

I think the gills are legal. If you look closely you can see they are all joined together and joined to the exhaust by a small slit, so according to the rules this is just one single air exit, just very well shaped. I was planning to have gills like this on my f1 car, but it looks like ferrari have had the same idea as me

[Confused_Andy]

But surely the flex in them once the car hits a decent speed will cause them to close up making them individual exits being against the rules...

Ferrari playing a fine line here, I hope its just a test cover.

[LegendaryM]

But surely the flex in them once the car hits a decent speed will cause them to close up making them individual exits being against the rules...

Ferrari playing a fine line here, I hope its just a test cover.

i think flexing rules only cover the wings, and anyway the gill's arent being subject to large forces like the wings are

[ringo]

3.8.4 Any vertical cross section of bodywork normal to the car centre line situated in the volumes defined below must form one tangent continuous curve on its external surface. This tangent continuous curve may not contain any radius less than 75mm :
a) the volume between 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line and 300mm rearward of the rear face of the cockpit entry template, which is more than 25mm from the car centre line and more than 100mm above the reference plane ;

b) the volume between 300mm rearward of the rear face of the cockpit entry template and the rear face of the cockpit entry template, which is more than 125mm from the car centre line and more than 100mm above the reference plane ;

c) the volume between the rear face of the cockpit entry template and 450mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit entry template, which is more than 350mm from the car centre line and more than 100mm above the reference plane.

d) the volume between the rear face of the cockpit entry template and 450mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit entry template, which is more than 125mm from the car centre line and more than 675mm above the reference plane.
The surfaces lying within these volumes, which are situated more than 55mm forward of the rear wheel centre line, must not contain any apertures (other than those permitted by Article 3.8.5) or contain any vertical surfaces which lie normal to the car centre line.

3.8.5 Once the relevant bodywork surfaces are defined in accordance with Article 3.8.4, apertures, any of which may adjoin or overlap each other, may be added for the following purposes only :
- single apertures either side of the car centre line for the purpose of exhaust exits. These apertures may have a combined area of no more than 50,000mmP2 when projected onto the surface itself. No point on an aperture may be more than 350mm from any other point on the aperture.
- apertures either side of the car centre line for the purpose of allowing suspension members and driveshafts to protrude through the bodywork. No such aperture may have an area greater than 12,000 mmP2P when projected onto the surface itself. No point on an aperture may be more than 200mm from any other point on the aperture.

From this i am guessing these apertures are bellow the area limit, however the regulations say single apertures either side

if they aren't considered apertures , then they are governed by 3.8.4 a) and b) and they seem not to meet the rules there.
The only way they can pass is if they form one continuous curve on a vertical cross section on the external areas of the engine cover. The perimeter of the aperture bounder by it's major axis has to lie in a different plane than the other half of the perimeter. Along with this the aperture must not be visible when looking from a plan view, since that would mean the curve in the cross section wont be continuous.

It has to be like this ^^ but clearly we can see the holes from the side and top

[wesley123]

wow that is actually a unbelievable idea, i never thought it would go that far lol

[ringo]

I think the gills are legal. If you look closely you can see they are all joined together and joined to the exhaust by a small slit, so according to the rules this is just one single air exit, just very well shaped. I was planning to have gills like this on my f1 car, but it looks like ferrari have had the same idea as me

can those pass a deflection test?

[LegendaryM]

From this i am guessing these apertures are bellow the area limit, however the regulations say single apertures either side

thats what im saying, the slits make it a single appeture

[ringo]

From this i am guessing these apertures are bellow the area limit, however the regulations say single apertures either side

thats what im saying, the slits make it a single appeture

3.8.5 Once the relevant bodywork surfaces are defined in accordance with Article 3.8.4, apertures, any of which may adjoin or overlap each other, may be added for the following purposes only :

Yeah they are exploiting the wording in bold. The only thing stopping them is if those lose ends can pass a deflection test.

[timbo]

The only thing stopping them is if those lose ends can pass a deflection test.

There's no specific test for this part of sidepods I believe, however, FIA may introduce one if deemed necessary

[ringo]

The only thing stopping them is if those lose ends can pass a deflection test.

There's no specific test for this part of sidepods I believe, however, FIA may introduce one if deemed necessary

You're right, there are only tests specific to certain points.

This is the rule you say they might exercise just in case:

3.17.8 In order to ensure that the requirements of Article 3.15 are respected, the FIA reserves the right to introduce further load/deflection tests on any part of the bodywork which appears to be (or is suspected of), moving whilst the car is in motion.

Seems like a subjective regulation. I doubt they will go through the trouble since those pieces seem small and rigid enough not to move or vibrate when the car is in motion.

.... touche Ferrari ... we'll get you next time!!

jk.

[bonjon1979]

I think they may actually have been very clever. Obviously in the spirit of the law they should be allowed but as last year proved there is no such thing. I suppose it won't be too difficult for teams to copy but other cars may not have exhausts in the optimum place for the gills. I'm sure it's only a tenth or so they'll gain but with a tight field that could make the difference.

Kudos Ferrari engineers.

[Just_a_fan]

Presumably, if this passes scrutineering the other teams will likewise look to use a similar system at hot races.

It's things like this that makes Ferrari so annoying - they moan about other teams playing with the edges of the rules but they do the same themselves. The diffuser row last year being a good example.

I'm not sure any other team is so vocal about the legality of other teams whilst being clever themselves. Hypocrisy is probably the best word for it...

[Afterburner]

Some people forget things like spygate so easy but don't forget moaning from other teams (ferrari...). I can't imagine what would they say if it was Ferrari in place of Mclaren in spygate.

[mx_tifoso]

It's things like this that makes Ferrari so annoying - they moan about other teams playing with the edges of the rules but they do the same themselves. The diffuser row last year being a good example.

I'm not sure any other team is so vocal about the legality of other teams whilst being clever themselves. Hypocrisy is probably the best word for it...

Surely you cannot compare the affects of a diffuser to those of cooling gills can you? I think they're massively different in the level of importance.

Although I agree with how Ferrari reacts negatively to others' clever designs but has no problems in designing and using their own.

[raymondu999]

@ Crabs. See this pic. Pretty sure I can see a white heat resistant panel through the fins, extending out to the exhaust opening.

Gills are illegal. The sidepod in the background doesn't seem to have them. Could be they're just putting these in front of the garage to show off the sponsors.

There is. Squint hard at the one in the back. You'll see the leading (frontmost) gill on the cover.