2012 exhaust regs question

[Ferraripilot]

Next year's regs state the exhaust must exit rear of the wheels, but I have a question.

Is there anything which would prevent a constructor from using the exhaust exit in its new place as part of an aerodynamic device or an aerodynamic device on its own? For example, the exhaust pipe itself could be formed in such a way to extend the diffuser or be part of the uppermost portion of diffuser itself via having an opening at the upper area of the diffuser, only the exhaust pipe would not really be a round pipe, but more of a horseshoe or the like essentially providing more volume to the diffuser. The exhaust could still exit at the required location so long as the exit itself were not opening anywhere other than the required place, but does the pipe have to be just a round pipe?

[gridwalker]

A) The pipe exits will need to be circular
B) The pipe exits will need to have a vertical cut-off (assumingly relative to the reference plane)
C) The pipes will have to end further back than bodywork is allowed to extend

(this is my interpretation of the limited information available at this time)

[Ferraripilot]

A) The pipe exits will need to be circular
B) The pipe exits will need to have a vertical cut-off (assumingly relative to the reference plane)
C) The pipes will have to end further back than bodywork is allowed to extend

(this is my interpretation of the limited information available at this time)

I believe exhaust will be required to exit between the bodywork and the rear wheel centerline. Circular in dimensions is what confuses me. Does only the exit itself have to be circular or can it be exploited via other piping leading to the circular exit not being exactly circular.

[gridwalker]

From 2012, pipes will have to extend to between 330-350mm beyond the rear wheel centre line, will have to be in a space between the lower rear wing and top of the diffuser and will need to be circular in dimensions, with a vertical cut-off.

It seems that I was wrong about C ... The wording for the circular exit looks fairly open to interpretation at this stage, but will probably be "clarified" after someone has tried something innovative

[Ferraripilot]

From 2012, pipes will have to extend to between 330-350mm beyond the rear wheel centre line, will have to be in a space between the lower rear wing and top of the diffuser and will need to be circular in dimensions, with a vertical cut-off.

It seems that I was wrong about C ... The wording for the circular exit looks fairly open to interpretation at this stage, but will probably be "clarified" after someone has tried something innovative

I see numerous possibilities with this if it is interpreted that the only place where the pipe needs to be circular is at the defined exit point. If that were the case then the exhaust could route to a muffler box with a predefined aerodynamic shape which meets with the diffuser and increases its volume all the while exiting at the defined area. Something like this would yield huge area increases in the diffuser if they get away with it. It would not technically be a diffuser as the rules allow, but rather it would be an exhaust exit system/diffuser for which there are no specific rules defined.

[Ferraripilot]

question answered: exhaust is considered part of the bodywork in this regard, anything forming part of the diffuser volume is considered as bodywork and is subject to the rules which apply to bodywork