dp35 wrote:I predict a double decker diffuser on at least one team before qualifying (assuming it can be done within the rules). I also predict that every team will have double deckers for Malaysia.
Those who think the teams aren't capable of building such parts in this time frame (of course out of carbon fiber) are misinformed.
It's not the case that if they can build it they could stick it on the car.
I along with many others thought that we'd see McLaren open up their diffuser, and expected them to be the fourth team to run a double decker. The fact that they haven't, despite the design clearly heading in that direction, highlights how closely linked all the aero components are on these cars.
Without wholesale changes to the front of the car the teams simply wouldn't be able to get the required airflow to the diffuser to make use of a double decker design. That is no doubt the reason McLaren have yet to introduce their interpretation.
The figure being bandied about is that 50% of the cars aero package will require an update - a simply massive change in philosophy requiring many weeks, possibly even months of testing before they can introduce it.
Despite being wrong with some of my predictions thus far I'm sticking to my guns in my belief that at least some of McLarens problems have been caused by the late realisation that they needed to change their cars design philosophy to accommodate this style of diffuser, and their decision to start down that new path sooner rather than later. Thus I would expect them to be among the first teams, if not the first, to introduce a new double decker diffuser. This will probably happen as soon as they can make the requisite changes to the front of the car - maybe by China but more likely Bahrain. It would be truly superhuman if they can introduce the change by Malaysia.
The teams protesting the diffusers certainly won't introduce them until after the hearing, even if they had a working design ready. Thus they won't introduce them until China at the earliest.