Adapted from formula1.com
Teams Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams all raced the Grand Prix of Australia in Melbourne with cars fitted with diffusers that not only bring speed but also controversy.
The diffuser is the part of the floor of the car that sweeps upwards past the rear axle. This creates a low-pressure area, thus suction that greatly enhance speeds in the corners, resulting in better lap times.
The controversy surrounding the Brawn, Toyota and Williams's diffusers goes beyond their external shape and dimensions. More important is the fact that all three designs use a 'window' or hole to feed the diffuser (highlighted by a red circle on the 2 images of the diffuser of the Williams).
That hole is horizontal in the case of the Williams, vertical for the Toyota and Brawn cars, and is located where the floor's step plane meets the reference plane. Rivals' cars feature no such hole at this point.
This difference comes from the important question of whether the diffuser's three channels can be considered as separate entities, or whether they must be considered as one, enclosed whole.
Given the wording of the regulations, one can argue a case either way, though the majority of teams apparently took the spirit of the rules to mean that all three channels must have the same height and length, with no holes to feed them.
photo:WRI2
Teams Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams all raced the Grand Prix of Australia in Melbourne with cars fitted with diffusers that not only bring speed but also controversy.
The diffuser is the part of the floor of the car that sweeps upwards past the rear axle. This creates a low-pressure area, thus suction that greatly enhance speeds in the corners, resulting in better lap times.
 |
The controversy surrounding the Brawn, Toyota and Williams's diffusers goes beyond their external shape and dimensions. More important is the fact that all three designs use a 'window' or hole to feed the diffuser (highlighted by a red circle on the 2 images of the diffuser of the Williams).
That hole is horizontal in the case of the Williams, vertical for the Toyota and Brawn cars, and is located where the floor's step plane meets the reference plane. Rivals' cars feature no such hole at this point.
 |
This difference comes from the important question of whether the diffuser's three channels can be considered as separate entities, or whether they must be considered as one, enclosed whole.
Given the wording of the regulations, one can argue a case either way, though the majority of teams apparently took the spirit of the rules to mean that all three channels must have the same height and length, with no holes to feed them.
photo:WRI2