F1 2025

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sinbad said:
This makes no sense at all.

If the titanium expanded, and thus "stuck out further" below the car when it was hot, then it would by definition raise the ride height? I mean I assume that they are using the titanium to protect the sacrificial wood plate, right?
Click to expand...
The titanium only needs to expand marginally past the plank itself to substitute for the plank in areas of highest wear.
 
quovadis said:
The titanium only needs to expand marginally past the plank itself to substitute for the plank in areas of highest wear.
Click to expand...
Yes but it holds the car up, right? And so therefore it's increasing the ride height?
 
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
Follow the sparks.
No car throw more sparks in a night race than Merc.
Alpine and McLaren also looks sus
Click to expand...
It's considered to be almost all cars. It's quite interesting since it's actually a hack:



Under the rules, the three skid elements must be made from titanium alloy to specific standards and sit exactly flush with the wooden plank.

Teams normally calculate surface wear after every session, ensuring the plank retains the minimum thickness required to avoid disqualification. But in Brazil, insiders say certain cars appeared to run unusually low without triggering excessive wear.

The report claims the heating process causes the titanium to expand downward.

"The higher the temperature of the titanium plate, the more it expands, resulting in it being lower than the plank itself," the outlet noted. When the car is "scattering sparks", only the skids make contact with the track while the plank sits fractionally higher - preserving legality.

Because drivers return to the pits slowly after sessions, the metal cools and retracts, returning to a flush surface for FIA inspection.

After several cars experienced severe bottoming during the sprint, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reportedly inspected all skid blocks before qualifying. According to the Japanese report, he discovered "devices fitted to several cars for the sole purpose of heating the skids", and ordered their removal before Q1.

Affected teams were then forced to raise the rear ride-height, losing downforce and pace.

The same report suggests nearly every team uses the concept to some extent, with a few having developed it into a major advantage at smooth circuits where cars can run extremely low.

motorsport.nextgen-auto.com

FIA probing heated skid-plate trick after Brazil GP

Formula 1 | The FIA is examining reports that several Formula 1 teams are using heat-expanding titanium skid plates to protect plank wear (…)
motorsport.nextgen-auto.com motorsport.nextgen-auto.com
 
Lando (also commemorates 150 GPs)

1000224863.jpg

1000224866.jpg

They wont use this actual one but one printed with the same design
 
PCWARITM said:
Yet again a failure of the rule book. If they were found to be "cheating" then DSQ them.
Click to expand...

MuterOfWorlds said:
Failure of the rulebook, or failure of administrators? If true, why do they keep covering up cheating in the name of 'maintaining the image of the sport'?

These 'rule changes' are more and more about dealing with cheating behind closed doors while making it appear doing something when in reality, its simply a process of sweeping it all under the carpet each and every time.
Click to expand...

First time watching F1?

Designers and engineers have been playing with the rulebook forever.

The rulebook has largely been reactive anyway. F1 teams do something, they don't like it, they ban it. Engineers find a loophole, they do something, FIA doesn't like it, they close the loophole.
 
thestaggy said:
First time watching F1?

Designers and engineers have been playing with the rulebook forever.

The rulebook has largely been reactive anyway. F1 teams do something, they don't like it, they ban it. Engineers find a loophole, they do something, FIA doesn't like it, they close the loophole.
Click to expand...
In fairness the early reports read more as a replacement part rather than the legal part being manipulated by heat. It's clever even if not "in the spirit of the rules" as we always hear.
 
quovadis said:
In fairness the early reports read more as a replacement part rather than the legal part being manipulated by heat. It's clever even if not "in the spirit of the rules" as we always hear.
Click to expand...

The point I am trying to convey is that the FIA has always had to introduce new rules and make amendments to existing rules to address a new idea or innovation. And in a sport measured in thousands of a second, of course the teams are going to exploit loopholes and find ambiguity/grey areas to exploit.
 
thestaggy said:
The point I am trying to convey is that the FIA has always had to introduce new rules and make amendments to existing rules to address a new idea or innovation. And in a sport measured in thousands of a second, of course the teams are going to exploit loopholes and find ambiguity/grey areas to exploit.
Click to expand...
Sure, your point is shared by many.
 
quovadis said:
Sure, your point is shared by many.
Click to expand...
and is the main reason that a lot of us older fans watch it, it is a team sport and an engineering challenge, the driver and engineers work together to get the most out of the car, the pit crew and pit wall work together to get the most out of the track and its conditions. No other sport covers so many disciplines that all have to work in perfect harmony to win a race, let alone a championship. The FIA's job is to rein them in if they go too far and to apply the rules equality.
The FIA fail in the latter but are pedantic about the former. The bottom line is that we keep coming back for more and still recall the driving and engineering hero's from decades ago.
 
www.reuters.com

Part of Massa's UK lawsuit against F1, FIA and Ecclestone can continue

Felipe Massa's lawsuit against Formula One, its former boss Bernie Ecclestone and the governing FIA over the former Ferrari driver's claim he should have won the 2008 world championship can continue in part, London's High Court ruled on Thursday.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com


www.fia.com

The FIA succeeds in summary judgment application against Felipe Massa

Following a 3-day hearing in October, the Court has today dismissed claims brought by the former Formula One driver, Felipe Massa, against the motorsport global regulator, the FIA.
www.fia.com www.fia.com
 
Dave said:
How does he declare victory when most of his case was thrown out and what it left is a really narrow legal argument that is just as likely to fail as succeed?
Click to expand...
I guess the possibility of any win is a win or vindication for him. Still a possible payday too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X