The questions surrounding Mercedes F-duct are likely to come to a close during the weekend of the Chinese Grand Prix.
The FIA’s technical delegate Charlie Whiting is expected to give his final assessment of the DRS activated F-duct which feeds air through two openings in the rear-wing, revealed when the DRS is active, which is then channeled to the front-wing, stalling it and increasing the cars top-speed.
Despite the FIA claiming it completely passive, therefore legal, it’s believed three other teams have joined Red Bull and Lotus in wanting the concept banned on the grounds that it is driver activated.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, speaking to Sky Sports F1, hopes to draw a line under the saga in a fortnight, but couldn’t guarantee that his team wouldn’t protest the decision if Whiting agrees with the governing body’s original stance.
“Charlie Whiting, the [FIA] technical delegate, has been taking it all into consideration and there were several discussions with him over the [Malaysian GP] weekend,” said Horner. “I think he wanted to have a think about it and of course we’ll respect his position when he makes that clear to us in China.
“Then the teams are faced with alternatives. Either accept it and get on it and maybe look at your own solution if that fits your car. You’ve got the opportunity to protest if we were to feel, or any other team were to feel, that we didn’t agree with Charlie’s interpretation.”
Horner said Red Bull would only start working on their own version of the Mercedes pioneered system if it were deemed 100% legal.
“As with all devices like this it’s how it interacts with the rest of the car. Of course I’m sure all the designers certainly at the front end of the grid have been looking at how the device works, how you would incorporate it into your own design,” he added.
“Before we pursue constructing parts and expense to it, for us it’s quite important to know that, yes, it’s going to be permissible for the rest of the year. And quite often we see technical clarifications come out that deem things to be not in compliance with the regulations.”
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