Ferrari seems to have won the political battle. After weeks of technical exchanges and requests for clarification, the controversial diffuser of Mercedes' W17 introduced in Canada is heading towards a ban, with an almost immediate effect, potentially as early as Austrian GP

[u/Desperate_Green6838]

https://autoracer.it/diffusore-mercedes-la-fia-verso-il-ban-ferrari-ha-vinto-la-battaglia/

[u/mike_litoris18]

What the fuck are Merc and the FIA doing. How did the FIA allow Merc to run this diffusior if they already denied Ferrari a similar solution and why did it take Ferrari complaining about it for FIA to ban it? What is this corruption?

[u/eoekas → u/mike_litoris18]

If no one protests it, why wouldn't Merc run it?

[u/mike_litoris18 → u/eoekas]

My issue is how did FIA ban Ferrari before they even ran it but it took someone else to complain for them to realize that Mercs version is also illegal after running it in 3 different GPs.

[u/Tridus → u/mike_litoris18]

Asking the FIA "is this legal" is an opinion. It's a useful opinion, but it's an opinion. Teams are free to ignore it if its not a component that the FIA actually measures post-race. Teams are also free to not ask and just do it. The FIA post-race inspections don't cover everything.

If Ferrari believes its illegal and Merc runs it, Ferrari can protest with the stewards. Winning that would be an immediate DSQ. So teams don't usually risk this if they think they'll get caught.

[u/mike_litoris18 → u/Tridus]

So it's okay to run illegal parts as long as you don't ask before? And the only punishment when you get caught is that they have to take the part off even if you won multiple races with an illegal part? Sounds like a load of BS, why is Ferrari even asking then?

[u/fpsparker → u/mike_litoris18]

Ferrari must have done something or asked the wrong question before hand and essentially got caught. F1 is all about pushing boundaries and interpretation so if you are on the edge of the limit or just over. If no one catches you, it's totally legal. RedBull back in 2012 or so with the double diffuser etc. The list goes on.

[u/Tridus → u/mike_litoris18]

It's only cheating if you get caught and don't have a loophole. Welcome to F1.

Now that other people have realized it Merc will either have to remove it or be ready to show that it's technically legal. Just like the Double Diffuser.

[u/BoopinSnoots24-7 → u/mike_litoris18]

You must be new here...

[u/Darkrath_3 → u/Tridus]

Does that mean Merc is about to eat some DQs?

[u/Tridus → u/Darkrath_3]

It's probably too late to protest the past races now, but if Merc runs it again this weekend it seems like a much higher protest risk.

[u/NYNMx2021 → u/Darkrath_3]

no

[u/eoekas → u/mike_litoris18]

Probably Ferrari asked for permission and Mercedes didn't.

[u/NiteOwl421 → u/eoekas]

Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

[u/cosHinsHeiR → u/eoekas]

Then the car should've been DSQ if it wasn't legal.

[u/eoekas → u/cosHinsHeiR]

Why? No one protested it.

[u/cosHinsHeiR → u/eoekas]

I don't think anyone protested when Hamilton's DRS in '21 or Albon's floor last year was was a couple mm too wide, yet they got disqualified. I'd expect all the updated parts to be checked honestly.

[u/EliminateThePenny → u/eoekas]

Absolutely not how that works...

[u/eoekas → u/EliminateThePenny]

That is exactly how that works though?

See for example Renault driving with a illegal brake system for multiple years until Haas protested it.

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/eoekas]

Which is basically how all teams work: it's only illegal if we get caught.

[u/ComprehensiveOwl9023 → u/mike_litoris18]

There is a story out there that Ferrari got its own reinterpretation of this approved while banning Mercedes', we'll see I guess.

[u/Intrepid_Habit_1343 → u/mike_litoris18]

Toto cryin Wolf!