Ciro Pabón wrote:andyF1 wrote:This means that if Renault or any other teams use a "mass damper" system in the qualifying / race they could be later disqualified should the FIA win their appeal!
Nothing more political / confusing than rules!
andyF1, first of all, welcome to this forum!
Now, how can that be? Rulings are not retroactive and they have a positive rule from the stewards for this weekend. It wouldn't be confusing, it would be blatantly unjust, my friend. Are you totally sure about it? Please, say yes: I could rant for two or three pages, I bet...
Quote from Autosport.com
"The team will now face a difficult decision about whether to take them off the cars and lose performance, or keep them on and risk further action if the FIA appeal is successful."
As the FIA had already banned the device and it's actually the race scrutineers that have overridden that decision, I guess if the FIA appeal is upheld then they could say the original ban stands and remove points from anyone using the system this race.
It's all a moot point tho as :-
"Renault have removed the mass damper system from their car, and will not refit it again until after the FIA appeal hearing into the matter."
credit Autosport.com Friday PM
For an explanation of the offending system (from f1.com)
"Not new, but the subject of much controversy in Germany, the damper takes the form of a free-moving mass inside a vertical spring. Its function is to reduce the sensitivity of the car's front end to differing load variations between high- and low-speed sections of the track, and to counteract the negative effects of rebound over kerbs, so as to keep the car perfectly balanced and hence - indirectly - improve its aerodynamic efficiency. The FIA has contested its legality on the basis that no parts exerting an aerodynamic influence may be mobile. However, the German stewards found no problem with it - a decision the FIA has appealed against. Hence, Renault could race with the system this weekend, but are thought unlikely to take the risk."
