JULY 14, 2011

FIA confirms Valencia rules for rest of season

The FIA has confirmed that F1 teams will be able to run full off-throttle blown diffusers for the rest of the season after much controversy at Silverstone.

The governing body attempted to impose a ban on the devices at Silverstone, but with certain concessions made and then withdrawn. By the end of the event the FIA stated that if there was unanimity among the teams, they would permit a return to the situation at Valencia -- where special qualifying maps could not be used, but full hot and cold blowing was permitted in the race. The unanimity requirement is understood to have now been met.

"All cars will run under 'Valencia' conditions for the remainder of the season," said the FIA. The problem disappears in 2012, when newly specified top-exiting exhausts will not influence the diffuser.

There was, however, concern that if the rules reverted to a position that the FIA's technical delegate had already suggested was illegal, in his opinion, then the results of future races would be wide open to protest by a team running in a 'legal' configuration.

The FIA, however, added: "We are optimistic that there will be no protests over any engine mapping and exhaust tailpipe issues this season. It was also agreed that no team would raise a protest against on these matters for the rest of the season."