Formula 1
Brawn plays down 'new F-duct' hype
GMM
Edited: Mar 17, 2012, 3:01 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Mar.17 (GMM) Ross Brawn has moved to play down the hype surrounding Mercedes' new so-called 'F-duct' solutions.
The active F-ducts of 2010 are banned, but clever 'passive' and therefore legal solutions have emerged not only on Mercedes' car this year.
Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP
Photo by: xpb.cc
It is the talk of the paddock, and in Friday's second practice session, Michael Schumacher topped the times with the W03 car, featuring front and rear F-ducts.
When asked about the new 'F-ducts', team boss Brawn said in Melbourne: "I'm surprised they (people) are calling it that, because I don't quite know what that means.
"We have an interesting system on the car and it's not complicated at all, so I'm sure other teams are looking at it and they need to decide if it's worthwhile or not."
It is such a big talking point this weekend because, in 2009, the Brackley based team - then Brawn GP - raced to the title as the first to perfect a double-diffuser.
And last year, it was the now-banned blown exhausts that set the pace.
It's obviously helpful," he admitted, "that's why we're doing it but it's not a massive performance gain.
Ross Brawn
But Brawn insists that the new F-ducts are "not in the same magnitude" as those title-winning innovations.
"It's obviously helpful," he admitted, "that's why we're doing it but it's not a massive performance gain."
Nonetheless, the arms race has begun.
"That's going to cost a lot of money," Sauber's technical director Matt Morris told Auto Motor und Sport.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Lotus Australian GP - Melbourne Friday practice report
Next article 2012 'tea-leaf reading' to race on for now
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
GMM
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Formula 1
Formula 1
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Formula 1
Formula 1
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
More from
Michael Schumacher
Nike could return to Formula 1 for first time since Michael Schumacher era
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Nike could return to Formula 1 for first time since Michael Schumacher era
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
F1 fans left emotional after Sebastian Vettel drives Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F2002 at Monza
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
F1 fans left emotional after Sebastian Vettel drives Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F2002 at Monza
More from
Mercedes
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
18 h
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
George Russell calls Red Bull "the team to beat" in F1, but Kimi Antonelli adds a key caveat
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
23 h
George Russell calls Red Bull "the team to beat" in F1, but Kimi Antonelli adds a key caveat
Latest news
WSJ Report: NASCAR is building 80+ race cars for Days of Thunder sequel
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 1 h
WSJ Report: NASCAR is building 80+ race cars for Days of Thunder sequel
Brennan Poole to leave Alpha Prime Racing; team owners 'disappointed' to see him go
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Charlotte II
11 h
Brennan Poole to leave Alpha Prime Racing; team owners 'disappointed' to see him go
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
12 h
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Winners and losers from NASCAR Cup at Charlotte after dramatic finish
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
15 h
Winners and losers from NASCAR Cup at Charlotte after dramatic finish
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe