McLaren to remove F-duct for Monza – report
It was reported that, because the concept is designed to boost straight-line speed by shedding rear wing drag on the straights, it will be inefficient at Monza due to the minimal downforce configuration of the cars there.
"I read that on Monday morning and there were a few of us raising our eyebrows," McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale told reporters during a Vodafone teleconference.
"We have the option to either run it or not. I think at the moment we are just looking at all the options. It is incorrect to assume we can make any decisions (yet) as to whether we are (going to use the F-duct at Monza) or not," he added.
Neale said a final decision will be made after studying data from this weekend's Spa-Francorchamps event.
He also revealed that, after Red Bull dominated in Hungary amid the flexible wing saga, McLaren is still no closer to understanding the phenomena at the front of the RB6.
In a team preview, McLaren said it is "optimistic the bodywork rules clarification will close the gap" at Spa this weekend.
But Neale said on Wednesday: "I've read the trade magazines, I've seen the footage. We can't explain, at McLaren, why the (flexing) cars operate in the way that they do."
08/25/10 (GMM) McLaren will remove its famous F-duct from the MP4-25 at next month's Italian grand prix.
It was previously believed that the downforce-stalling innovation, emulated this season by the British team's rivals including Red Bull and Ferrari, would be most beneficial on the long straights of the Monza circuit.
But according to Italy's Autosprint, the F-duct is "irrelevant" at the Autodrome Nazionale, because the cars are already running minimal downforce.
It is therefore believed that removing the system is the more efficient choice.
"Both Spa and Monza should suit our package better than the Hungaroring," said driver Jenson Button.
It is not currently known if other teams will take a similar decision and remove the F-duct for Monza.