Rivals claim ‘no doubt’ diffuser illegal
"Anyone with a command of English will tell you it is a hole, so do not let someone attempting to be clever with words defeat the express purpose of the rules," Tozzi was quoted as saying by the Press Association.
"The appeal is not because we [Ferrari] have not made the most of an opportunity, but because Brawn, Toyota and Williams have not acted within the regulations."
Tozi also claimed that Brawn GP chief Ross Brawn, who enjoyed years of success with Ferrari, was a 'person of supreme arrogance' for thinking he was right with his team’s diffuser design, while the FIA was accused of 'getting it wrong and not understanding the sport' for stating the diffuser was legal.
Renault’s legal representative Andrew Ford also hit out at the 'diffuser three', arguing that the part in question was similar to one that the regie had developed early last season before it was declared illegal.
"It is not that Renault missed the boat, as Brawn have pointed out, it is because the FIA said it was illegal," he said. "It was at that point the diffuser was abandoned." Brawn himself has already said he hopes 'common sense' will prevail during the hearing.
A verdict from Paris isn’t expected until Wednesday afternoon. Yahoo! Eurosport UK
04/13/09 Ferrari's design and development consultant Rory Byrne will represent the team alongside chief designer Nikolas Tombazis at tomorrow's International Court of Appeal (ICA) hearing it has emerged, as the legality of the diffusers on the Brawn, Toyota and Williams cars is discussed further. Although not an active member of the Ferrari team, Byrne was at the forefront of the team's success with Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s, having held the position of chief designer until 2004.
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| Rory Byrne |
Byrne recently told Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport that he believes the diffuser designs are against the regulations, citing article 3.12.5 of the technical rules, which states that “fully enclosed holes are permitted … provided no part of the car is visible through them…"
“It's a rule set at least 14-15 years ago, and that for many years everyone interpreted in the same way," said the South African. “If you look at the Brawn car from underneath, you can see the suspension."
Byrne worked alongside Ross Brawn throughout his time at Ferrari, with whom the team is now in dispute with.
It also emerged today that Ferrari has set up a special group to oversee the development of the F60 in Maranello, with team manager Luca Baldisserri giving up his trackside role for the group. Instead, Chris Dyer will fill Baldisserri's on-track role, as the team looks to recover lost ground at next weekend's Chinese Grand Prix. Helping them on their way will be a revised front wing and front wheel fairings.
04/12/09 Ferrari design legend Rory Byrne has added his opinions to the argument surrounding the diffusers used by the Brawn, Williams and Toyota teams. The three outfits are set to attend court on Tuesday to counter a protest from four rivals regarding the legality of their cars, of which Byrne also believes are not within regulations. South African Byrne, a leading designer and aerodynamicist behind Michael Schumacher's Ferrari triumphs, is adamant that the trio should not continue with their cars' current configurations. "If you look at the Brawn car from underneath, you can see the suspension," he explained to Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport. His comments refer to article 3.12.5 of the sport's technical regulations, explaining that "Fully enclosed holes are permitted in the surfaces lying on the reference and step planes, provided no part of the car is visible through them when viewed from directly below." In simpler terms, the regulation states that the holes seen in the diffusers are legal, but only providing that no other parts of the car can been seen if looking at the vehicle from directly underneath.
"It's a rule set at least 14-15 years ago, and that for many years everyone interpreted in the same way," Byrne continued, who struggles to believe that the three teams' comments explaining that small holes in the underside are only to assist airflow. "Ross Brawn (Brawn GP owner) and I remain good friends, but one thing is personal relationships, another thing is the professional aspect – and I work for Ferrari," he added.