Double diffusers banned after this year
Reports said the decision to ban the controversial rear aerodynamic solution was taken by the teams at a meeting of the Technical Working Group late this week.
The double diffuser concept was pioneered by Brawn, Williams and Toyota in 2009, and subsequently adopted by all the other teams after the FIA declared it was legal.
The 2010 cars have been designed with further iterations of the concept, but for 2011 the conventional diffusers will return, pending the approval of the F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council.
It is hoped that, in conjunction with the major aerodynamic rule changes introduced in F1 at the beginning of 2009, the double diffuser ban will slow the cars and make overtaking easier.
01/22/10 Formula 1 technical chiefs have officially agreed to ban double diffusers from the start of next year, Autosport reports.
It is understood that the teams approved a requirement that the diffuser surface must be continuous on its inboard section from the start of 2011. This prevents the use of the controversial 'slots' that were key to making the double diffuser work.
The matter still needs to get approval from the Formula 1 Commission and the FIA's World Sport Council before being put in the 2011 technical regulations, but this is believed to be a formality if the TWG has already voted in favor.