FIA Tells Some Teams to Change Rear Diffusers

The controversial rear diffuser makes the headline yet another time in the opening stages of the 2010 Formula One championship. This particular part of the car has been the focus of many teams in the F1 paddock over the winter, as it's one of the most important features that creates downforce for the 2010 single-seater.

Under the circumstances, all the teams played with it throughout the entire winter – some even from last year – while trying to find the necessary loopholes in the FIA rulebook to get an edge over their rivals. As we've mentioned to you prior to the Bahrain Grand Prix, McLaren Mercedes seems to be the first team asked by the ruling body to change the design of their rear diffuser for the Australian race.

According to some reports in the German media, it seems that the McLaren mechanics had exploited the rules in such a way that they'd designed a bigger hole in the diffuser, in order to create some additional downforce. Although denying the reports, McLaren is believed to have already agreed to the FIA suggestions and change the design of their diffuser for Melbourne.

If we are to trust the latest report from Spanish newspaper El Pais, it seems Renault and Mercedes GP were also asked by the ruling body to change their rear diffusers for the Aussie race, as the FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting observed some irregularities in their designs.

“It is believed these teams exploited the fact that while FIA rules allow a hole in the diffuser big enough for an external starter, the regulations do not set a maximum size for the starter probe itself,” reported the GMM news agency, citing the Spanish publication.

Until now, however, neither the FIA nor the teams made the topic public to the media.