Ferrari will be using an innovative and as some would suggest illegal wheel covering device in this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix. The device is apparently designed to increase brake cooling and is said by Ferrari to be a component of the brake duct system, rather than the wheel. Other teams have apparently pointed out that this seems a bit far fetched and regardless of whether or not it aids in brake cooling, that it is illegal anyways.

This images shows the new devices, which according to sources are comprised of carbon fibre and are "glued" to the magnesium wheel itself. This is in contravention of Article 12.3 of the Sporting Regulations, which stipulate that:

"All wheels must be made from an homogeneous metallic material."

This element of the wheel, which it is an element of as it is firmly attached to the metallic structure, is not made of the same metal as the rim and is therefore against the Sporting Regulations.

Now this is not to say that the FIA will ban the device as it contravenes the rules of the sport, as no inquiries have been launched into usage of the device. This may change soon however, as McLaren's Ron Dennis has suggested that his team may indeed lodge a formal complaint with the FIA over the usage of these brake duct aides.

If these devices are indeed illegal, which technically speaking as I have explained, they are. Why then has Ferrari chosen to make use of a design which could be considered illegal?

The answer lies within the FIA's changes in the sporting regulations to allow greater levels of modifications to be done to the break duct system. Now this item is a part of the wheel, this is true, but Ferrari maintain that the device is part of the brake cooling system. It may be a part of the system, but it is also part of the rule and as it is of a different material from the wheel itself, it is illegal.

This is not to say that Ferrari were careless in introducing the new wheel element. As seen by the FIA's decision to ban mass dampers, but not penalize Renault for using them, and the banning of flexi-wings but no retaliatory action against the teams that use them, the FIA has become soft.

The FIA is simply not willing to hand out penalties to teams for creative designs which fall into the grey area of the Sporting Regulations. Ferrari knows this and they have exploited this.

Expect the devices picture below to be banned within the next few races, but that no action will be taken against Ferrari.

August 27, 2006