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we're clever and we will be fast!

It is not "all clear" when the boss says: "But somebody may challenge it and the stewards may take a different view - it could happen." and than implies that you were very "clever". "It is a curious idea in a way - where you are not allowed two surfaces, you have a surface and then something that is not a surface because it is unsprung." Talk about damning with faint praise.

As Max said, expect someone to challenge the ruling and expect the stewards in Oz to declare it illegal.

unless i am seriously mistaken all physical properties with mass have a 'surface'. could someone please enlighten me as to this aspect in relation to the diffuser?

Max said, "It is a curious idea in a way - where you are not allowed two surfaces, you have a surface and then something that is not a surface because it is unsprung."

This is worse than Ronspeak but it is typical of the problem you encounter when trying to rely on the FIA to have a clear thought.

"Immutable laws of physics be damned, we are the FIA and we are the masters of the universe!"

To your point K1, is the air a physical property? We know it has mass becuase we measure barometric pressure, i.e. the weight of the air's mass.

Below is the portion of the Technical Regulations that Max was referring to, judge for yourself if he is correct or not.



3.12.7 No bodywork which is visible from beneath the car and which lies between the rear wheel centre line and a
point 350mm rearward of it may be more than 175mm above the reference plane. Any intersection of the
surfaces in this area with a lateral or longitudinal vertical plane should form one continuous line which is
visible from beneath the car. A single break in the surface is permitted solely to allow the minimum
required access for the device referred to in Article 5.15.
Additionally, any bodywork in this area must produce uniform, solid, hard, continuous, rigid (no degree of
freedom in relation to the body/chassis unit), impervious surfaces under all circumstances.

3.12.8 All sprung parts of the car situated behind the rear wheel centre line, which are visible from underneath
and are more than 250mm from the centre line of the car, must be at least 50mm above the reference
plane.

sonny T i am not too sure what the point you are making is all about. i was referring to the statement made by moseley and 'surfaces'.
i am fully aware that air is a gas and as such is made up of various molecules which if viewed througn an electron microscope would indicate 'surfaces'.
to link the identification of a surface to either an 'unsprung' or 'sprung' portion of a construct is rather obtuse in the extreme. it could be said that the entire car in essence is 'sprung' if it has a moveable suspension, which it does.
maybe someone with the necessary academic qualifications could enlighten me on this.

K1, You are correct that Max is obtuse.

With regard to sprung and unsprung weight, this is a very common principle as relates to cars. Simply put, any portion of the car that is supported by the cars springs is "sprung". Portions not supported by the springs are "unsprung".

Wheels,tires and brakes are typical unsprung components. The chassis, etc. is sprung.

If you, or anyone else on this forum can make sense out of the exerpt from the FIA Technical Regulations, please feel free to comment. It is quite clear that someone at the FIA has one opinion but that they expect there to be a different interpretation, or not. That is my point. These bloody regs are so totally arcane as to be idiotic becuase they are never fully thought through before they are adopted and so the FIA relies on a "system" clarifications and protests to settle what they should have resolved before the regulations were published.

As for the references to "physical properties with mass", I was having a bit of fun with you, it looked as if you were launching on to an academic postulate of a dubious nature. I apologise.

all is cool sonny T. i was fully aware of the differences between sprung and unsprung however as i said, to link what is deemed to be a surface and what is not due to a 'sprung' interpretation is beyond my limited capacity to reconcile.