FIA clarified the engine penalties
Following the explanations from Charlie Whiting FIA further clarified to Autosport the issues of penalties for drivers who use more than 8 engines per season. The penalty for using an extra engine would only be applied at the first event it was used. That means that if a driver used a ninth engine for Singapore and Japan he would only receive the penalty for Singapore. But if he had to use 10th engine for Brazil and Abu Dhabi he would suffer another penalty for Brazil.
I must however say that the quote from FIA race director Charlie Whiting published on Autosport confused me again 
:
“A driver would only get a penalty at the event during which the ninth engine is used.”
It does say driver would be penalized only at the event during which he uses 9th engine, but it still does not say that would apply only to the first event …
Williams FW.31 rear diffuser
The other controversial issue were the rear diffusers used by Toyota and Williams. FIA has approved one diffuser design for Toyota but it is not clear that it is the same diffuser used by Toyota during testing. The other teams (like Renault) found the diffusers used by Toyota and Williams interesting and planned to ask FIA about their legality. Should FIA rule them legal we can expect other teams exploring the advantages of longer rear diffusers too …
The controversial Ferrari exhaust pipe
Finally, reports are (from GMM agency) that Ferrari has now modified their controversial exhaust pipe design to comply with the 2009 regulations. The pipes are not allowed to extend beyond the allowed tolerance above the bodywork surface. The same report notes that exhaust pipes as used by Ferrari during Mugello test complied with the original 2009 regulations until Charlie Whiting made clarifications back in September 2008.
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Just a quick observation on the Ferrari Exhaust Pipe…
Have you noticed the strange yellow/brown coloured bodywork near the edge of the black exhaust cover? Does that imply that this may be a temporary add on to the bodywork or is it something else?
or it sends out a “do not touch I am hot” warning
Where is the brown/yellow spot?
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If I am correct I think there are some just above the TATA, Brembo etc logos on the edge of the black area surrounding the exhaust
Aren’t that things screws or rivet joints? Just I was wondering, I do not see any warning message HEHE If I don’t mistake, it seems that they fitted a special thermo-resistant material to the carbon fiber section preventing that it melts again, there’s a big difference on the appearance of the both black surfaces surrounding the exhaust exit.
Kotenoks last blog post..F1Wolf left a comment for azril deadman
Well it only took about a month for the teams to figure out how to tweek the rules and start adding the aero appendages again. The rear diffusers look like they will once again cause disturbance to the air behind the car, again making passing difficult.
And now the big question, say a team decides to use more engines, and they use three new engines all at one track (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Do they get a penalty that one race, and therefore add three engines to their program for a single penalty. Lets face it, in F1 rules are meant to be broken. If your Ferrari you get away with a slap on the hand…if your McLaren you get massive penalties. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Now here I was thinking that some intelligent people were drawing up the regulations. First the expensive KERS system and now they are confusing themselves. They are up against technicians more intelligent than themselves. Lets get on with racing and drop the frills along with Moseley, Eccles and the FIA and let the teams run the show and split the awsome profits. Then fanancially suffering teams need not pull out. Its also time certain newcomers to the sport get off Ferrari’s back. Like it or not they are the best cars in the hands of a variety of drivers who have achieved nothing since leaving the team. Need examples? A protruding exhaust is labelled illegal in every comic book in the world while others efforts are also questionable. The Penalty of Leadership.
There is an interesting Autosport article on the whole diffuser topic:
Technical analysis: Diffuser debacle
the new regulation made every one got a headache
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now ferrari have worked on the exhaust pipe design to comply with the 2009 regulations … so i dont think there would be any more controversial things in 2009 for ferrari
The Ferrari has a few illegal features, like the exhaust pipe, Toyota’s technical director Pascal Vasselon said and also to change as it is outside the regulations.
[...] One of the new cost cutting rules introduced for 2009 season is limiting each driver to 8 engines per season only: 28.4 a) Each driver may use no more than eight engines during a Championship season. Should a driver use more than eight engines he will drop ten places on the starting grid at the first Event during which each additional engine is used. [...]