Formula 1 to ban F-Duct from 2011

Team bosses have voted to ban the F-Duct aerodynamic system next year after McLaren introduced the design at the start of this season in Melbourne.

The system allows drivers to divert air from outside of the car to the rear wing by simply covering a hole inside the cockpit with their arm or hand. The result is air pressure stalling the rear wing to reduce drag on the car and give it higher speed on straight sections of racetrack.


Several teams, including Ferrari, have introduced their own versions of the design or will implement it on their cars in the course of the next few races. The decision to ban the system was made before the start of last Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, on cost and safety grounds.

"It is a clever piece of engineering and hats off to the guys who invented it, but some of the solutions look a bit marginal when you see drivers driving with finger tips and no hands on the steering wheel to activate their F-Duct," Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner said. "So I think there are safety and cost issues to take into account." -- Agencies

Ferrari 599 GTO Heats Up the Mugello Circuit

Ferrari 599 GTO

The Ferrari 599 GTO is a great car, and it will always be fun sitting behind its wheels as its powerful 6.0-liter V12 kicks out 661 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. But while that might as well burn out your pockets with its staggering €319,495 cost, why not try and satisfy our appetites by watching the 599 GTO heating the racetracks?

Well that’s actually quite possible as Ferrari releases its official videos of the Ferrari 599 GTO both in the compound and on the track at the Mugello Circuit north of Florence, Italy. The first video flaunts the exquisite design and style of the 599 GTO as the car circles the track speedily. But as its always more fun to watch the road sitting behind the wheels with the car speeding up quickly as you accelerate the pedals, the second video is sure to give you the real feel of this amazing Ferrari model. I am sure you would start loving Ferrari’s top test driver Dario Benuzzi’ s job. So check out the videos after the jump and enjoy.

Ferrari removes bar code design

Ferrari began Friday practice for the Spanish Grand Prix without a controversial bar code design on its chassis, following suggestions it was subliminal advertising for Marlboro cigarettes.


The Formula One team said the decision was taken "to remove all speculation" that the large bar code on its paintwork was associated with its princial sponsor. However Ferrari said the idea of the design being advertising for Marlboro was "ridiculous."

Cigarette sponsorship in F1 was once common but has all but disappeared due to advertising bans in most countries where races are held. Ferrari are the only team that is still sponsored by a tobacco company. It's official name Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro.