Rabies wing McLaren Renault design14: 49 12/03/2010, formula, guardian.co.uk, McLaren, motorsport, news, Renault, Sport, Guardian Unlimited

Rabies wing McLaren Renault design14: 49 12/03/2010, formula, guardian.co.uk, McLaren, motorsport, news, Renault, Sport, Guardian Unlimited

Renault Bob Bell accuses McLaren of "starting new arms race"
Rivals angry car after gains FIA approval

McLaren have accused Renault driver "buying a horse through the spirit" of Formula One with their new rear wing though it has been approved by the governing body of sport.

"It is fundamentally clear that the wing design is totally illegal McLaren, Bob Bell, Renault's management, director Bob Bell told the BBC after the first practice session of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix today.

"They have driven a car of horses by the spirit of the rules and regulations," said Bell. "They have opened a new arms race, which will cost everyone a lot of money. The governing bodies should be much stronger with these things."

Renault are competing in a permanent ban on suspension after the race-fixing controversy that cast a shadow over last season.

McLaren's car passed inspections yesterday at the Sakhir circuit and the maintenance team have asked the FIA, the governing body of Formula One, throughout the design process.

Patrick Head, co-Williams, owner and director of engineering, told Reuters that the rear wing was a space that seemed to be fed by a tube that the McLaren drivers, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton can block at will by the movement of body.

"I understand [race director] Charlie [Whiting] is saying that article three of the regulations that limit something like that do not apply to the driver, just for the car," he said. "But I remember when our car ride was banned active, which was banned on the grounds that a piston in the strut was moving and it was under that influence the car's aerodynamic performance." What I am saying is that Charlie said Lewis or Jenson's knee, or whatever, is not part of the car.

"It's a bit of a problem because if a car is suddenly able to win five or six miles per hour on the line, then we all have to do it," he said.

It is speculated that drivers could possibly lead to a hand on the line with his other hand covering the flow of air through a hole in the cockpit to ensure an aerodynamic advantage.

The team manager of Red Bull's Christian Horner: "The FIA has reviewed and found to be okay. It is therefore intelligent design instead of an illegal design. The question is, is the driver of the car? Believe that not be.

"Inevitably, now there will be a futile search of all teams pursue this gap. We have to think of another solution. Anything is possible."

Asked if there would be a protest, Horner added: "I do not know. We're pleased with the verdict of the FIA. And we clearly wanted that."

Formula One
Renault
McLaren
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