F1 teams limited to how much they can complain

In order to defuse an ever-growing row about blown diffusers that with each passing day makes more of a mockery of F1, Charlie Whiting has announced that from the Nurburgring race onwards teams will be limited to how much they can complain about the rules.

At first, moaning was a small area of development and performance said Whiting but recently it has threatened to grow beyond control and swallow up budgets. Also, all this wasting of hot air is contrary to green image we want F1 to have.

What solution did the FIA have in mind?

From the German race onward no team will be allowed to use more than 10% of:

• its time with the press
• words of their written statements
• minutes with FIA technical staff

to complain about the rules and regulations. That way we can clamp down on this moveable aerodynamic device.

A what now?

It's a moveable aerodynamic device. You see, they move their lips, contract their vocal muscles and the end result is a gain in aerodynamic performance. Completely legitimate interpretation of the rules.

Right.

This may however just be the eye of the storm, as some teams have lodged an appeal that they be given a greater allowance to complain for reliability reasons, as whining is an intrinsic part of a Formula One team's mechanics. The Mercedes teams have already complained about the complaint as they would be restricted to 10% of angry blustering, whereas rival Renault-powered teams could get away with 50% of cool, snide remarks. Meanwhile Ferrari are saying nothing, perhaps saving their energy for yet another scandal in a German-speaking country.