Formula One news

Williams scraps 'skate fins'

The Williams team will not be running the 'skate fins' on either side of the cockpit in 2009, the team has said; a spokesperson for the Grove-based outfit confirmed to GPUpdate.net that the extra aerodynamic devices seen in testing, which aided airflow to the rear wing, will not be present on the FW31 during the season.

FIA's Charlie Whiting

As predicted by many when the parts were first seen in Barcelona this winter, the team eventually elected to remove them following a discussion with the FIA's Charlie Whiting - Race Director during the season - at the Circuit de Catalunya last week. Although driver visibility levels had initially been questioned, Whiting expressed his concern over how the winglets could obstruct race marshals and doctors from treating and helping drivers from the cars in accident situations.

Both Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima have since made on-track appearance minus the so-called 'skate fins', as Williams stressed that the parts were not banned by the FIA and that the team itself, following advice from the governing body, choose to remove them on safety grounds.

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