Midland DQ'd from German Grand Prix

What a weekend at Hockenheim - Midland DQ'd from the race; Super Aguri had their infrared tire warmers declared not legal and Yamamoto qualified in the old car but drove the "new" version in the race and started at the back of the grid (I suspect he's on his way out the exit door.); then the mass damper issue with Renault/the stewards and the FIA.

Here's more . .


The Midland cars of Christijan Albers and Tiago Monteiro have been disqualified from the German Grand Prix over flexi wings.

The pair were the last classified finishers, 13th and 14th positions - two laps down on the leaders.

At post-race scrutineering, the lower rear wing elements of the cars were found to illegally flex. The stewards spoke to the team about the matter but subsequently decided to disqualify both Monteiro and Albers from the results.

"The stewards received a report from the technical delegate which stated that the lower rear wing element of cars 18 and 19 show excessive flexibility," said a statement issued by the FIA on Sunday night.

"The Stewards, after hearing from the Technical Delegate, examining the wing of each car and hearing the explanation of the competitor's technical director referred to article 2.4 of the 2006 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations which is specific regarding the compliance of automobiles with the regulations.

"It is the Stewards' view that the cars did not comply with the regulations because the lower wing element on both sides of each car have a significant degree of flexibility such that the rear part of the wing appears to bend in a downward direction along a straight predetermined line.

"Such a line appears to be attributable to a break in the carbon fibre weave and not to continuous flexing of the wing.

"The Stewards consider this to be a breach of 2006 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations relating to bodywork, in particular article 3.15 which requires parts of the car that influence its aerodynamic performance to be rigidly secured to and remain immobile in relation to the unsprung part of the car."

Midland have the right the appeal the disqualification.

The disqualification of the Midlands marks the end of a busy weekend for the Hockenheim race stewards.

On Friday they overturned a ban on mass dampers, before that decision was appealed by the FIA.

Then they outlawed an infrared heating device being used by the Super Aguri team.

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Carol