Teams get four-race blown exhaust reprieve

Four races will pass before the FIA clamps down on the aggressive blowing of off-throttle exhaust gases.

That is the claim of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, reporting that the reprieve has been extended to include Spain this weekend as well as Monaco, Canada and Valencia.

That means the new FIA restrictions, with the off-throttle blowing limited to 10 per cent of full throttle under braking and into corners, will not take effect until Silverstone.

The German report said McLaren travelled to Barcelona prepared for the ban with immediate effect, hoping to catch less prepared rivals off-guard.

Hispania reportedly thinks the ban should indeed be immediately imposed, and is prepared to protest on the grounds of moveable aerodynamics if the F110 fails to qualify this weekend.

"Should someone protest," Charlie Whiting is quoted as saying, "according to our knowledge this would be relevent to the cars of nine or ten teams."