Analysis: floor clampdown a test for all

That is the view of leading technical figures, who reckon that the new testing procedure on floors that will be introduced from this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix has forced every team to make an extra effort to ensure they will not be caught out.

One engineer, who did not wish to be identified, told autosport.com: "There was a substantial performance benefit from flexing the floor - as well as saving chassis damage. I think most teams at the front have been using such a device for many years."

Following a rule clarification request from McLaren, the FIA will from now on be testing the flexibility of floors without any of the supporting devices that were allowed to be fitted in the past.

This comes amid suspicions that some teams may have been using these support devices to cleverly resist the FIA tests but then allow the floor of the car to flex up at high speed - improving a car's aerodynamics and therefore straightline speed.

Although the focus for the floor controversy has revolved around Ferrari and the BMW Sauber teams, and many expected these two outfits to lose the most because of the changes, autosport.com understands that more than half the grid have had to make subsequent modifications to their cars.

Without the use of the supports, all teams now have to ensure that their floor is stiff enough to resist the 500 Newton force that is applied by the FIA.

Increasing the stiffness of the floor will not make a visible difference to the car, so teams can keep quiet on whether they have had to make modifications or not, but sources suggest that only three or four teams have not had to make any modifications. Only Williams and Super Aguri have confirmed that they have not had to make any changes.

Of the teams at the centre of the issue, BMW Sauber have said they are 'looking into the matter', while all Ferrari will say officially is: "as usual we will do whatever will be required according to the FIA regulations and specifications."

Renault head of race engineering Alan Permane told autosport.com, however, that he is not surprised that so many teams have had to work on their floor stiffness - because the area has been openly exploited for many years.

"I think it affects every team," he said about the new tests. "I will be very surprised if anyone has not looked into this. The design of the front has been like this for years, so everyone was doing the same thing.

"I don't think you will see any difference to the cars though. Most of the car's fronts have got all these different aero pieces, and the cars will still have the strut fitted so as to stop the floor flexing downwards."

Permane reckons that there have been potential big gains in the past from well executed flexing of the floor. There were some suggestions that at the height of the use of movable floors in the late 1980s, that a good version could be worth as much as 0.7 seconds on the straight at Silverstone.

"It depends on how clever it was," added Permane. "Our car has conformed to the regulations before and I am confident it will conform to the regulations now, no problem.

"To be honest, it (the changes his team have had to make) did not make a huge difference. We are very happy with how we are running."

Although movable floors have been used for years, Permane is not surprised that their use has finally come under the spotlight.

"There is always something to start the season, isn't there," he said. "Someone always sees something on the car. There is always a flexible wing, or a bendy something."

But although the impact of the new test has been widely felt, Williams technical director Sam Michael believes it will ultimately make little difference to the status quo in F1.

"It is not going to make a big change to be honest," he said. "Our floor is fine, but even those who have had to modify, it is not a big thing. I don't know why it has become such a big issue."