Radical wing rejected for 2007

Formula One think-tank, the Technical Working Group, met on Friday to discuss whether the Centreline Downwash Generating (CDG) wing should be given an earlier introduction to the sport than its planned 2008 debut.

But after needing eight votes out of 10 for the CDG wing to be given the green light, autosport.com understands that none of the team representatives present voted in support of its 2007 introduction - despite some positive comments about the wing.

It is believed that the technical directors felt that there had not been enough time since the idea was first mooted at the end of the season to prove the CDG would work - and there is a general belief that a lot more development is needed before the technical chiefs are satisfied it is the way forward for the sport.

This comes despite McLaren technical director Adrian Newey having worked hard on the concept and being in close contact with the FIA about the CDG idea.

Renault director of engineering Pat Symonds told autosport.com: "There was no agreement with bringing CDG towards 2007, but I think it was received pretty well by the teams.

"I think a lot of people are doing quite a lot of work to evaluate it properly and the guys that are working on it for the FIA are doing a very realistic job. They appreciate what could go wrong."

Symonds also believed that there was too much work needed on the wing for it to become a reality anytime before 2008 - with fresh complications coming to light as more and more work is done of the wing.

There had been suggestions earlier this week that teams could still vote unanimously for its introduction early next year if they felt it was the right way forward.

"We won't see it in 2007," he added. "It is such a complex problem and even with the work we have done this week we have identified some new areas of attention that need to be investigated fully.

"There is just so much work to do. If you are trying to produce something with a very controlled airflow and vortexes, then you need some very careful regulations. The CDG wing is just one part of an overall package and we need to make sure it is right."

The FIA was unavailable for comment about the TWG vote, but a spokesman told autosport.com before the meeting that it was hopeful the CDG would eventually be accepted by the teams.

"We are confident that it is not a matter of 'if' the wing will be introduced but only a matter of 'when'," he said.