Super Aguri's tyre heating system banned

Super Aguri were found to be using a frame structure containing electrically driven rollers and heating elements with which to heat their Bridgestone tyres before the cars took to the track.

All that was contained within a tubular frame box.

The stewards heard explanations from Super Aguri's technical director Mark Preston and the manufacturers of the device, but found the system to be in breach of the sporting regulations article 76f, which states that "The only permitted type of tyre heating devices are blankets which use resistive heating elements."

Super Aguri, who will debut their new car in this weekend's race, have the right to appeal the decision.

The full decision by the stewards:

The Stewards received a report from the Technical Delegate which states that the Super Aguri F1 Team was found to be using a frame structure containing electrically driven rollers and heating elements (in which tyres are rotated in front of the heating elements) with which to heat their tyres.

This was considered to be a breach of the 2006 Formula One Sporting Regulations Article 76f.

The Stewards have attended the pit garage allocated to Super Aguri F1 and have seen the tyre heating device referred to in the Technical Delegate Report.

The Stewards have heard the explanation of Mark Preston, technical office for Super Aguri F1, and heard from Stuart Hepworth of Tyre Technology Limited (manufacturer of the device), who explained to the stewards that the lights utilised are infrared and that heat is generated by use of resistive elements and radiated onto the tyres.

The Stewards find that all the above is contained within a tubular framed box-like structure capable of containing four tyres over which is placed an insular cover.

Stuart Hepworth maintains that the device produced by him is a more efficient, consistent controllable mechanism for heating tyres than the blankets currently in use. This may, or may not, be the case. It is not for the stewards to say.

The Stewards believe that 2006 Formula One Sporting Regulations Article 76f is remarkably clear and written in plain English. It states that "The only permitted type of tyre heating devices are blankets which use resistive heating elements."

It is the stewards' view that whatever word is used to describe the device utilised by Super Aguri F1, the device is not "a blanket".

The use of such device does not therefore comply with the requirements of 2006 Formula One Regulations Article 76f and must cease forthwith.

The Competitor is reminded of his right of appeal.

Signed,

Tony Scott Andrews
Rafael Sierra
Waltraud Wuensch

FIA Stewards of the Meeting

Date: 28 July 2006
Time: 11:05