Todt not stepping into to solve knee-gate saga

Jean Todt on Friday ruled out stepping in to end F1’s new ‘knee-gate’ controversy.

The FIA’s Charlie Whiting this week declared legal an innovation on the 2010 McLaren that gives Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button a straight-line advantage.

It is believed the drivers use their left knees to shut off airflow in order to ‘stall’ the rear wing of the car.

Some teams – including Red Bull, Ferrari, Renault and Williams – believe the design contravenes the rules about moveable aerodynamic devices, even though the only moving part is the driver’s body.

‘Spirit of the regulations’ or not, the situation means teams will now deploy resources to also exploit the loophole.

“Everyone is going to go and do it, no one will have an advantage, we will go and spend loads of money — and for what?” new team Lotus’ technical boss Mike Gascoyne told PA.

But at the Sakhir circuit, FIA president Todt said he had confidence in Whiting’s ruling.

“I think they did a very good job.  I totally trust the people that have to judge it,” added the Frenchman.

Todt also told reporters that he is “very in favour” of reinstating a 107 per cent qualifying rule in formula one, but admitted that it might have to wait until 2011.

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