Weren't T and X wings banned??

[Sharky]

I thought that T wings (like the ones Mclaren used a long time ago) and X wings were banned. Then how come Williams used both on the Hungaroring?? Well....perhaps those weren't X wings but that thing on top sure looked like a T wing.

Or did I just dream that they were banned?

[elephino]

Those mid-mount wings have not been banned and were never up for being banned from what I understand. They don't make the car ugly enough for that

McLaren and Jordan have used them before and as with most things there are advantages and disadvantages. They create more downforce over the middle of the car but they also disrupt airflow over the rear wing. It seems only Williams now think they are worth it.

[enzo]

I thought that the mid wings were banned a couple of years ago on safety grounds ? If so, then there has been a new interpretation of the rules pertaining to their use.

[Peter Mallett]

Weren't they originally located nearer to the rollover bar? The FIA created a ruling based on the use of a certain area for aerodynamics. Anything within the area was banned. I think the Williams wings are outside that boundary.

Those little stubby "pod" wings were nothing like the old X wings from '98.

[elephino]

Mid-wings weren't banned (first seen on McLaren in 1995), the x-wings (first seen on Tyrrell in 1997) were banned on "safety" (read aesthetics) grounds. Basically Max Mosely didn't like the look of them.

[Crash Test]

Basically Max Mosely didn't like the look of them.

-I think the official line was that they could be a danger in an accident, as they could fold back and hit the driver in the head....

[Minardi fan]

Indeed - the ghastly tower wings used at various races by Jordan, Tyrrell, Prost??? and Ferrari were banned, but no others were.

[Red]

I don't think that it is written anywhere in the regs. that X-wings (or T or else) are banned. I guess this are the articles we are looking for (Technical Regulations):

3.7 Front bodywork height:
All bodywork situated forward of a point lying 33cm behind the front wheel centre line, and more than 25cm from the centre line of the car, must be no less than 5cm and no more than 25cm above the reference plane.
3.8 Height in front of the rear wheels:
3.8.1) No bodywork situated more than 33cm behind the front wheel centre line and more than 33cm forward of the rear wheel centre line, which is more than 60cm above the reference plane, may be more than 30cm from the centre line of the car.
3.8.2) No bodywork between the rear wheel centre line and a line 80cm forward of the rear wheel centre line, which is more than 50cm from the centre line of the car, may be more than 50cm above the reference plane.
3.8.3) No bodywork between the rear wheel centre line and a line 40cm forward of the rear wheel centre line, which is more than 50cm from the centre line of the car, may be more than 30cm above the reference plane.
[...]
3.15 Aerodynamic influence:
Any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic performance (with the exception of the cover described in Article 6.5.2 in the pit lane only) :
- Must comply with the rules relating to bodywork.
- Must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom).
- Must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car.

That's it. If Williams' wing is less than 60 cm width than is OK (3.8.1). X-wings, were placed more than 30 cm from the centre of the car. So according to 3.8.2-3, they cannot exceed 50 cm from the reference plane. That is not much above the radiators, maybe just the height of McLaren's chimney (did you notice them on Williams as well? And Ferrari.) Out of the question any funny thing in front or near the front wheels.

PS: Williams already used those wings at Monaco. And they are ugly.