Teams Roll Over.
Two of the teams criticised in the row over the strength of their roll hoops have agreed to revise the design to meet FIA requirements.
Both Sauber and British American Racing are expected to bolster their hoop supports in time for the Australian Grand Prix next weekend, after the governing body pointed out the risks of another driver suffering an accident like that to befall Pedro Diniz at last year's European race. The body, however, failed to make the recommendation an official rule, leaving it open to interpretation by the teams - an action it now appears to regret.
Two of the teams criticised in the row over the strength of their roll hoops have agreed to revise the design to meet FIA requirements.
Both Sauber and British American Racing are expected to bolster their hoop supports in time for the Australian Grand Prix next weekend, after the governing body pointed out the risks of another driver suffering an accident like that to befall Pedro Diniz at last year's European race. The body, however, failed to make the recommendation an official rule, leaving it open to interpretation by the teams - an action it now appears to regret.
Both teams have said that they will endeavour to meet the new requirements in time for Melbourne, even if official tests cannot be carried out in time for the race.
"I'd be very surprised if any team would actually say, no, we'll go for performance rather than safety on this issue," admitted BAR designer Malcolm Oastler, "If one of the cars this year was to have the same accident [as Diniz], where the roll hoop comes off and the driver gets injured - and they've not complied with the 2000 standards - it would be too grim."
The third team implicated by the FIA for not meeting the standards, Prost, has yet to comment on the issue, but is thought unlikely to make any changes in time for Melbourne having suffered a particularly trying winter with its new AP03.
