The FIA's Charlie Whiting is reportedly set to check the designs of each Formula One team's 2012 machine, amidst concerns that new loopholes in the exhaust regulations for the new season might be open to exploitation.
The governing body banned the use of exhaust gases to boost the performance of blown diffusers for 2012 by banning the systems outright.
From the start of this season, teams must return to the traditional periscope exhaust arrangement above the car's body in order to ensure that the gases are not being used to boost diffuser performance.
But Whiting has travelled to the first test of the season at Jerez, and will reportedly check up on each team's new design, in order to ensure that the new cars comply with the regulations.
No specific team is thought to be under suspicion over their exhaust systems, though with the significant change in regulations for 2012, most are expected to run a range of solutions throughout the pre-season.
"The FIA has been reasonably specific in what they will and won't allow exhaust wise," Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey was quoted as saying by the Autosport website on Tuesday.
"Providing you satisfy [the rules, hopefully there won't be too much controversy. But there's always a chance that somebody will come up with something that is right on the border and will be subject to interpretation."
Renault technical director James Allison added: "I think there will be a degree of jostling to work out where the line of acceptable [designs] are."
According to Autosport, the main concern is that some teams may have found a way to circumvent the rules by diverting some or all of the exhaust gases to different areas of the car.
The new 2012 technical regulations state that: "Engine exhaust systems may incorporate no more than two exits, both of which must be rearward facing tailpipes, through which all exhaust gases must pass."
But speaking at the recent McLaren MP4-27 car launch, the team's technical director Paddy Lowe admitted that there may well be grey areas around the exhaust systems.
“The fact of the matter is that exhausts exist on a car, you have to have them, they blow gas," he mused, “That will always generate some performance, a finite level of performance."
Formula One has been beset by a string of technical wrangles over recent years, from 2009's double diffusers, through 2010's F-ducts and the 2011 blown diffuser issue.
Speaking at Ferrari's car launch recently, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said that he was hopeful that 2012 would be free of similar issues.
"I am sure in the forthcoming season the regulations will have to be trusted in a transparent way," he smiled, "And we trust the FIA to view these regulations with the right spirit."
The FIA initially attempted to ban the exhaust blown diffuser technology, specifically the use of engine mapping to increase exhaust emissions, during the 2011 season, with the British Grand Prix running with teams unable to use their maps.
But they eventually dropped their plans in favour of a blanket blown diffuser ban for 2012.
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