F1 Shark fins and T-wings to be banned on safety grounds

The T-wing can be seen clearly here on the Ferrari

Following the launch of the first few cars in launch week, voices were raised that shark fins, engine cover sails, or whatever they would need to be called, should be banned from Formula One. F1 teams themselves didn't agree however, as Red Bull's attempts to get them banned last summer failed, most likely because some teams were already happily exploring the aerodynamic possibilities of such engine cover extensions.

Now, with testing underway, and literally every car underway with one shark fin or another, and in some cases with additional T-wings attached to them, some in the paddock expect that the fins may well get banned ahead of the start of the season. Such short notice regulation change is possible, but only on the grounds of safety.

Footage shot during today's testing at Barcelona, in this case without a T-wing on the VJM10, shows that there may indeed be a risk of wings breaking off. It would of course be possible to make them more rigid, but such footage could be used by Charlie Whiting to get rid of the appendages. F1 technical