Alfa Romeo klub Srbija

Code: Obeleži sve

In standard road trim, as delivered from the factory, the 155 Silverstone came with an additional front spoiler and small rear wing, but neither were likely to provide them with the advantage they required. 

Where Alfa got clever was to include a number of plastic "packing pieces" with each car, which could be used to raise the rather harmless boot spoiler into clean air where it would provide downforce. There were also 30-odd rivets which could be used to hold the lower portion of the front spoiler in an extended position, producing an effective front splitter. Both items were totally impractical for use on the road, but it was never Alfa's intention for them to be used there anyway.


The protests were heard up and down the pitlane as Alfa and their winged 155 took the first five wins of the season. Most vocal was Andy Rouse, one of the creators of the rules, who accused Alfa of braking the "spirit" of the series by not running the cars in their road going form. Alfa responded by claiming the items were well within the rules, so when the cars failed scrutineering at the first visit to Oulton Park, they decided to pack-up and go home.
The FIA were quick to respond with a rule clarification - manufacturers must indicate the entirely completed position of any adjustable aerodynamic bodywork and will only be allowed to run in this entirely completed position. Alfa returned but were forced to revert their cars to road-going form, but by this time they had such a lead in the championship that it was to make little difference.

Other teams, namely Renault and BMW, soon followed the Alfa example and produced their own homologation specials, which caused a more noticeable gap between those teams with wings and those without. In response, the FIA introduced new aerodynamic rules for the 1995 season thus giving all teams the same advantage. They also increased the minimum production run to an extremely high 25,000 units, thus removing the chance of a similar problem happening again.	


The new rules allowed each manufacturer to design a front air dam and rear wing within strictly controlled dimensions. The front air dam must not project further forward than the original bodywork and must also be at least 45mm off the ground. The rear wing must fit within an imaginary box with a cross-section of 150mm x 150mm and fitted no nearer than 100mm from the rear of the car. Neither could be adjustable, and their design must be registered with the FIA before the beginning of the season and then cannot be changed during that season.