It is possible the aerodynamic rule changes for 2009 will make overtaking in formula one easier, BMW-Sauber test driver Christian Klien has said. During tests with the German team's heavily modified interim car at Barcelona this week, the Austrian revealed that he noticed the 2009-specification wings make it easier "to drive closer to the rear" of the cars in front.
"Even more important is the air turbulence made by the car in front," he is quoted as saying by motorline.cc. "This should be clearly less [in 2009] because of the smaller rear wing. But since most teams were still using 2008 aerodynamics (in Barcelona), it is still hard to say," he said.
Klien, 25, revealed that at next month's Jerez test, BMW plans to further investigate the effects of the new bodywork on overtaking by staging a mock race between the occupants of two modified F1.08 cars. He also played down his widely reported comments this week that the interim car is the ugliest he has ever seen in formula one.
"I should probably explain that a racing car does not need to be beautiful," Klien said. "If it works and it's fast, it doesn't matter at all how it looks and the driver will love it. Beauty and elegance are pretty important for a road car. In racing, only speed counts."
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