Dangerous, Ferrari's F-duct?

The pilots Ferrari approached the Spanish Grand Prix this Friday with a strange habit, moving their hands towards the left side of the cockpit in a straight line. The explanation is logical: Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, with the back of their reinforced glove, block the “hole” allowing the F-duct to be activated.

As a reminder, this system consists, generally upon activation of the driver, of "opening" a channel allowing air to rush in at an air intake, to exit at the rear wing, thus allowing to remove part of the aerodynamic downforce.

These supports being essential in the turns, the teams cannot develop a permanent system, it is therefore up to the driver to decide on the activation of this channel, by blocking a hole allowing the system to start. Pilots generally activate it when exiting a corner, in order to benefit from less aero downforce in a straight line, thus being able to benefit from a better top speed.

If, at McLaren, this system is activated when the driver's knee plugs this hole, Ferrari seems to have put in place a system which requires the driver to activate it by blocking the hole with the back of his hand.

In a straight line, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso then become real balancing artists: they must activate this system with the back of their left hand, holding the steering wheel with their right hand. But if they want to change the distribution of the brakes, they must then give an impulse with their right hand, passing it under the steering wheel to reach the left side of the cockpit. The danger is then present during these few tenths where the driver must control his steering wheel with what he has left to do so.

If Ferrari developed this system to allow Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso to gain speed in a straight line, they should not lose concentration by wanting to activate this system.