Turbo - Cover it? Or not

Most of the cars haven't even turned a wheel in anger yet (Mercedes, Force India and Toro Rosso have all completed shake downs) but controversy is already brewing as my tech colleague Tobias writes for AMuS:

m.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/streit-um-turbo-mit-oder-ohne-schutzabdeckung-8014244.html&usg=ALkJrhj6Lo_mL8r9jxiCzDNhEsdxxEqKzQ

The problem lies with Article:

1. 5.18.5  Measures must be taken to ensure that in the event of failure of the turbine wheel any resulting significant debris is contained within the car.

Renault and Mercedes believe that a ballistic shield should be shrouding the Turbo incase the turbine and therefore Turbo fails.  Ferrari on the other hand have made no attempt to cover their Powerunit (PU) with such a cover.

This is where I feel the lines are a little blurry though as the Technical Regulations are the responsibility of the teams to be complaint with. With this in mind we must consider that although Ferrari as a PU supplier don't intend to fit a ballistic shield they may have informed the teams they supply they must confirm with the regulation in their own way. This will likely be a bone of contention with Renault and Mercedes as the PU's will be sealed/homogolated for the season on 28th February. If the aforementioned includes the ballistic shield within their PU for homologation it won't be able to be developed and will stay a fixed weight.  

This of course would be an area of development for the Ferrari powered teams who could not only continue to reduce the weight around the ballistic shield through construction techniques and materials but also change its aerodynamic properties to suit the given package / upgrades.  The strange thing however is that it also puts Ferrari at a slight disadvantage initially in terms of the PU's minimum weight (145kg's). Renault and Mercedes' inclusion of the ballistic shield (around 2-4kg's in weight) will be included in there homogolated unit whilst Ferrari's will not.

I'll keep you upto date of any movements on this story as it progresses but this could cause a substantial argument going forward.