Formula One to ban F-ducts from next season

The controversial F-ducts, allow drivers to divert airflow through the cockpit to "stall" the rear wings of their cars, decreasing drag and boosting speed, will be banned by Formula One from next season.

McLaren pioneered the breakthrough decision, which sidestepped the rule that there can be no moveable aerodynamic devices on cars.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button diverted air coming through a vent on the top of their McLarens by blocking a hole in the cockpit with their knees, The Sun reports.

But the controversy emerged again during Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix after Ferrari turned up with a more radical and potentially dangerous system.

Driver Fernando Alonso was seen blocking a hole at his side with a special pad on the outside of his left glove. That resulted in the absurd situation where he was often driving at 190mph with only one hand on the steering wheel.

And when adjusting his brake balance with his right hand, he had no hands on the wheel at all, The Sun reports.

Team chief Stefano Domenicali joked that Alonso must have been steering with his legs.

The Mercedes, Sauber and Williams teams have also come up with variations of the system.

McLaren objected to the ban at a post-GP meeting of the Formula One Teams Association.

But the association voted in favour of outlawing the systems from the end of this season, on safety and cost grounds, The Sun reports.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose driver Mark Webber dominated the Spanish race, revealed his team were still looking into F-ducts.