Ferrari,
Renault
Force Indian
Red Bull

In Autosport today:

“…The FIA has begun its annual routine random checks on all Formula One engines, with Mercedes-Benz the first manufacturer whose power unit will be examined…

“…That process began after Hockenheim, with Lewis Hamilton’s engine being the first to be sealed by the FIA so its checks can be conducted…”

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69428

If there is something in Mclaren Cars against the (bloody) FIA rules is not because the paddles mimic TC, but because it changes the engine maps in less then 90 seconds.

“Power without control is nothing” says Pirelli in that old Carl Lewis advertise. Almost everything in a racing car is designed for better aceleration (that means traction) in all directions(That includes wings).

Formula 1 wants athletes wearing tenis. FIA wanted until now lady’s high shoes.

If someone can read in Portuguese, Livio Oricchio, the Brazilian insider, has made an interesting point about McLaren’s new steering wheel:

http://blog.estadao.com.br/blog/livio/?title=nao_e_so_por_causa_do_sistema_manual_de_&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments

ESSENTIALLY:

1) McLaren sent the system to Charly Whiting´s verification and to be previously approbate before been used. To Oricchio, McLaren is very aware of the past shenanigans and move very carefully to avoid any problem.

2) Considering that, the system is 100% legal

3) The McLaren´s edge is down to new aero and mechanical implementations, as Keith has presented in the post above.

4) Another teams are right now trying to implement the new (steering wheel) system.

5) About the Lewis´s engine verification, Oricchio thinks that this just routine.

PS.: Oricchio made reference to Paolo Bambara, who has wrote an article in SPORTAUTOMOTO (a Italian motor sport magazine), about McLaren technical innovations.

Have someone this magazine?

They’re identical.

And you can clearly see the clutch in both the Australia and Germany pictures. It’s that big paddle thing below the other paddles.

http://video.globo.com/Videos/Player/Esportes/0,,GIM823953-7824-CONHECA+OS+MISTERIOS+DE+UM+VOLANTE+DE+FORMULA,00.html

Filmed in Massa’s house in Monaco days before Monaco2008 GP.
He explains that the lower paddles are the clutch. Used on the start of the race and leaving the pit after the stops.
It’s the 2007 model but apart from the green knob that he turns left and right, that’s the TC, it’s pretty much the same.

If you change engine behaviour, and then accelerate that is not a TC. For sure the split paddles are legal.

That’s the regular paddles. I’ve seen Massa explaning how it works back on the monaco grand prix. I’ll try to find the link of this and put it here.