FORMULA 1 - 2015


Recommended Posts

FIA to introduce stricter 'flexi-wing' tests in Canada

1248CB1L5936.jpg

The FIA is to implement stricter front-wing load tests at the Canadian Grand Prix in a bid to ensure no team is breaking the rules regarding moveable aerodynamic devices.
The technical rules are strict when it comes to flexible bodywork, therefore there are multiple checks the FIA can do during pre and post-race scrutineering to ensure teams comply.
Article 3.17.8 allows the governing body to "introduce further load/deflection tests on any part of the bodywork which appears to be (or is suspected of), moving whilst the car is in motion".
It's believed a number of teams are stretching the limit of the rule by creating complex wings to flex under pressure, for example down a straight, to reduce drag, but when it comes to scrutineering load tests, they pass.
The FIA has therefore issued a technical directive to all the teams ahead of the next race, informing them of the new, stricter test.
"[The] FIA intends to introduce a further load/deflection test on parts of the bodywork forward of the front wheels," it reads.
"A 60N point load will be applied to any part of the trailing edge of any front wing flap, the load will be applied normal to the flap at the relevant point.
"Under the load, the deflection may not exceed 3mm when measured vertically at the trailing edge."
Most recently Red Bull were found to be using flexible wings during the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP. Both cars were disqualified from qualifying as a result.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 4.3k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

Another season ahead, will it be better than the last? I'm certainly hoping there will be less politics involved but that's just wishful thinking! Perhaps I will post less on such issues moving forwa

Bernie's really damaging the sport. He's so far behind the times it's impossible to listen to anything he has to say. Just looking at the way other sports leagues have grown over the past 20 years com

ECCLESTONE: RED BULL ARE ABSOLUTELY 100 PER CENT RIGHT Red Bull is right to argue for rule changes after Mercedes utterly dominated the 2015 season opener, Bernie Ecclestone said on Monday. A rep

Alonso better off at McLaren - Briatore

Fernando-Alonso-McLaren-Barcelona-2015-F

Fernando Alonso made the right move in leaving Ferrari for McLaren even if he has yet to score a point this season, according to the man who has steered the Spaniard's Formula One career from the start.

Italian Flavio Briatore, the flamboyant and controversial former Renault team boss, told Reuters Alonso was happy to be back at the misfiring former champions and enjoying the challenge.
"I believe at one point in Ferrari it was over, from both sides. I believe it was a good change," the manager said of the move. "McLaren is a serious team. Honda we know is a great company and we are there.
"I don't think the situation of (Australian Daniel) Ricciardo (at Red Bull) is better than that of Fernando. In Formula One at the moment you have one team and it's Mercedes. Whatever other team you are second, and second is the first of the losers."
While Alonso has yet to score a point in his six races, Ferrari have been on the podium in every grand prix this season with the Spaniard's replacement Sebastian Vettel finishing second in Monaco on Sunday.
McLaren ended their drought in that race with Jenson Button finishing eighth.
Briatore, who was banned from Formula One after a 2008 Singapore Grand Prix race-fixing scandal but subsequently had the ruling overturned, felt Ferrari were still no closer to dethroning Mercedes even if they appeared to be more competitive.
"(In qualifying) Vettel was seven tenths from Lewis (Hamilton) and last year Fernando was fifth (on the grid for Ferrari) and seven tenths (off pole)," he said, speaking at during the race weekend at the principality.
"Between Ferrari and Mercedes it is the same distance. The problem is three or four teams are not there any more. With Honda and McLaren, we have a better future."
ENGINE TROUBLE
Honda have returned to Formula One this season to renew a partnership with McLaren that enjoyed rare dominance in the late 1980s when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost were team mates.
They have, however, struggled with the complicated new V6 turbo hybrid power units that rivals had been using for a year already.
Alonso won two championships with Briatore's Renault team, after replacing Button, and had an ill-fated year at McLaren in 2007 before returning to Renault and then on to Ferrari.
"He is happy to be staying at McLaren now," said Briatore.
"I don't understand why you guys think it's a lot of pressure. Drivers like this are very lucky people. Maybe you have pressure to pay the rent at the end of the month but these people have no pressure at all."
Briatore, who came into Formula One with Italian clothing company Benetton in the 1980s, said also that the sport needed to return to the basics.
"In Formula One you need a gladiator, you need a fight, you need the show, you need a race. You don't need to worry if you have fuel or no fuel in the car," he said. "You don't need to worry if your tyres last for longer.
"I believe the distribution of the money is not correct, you give the money to the rich and not to the poor. It makes no sense," added the Italian, who owns the Billionaire brand of nightclubs and boutiques.
"In the last 10 years, the costs are too high to have a race. For me, Formula One needs to go back to racing, instead of talking all the time about fuel consumption. I want to talk about the fighting between drivers.
"The more similar the cars, the better racing we have. It's not a big secret."
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vijay Mallya honoured in FMSCI Awards

Vijay_Mallya_0_0adf_0_0_0_0_0_0.jpg

Force India team principal Vjay Mallya was awarded the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' for his contribution to motorsports by the Federation of Motorsport Sports Club of India (FMSCI).

India's only biker to have raced in the grueling Dakar Rally earlier this year - he finished 36th in the bike event - CS Santosh, was named 'Motorsport Man of the year' and received the Motorsport Man of the year with Raymond Gautam Singhania Rolling Trophy from Raymond's Managing Director Gautam Singhania himself.
Gautam is a car racer himself and had taken part in the Ferrari Challenge (Europe) earlier this year, where he finished on the podium.
BRDC F4 2014 runner-up and current European F3 racer Arjun Maini was awarded the 'Motorsport Star of the Future' award for his excellent run in the BRDC F4 championship.
Arjun had nine podium finishes which included four wins, five pole positions and six fastest laps in the 2014 F4 championship. Recently, Arjun was also recognised as a rising star in motorsports by the prestigious BRDC Clubhouse.
The FMSCI president R Bharath Raj during the event said, "We are happy and proud to be giving away these awards to the 2014 champions in Bangalore. We hope these champions go to international events and keep the Indian flag flying high."
"Motorsport activity is on the rise in India. We hope to get many other international events in India and also hope that the sport grows even more in the future," he added in the report on One India.
The champions from the 2014 season were duly awarded; rally driver Gaurav Gill was awarded for being the Indian Rally Champion driver. Current MSA Formula 4 racer Tarun Reddy was awarded for being the National Racing Champion (MRF 1600) while Vishnu Prasad was awarded for National Championship (JK FB02) and Karthik Tharani for VW Polo R Cup.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

MIKA: Compare the Lewis from a year ago after a difficult Monaco race to the Lewis we have seen at Monaco (in 2015).

$150 Million Euro does that to you! whistle.gif

First world problems, eh? LOL

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

F1 2015 FIRST GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE LEAKED

First gameplay footage of Codemasters’ upcoming F1 2015 title has leaked on Youtube, showing the new title in motion for the first time.
Leaked from a French TV show recording, the footage shows Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Benz in action at Singapore during a heavy downpour.
Using a new version of Codemasters’ EGO engine, F1 2015 will feature not only improved visuals but also come with an improved tire model & force feedback system that will hopefully result in a more realistic driving experience.
Using the Playstation 4’s & Xbox One’s voice-recognition technology, players will also be able to directly talk to their race engineer, requesting information and asking for changes.
F1 2015 will now be available starting July 10 in the UK, Europe and Australia and July 21 in the United States.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ALONSO: WE HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE PLAN FOR AUSTRIA

X0W8454-1-750x500.jpg

According to Fernando Alonso McLaren and Honda are preparing a major upgrade package for their MP4-30 in time for June’s Austrian Grand Prix.
After only missing points in Monaco due to another reliability problem, Alonso said he is expecting the Honda-powered team to struggle on the long straights of Canada next weekend.
But he told Spanish reporters: “We have a very aggressive plan for Austria, which is a key race for us.”
Team boss Eric Boullier confirmed that their 2015 car will feature many improvements at the Red Bull Ring in late June.
“I have asked Fernando to keep his faith in the project, despite his negative result in Monaco,” he is quoted by the Spanish sports daily Marca.
“There are many new features coming as we continue to move forward. In Austria there will be an improvement that should take us to the next level,” the Frenchman added.
X0W6625-750x500.jpg
The report said the upgrades will be mainly in the area of aerodynamics, before Honda is expected to deploy the majority of its nine performance ‘tokens’ ahead of the Hungarian grand prix some weeks later.
Boullier would not confirm the engine news, saying improvements will be added by Honda “when they are ready”.
Alonso, meanwhile, said he knows that he needs to be patient in 2015, as it is essentially a test, “Not a winter test, but a testing season.”
Boullier said both Alonso and teammate Jenson Button are fully up to speed with McLaren-Honda’s plans, “It would have been a mistake to tell them that this is going to be their year. If you want to build a long-term project, the most important thing is trust and transparency.”
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PERMANE DENIES GROSJEAN BRAKE TESTED VERSTAPPEN

f1-gp-monaco-2015-domenica-135-750x500.j

A Lotus boss has denied Max Verstappen’s claim he was “brake-tested” by Romain Grosjean during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Teenage rookie Verstappen was penalised by the stewards for his huge crash after hitting the rear of Grosjean’s Lotus during the Monaco grand prix.
But the young Dutchman on Wednesday told his own website that he was “brake-tested” on the approach to Ste Devote.
‘Brake-test’ is a motor racing term for when a leading driver aggressively and deliberately brakes early in order to deter the advances of a chasing car.
But Alan Permane, Lotus’ trackside director, defended Grosjean on Wednesday, insisting the Frenchman “didn’t brake test” Toro Rosso’s Verstappen.
“He (Grosjean) braked 5 metres later than previous lap,” he said on Twitter. “Data accepted by FIA so the penalty was for Max not Romain.
“The FIA have all the information and they were happy with RG’s driving,” Permane added, acknowledging that Verstappen is a “huge, huge talent” who will “overcome” the setback.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PHARRELL WILLIAMS HAPPY WITH LOTUS F1 TEAM DEAL

jm1524my315-750x501.jpg

Formula One team Lotus have agreed a marketing partnership with the Oscar-winning musican and producer Pharrell Williams.
The deal will see the Lotus cars driven by Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado carry the logos of Williams’ I Am Other brand and the film Dope, of which he is the executive producer. The logos were on the vehicles’ liveries in time for last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, while other activities are planned across multiple platforms. No financial terms were released.
“Pharrell Williams is an international icon who shares much of the Lotus F1 Team’s philosophy and outlook,” said Gerard Lopez, the chairman and team principal of Lotus. “It is tremendously exciting for Lotus F1 Team to be working with Pharrell on a number of initiatives which will come into the public domain in the fullness of time. We are looking forward to welcoming Pharrell to Monaco to meet the team for the spectacle of the Monaco Grand Prix and we know that this is the start of something special.”
Williams added: “I’m happy to be in partnership with Lotus F1 Team and Formula 1 and I’m looking forward to a fruitful relationship.”
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FOM EXPANDS TATA PARTNERSHIP

Tata-Communications-Official-Communicati

Formula One Management has expanded its partnership with Tata Communications.
The motorsport body has appointed the Mumbai-based group to provide broadcast services for the GP2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup series. Tata Communications, which is already the official connectivity partner to the Formula One world championships, will provide fiber and satellite services to relay broadcast feeds from 12 race venues in 2015.
“We are always looking to help provide our partners and clients with the highest standards of support and service and our decision to appoint Tata Communications as the provider of these broadcast services is designed to deliver this,” said Formula One Group chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.
Vinod Kumar, the managing director and chief executive of Tata Communications, added: “Tata Communications’ work with Formula One Management is a testament to the diversity and versatility of our services. Each Formula One race demands a range of connected services similar to that of a small city.”
“By consolidating fixed line connectivity needs with Tata Communications, Formula One Management will be able to take the greatest possible advantage of that infrastructure and tap into the versatility, on and off-site support and existing knowledge and experience of our platform and our team.”
“We are a unique player in the ecosystem and well placed to help deliver high quality live feeds to customers all over the world.”
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FERRARI BOSS BLAMES OLD REGIME FOR SF15-T LIMITATIONS

150043_spa_-750x500.jpg

Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene is pointing a finger at the now ousted old regime at Maranello for the shortcomings of their current Formula 1 car.
Although the Italian team has taken a big step forward this year, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims boss Arrivabene is acknowledging that the potential of the current SF15-T car is limited.
“We were unable to change everything in three months,” he said with reference to the time between the end of the Luca di Montezemolo and Marco Mattiacci era and the deadlines for the launch of the 2015 project.
Arrivabene confirmed that the new car has many of the “same limits of downforce and traction as the old one”.
“From the beginning of last year, Mercedes has been very, very fast in qualifying,” he added. “They are very strong, and this is an indication to us of where we need to focus our attention for the future.
“Obviously we have improved the car,” said Arrivabene, “but we know there are many things that we cannot make work as we would like.”
He said the recent Barcelona race, where a major upgrade package was used for the first time, was a key moment for Ferrari.
“When the car goes well there,” said the Italian, “it will be enough for all the other races. For next year, we absolutely must have a better car for Barcelona.”
MIKA: Arrivabene reminds me of Buddy Christ!
Buddy_christ.jpg
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

LAUDA SAYS F1 CARS ARE LOUDER IN 2015

Niki-Lauda-F1-Grand-Prix-Bahrain-Qualify

Niki Lauda claims Formula 1 has turned up the volume in 2015, compared to last season.
“Look at last year,” the Mercedes team chairman told the British broadcaster Sky in Monaco. “The noise has increased, no question, so I think we’re going in the right direction.
“The only one that is still a little less loud is Renault,” said the F1 legend, “but they have less horse power.”
The milder sound of the sport’s new ‘power unit’ era has been highly controversial, and is often cited as one reason for a decline in spectator interest.
There have been efforts to artificially spice up the sound, like modifying the exhausts, and Lauda said those sorts of investigations are continuing.
“We are working on a programme for 2017, although we could do it next year, to have six gears, not eight, because you only use eight in Monza and maybe Spa.
“With six gears they’re going to rev higher,” added Lauda, “so you’re going to increase the noise level.”
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NEW SAUBER DRIVERS HAVE BETTER ATTITUDE SAYS KALTENBORN

sau_5-750x501.jpg

Sauber boss and co-owner Monisha Kaltenborn has fired a shot at Sauber’s former race drivers.
For 2015, the Swiss team dispensed with its 2014 lineup of Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez, instead signing Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson.
Nasr and Ericsson have been described as ‘pay drivers’ who are now helping to finance the struggling Hinwil outfit.
Sutil, meanwhile, is now Williams’ reserve driver, while Mexican Gutierrez is filling a similar role at Ferrari. Kaltenborn, however, revealed that Sauber is now much happier team with Brazilian Nasr and Swede Ericsson.
“The drivers are making a big difference,” she told Brazil’s Globo. “They work very well with the team and are learning a lot.”
As for Sutil and Gutierrez, who last year failed to score a single point, Kaltenborn said: “It was not easy for them, and it’s not fair to blame them.
“We did not give them a good car,” she added. “But it is also true that our drivers today have a very different attitude and we can feel that.”
Link to comment
Share on other sites

F1 to fast-track louder engine changes for 2016

rear-w06-pair-8765.jpg

Formula 1 engine manufacturers look set to bring forward a proposal which will make the current hybrid-V6 engines louder, answering the pleas of many fans.
The change had been planned for 2017 along with refuelling and plans to make the cars quicker, but it's believed this particular proposal will be fast-tracked through over the winter, allowing for the louder engines to take effect next season.
During a meeting over the Monaco Grand Prix weekend to discuss future changes, it was agreed that 'boosting the volume' could be achieved without huge cost and it should therefore happen as soon as possible.
At present, the engines use just a single exhaust exit. This is likely to change to two in 2016, with the second tailpipe purely there for the purpose of making them louder.
The proposal for twin-exhausts will be sent to the F1 Strategy Group for approval. If its gains majority support, it will then go before the F1 Commission before being included in the amended technical regulations.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Monaco Grand Prix:

top-car-travel-620x337.jpg

The weekend in Monaco was a fairly pleasant one. The weather was not bad and the controversy was minimal. Monaco is always a buzz although the Formula 1 race was not overly exceptional although the Mercedes screw-up made for an exciting last few laps and plenty of post-race chatter. Nico Rosberg was an undeserving winner and his celebrations seemed hollow, but as he said, you take what you get. One had to feel for Lewis Hamilton and I felt that he handled it very well.
In the paddock, there was some talk about the Strategy Group decisions of the previous week but no-one was getting worked up about them. The consensus was that refuelling is simply NOT going to happen and there were more discussions about the situation regarding customer cars. There was a meeting with Bernie Ecclestone on this subject on Friday morning to which only a handful of (big) teams were invited. They seem keen on the idea, but I just do not understand how any of the parties involved can reasonably agree to such a thing. If there is no way that a small ambitious team can climb the ladder in Formula 1, what is the point in being there simply to make up the numbers? It is wiser to climb other ladders where one can be successful.
And what would happen when one of these big teams decides – as inevitably they will – that they no longer want to be in F1. Or when one team consistently builds better cars than its rivals? If one team is dominant and supplies chassis and engines to rivals, the other big teams will be pushed back to fourth or fifth in the pecking order and, as McLaren is finding out, this weakens them.
The concept has already been gone through before by CART back in the 1980s.
Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc (CART) was running the IndyCar series at the time. Teams built their own chassis. There were some car manufacturers who sold cars to others, but there was great variety with companies like McLaren, Penske, Chaparral, Phoenix, Eagle, March and Wildcat all winners. Others such as Longhorn, Coyote, Parnelli, Lightning, Interscope, Primus and Rattlesnake did not win. However, over time the bigger chassis manufacturers were able to invest more than the smaller ones and so by the mid-1980s the number of manufacturers had thinned out because teams could buy more competitive March and Lola chassis.Even Penske gave up building his own cars. When March hit trouble only Lola remained until Reynard joined the fight in the mid-1990s. There were a few attempts to challenge the status quo along the way, but in the end the money was not there to sustain them and so eventually only Lola remained. CART became a one-chassis championship. Today no-one considers CART to be a rival of F1 as was once the case. Today the technology is unimportant and the series is dominated by a few well-organised teams, which win depending on the engines and who does a better job. Ganassi, Penske and Andretti have won the last 12 titles between them and a 13th will be won by one of those three in 2015. The series is entertainment, but irrelevant and the audience is tiny. The US motorsport scene is dominated by NASCAR, which does the whole show business thing better and even has road cars that look like the racing machinery (even if there is nothing at all the same bar the shape).
The basic logic for customer cars is that Formula 1 cannot support 12 competing constructor teams, all of which are doing what amounts to parallel development work. This is very wasteful, but at the same time this created the cut-throat world that led to the development of the vibrant motorsport industry in the UK. The culture was always one of “must try harder”. The teams at the back of the grid struggle for money because they do not have the results – or more importantly the exposure – to bring in more. These teams tend to be supported by eccentric wealthy folk who either run out money and/or enthusiasm or they make enough of an impact to move up the Formula 1 ladder. Using the same or similar engines is sensible in that it is impossible for everyone to build their own engines, but having a limited number of chassis is not at all the same thing.
It makes sense to the big teams because they see ways to get return on their investment at minimal cost. The problem is that when one takes this idea to its logical conclusion, it makes more sense for the bigger teams to own the smaller teams rather than just being suppliers. Running twice as many cars does not cost twice as much money and the bigger teams will inevitably want as much control as possible over smaller teams, to ensure that they do as well as they possibly can – and do everything that the bigger teams want. Having six constructor teams plus six customers would very quickly change to a situation in which there would be six four-car teams.
So I would argue that having customer chassis does not protect weak teams but rather condemns them to lose all independence. And what happens when big teams quit? At the moment we have Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren who constitute the “big team” status. One might be able to rely on Ferrari and McLaren because their DNA is F1 (although after Ferrari floats things could change), but Mercedes will go at the drop of a hat if the next chairman is not a fan and Red Bull is already whining about departing because it cannot win races. Two of the four big teams thus cannot be relied upon to be around in the long-term, even if Bernie Ecclestone has written big penalty clauses into their contracts. If they want to go they will go. Toyota did exactly that six years ago. The staff lost their jobs and the team shut down. We also lost Honda, BMW and Renault at the same time (all team owners) but racers like Ross Brawn and Peter Sauber stepped up and kept those teams alive. Thus the idea of pushing out the racers makes no sense at all.
The other thing that makes no sense at all is that the teams have been given power to make decisions about the regulations. This is daft. You don’t ask footballers to decide on the rules of football, do you? Inevitably they will argue their own cases on all occasions and so nothing will ever be agreed. This is why the Strategy Group came along to try to restrict the number of decision-makers, but that is not right either because that means only half the teams in the football league are allowed to change the rules. It’s crazy.
What is required is a governing body that governs, a promoter that promotes and teams that behave like teams. There is nothing wrong with the promoter making some money, but it would be best if this was a sensible kind of promoter’s fee – 10 to 15 percent. Beyond that is simply greedy and to the detriment of the sport. The sport does not need private equity jackals, squeezing every penny out. We need a promoter that works towards creating harmony so that the sport can work as a proper corporation and can then concentrate on being better than other sports, rather than always beating itself up. The key is really fairness.
A good team will beat a bad team no matter what vehicles they race and how much money they have. Thus financial control is absolutely logical. There is no need to waste money. The division of the revenues should reflect success but only in moderation, as the smaller teams will only grow stronger if they can afford to do so. Thus there is an argument that the value of winning should be reduced, or even negated completely because success will bring money from other sources, such as sponsorship. in other words, if everyone gets an equal share of the revenues, the big teams will still have more money.
The other thing that the sport needs is better promotion. Right now promotion is left to the TV companies and race promoters. This puts a strain on both such groups because they are already paying out hugely for rights. These organisations are the ones that deal directly with the public and so they should be allowed more money to invest to put on a better show, or to create a better experience to grow the audience. Cuts in the fees for both would be a good idea because with financial control, an even spread of prize money and a promoter who is not greedy, there would be money available to do these things and make the sport more attractive to the ultimate customers. It would obviously help if TV was not pay-to-view, it would obviously help if the top people in the sport were not swathed in controversy and unseemly matters, such as the new tax battles that Bernie Ecclestone is going through, or the road safety palaver that Jean Todt has created with his ambitions, which seem to be more personal than for the FIA. The FIA already has a very successful road safety operation in the FIA Foundation. There is no need to build a parallel operation. And the conflicts of interest are everywhere, as we have seen already. At Monaco there was another attempt made to make Todt feel uncomfortable and to draw F1 into this mess with the anti-alcohol lobby pointing out that the sport does a lot to promote booze but Todt refuses to do anything about it, while the road safety lobby are desperately keen to stop drink-driving. Todt seems to be on both sides…
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Analysis: Renault's engine penalty dilemma

3_4_B.jpg

Renault now faces a tough call on whether or not to take engine penalties at the Canadian Grand Prix after its Formula 1 power units successfully got through Monaco with no issues.

A spate of failures earlier this season means that both Red Bull drivers and Max Verstappen have already used up their allocation of four power units.
Had there been further problems in Monaco, then the French car manufacturer would have had no choice but to bring in a fifth unit in Montreal, which will earn its drivers grid penalties.
But with tweaks having ensured the power units survived the Monaco weekend, Renault now has the option of holding fire on bringing a new engine on board.
It could choose to wait until the Austrian GP next month, which would allow it more scope to perfect reliability tweaks and perhaps introduce more performance too.
The key factors
Renault must first of all understand if the engines used in Monaco have suffered any damage and are at risk of failing if they are used again in Canada.
Its F1 chief Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com: "We will have to debrief at the factory and do the analysis of the engine to see if it is all as good inside as it looked from the outside.
"As you know, even though the engines are completely homologated, you can still do a little bit of analysis of the fuel and the lubes to tell you what is going on inside.
"That is what will take place to confirm if we can use again those engines on Friday and also on Saturday and Sunday, and what is the engine allocation plan for now.
"That is quite important because one thing we want to have is even more reliability but also more performance."
renault-abiteboul.jpg
Performance needs to come
Renault's focus so far this year has been in curing its reliability issues rather than focusing on performance.
Motorsport.com understands that the key area of focus is to cure an issue with the pistons which has caused a lot of the early season failures.
It know it needs to deliver performance steps later in the campaign, which is why holding back on delivering new engines would help give it more options later on, especially when it comes to deploying its development tokens.
1401879040.jpg
Tactical penalty
Even if the engines are given the all-clear, then Renault could still choose to bring the fifth power unit in to play in Canada for tactical reasons.
If it believes that there are enough performance and reliability grounds for doing so, it may conclude that starting further down the grid at Canada is not such a bad option.
The long straights of both Montreal and Austria do at least allow overtaking, which could counter any grid penalty handed out for the better engine.
FIA clarification a complication
At the Monaco GP, the FIA issued a note to teams to tell them that any reliability update for engines would now need eight days' notice.
This means that if Renault does want to change pistons for the Canadian GP, then it will need to make a decision this week.
Despite the complication that causes, Abiteboul welcomed the fact that the FIA had got tougher, as he suggested rivals had been pushing through a lot of changes on reliability grounds.
"You will be amazed to see the number of changes that go through without using any tokens on the grounds of reliability or a fair and equitable process," he said.
"I am not surprised as last year, there were 50 coming from all engine manufacturers. In terms of process I am sure it is a nightmare to handle so I am not surprised the FIA wants to put more control into that."
Ultimately, it just means Renault will have to decide within the next few days what its plan is, rather than perhaps waiting until the Montreal weekend itself.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

HAVE RENAULT ALREADY BOUGHT LOTUS?

00410801012-750x501.jpg

A number of international media sources believe Lotus is on the cusp of being sold, if not already in the sold to Renault with only the final legalities set to be ironed out.
Just two weeks ago, amid reports the Enstone team was in talks with its former owner Renault, Lotus chief Matthew Carter declared: “My shareholders have said quite specifically the team isn’t for sale”.
But the speculation did not stop. It has been fueled, in part, by the fact that Gerard Lopez, representing the majority owner Genii, has been almost completely absent from the Formula 1 paddock so far in 2015.
The Luxembourger then suddenly appeared in Barcelona, where Autosprint now reports that talks to sell a major chunk of the Enstone team back to Renault took place.
It is well known that Renault is openly contemplating its approach to F1 at present, having not ruled out staying as a supplier, quitting altogether or returning to full works team status.
20140527164127-6a104a75-750x500.jpg
Autosprint reports that one plan devised by Renault’s F1 operations chief Remi Taffin is to buy back Enstone and re-install Bob Bell as team boss.
It is claimed a final decision – at least with regards to the Enstone plan – if not already agreed to, could be made by the end of this week. Renault chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn was a notable figure in the Monaco paddock last weekend.
Writing in Turun Sanomat, correspondent Luis Vasconcelos reports: “Negotiations on the purchase of the Lotus team have progressed to the decisive phase.
“A deadline for the Lopez and (Renault F1 boss Cyril) Abiteboul negotiations is the end of May, so the outcome is expected in the coming days,” he added.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

MARTIN BRUNDLE TESTS FORCE INDIA… AND CRASHES!

Former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle got a unique chance to sample current-era machinery as he tested the Force India VJM08 in Silverstone. It wasn’t a day without a few surprises, as Martin soon found out! But one thing is sure he has lost none of his massive passion for the sport…

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FIA CLAMPING DOWN HARD IN 2015

17848.jpg

FIA officials are pushing hard for its regulations to be fully respected by Formula 1 teams in 2015.
With the governing body having already clamped down in the area of fuel flow, Auto Motor und Sport reports that the FIA is now targeting engine upgrades that are being introduced for supposedly ‘reliability’-based reasons.
Amid the current engine ‘freeze’, F1’s engine makers are able to modify their power units for reliability reasons without dipping into their allocation of upgrade ‘tokens’.
But Honda, for instance, appears to have made big steps forward so far in 2015 – reportedly to the tune of 50 horse power – despite not yet spending a single performance ‘token’.
The German media report said the FIA issued a technical directive in Monaco, warning that manufacturers will now have to lodge an application for ‘reliability’ upgrades some 8 days before they are due to be deployed on the track.
The application will have to include explanations, drawings, photos and test bench data to prove the changes really are for reliability, rather than performance through the back door.
Another issue being freshly targeted by the FIA in 2015 is in the well-trodden area of ‘flexi wings’.
Spain’s El Confidencial reports that a new 50 Newton load test will be applied for front wing flexibility compliance from next weekend’s Canadian grand prix.
And media reports in Italy suggest that Ferrari’s wind tunnel at Maranello is set to be inspected by the FIA.
It follows rumours after the recent Strategy Group meeting that some rival teams, perhaps Mercedes, questioned Ferrari’s activities when it comes to helping the new American entrant Haas prepare for its 2016 debut.
Wind tunnel use in F1 is now tightly controlled, so it is suspected Ferrari may be benefitting from the data being produced in the tunnel to develop the 2016 Haas car.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ECCLESTONE SAYS MONZA FUTURE AT A STANDSTILL

Monza-750x507.jpg

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he is open to working with a new race promoter if it saves the embattled Italian Grand Prix, as negotiations with the current group are at a standstill.
With the F1 supremo warning that Monza must pay more to stay on the calendar beyond 2016, Italian automobile club chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani and Ivan Capelli, representing the promoter Sias, flew to Monaco last weekend for talks.
Afterwards, Ecclestone said the situation remains “at a standstill”.
The Italian weekly Autosprint reports that the 84-year-old Briton is offering Monza a new deal along the lines of the Red Bull-promoted Austrian grand prix.
Ecclestone rejects the argument that he is prioritising money over the most historic and traditional European venues on the calendar, like Monza and Germany.
“The tradition used to be that circuits in Europe paid to host formula one,” he insisted, “but now they don’t want to pay.
“So it is they who don’t want to respect tradition,” said Ecclestone.
It is believed that, at the Monaco meeting, Damiani and Capelli made it clear that the EUR 20 million fee reportedly demanded by Ecclestone is too high.
Ecclestone now says: “I wonder if there is a new promoter in Italy who wants to take over the organisation of the Italian grand prix.
“The fact is that the Europeans are still at an advantage over those outside of Europe in terms of how much it costs to host F1.
“We are open to anyone who wants to come forward,” the 84-year-old added, “but those figures will not go down. I made it clear.”
Link to comment
Share on other sites

TODT SAYS FIA WILL NOT BAN ALCOHOL ADVERTISING IN FORMULA 1

Get_Home_Safely_19_copy-750x500.jpg

FIA president Jean Todt has ruled out banning alcohol sponsorship in Formula 1.
During the Monaco grand prix weekend, a European alcohol policy group called Eurocare said the amount of alcohol-related exposure in the sport is “extreme”.
“We now urge the involved bodies in F1 to move away from alcohol sponsorship,” the group declared.
Williams’ major sponsor is Martini, a brand of Italian vermouth, while the Force India livery features branding of the United Breweries Group.
Johnnie Walker, meanwhile, backs the McLaren team, and last year it became the ‘official whisky’ of F1.
But FIA president Todt on Thursday told the Australian broadcaster ABC that he cannot ban alcohol advertising in F1.
“The use of advertising for alcohol is not linked to the FIA,” he said at the International Transport Forum in Germany.
“It’s linked to each singular country. I’m completely against and advocating against drinking and driving, but each country needs to make his own job,” he said.
“You cannot ban alcohol — it is not possible,” the FIA president insisted. “You can educate people not to drink and drive.
“And what I’m urging alcohol companies to do is to participate in funding to educate people and discourage people driving when they are drinking,” Todt added. “So we are working very closely on that because we know it is an essential topic to be addressed.”
However, Italy’s Autosprint claims a sector of the European Union relating to advertising is preparing a dossier proposing to the FIA the abolishment of alcohol branding.
MIKA: I agree in that we shouldn't ban alcohol advertising in Formula1. What better platform to advertise that you can drink responsibly without driving afterward? When have you heard of late or even the past 10 years of an F1 driver being pulled over and being intoxicated from alcohol? I think these guys are great role models for this campaign IMO.
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FORMULA 1 FUNDING NOT A PRIORITY FOR NEW BARCELONA MAYOR

Ada-Colau-750x500.jpg

The Spanish grand prix might be losing the backing of the Barcelona local government, as a new mayor takes office in the city.
At the Circuit de Catalunya’s latest F1 race earlier this month, it was announced that the Spanish grand prix contract has been extended through 2017, 2018 and 2019.
But on Sunday, while F1 cars raced around Monaco, the people of Barcelona went to the polls and elected a new mayor – Ada Colau.
Spanish newspapers now quote her as saying the €4 million annually contributed by the city to the Spanish grand prix might be in doubt.
“In the context of what is happening (in Barcelona), Formula 1 is not the priority,” Colau is quoted as saying.
She explained: “It is not a question is being against anything. We are happy to collaborate in all types of sporting events that may occur in Barcelona or in the surrounding area. But Barcelona must have clear priorities, and we have ours.”
As an example, she said “the same annual amount” spent by Barcelona on formula one each year could fund some 4,500 scholarships.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Magnussen: Vandoorne deserves F1 seat

1022.6666666666666x767__origin__0x0_Kevi

Although one could argue that Stoffel Vandoorne is one of his biggest rivals for a F1 seat, Kevin Magnussen says the GP2 driver "deserves" to be in F1.
Both McLaren proteges, Magnussen and Vandoorne are next in line should either Jenson Button or Fernando Alonso walk away.
Both drivers, though, are under contract for 2016 meaning Magnussen and Vandoorne will have to look elsewhere for a 2016 race-seat.
And although Magnussen's efforts to return to the grid could be undone by Vandoorne, he feels the Belgian deserves a ride given his incredible form in this year's GP2 series. Vandoorne has won all three feature races.
Magnussen said: "Stoff [Vandoorne] is doing a really good job, and he deserves to get to F1 - I think there is something wrong if he doesn't get there.
"But everyone is a threat when you are competing for an F1 seat. I just have to focus on myself, and not really worry about anyone else because I can't do anything about it.
"McLaren believe in me - I've done well in F1, been on the podium - so they know what I can do and where my potential is. I have a lot of faith in McLaren and that they will take care of my career."
Magnussen, who signed as McLaren's test and reserve driver after being dropped following one year of racing, added that while he would like to be plying his trade on a Sunday afternoon, he believes his career will thrive even with a year away from racing.
"I have itchy feet, but I am also very young and have a lot of time ahead; so I can afford one year to do what I do now, which is learn and get a bit more experience and learn about different things I perhaps wouldn't learn about if I was in the car."
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mallya: No reason to change line-up

1022.6666666666666x767__origin__0x0_Serg

Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez could spend a third year together at Force India in 2016 as Vijay Mallya is keen to retain the same line-up.
The duo first teamed up in 2014 when Hulkenberg returned to Force India after a year with Sauber and Perez was unceremoniously dropped by McLaren.
Together they recorded the team's highest-ever number of points, 155, and matched their best finish of P6. Added to that, Perez secured a podium result at the Bahrain GP.
And although this season the results have not been as kind, the duo are holding onto sixth place in the Constructors' Championship.
Proving to be a successful partnership for Force India, team principal Mallya says there is no reason for him to change drivers.
"I have always said that I am delighted to have Nico and Checo as my drivers," he told the official F1 website. "They are both highly talented and competent drivers. I am proud that Force India always has great talent in our driver line-up.
"Just remember that Nico scored points in nearly every race last year and Checo was on the podium in Bahrain. Were it not for our handicapped start to 2015 I guess we would have seen more of that this season.
"The chances that I will keep them are absolutely very high. I make no bones about it: I like these two guys. I respect them a lot. So there is no reason for me to make a change."
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ricciardo: Wider tyres more rewarding

1022.6666666666666x767__origin__0x0_Dani

Daniel Ricciardo has backed a proposal to reintroduce wider tyres in F1, saying it would result in the best drivers coming to the fore.
At this month's Strategy Group, a proposal to run wider rear tyres - up from the current 360mm to 420mm - was put on the table. This would increase the grip, which could mean faster cars.
It could also, according to Ricciardo, see the cream rise to the top.
"Mentally your concentration has to be more in tune so I think you'll see a bigger separation between the top drivers and, let's say, the others," the Aussie told Autosport.
"It'll be more rewarding, I think, for the guys who think they can really do it.
"Mechanical grip's the big one. It's the best way to go because you could still follow close enough through the high-speed stuff.
"If it makes the lap times quicker, everything's going to come at you so much quicker.
"I think there's a lot of mechanical grip to be found, there's a pretty big chunk.
"So I think we could gain seconds just through that, and without bolting any more aero on. I think there's quite a bit of room up our sleeves."
The Red Bull racer, though, has urged a note of caution as he feels F1 must be careful not to ruin good racing.
"Obviously the pace we're going now is slow-ish, but the racing's good," he added. "We obviously don't want to take that all away."
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FIA opens up tender to find new team for 2016/17

start-grid-pack-P-20150412-00171_HiRes%2

The FIA has officially opened up the selection process to find a new candidate team to join the Formula 1 grid in 2016 or 2017.
Prospective entrants are required to register their interest by June 30th, only then will the FIA release more information to interested parties. Final and full applications are due by September 1st ahead of a final decision on September 30th.
In an attempt to avoid a similar scenario to the collapse of HRT and Caterham, the FIA says it will only select a candidate based on "the overall long-term interests of the championship", adding that each will "undergo thorough due diligence".
The FIA's key selection criteria includes:
A: the technical ability and resources of the team
B: the ability of the team to raise and maintain sufficient funding to allow participation in the Championship at a competitive level
C: the team's experience and human resources
d) the FIA's assessment of the value that the candidate may bring to the Championship as a whole.
An additional team would boost the grid to 24 cars with the addition of the Haas F1 Team, however the FIA added that it wouldn't necessarily select a candidate if no entry is deemed suitable by both the FIA and commercial rights holder FOM, no additional team will be selected.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Community Software by Invision Power Services, Inc.