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[Edmond Dantès]

That's what I thought, too. Maybe it has been?

It's actually David Coulthard.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

de la Rosa - Ferrari better than people think

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-better-than-people-think-de-la-rosa/?i=2?i=2

Pedro's normally spot on with his observations.

 

[Xun]

Behind the scenes at Sky Sports F1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLj6fXpr9fc

Sky Sports: What we are about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpVmlyLtHyQ

Martin on the season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uUH1Q1GVsY&feature=related

Unsurprisingly the studio stuff looks tacky.

 

[brotkasten]

de la Rosa - Ferrari better than people think

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-better-than-people-think-de-la-rosa/?i=2?i=2

Pedro's normally spot on with his observations.

Can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

 

[Adamm]

de la Rosa - Ferrari better than people think

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-better-than-people-think-de-la-rosa/?i=2?i=2

Pedro's normally spot on with his observations.

No doubt he is right, a lot of people are saying Ferrari are the 5th or 6th on the grid. There is no way they will be that low down.
I would be surprised if the arent above Mercedes & Lotus.

 

[navanman]

Passive rear wing F-ducts are being used by 3-4 teams, may be banned before Melbourne.

And here is an article on how it works with McLaren & Mercedes using it already and its legal:
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...der-drs-knopf-auch-den-f-schacht-4468262.html

 

[Orgun]

Unsurprisingly the studio stuff looks tacky.

Yep, it's got that Sky tackiness to it.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

Unsurprisingly the studio stuff looks tacky.

Agreed. I know they're going for the "professional" look but it just looks... sterile.

 

[aeroslash]

YES! Couldnt happen to 2 better races

Now they should rotate Bahrain & Abu Dhabi

What? That's a shitty decision. One (Catalunya) is a circuit where each year has almost the double of spectators than Valencia.

Not to say that Valencia was only made because the goverment in valencia wanted to do some money but resulted in huge lost of them. It is even investigated by the spanish courts.

 

[ANDY_098]

Ferrari tyre data from one of the recent tests:

The tyre pressures used are much higher than the standard pressures (1-1.2 bar) apparently. So could be a reason they've been slow in testing if they've been running these high pressures all the time.

Changes to 2012 tyres: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykU8M2-h5Jk

 

[Adamm]

What? That's a shitty decision. One (Catalunya) is a circuit where each year has almost the double of spectators than Valencia.

Not to say that Valencia was only made because the goverment in valencia wanted to do some money but resulted in huge lost of them. It is even investigated by the spanish courts.

More spectators are not, when we seem to be loosing european races each year why should Spain have 2? Only having one spanish race a season will probably increase spectator numbers for each race anyway.

Also Barcelona & Valencia are 2 of the most boring tracks on the calender.

 

[aeroslash]

More spectators are not, when we seem to be loosing european races each year why should Spain have 2? Only having one spanish race a season will probably increase spectator numbers for each race anyway.

Also Barcelona & Valencia are 2 of the most boring tracks on the calender.

I don't say Spain should have 2 gp, i say that catalunya circuit don't deserve that. Valencia was created just for economical speculation purposes, Catalunya was not.
I don't agree that the better circuit, with the most spectators each year has to be pulled out every two years because of Eccleston an his Valencia politics friends.

 

[DD]

F1 should go back to Argentina for a race in Potrero de los Funes circuit. It would be GLORIOUS!

Yeah, I know it's not an A Class circuit, but I don't think it is more dangerous than Monaco or Singapore.

And gosh, Why don't they use the original Valencia Circuit instead of that crappy "street" circuit?

 

[NHale]

de la Rosa - Ferrari better than people think

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-better-than-people-think-de-la-rosa/?i=2?i=2

Pedro's normally spot on with his observations.

De La Rosa is also sponsored by Santander, the main sponsor of Ferrari so I wouldn't expect him to say Ferrari is slower than Force India...

 

[Goldrusher]

F1 should go back to Argentina for a race in Potrero de los Funes circuit. It would be GLORIOUS!

Yeah, I know it's not an A Class circuit, but I don't think it is more dangerous than Monaco or Singapore.

Surely it makes no sense to use a beautiful existing circuit that showcases the Argentinian landscape, when you can build a new pancake track on a piece of farmland ?

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/19/sport/motorsport/motorsport-f1-argentina/index.html

Argentina's bid to host a Formula One race for the first time in more than a decade is under way after work started on a new circuit outside the capital Buenos Aires.

The $100 million project is expected to be completed in two stages by the end of 2014. It is being built by global design firm Populous, which helped redevelop Britain's Silverstone circuit.

 

[DD]

F**k, that track layout is awful. =c

 

[ANDY_098]

Summary of regulation changes in 2012 (Courtesy of Mercedes)
http://www.mercedes-amg-f1.com/en/#/s/news/1304/race-preview-feature-one-regulation-changes-for-2012

It wouldn’t be a new Formula One season without a few new regulations to get our heads around. For 2012, they are relatively few in number, but have had a dramatic impact on the look of the current generation of Formula One cars - and also have the potential to alter the sporting outcome of races. Here are the most important new sections of the 2012 Sporting and Technical Regulations.

Sporting Regulations

• Maximum race time: Art. 5.3, no race may now last longer than a maximum of four hours. Last year’s Canadian Grand Prix lasted a total of 4hrs 4min 39.537s, although only 57min 10s were actually spent at racing speed!

• Driving etiquette: Arts. 20.2 & 20.3, drivers may no longer leave the track without “justifiable reason”, while the acceptable limits of defensive driving have now been formally written into the rules. Drivers may not make “more than one change of direction to defend a position” and, when moving back onto the racing line, must leave racing room - “at least one car width” - between their car and the edge of the track.

• Crash testing: Art. 22.2, all mandatory crash tests must be completed prior to a team conducting any track testing. This was previously only mandatory for race events.

• In-season testing: Art. 22.4 (i), provision has now been made for one three-day in-season test, to be held in Mugello from 1 to 3 May. MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS topped the tables for average daily mileage in pre-season testing, completing an average of 472 km per official test day with the F1 W03. The car completed a total of 4,250 km over nine official test days, plus a further 200 km during filming days, with just two on-track stoppages.

• Team curfew exemptions: Art. 30.19, team catering, marketing and media personnel are now formally exempted from the curfew observed by other team members.

• New Safety Car rules: Art. 40.12, if it is considered safe to do so, cars that have been lapped by the leader will be allowed to unlap themselves under the Safety Car. This will have the effect of putting the field in position order at every restart and leaving all cars free to race, rather than the leaders having to pass backmarkers, thus improving the racing - in 2011 in Singapore, after the Safety Car period, the presence of backmarkers allowed Sebastian Vettel to build a nine-second lead over second-placed Jenson Button in a single lap! The Safety Car was deployed a total of 12 times over seven races in 2011, compared to 21 times over 12 races in 2010.

Technical Regulations

• Lower nose height: Art. 3.7.9, “No bodywork situated more than 1950mm forward of the rear face of the cockpit entry template may be more than 550mm above the reference plane.” This apparently anodyne sentence is at the root of the distinctive stepped-nose appearance of the majority of 2012 Formula One cars, as the maximum permitted chassis height remains at 625mm above the reference plane.

• Reduced tolerances: Art 3.12.6, permitted manufacturing tolerances for aerodynamic components have been reduced by some 40% to 3mm (from 5mm previously).

• Throttle and exhaust controls: Arts. 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, the regulations covering these areas now amount to a total of 954 words (!) and regulate the use of engine throttles, engine torque demands and the positioning of exhaust outlets. This section of the rules is over ten times longer than it was 12 months ago: in 2011, the same regulations were totalled just 89 words, a reflection of the complexity of the ‘blown diffuser’ systems the new regulations aim to outlaw.

• Additional load test: Art. 18.9.2, an additional vertical load test on the lateral impact structures on the chassis brings to 18 the total number of load and impact tests a chassis must pass in order to receive FIA homologation.

 

[Scuderia]

Catalunya tickets came today

 

[mclaren777]

not sure if anyone would be interested. i know I'm not, but I also know that some of you guys are techies

12º of castor angle is much more than I would have expected. Thanks for sharing!

Ferrari tyre data from one of the recent tests:

The tyre pressures used are much higher than the standard pressures (1-1.2 bar) apparently. So could be a reason they've been slow in testing if they've been running these high pressures all the time.

Those pressures seem normal to me. Going from 19psi (cold) up to 25psi (hot) seems totally reasonable. Do F1 teams use nitrogen in the tires like in other race series?

 

[xptoxyz]

How early are GPs near end of contract usually renewed? The Spanish rotation after 2014 made me go look into which contracts other than Spa ended this year. (Japan and Singapore)

 

[mclaren777]

Rossi joins Caterham as test driver

American racer Alexander Rossi has joined Caterham F1 as a test driver for the 2012 campaign, joining full time drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov plus reserve pilot Giedo van der Garde at the Norfolk-based squad.

The 20-year-old finished the 2011 World Series by Renault championship in third place and will be competing in the series again this year, racing for Arden Caterham.

Van der Garde is expected to contest between six and eight Friday sessions this season, while Formula 1's trip to Austin presents an ideal practice outing for Rossi.

Source

 

[paskowitz]

F**k, that track layout is awful. =c

Makes the US track look phenomenal. I hate all these flat tracks. At least Austin will have some elevation change.

 

[AndyD]

How early are GPs near end of contract usually renewed? The Spanish rotation after 2014 made me go look into which contracts other than Spa ended this year. (Japan and Singapore)

Sometimes they renew them with 1-2 years left. Sometimes the year of the last race.

 

[Myoclonic Jerk]

Hamilton kept a "nice amount of fuel" in his car during testing..

 

[Psychotext]

Teams sandbagging? No way, this has never happened before.

 

[S. L.]

Q&A with Hamilton
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17311228

(i find Humphreys "from the cellphone" interviewing style a bit irritating i must say)

 

[dalin80]

F1 should go back to Argentina for a race in Potrero de los Funes circuit. It would be GLORIOUS!

If things continue as they are then I doubt the British based teams and drivers will have much interest in dealing with possible situations in Argentina.

 

[Leonsito]

Ferrari is going to fight for the win in Aus, I'm pretty sure. I think atm that McL has the best car, and RBR and Ferrari are near.

 

[DD]

Makes the US track look phenomenal. I hate all these flat tracks. At least Austin will have some elevation change.

Indeed.

If things continue as they are then I doubt the British based teams and drivers will have much interest in dealing with possible situations in Argentina.

Whats happening? I know about their war in the 80s, but... is there something new?

 

[ANDY_098]

Kubica has apparently returned to driving his rally car this week.

Italian source:http://www.ivg.it/2012/03/robert-kubica-torna-al-volante-da-rally-e-in-liguria

Google translation:

Back to racing conditions on the mystery of Robert Kubica, given the pessimistic statements by Jaime Alguersuari and in light of the encouraging picture, however, that portray the Pole in good shape in the Genovese. But the most interesting is the fact that the driver has returned to the rally, taking the wheel just in Liguria, where in 2011 he was the protagonist of the terrible accident that, after the delicate and providential operations at the Santa Corona in Pietra Ligure, forced him to a long rehabilitation.

The allusions to Alguersuari, former Toro Rosso and commentator for the BBC, were gloomy and reported back to the Pole on the slopes of Formula 1: "Kubica can not drink using your hand, can not hold a glass." The Spaniard had also revealed that Jakub Gerber, who flanked the Polish as a navigator at the time of the accident at Le Ronde di Andora, thought that immediately after the impact Kubica was dead.

After the delicate rehabilitative therapies, the driver of Krakow has regained use of her limbs, but obviously (despite the reassurances of succession) is not enough to return to the command of a car. One step forward, however, there was yesterday, but in practice rally, passion must for Kubica: the driver is back behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia in Rovegno in Genoa, and yesterday he tried vuerrecì, its personnel, Fontanelle.

Robert Kubica is the testimonial of the recent campaign for blood donation promoted dall'Avis Savona, with an eloquent slogan: "Donating blood is a gesture of champions".

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

The new pitlane channel Sky will offer this year will be produced by FOM and will feature exclusive and additional team radio.

British GP highlights on ESPN Classic (UK):

F1 British GP 1969 - Mon 12th March - 9.05pm
F1 British GP 1973 - Mon 12th March - 9.35pm
F1 British GP 1974 - Tue 13th March - 9.00pm
F1 British GP 1975 - Tue 13th March - 9.30pm
F1 British GP 1977 - Wed 14th March - 9.30pm
F1 British GP 1978 - Thu 15th March - 9.30pm
F1 British GP 1979 - Fri 16th March - 9.05pm
F1 British GP 1980 - Fri 16th March - 9.35pm

 

[ANDY_098]

12º of castor angle is much more than I would have expected. Thanks for sharing!



Those pressures seem normal to me. Going from 19psi (cold) up to 25psi (hot) seems totally reasonable. Do F1 teams use nitrogen in the tires like in other race series?

Pretty sure they use Nitrogen in tyres.

The pressure would increase with temperature, but going from 70degC at 1.7bar to 100degC (normal running temp) would result in a pressure of well over 2bar, which is very high if the normal running pressure is around 1.1 bar.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

Kubica has apparently returned to driving his rally car this week.

Italian source:http://www.ivg.it/2012/03/robert-kubica-torna-al-volante-da-rally-e-in-liguria

Google translation:

He's looking nice and healthy.

 

[mclaren777]

Pretty sure they use Nitrogen in tyres.

The pressure would increase with temperature, but going from 70degC at 1.7bar to 100degC (normal running temp) would result in a pressure of well over 2bar, which is very high if the normal running pressure is around 1.1 bar.

Let's break it down.

70ºC to 100ºC is an increase of roughly 50ºF.

And using the general approximation that +10ºF = +1psi, that tire goes from 25psi to 30psi at max operating temperature.

I don't think that's too unreasonable. Are you sure that the normal operating pressure is around 1.1 bar?

 

[mclaren777]

Grr! I want to see his right hand!

 

[ANDY_098]

Let's break it down.

70ºC to 100ºC is an increase of roughly 50ºF.

And using the general approximation that +10ºF = +1psi, that tire goes from 25psi to 30psi at max operating temperature.

I don't think that's too unreasonable. Are you sure that the normal operating pressure is around 1.1 bar?

30degC is 86degF?
=> +86degF = + 8.6psi = ~34psi (2.3bar)

After a quick google search the normal pressure seems to be around 1.1bar.

 

[dalin80]

Whats happening? I know about their war in the 80s, but... is there something new?

Increased tensions, blockades, argentine ports refusing to unload uk ships etc.

This gives a moderate overview without my taking this thread any further off topic-

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=461926

 

[mclaren777]

30degC is 86degF?

30ºC is 86ºF, but the increase from 70ºC to 100ºC is only 50ºF.

Gotta love the non-linear relationship between the two systems.

 

[ANDY_098]

30ºC is 86ºF, but the increase from 70ºC to 100ºC is only 50ºF.

Gotta love the non-linear relationship between the two systems.

Fair enough, my mistake.

Even then 30psi is 2 bar, almost double the apparent normal pressure.

 

[DD]

Increased tensions, blockades, argentine ports refusing to unload uk ships etc.

This gives a moderate overview without my taking this thread any further off topic-

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=461926

Damn... =o

 

[S. L.]

Pretty sure they use Nitrogen in tyres.

The pressure would increase with temperature, but going from 70degC at 1.7bar to 100degC (normal running temp) would result in a pressure of well over 2bar, which is very high if the normal running pressure is around 1.1 bar.

where does that "normal" pressure even come from? as in source?
googling reveals some 1.3 bar for 2010 but that's not on pirelli tyres. presumably they need different pressure.
And even then, is that for warm or cold tyres?

(not specifically directed at you)

 

[mclaren777]

where does that "normal" pressure even come from? as in source?

The picture below shows 1.3bar and I think it's safe to assume that it's referring to a cold pressure. I think ANDY_098 might be inferring that current Pirellis might be similar to pre-2011 tire pressures.

 

[Shaneus]

Teams sandbagging? No way, this has never happened before.

Webber sandbagged for a whole year just so he could beast 2012. Believe.

 

[Psychotext]

\o/

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

Lucius between his knees noshing at his bollocks doesn't count as sandbagging, does it?

 

[Lucius86]

Lucius between his knees noshing at his bollocks doesn't count as sandbagging, does it?

Not this time.

 

[mclaren777]

Austin Update

 

[AcridMeat]

F1 should go back to Argentina for a race in Potrero de los Funes circuit. It would be GLORIOUS!

Yeah, I know it's not an A Class circuit, but I don't think it is more dangerous than Monaco or Singapore.

And gosh, Why don't they use the original Valencia Circuit instead of that crappy "street" circuit?

Surely it makes no sense to use a beautiful existing circuit that showcases the Argentinian landscape, when you can build a new pancake track on a piece of farmland ?

This is quite depressing, that circuit is in a gorgeous area. Granted I don't know that layout at all, but the new one is shit.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

This is quite depressing, that circuit is in a gorgeous area. Granted I don't know that layout at all, but the new one is shit.

Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1GLyF3TUJM

 

[Septimius]

Surely it makes no sense to use a beautiful existing circuit that showcases the Argentinian landscape, when you can build a new pancake track on a piece of farmland ?

Looks like a track from F-Zero on SNES.