F1 2014 thread

[Polish]

View attachment 101541

Looks better now.

I like the quote in what it is describing.

 

[Polish]

Wolff to make Friday practice appearances for Williams

Williams’ Susie Wolff will become the first female driver in over two decades to compete in an official Grand Prix session later this year, when she takes part in two opening Friday practices for the team.

The practice outings are part of an expanded role for Wolff, as she continues as Williams’ development driver for the 2014 season, and follow her impressive performance in last year’s young drivers test at Silverstone.

Source: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/2/15498.html

Hmmm, I wonder if any relation to Toto Wolff, the Executive Director of Mercedes.

 

[Polish]

Yupps, seems so, just read up, she is his wife.

Fast family that.

 

[Polish]

Main pre-season upgrade still to come - Ferrari

Ferrari is set to bring its main pre-season upgrade to the final test in Bahrain this week.

The team was satisfied with the outcome of the second test, but with the first race of the season just two and half weeks away, director of engineering Pat Fry said the biggest upgrade is still to come.

"We had a few bits to test correlation and things like that [last week] and then the main upgrade will come through the various stages of the final test," Fry said.

Ferrari technical director James Allison said the team had worked through a number of problem areas at the last test before focusing on setup work

Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/story/146605.html#KqkJ0hRXbStic9qr.99

Hmmmm, interesting, wonder what they have up their sleeve or is it just teasing talk.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Main pre-season upgrade still to come - Ferrari



Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/story/146605.html#KqkJ0hRXbStic9qr.99

Hmmmm, interesting, wonder what they have up their sleeve or is it just teasing talk.

Ferrari seem to do this pretty often (talk). It's all about keeping sponsors interested.

 

[Polish]

Ferrari seem to do this pretty often (talk). It's all about keeping sponsors interested.

Agreed, we will find out on Thursday.

 

[Polish]

Engineer Smedley joins Massa at Williams

Felipe Massa’s long-time Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley has joined the Brazilian at Williams.

The Englishman, whose voice has become familiar to fans all over the world because of his conversations with Massa over race radio, has been appointed to the newly-created role of head of vehicle performance and will join the Grove-based team prior to the Bahrain race in April.

A statement on Williams’ website said Smedley’s arrival will “strengthen the trackside team whilst also supporting the development work back at the factory to help bring more performance to the car throughout the season.”

www.formula1.com

Good for Massa and Williams. Wonder if he had to take a pay-cut though.

 

[Polish]

Quiet for today, testing starts tomm early.

Very curious if Scuderia really have unexpected trumps.

 

[Polish]

Interesting fact about tyres

The performance differences in Bahrain between tyre compounds were approximately as follows: the supersoft around 0.7s per lap faster than the soft; the soft around 1.2s per lap quicker than the medium; and the medium is around 1.3s per lap quicker than the hard

Source: formula1.com

Didn't know that the differences were that big between the compounds.

 

[craigdoepie]

Interesting fact about tyres

Didn't know that the differences were that big between the compounds.

So races are going to be won by the engineers and the brains sitting on the pit wall and not actually the drivers driving the car

 

[Polish]

So races are going to be won by the engineers and the brains sitting on the pit wall and not actually the drivers driving the car

I think that has already been happening for a while.

 

[Ecco]

So races are going to be won by the engineers and the brains sitting on the pit wall and not actually the drivers driving the car

Its always a driver and car combo.

But a good car with a crap driver will generally beat a crap car with a good driver.

 

[Polish]

Horner touted as Ecclestone replacement

Christian Horner appears to be the only viable candidate to replace Bernie Ecclestone should the F1 boss lose his upcoming court case in Germany, according to the Times.

Ecclestone was last week cleared of charges he knowingly undersold F1 shares at the High Court, and at present remains safe from the sack despite the unflattering statement of the judge that he was "untruthful and unreliable". CVC Capital Partners, the private equity group that has the controlling shareholding in F1, is reported to be resolutely against firing Ecclestone, unless found guilty of bribery in Munich this April, as there is no viable alternative.

Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/146685.html#qe2IKgwesUlB4ZcO.99

I was thinking about this the other day. Horner is well respected in the F1 fraternity, but if he can keep a tight ship like Bernie that i'm not sure.

I think Ron could have also been a good candidate.

 

[Polish]

Its always a driver and car combo.

But a good car with a crap driver will generally beat a crap car with a good driver.

Agreed

 

[craigdoepie]

Agreed

I agree, but like many people said before. Drivers can't push hard until they can't anymore. Tyre degredation, fuel usage all play a role. And this is measured by the wall. Even tyre temperature.

An F1 driver is like a robot, the wall inputs instructions and depending on the build, how well it can follow those instructions

 

[Polish]

Find a nice visual summary of the 2014 rules and how they have changed as compared to the 2013 car.

http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2014/0/1133.html

Testing today, last test before D-day, very curious as Ferrari have promised trump cards, let they put out now.

 

[Polish]

Driver line up for todays test session:

Red Bull - Daniel Ricciardo
Mercedes - Nico Rosberg
Ferrari - Kimi Raikkonen
Lotus - Pastor Maldonado
McLaren - Kevin Magnussen
Force India - Sergio Perez
Sauber - Adrian Sutil
Williams - Valtteri Bottas
Toro Rosso - Daniil Kvyat
Caterham - Kamui Kobayashi
Marussia - Max Chilton

autosport.com

 

[Polish]

Time to beat is Rosberg's 1m33.283s from the last test.

Lap record in Bahrain is Michael Schumacher's Ferrari in 2004 with a 1m30.252s.

So current 1m38 times miles off the pace, wonder if we will ever see that again.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Gosh... didn't know Maria de Villota died...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/María_de_Villota#Death
Seems it was 11 October last year... probably related to her accident... sjoe.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

Time to beat is Rosberg's 1m33.283s from the last test.

Lap record in Bahrain is Michael Schumacher's Ferrari in 2004 with a 1m30.252s.

So current 1m38 times miles off the pace, wonder if we will ever see that again.

Never, those times I bet were with traction control.

EDIT: Yip - Traction Control was legal between 2002 and 2008

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