Formula 1

[vvvaaa]

in on this thread....

I actually kinda feel bad for Vettel, imagine what hes feeling right now

I think he's gotten used to the idea that this year is a failure and the only good thing he can do is to learn how to drive the damn car. Even with a great car, he'd be behind Ricciardo.

[Dominik]

I think he's gotten used to the idea that this year is a failure and the only good thing he can do is to learn how to drive the damn car. Even with a great car, he'd be behind Ricciardo.

Interesting comments the other day from Vettel's main man at Red Bull, Helmut Marko:

“To be fair Sebastian had far more technical troubles (than Ricciardo). On the other hand they both get the same material. If the car is not to his liking, Daniel seems to be more a driver who can handle it.

“Sebastian is a perfectionist; he needs to get the car really right and if it is not right he cannot make it like Daniel does.”

Asked what he thinks Ricciardo’s other strengths are as a driver, Marko added, “First of all I have never seen him angry. He is very calm in the car, like he is sitting there having a cup of tea. I’ve never seen him struggle with the pressure. He takes things as they are but he is very committed.”

[BDTrr]

Interesting comments the other day from Vettel's main man at Red Bull, Helmut Marko:

“To be fair Sebastian had far more technical troubles (than Ricciardo). On the other hand they both get the same material. If the car is not to his liking, Daniel seems to be more a driver who can handle it.

“Sebastian is a perfectionist; he needs to get the car really right and if it is not right he cannot make it like Daniel does.”

Asked what he thinks Ricciardo’s other strengths are as a driver, Marko added, “First of all I have never seen him angry. He is very calm in the car, like he is sitting there having a cup of tea. I’ve never seen him struggle with the pressure. He takes things as they are but he is very committed.”

Now Seb knows what Webber felt like all those years.

I was always amazed how unlucky Webber was to have 90% of RedBull's mechanical problems. It seems like karma's evening things out.

[SenorMachoPepe]

Now Seb knows what Webber felt like all those years.

I was always amazed how unlucky Webber was to have 90% of RedBull's mechanical problems. It seems like karma's evening things out.

you know what's funny, everyone thinks Webber had more reliability issues/retirements than Vettel but according to f1fanactic, they were about equal in total retirements throughout their 4 years as teammates. (9 for Seb and 10 for Mark) Seb actually had about twice as many technical failures than Mark.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/12/0...ssa-2009-2013/

[BDTrr]

you know what's funny, everyone thinks Webber had more reliability issues/retirements than Vettel but according to f1fanactic, they were about equal in total retirements throughout their 4 years as teammates. (9 for Seb and 10 for Mark) Seb actually had about twice as many technical failures than Mark.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/12/0...ssa-2009-2013/

Good post. Numbers don't lie. It got me searching for more detailed info.

Someone did a race by race breakdown over the last 4.5 years (up until Singapore 2013).
http://forums.autosport.com/topic/18...y-at-red-bull/

Cliffs:
4.5 year score card
Sebastian Vettel: 39 issues (32 mechanical issues, 3 team order, 2 team-mate clashes, 2 significant pit stop issue), 8 leading to a DNF
Mark Webber: 45 issues (33 mechanical issues, 3 team orders, 2 team-mate clashes, 7 significant pit stop issues), 3 leading to a DNF

The only other issue not included was at the 2013 Indian GP where Webber had an alternator problem and DNF'd.

It was a lot more even than I thought. I guess I only really remember the last 2 years where it seemed like Webber had the majority of the bad luck.

[vvvaaa]

Yeah, but it's easy to forget about Vettel when he wins 3/4 of the races and it's easy to only think about Webber who had so few chances to do anything like that and then he retires or something.

I heard Button might be left without a drive at the end of the season, that's bad news.

[Tuga88]

I'm glad Ricciardo is doing so well....I'm really starting to like him, finally got a young driver I can get behind and support.

[BDTrr]

Yeah, but it's easy to forget about Vettel when he wins 3/4 of the races and it's easy to only think about Webber who had so few chances to do anything like that and then he retires or something.

I heard Button might be left without a drive at the end of the season, that's bad news.

I can see that happening. I like Jenson a lot but he's getting up there in age. The only thing you can't improve with age is your reaction time.

I'm glad Ricciardo is doing so well....I'm really starting to like him, finally got a young driver I can get behind and support.

Me too. Really starting to like Ric. Those aussies have such great smiles and personalities.

[SenorMachoPepe]

Yeah, but it's easy to forget about Vettel when he wins 3/4 of the races and it's easy to only think about Webber who had so few chances to do anything like that and then he retires or something.

I heard Button might be left without a drive at the end of the season, that's bad news.

That's a shame about Button, he's easily one of my favorite drivers but I guess when it's a choice between Button and Alonso, you go for Alonso. lol

[RonPaul2012]

Rooting for Williams to end up #2 in constructors CREW

[vvvaaa]

Rooting for Williams to end up #2 in constructors CREW

For the first time in ages I heard RBR say "The other teams brought great upgrades and we didn't, we need to step up" or something similar. Williams sure lit a fire the last two races. And seeing Frank Williams smile...that's a rare sight. Glad for the guys. Plus...seeing Massa happy is pretty rare too. And the lil'dude deserves it.

[bananasplits]

blows my mind that even with the obvious advantage and superiority of the Mercedes engines, Mclaren is still the slowest of the teams with that engine

[RonPaul2012]

For the first time in ages I heard RBR say "The other teams brought great upgrades and we didn't, we need to step up" or something similar. Williams sure lit a fire the last two races. And seeing Frank Williams smile...that's a rare sight. Glad for the guys. Plus...seeing Massa happy is pretty rare too. And the lil'dude deserves it.

idk if Massa was that happy finishing 4th...

[turkey_server]

idk if Massa was that happy finishing 4th...

If I was him, after thinking for a few moments that I had won the championship only to then be told otherwise, I don't think I'd ever be happy with anything less than a driver's championship.

[RonPaul2012]

If I was him, after thinking for a few moments that I had won the championship only to then be told otherwise, I don't think I'd ever be happy with anything less than a driver's championship.

feel like puking every time I think of that moment

[anibani]

can't wait for Silverstone…

Ferrari sound optimistic about the rest of the season. let's see what the two can do in the upcoming races

"We did make some progress in the car," he said. "But it's difficult to judge what the others are doing and how much they improve as well. There's nothing we can do [about that].

"We need to work hard and to work better than the others and to close the gap on Mercedes, who are the reference point.

"All the other teams will go up and down, including us, but hopefully we have the resources, we have the technology to make extra progress compared to the others."

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/f...32506--f1.html

[joaomuscles]

Fernando Alonso is my favourite pilot.

[vvvaaa]

can't wait for Silverstone…

Ferrari sound optimistic about the rest of the season. let's see what the two can do in the upcoming races



http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/f...32506--f1.html

That's the official Ferrari stance for the last 2 years. Thank god for Alonso...without him they'd look worse than McLaren.

This is big news now:
http://www.f1today.net/en/news/red-b...cility-in-viry

Even amid the denials, the story suggesting Red Bull is considering designing its own formula one engine will not go away. All year - ever since it became clear the reigning world champions would struggle to win the first title of the all-new turbo V6 era - Red Bull has been pointing a steady finger of blame at its 'power unit' supplier, Renault. In the past weeks and days, the speculation has reached fever pitch.

The rumours were pushed along in Austria last weekend by Dr Helmut Marko, who appeared to confirm reports Red Bull is thinking about making its own bespoke engine. "The world champions desperately need what it otherwise promises: energy," German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung, referring to the fact Red Bull is an energy drink company, said after the team's poor performance at its home grand prix last weekend.

[br3nski]

I'm gonna call it now and say Vettel makes a move to McLaren Honda for the 2015 season if Red Bull don't absorb the Renault Racing engine development.

[vvvaaa]

http://www.fia.com/news/world-motor-...il-2014-munich

Changes to 2015 Sporting Regulations

Power units

- The number of engines permitted by each driver in a season will be four. However, if there are more than 20 races in a season, the number will increase to five.

- The penalty for a complete change of Power Unit will be starting from the back of the grid, not the pit lane.



Aerodynamic testing

- The number of wind tunnel runs will be reduced from 80 hours per week to 65 hours per week.

- Wind-on hours are to be reduced from 30 hours per week to 25 hours.

- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) usage is to be reduced from 30 Teraflops to 25 Teraflops.

- Two periods of tunnel occupancy will be allowed in one day (rather than only one).

- Teams will only be able to nominate one wind tunnel in one year.



Testing

- There will be three pre-season tests of four days each in Europe in 2015 (currently teams are able to test outside Europe). This will be reduced to two tests of four days in 2016.

- There will be two in-season tests of two days each in Europe (instead of the current four). Two of these four days must be reserved for young drivers.



Car specification at an Event

The current restrictions to the parc fermé will now apply from the start of P3 instead of the start of qualifying.



Wheels and tyres

The ban on tyre blankets will be rescinded for 2015. This will be re-discussed if and when the wheel and tyre diameter increases in the future.



Personnel Curfew

The Friday night curfew will be extended from six to seven hours in 2015 and will increase to eight hours in 2016.



Safety Car restarts

Safety Car restarts will now be a standing start from the grid. Standing starts will not be carried out if the Safety Car is used within two laps of the start (or restart) of a race or if there are less than five laps of the race remaining.


Changes to 2015 Technical Regulations

A number of changes have been made, including:

- A number of new regulations for the noses to ensure improved safety and to provide more aesthetically pleasing structures.

- A number of new regulations concerning skid blocks to ensure that they are made from a lighter material (titanium) and are better contained.

- New regulations to ensure that the brake discs rotate at the same speed as the wheels.

- A two-stage wheel fastener retaining system is now compulsory.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The safety car buggery is a bit meh. And by a bit I mean a whole lot.

[Muckle_Ewe]

Safety Car restarts

Safety Car restarts will now be a standing start from the grid. Standing starts will not be carried out if the Safety Car is used within two laps of the start (or restart) of a race or if there are less than five laps of the race remaining.

Intradesting

[vvvaaa]

Intradesting

Between this and the "last race double points" I feel like F1 is becoming Russian roullette, not a high-precision sport.

[StevethePilot]

I don't understand the safety car restart from the grid? Please don't tell me what I think it is.

[vvvaaa]

I don't understand the safety car restart from the grid? Please don't tell me what I think it is.

If the SC has to come in after Lap 3(I think)...they basically do a stop and restart from the grid.

Seriously...can you imagine how many cars is Maldonado going to take out if there's 2 safety cars?

[BDTrr]

Love the new restarts. That's when all the excitement happens.

[Faboo]

Not sure how I feel about standing starts after safety car. I liked how drivers would back the pack up and try a quick get away

[turkey_server]

Looks like Webber retired just in time. Dude couldn't manage a decent start off the grid to save his life.

[monsterBEN]

Alonso is probably salivating at the standing restart..


Also, seems to me it's going to introduce new overheating issues.

[Faboo]

Alonso is probably salivating at the standing restart..


Also, seems to me it's going to introduce new overheating issues.

3 to 5 laps behind a safety car then lining up again,should be fine....might be a bit too low as far as tires breaks etc

[RonPaul2012]

ohhhhhh sheeeeeeeeeeeit

Alonso warns Ferrari of tough times ahead

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) -- Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso warns his Ferrari team to expect a winless run of tough times and a fight to finish third in the Formula One constructors' championship.

Alonso, who has won races in every year he has raced for Ferrari since 2010, says he has little confidence he will extend that run this season.

''If I'm honest with you, I'd say no, it's not possible to win this year. It's what I'm thinking inside,'' Alonso said at the British Grand Prix on Thursday.

''But in 2011, also, I thought it was not possible to win, and we won at Silverstone, so anything can happen. We will try to do the best we can and if one opportunity arrives we will take it. It's extremely difficult with the performance we are showing.''

Ferrari was third in the constructors' race, but just 26 points ahead of McLaren, in sixth.

''We need to keep improving and try to get some margin on those other teams, especially for the constructors' championship, because we have a threat of Williams, Force India, McLaren,'' said Alonso, who was teamed with Kimi Raikkonen.

''Red Bull is a bit ahead of us at the moment. There are some interesting things that could happen in the constructors' championship so we need maximum effort and concentration on that.

''I expect here, Red Bull will come back in strong form because it's an aero circuit, but Williams will be strong. I don't think it was only Austria that was good for them. In Canada, they were also very good, and here they will be a threat.

''If we don't score points, and finish sixth or seventh in the championship, that will hurt the team for next year, because of the economic prizes and things going on.''