In the round-up: Adrian Newey questions why the rules on exhaust-blown diffusers were changed.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Red Bull designer Adrian Newey baffled by rule changes (BBC)
“I’m slightly baffled by it because it had been declared legal forever up until this race.”
Ecclestone to learn his fate in tax case
“Telegraph Sport understands that Gribkowsky will certainly be indicted for tax evasion but that Ecclestone has been offered the opportunity to cooperate with the prosecutor by supplying evidence against Gribkowsky, in return for a lighter sentence.”
Lewis Hamilton will not be joining Red Bull, says Christian Horner (The Guardian)
“History demonstrates more often than not whether you look at [Alain] Prost and [Ayrton] Senna or [Nigel] Mansell and [Nelson] Piquet, that it doesn’t tend to work. Lewis [Hamilton] is a wonderful driver, probably currently one of the top three in the world, but presently we are very happy with the combination we have.”
Picture showing the Cars 2 branding on Virgin’s cars this weekend.
Pirelli seeks team input on 2012 ideas (Autosport)
Paul Hembery: “It is a problem with the testing, it is a genuine problem. Going forward it remains a problem that we cannot get access to current cars, and nobody wants to seem to give us an answer or a solution.”
“Hmm, interesting: Adam Parr, who told me to stay with Cosworth last year, now goes our way with Renault. Hahaha. See Adam, listen to uncle Tony.”
Crash Simulation Robert Kubica (YouTube)
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Comment of the day
Tharippa takes Ferrari’s use of statistics apart:
Ferrari again using statistics to show what they want to show.
I’m pretty sure Bahrain Grand Prix counted for the championship last year. What happens if we don’t exclude it?
If we look at the first eight races as they were (Bahrain-Canadain 2010 and Australia-Europe in 2011) both Alonso and Ferrari are actually doing even worse than last year.
Actually the championship situation is very similar to last year, with the shining exception of Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton’s deficit to last year is due to Monaco and Canada, while Webber, Button and Alonso pretty much stand where they were.
It seems that the power situation in F1 has been practically same for the last three years, with the exception of Brawn in 2009: Red Bull ahead of McLaren ahead of Ferrari.
Two things changed from 2009 in 2010.
1. the Red Bull team stopped making reliability/in-team mistakes
2. Vettel is just?? perfect.
From the forum
Jacques Villeneuve’s thoughts on F1’s “borefest”.
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to John H, sebsronnie, mitz1111 and Elliot Horwood!
On this day in F1
Nigel Mansell won the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard 25 years ago today.
The race was notable for a dreadful fire which engulfed Philippe Strieff’s Tyrrell, which the marshals took a very long time to extinguish. It was a chilling reminder of the circumstances in which Elio de Angelis had died at the track during testing two months earlier.
Image © F1 Fanatic
Elliot Horwood
6th July 2011, 0:17
Thanks Keith! :D
Icthyes
6th July 2011, 9:23
Happy Birthday!
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 9:32
Happy birthday Elliot!
and also to John H, sebsronnie, and mitz1111!
Fixy (@)
6th July 2011, 10:04
Happy Birthday all 4!
John H (@john-h)
6th July 2011, 10:53
Thanks comrades. 31 today… crikey.
Happy birthday Eliot, sebsronnie & mitz1111.
Bad jokes are good jokes
6th July 2011, 0:19
Most things are legal right up until they ban them Newey…. Funny that.
pSynrg
6th July 2011, 7:44
:D
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
6th July 2011, 18:22
That’s a good joke. Does that mean it’s bad?
Nick
6th July 2011, 18:40
Made me laugh too.
Felipe Bomeny (@portugoose)
6th July 2011, 0:23
Virgin’s Cars 2 sponsorship is nice and all, but it can’t compare to Toyota’s sponsorship from the original Cars movie in the Japanese Super GT Series- http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lks21b9O8k1qdqgego1_500.jpg
They put a Lightning McQueen livery on their MR2!!
Prisoner Monkeys
6th July 2011, 7:27
I haven’t seen it, but isn’t one of the villains in CARS 2 a Formula 1 car? And if so, why didn’t Virgin just paint their cars like that?
ajokay (@)
6th July 2011, 9:32
Because Ferrari will probably get all up in a tizzy over it…
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/cars-2-franceso-bernoulli-1297704477.jpg
Fixy (@)
6th July 2011, 10:08
He’s not actually a villain… he is a racer and rival of McQueen, whilst the villains are old cars that want to kill McQueen.
But his character of always wanting to win and not accepting defeat makes him a little unpleasant (guess why, the only car which represents a nation, Italy, is a pain in the neck – we are not very well seen abroad).
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 11:52
A lot of that fits perfectly with Ferrari, the ultimate italian F1 team and sports car builders!
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 10:46
He is a bit Italian in style, so maybe we could kindly ask Ferrari to do so instead!
David A
6th July 2011, 0:41
A small logo and a picture on the side of the Virgin. How lame.
The Star Wars Red Bull was way better.
Prisoner Monkeys
6th July 2011, 1:01
So, what’s the deal with the Kubica crash simulation? It’s obviously a controlled test, but is this some morbid curiosity to learn what happened, or is this going to become a standard road safety test since the car was practically spitted by the armco?
zecks
6th July 2011, 1:44
poland spends its entire road safety budget on reenacting a crash that happened on a closed road in italy…. makes perfect sense to me
Fixy (@)
6th July 2011, 10:11
The barriers were split in two, and Kubica hit the start of the barrier which therefore entered the car. What the guard rails need to do is absorb the impact, making the car go round and back into the road. So it must not split in two.
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 10:47
It was part of an analyses for purposes of road safety improvements.
What happened to the guardrail might happen on thousends of km/miles of roads worldwide.
phildick (@phildick)
6th July 2011, 11:39
The simulation was carried out in cooperation with a private company specializing in manufacturing road safety equipment, as a part of National Transportation Safety Experiment weekend in Poland.
The widely accepted assumption is that the severity of the Kubica crash was caused by an improperly mounted (or damaged) guard rail. The simulation compared the effects of crashing into both properly and improperly mounted guard rail at 110 kmph. The differences are quite enormous, as you can see in this video: Kubica crash simulation (there is unfortunately 30s tv ad before it).
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 11:58
thanks for posting that link.
I really hope governments will start to check for improperly mounted barriers worldwide, because this perfectly shows how it changes from a safety device into a killing appliance on the road!
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
6th July 2011, 18:31
I can’t believe they didn’t film it with a high speed camera…
A bit silly, if you ask me.
Trent (@perf)
7th July 2011, 23:16
They did, actually.
Properly mounted guard rail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhdBKze2j9I
Improperly mounted guard rail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSEFGexvvXk
Huron (@huron)
6th July 2011, 1:03
I’m surprised that Richard Branson could even be bothered to be in the picture.
Cacarella
6th July 2011, 1:18
It looks like they transported all the cars to his house for the picture so he didn’t have to make THAT much of an effort.
GreeenWolf (@)
6th July 2011, 2:57
That’s the Household Cavalry Museum in London, out back where they hold demonstrations. Been there twice myself
Adam
6th July 2011, 7:16
Yup. The section they’re on is Horseguards Parade, just next to Whitehall, and thirty seconds down the road from Downing Street and Trafalgar Square.
It’s where Trooping The Colour is held.
It will be an Olympic Venue next year.
hohum
6th July 2011, 20:51
So when did Richard Branson move in? and will he buy Buck Palace when Virgin F1 win the constructors championship.
William Wilgus
6th July 2011, 3:28
I’d really love it if Bernie went to jail!
TheBrav3
6th July 2011, 3:59
About that, the story does seem to say that he is going to be charged with aiding and abetting what ever the sentance will be. If something fishy did go on though he should go to prison not get a million fine or something silly that he wouldn’t even care about. This is a guy who just spent 85 mill on a second home for his daughter for christ sake.
Prisoner Monkeys
6th July 2011, 7:25
Why? The sport would come to a crashing standstill. And who would take over in his place? The saying “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t” springs to mind.
William Wilgus
6th July 2011, 8:58
I’m sure they’d find someone, and perhaps that someone would not be so greedy. Who knows? Someone else may be much better for the sport, and I can only think that would be very likely.
hohum
6th July 2011, 20:53
Don’t be so hard on Bernie, he was just trying to feed his family.
TheBrav3
6th July 2011, 5:34
I’m glad to see pirelli suggest a qualifying tyre. It would be nice to get more than one lap per driver in Q3.
McLarenFanJamm
6th July 2011, 12:16
Surely a Qualifying tyre would actually increase the chance of only seeing 1 flying lap per driver?
Qualy tyres in the past were built for a huge amount of grip but extremely limited life, usually only 3 or 4 laps (depending on aggressiveness of car/driver), 1 out, 1 flying, 1 in.
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 13:33
My guess is, that they would just bring extra pieces the softer tyre to use only in Qualifying, taking away the advantage of using less tyres during qualifying and saving them for the race.
JamieFranklinF1
6th July 2011, 7:18
I’m not a huge fan of Webber, but I’d say what Christian Horner is saying there speaks volumes.
hohum
6th July 2011, 20:58
Yes, team Vettel need a driver who can bring an unreliable car from the back of the grid to the podium or who can start on the front row and finish on the podium without actually threatening their lead driver, you’ve got to say Mark is doing a brilliant job in that role.
Prisoner Monkeys
6th July 2011, 7:23
I think this is a bit mislaeding. OTBDs have been legal forever until now, but they have only very recently been seen in action. It’s not like OTBDs have formed a fundamental part of racing car aerodynamics for the past two and a half deacdes …
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 10:51
Actually I see some small glimmer of hope in all these noises from Red Bull being upset about the rule change, that maybe they will really lose the most. Before quickly gaining that back that is.
Agree with you on the OTBDs not having been used up until last year. Only now did engine builders manage to get the mapping figuered out, and the engine parts constructed to resist this. Not to mention new heat resistant materials being used to enable this.
hohum
6th July 2011, 21:03
It’s not new, much was made of Michael Schumachers left foot braking allowing him to keep his Ferraris throttle open to maintain exhaust flow, improving downforce, as against Rubens lack of same.
BasCB (@bascb)
6th July 2011, 21:11
yes, but that is not off throttle boosted diffusor any more then when the driver is on the throttle.
That is the driver managing his car around the corner, great driving to stay ahead instead of using the engine mapping to make it easier.
dkotr
7th July 2011, 19:14
exactly true, and schumacher wasnt the only left foot breaker then, and neither is he now. also maybe he doesnt realise, everyone will still be left foot braking at this coming race – to keep their cars “throttle open to maintain exhaust flow, improving downforce” lol
Boomerang
6th July 2011, 7:31
Adrian Newey said in the same interview: Everybody else has, generally speaking, copied somebody else’s principal – mainly ours – and adapted it to the car they had in pre-season.
Well, if you’d like to know I can explain where he copied my solutions.
McLarenFanJamm
6th July 2011, 8:40
I’d like to know :)
BBT (@bbt)
6th July 2011, 8:50
Did Horner really say that on Tuesday because its almost word for word what he said six weeks ago. I read another article yesterday which was on the same subject that was old quotes put out again in the build up to the British GP.
AdrianMorse
6th July 2011, 10:21
I haven’t checked the stories, but it could well be that Horner is repeating his own words. Many of these guys in F1 get asked the same question over and over, and it seems they just prepare an answer once, and then use it over and over.
Icthyes
6th July 2011, 9:30
I call smoke and mirrors from Newey. Red Bull have already blown hot and cold about the impact of the rule change (not to mention with their diffuser too :))
There will be a few unpredictable factors like how it affects the car’s balance (see the MP4-24 for what a car with no rear grip looks like), but I don’t think it’ll do too much unless McLaren and Ferrari can find some other way of increasing their own rear downforce.
Dr. Mouse
6th July 2011, 10:10
WRT the blown diffuser: I really think it is unfair to change the rules on this mid-season. As Newey said, they designed their car around it, as all teams design their car around the regulations. They should not have to change that design mid-season. Except for exceptional safety-related ammendments, and with unanimous support from all the teams, the regulations should stay fixed.
That said, I hope this does affect Red Bull more than the rest (although as Icthyes said, it’s probably smoke-and-mirrors). It’d help close the championship up and make for more exciting races.
AdrianMorse
6th July 2011, 10:23
I think Ross Brawn explained it well somewhere: the problem is that the FIA suddenly discovered it was (arguably) illegal, and that they either had to ‘clarify’ the rule mid-season, or deal with protests from the smaller teams that don’t use it.
Apeman
6th July 2011, 10:25
In 2009 Red Bull were trying to ban double diffusers mid-season. Hypocrisy at it’s finest for them to complain now.
AdrianMorse
6th July 2011, 10:29
Weren’t the protests at the double diffuser leveled prior to the start of the season?
Franton
6th July 2011, 10:44
Not quite. Ross Brawn brought it up at the pre season meetings they all have, and it was ignored. So he kept it on his car, no-one else used it and Jenson became world champion.
McLarenFanJamm
6th July 2011, 12:21
The protests began in Australia after the other teams realised how much of a performance advantage Brawn GP were getting.
Ross Brawn had actually advised the other teams of the loophole in the regulations way before the beginning of the season and they ignored him. So, Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams used the design and then the other teams challenged it (unsuccessfully).
I agree that it is hypocritical of Newey to complain about the ban now, but it’s also a lack of consistancy from the FIA, as they banned the double diffuser at the end of 2009 but they’ve banned the exhaust blowing mid-season in 2011.
Marauder
6th July 2011, 12:03
Would this upcoming ban also deal with the ‘dirty air’ coming out of the rear of the cars? If so, I am all for the change (and if I’m wrong, ignore my comment :p )
TheBrav3
6th July 2011, 18:24
Short answer no not entirely anyway. There will still be air flowing into and out of the diffuser.
How ever i have read that the exhaust blown diffuser cleans up the air flow at the back of the car. With out seeing windtunnel data i can’t confirm that but, if it is the case taking it away *could* mean the airflow becomes more chaotic and there for worse. It could also mean that since there is less air (or engine gas) being forced out the back it might be made better. Either way there will still be a finite ammount of air coming from the back of the car so the issue will still be there. It’s just a question of if it’s an improvement or not for the following car.
My guess is any change will be almost unnoticeable but fingers crossed. ;)
TheBrav3
6th July 2011, 18:26
The ban is only for off throttle blowing as well. So thats only in breaking zones.
greg
6th July 2011, 14:15
happy birthday elliot all the very best from sa
JohnBt
6th July 2011, 14:30
If Vettel takes the championship soon business will be affected. Bernie and FIA surely know the consequences. But never be too sure as Newey is the best In F1. So Silverstone is like a new half of the season, I hope so for the fans sake.
PeriSoft
6th July 2011, 15:21
Aren’t baffles the whole problem here?
*runs away*
hohum
6th July 2011, 21:09
You mean how Newey “baffles” everybody.
Rohan (@rohan)
6th July 2011, 16:17
For someone apparently so intelligent, it seems as though Newey is rather easily baffled. Heck, I can understand why the rules have now been enforced, so why can’t he?
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
7th July 2011, 3:15
Such a shame that a group of people have good brain then the rest of the field,they come with something clever approved by the FIA but just as they are dominating with their brain they are now given a brain washed.There should be some rules regarding mid season rule change.& the FIA needs to be more clever then before.
sebsronnie
7th July 2011, 9:09
Thanks Keith/all for the wishes! It was a nice day
tasimana
7th July 2011, 10:23
The changes should be made at the end of the season. Its clearly aimed at taking Red Bulls aerodynamic advantage away but will make the racing closer. As we’ve heard Mark Webber say in the past Red Bull don’t have the same horsepower as the bigger teams so they need to be innovative. If McLaren and Ferrari dominate because of a horsepower advantage will they change the rules to limit their advantage. I think not. F1 becoming a joke.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
7th July 2011, 13:15
That’s one hell of a simulation :/
Really quite violent.