Kubica aims to be back in a simulator by June

F1 Fanatic round-up

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Robert Kubica, Renault, Valencia, 2011

In today’s round-up: Robert Kubica looks set to be back in an F1 simulator from June.

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Kubica targeting June comeback in simulator and race car (James Allen on F1)

"Stories coming from Italy suggest that injured F1 driver Robert Kubica aims to get into an F1 simulator and then back into a car and has set his sights on doing it from June onwards."

Lotus are searching for new funding partners (The Times – subscription required)

“Dany Bahar, Lotus chief executive, has been trying to find a partner with the firepower to guarantee debt funding of £500m. […] Bahar may have stiff competition for the brand from Genii Capital, the Luxembourg-based buyout firm that already owns the Lotus Formula One team.”

Berger – Schumi will retire (Sky Sports)

"Gerhard Berger has predicted that Michael Schumacher will retire from Formula One for good at the end of the 2012 season."

Vettel signs new trainer (ESPN)

"Sebastian Vettel has signed up a new personal trainer ahead of the start of the season."

Timo Glock via Twitter

"Tomorrow will be in England visiting the team! Having a look at the new car."

F1Fantic via Twitter

"Ferrari test engineer Ossi Oikarinen has joined the Audi Sport Team Rosberg R8 LMS squad alongside ex-#F1 technical director Dieter Gass."

Torque-sensing wheel-guns for 2012 (F1web.it)

A relaxing of the rules by the FIA will allow teams to use torque-sensing wheel-guns in 2012. Federico Galloni from wheel-gun suppliers Paoli told F1Web.it teams will be able to pre-programme an amount of torque energy to be achieved when fastening the wheel. A set of LED lights will illuminate to show mechanics when the nut has been sufficiently tightened. This may help prevent cars leaving the pits and losing wheels, as has happened several times in recent seasons.

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Comment of the day

There’s still lots of suggestions coming in for the third caption competition. James Brickles suggests this:

Cost-cutting taken to a new level at Lotus with Raikkonen’s latest seat fitting.
James Brickles

From the forum

Happy birthday!

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On this day in F1

Ferrari suffered a setback on this day in 2002. They had to scrap their testing at the Circuit de Catalunya as both Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello crashed.

Nonetheless they were the quickest cars in the test – and the team also had Luca Badoer testing at Mugello simultaneously.

72 comments on “Kubica aims to be back in a simulator by June”

  1. I do not blame Vettel’s previous personal trainer choosing to train a women’s hockey team instead of him..

    1. What ever happened to Mark Webber’s trainer? Never seem him at races anymore, did he change trainers?

      1. He change him last year…

        1. Any idea why?

          1. I was wondering this too, seems they parted ways pretty quietly -can’t find anything on Google!?

          2. No idea, my loving F1 gossip mind want to think that the guy parted ways with Webber after the fracture shoulde:

            He also kept it secret from his team boss Christian Horner, only telling his physio Roger Cleary and F1’s chief medical officer Gary Hartstein.

            After this, the physio just dissapear of Webber´s side… ( he was a big black guy …so it was easy to miss him in the pictures)

            Maybe it was just time, maybe it has something to do with it…

            About Vettel´s physio everyone is making it news because Seb thanking him directly on the press conference after Suzuka and securing the title for second time…

  2. Finally some Kubica news :) i would be so happy to see him back and as a team mate for raikkonen. he would be a good partner in crime.

    1. And some good news as well :D

      1. Sorry to say this… but he has being making a come back all last year…

        1. @celester He managed to further injure himself around Christmas/New Year time so I think it’s just put him back a little bit.

          1. Yeah… maybe but it hte last year they had being report that he will be back for:
            Middle of 2011
            September 2011
            November 2011
            Beggining of 2012

            I almost think we should let the poor guy recover in peace… when he is ready I´m sure his manager or himself will be giving the news…

          2. @celeste Fair comment, but it would be too damaging to career to say that he won’t be back for at least another season. He needs to make potential employers believe he’s fit for work.

          3. @andrewtanner yeah, but he is not saying anything. This are just rumors. And thats my point, when he is ready he is gonna said himself.

    2. Not to sure its really that good a piece of news. Sure Kubica stays focussed on returning, but its hard to tell even for him wether he will actually be able to do it.

      Here’s an interview from Poland with the Italian journalist who is the source of JA’s article (g-translated from polish).

  3. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    30th January 2012, 0:58

    How are the G-forces in a simulator? is it any? or does the wheel gives some recistance to his injured arm?

    1. How are the G-forces in a simulator?

      There are no g-forces in the simulator. G-forces require movement, and the simulator is stationary.

      or does the wheel gives some recistance to his injured arm?

      The wheel will not give any added resistance to Kubica’s arm because of his injury. The idea behind getting him into the simulator is to see if he still has the full range of movments that he would need for racing. Because of the shape of the cockpit, a driver’s arms are a little restrained, and so they a certain range of movement. We see this most often at Monaco, when a driver has to cross his arms over while steering to navigate the hairpin. The objective of Kubica’s test will be to see if he can set times in the simulator that would be comparable to the times he was setting before his accident. The team is not going to make any adjustments to the simulator to account for his arm, because then the data would not be representative of anything since the actual car will not be able to accomodate those adjustments. It’s a bit of a trial by fire to put him in the simulator without any degree of compensation, but that’s the point: the team (and Kubica) needs to know if he can handle a car.

      1. isn’t Red Bull’s simulator one of those that have an hidraulic system that moves the whole thing about, thus imiting G-Forces?

        1. It does move the cockpit mock-up about, but it cannot exert g-forces on the driver because it’s not moving about the way an actual car would – there is no inertia, so there is no force of gravity.

          1. I’m not sure that’s quite right. When the car (simulator) is thrown forwards under braking, surely the movement would be felt by the driver inside.

            Otherwise what would be the point of it moving?!? :D

          2. @Mike the whole point is that what we know as “G-force” for the drivers, actually is not just moving. It’s an acceleration. Under braking, the car is accelerating rearwards, and the seatbelt is pushing you back that hard. It’s not a single motion. It’s a constant acceleration. Other than being in a centrifuge there is no way of replicating this.

          3. That is completely untrue. G-Force are experienced on the simulator. I am sure some of you have ridden in a machine that simulates the G-forces of a roller coaster etc. They are in many arcades (the Namco center had them at one point before it became an extension of Baghdad). The direction of the g-forces is very accurate, however i will concede that it is highly unlikely to be of the same strength.

          4. @raymondu999 just lie on your back… that is a feeling of accelerating forward with a force of 1g for as long you want.

          5. They can also turn the motion off. Or leave it on and see how well Kubica’s body can take it.

          6. Actually i meant Sega center.

          7. @Bertie now you’re being silly. Yes gravity is constantly acting on them. D’oh. But the whole point of the question was the acceleration and whiplash the neck would endure, and the sustained 5G loadings in high speed corners and braking.

          8. Ive tried the simulators at Ferrari world in Abu Dhabhi and while they are not the same thing they do seem to exert a little bit of g-force, specially at the start of the race, with the simulator moving backwards slightly to replicate the accelaration. So I must guess that they would simulate g-forces to an extent.

          9. @Raymondu999 I clearly stated before that the statement no G-Forces are felt was false. Any acceleration in any direction is a “G-Force” the G is just the unit equal to the force earth’s gravity on the surface. Evidently as i said before a force of 5Gs is very very hard to replicate, however your statement about constant force not being possible in a simulator is also just plain wrong. For the reasons stated above.

          10. Clearly Newton’s laws of motion are lost on you.

          11. In the end, it’ll be the dexterity and the feeling he has in his hand that will be the decided. The G-Force will more than likely be a non issue,

          12. @Bertie

            Out of interest, which of Newton’s laws were you talking about?

          13. I believe bertie is attempting to refer to the second law (F=ma). Unfortunately for bertie the third law (equal and opposite) means the net Force IS zero, because the ground is pushing back. That’s pretty much why we are not accelerating towards the centre of the earth whilst experiencing 1G acceleration. Sorry Bertie.

        2. Many simulators have hydraulic arms but it can’t produce high g-force which drivers experience during actual driving. it can give you some tilting, vibration, a little amount of g-force but your neck never be strengthen by simulator.

          1. Without some of gravity or linear acceleration there is no way, F1 simulators can produce the same g-forces as in an actual f1 car.

            So the only way for g-forces to be simulated is if, there is some of form of artificial gravity and artificial acceleration in the simulator.

            The current f1 simulators already produce artificial gravity because of complex hydraulics system they use in their simulators but simulators do not produce artificial acceleration. Which in turn produces artificial g-force.

            So the only way for the g-forces to be simulated is by using complex wind tunnel solutions, where air would be blown into the car, to give an acceleration and g force feel. (see wind tunnel testing and air flow testing)

            Where an increase in the simulator speed is directly proportional to the wind tunnel speed.

            In laymen terms, The air blown by wind tunnel, would react to the drivers input, if the driver firmly presses the accelerator, the air blown into car should increase relative, if decided to decelerate the wind tunnel blown air would also decelerate. The phenomena would apply increase and decrease in speed.

            So the only way to have both accelaration and g-force feel in an f1 simulators, is to have both the complex hydraulics system and wind tunnel blown air system.

            But I don’t belief FIA would aprove the teams, to use simulators to simulate accelerations and g-forcees using wind tunnels thou. As the teams could use the simulator to test their aero aero dynamics parts.

            Which is illegal because f1 sized cars are not allowed in a wind tunnel test, only models, are allowed.

      2. Actually they can simulate long G-forces on the body in corners as they attach the helmet to a mechanical system that will create the G-forces experienced.

        1. @beanacre F1 drivers do use that in the gym. But I know for a fact they don’t put it on the sim.

          1. @Raymundo99

            Well I’m pretty sure they have the option to. I’ve visited the mclaren simulator and they use it.

        2. They really do that? @beanacre

          I guess it does help in assessing weather an extreme setup is not too much for a whole race distance. Or to let a driver test his stamina in race like condition.

    2. or does the wheel gives some recistance to his injured arm?

      If you mean whether or not the wheel has force feedback, I imagine so, and I guess assuring that he can handle it for a race duration (or perhaps just test distance until a few months later) would be part of the purpose.

    3. Dexterity will be his greatest challenge, not enduring g.

      http://pix.crash.net/motorsport/360/PA905440.jpg

      1. Exactly, if he can’t feel sufficiently in his arm any return would be very unlikely.

    4. Seat belt tighteners give a sense of Gs, and movement can be used to give a feel for Gs too, but it’s complicated and difficult to get right, no doubt the big teams have them though!

    5. Kubica’s problem will not be the g forces. it will be the movement of his right hand and if he still has the coordination needed to put in a fast lap time.

      in that sense the simulator will be able to replicate the actual car very accurately (the power steering and the steering wheel inputs)

    6. I build those simuators for 75% of the F1 teams and true they don’t generate 5G but 3G is possible to all directions IF enabled.
      So i did drive India circuit when it was totaly new and it was hard ride my neck is totaly out of shape to enable the g-forces on the machine. There are two versions big and small …

      here a link: you see how it works
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ycBfdRddF4

  4. If Kubica do make a comeback,which team’s simulator will he use?

    & Schumacher do stay for 2013 I will have a good Burger,

    1. This is exactly what I was thinking. He isn’t currently under contract with any team.

      I hope he gets in the Ferrari.

    2. I think Eric Boullier (Is Kubica a Gravity driver?) has said that the team feels an obligation to give Robert whatever testing he feels he is ready for, or words to that effect. So I guess, within the RRA or maybe even as an exception (I don’t see anyone objecting) I’d imagine he will be able to have a go in a virtual R30 on a virtual Paul Ricard when he asks.

      1. But wasn’t that before Kubica’s contract with them ran out? I think since he has stated that he would only offer the testing in case of an agreement that Kubica would then sign with Renault if he indeed returns.

        1. To be exact he said Robert will not get any testing with Lotus if he signed with any other team for 2012 or 2013, which was an answer to rumors about his preliminary contract with Ferrari for 2013.

          Currently there is no reliable and fresh news about Robert, everything since his tibia fracture is pure speculation.

    3. @wasiF1 there was an article on a dutch newssite that claimed that Kubica will become a Ferrari reserve driver when he recovers and that he can use their simulator.

        1. @Deurmat thanks mate,after you told me I read on Planet F1.

  5. Can’t wait to see Kubica back in F1. Can’t believe it’s almost been a whole since his accident. Lets hope he comes back even faster. :)

  6. Some thoughts on Mercedes’ 2013 lineup from this roundup,

    1. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Schumi retired after this year, regardless of how he does. That always seemed to be the plan, anyway.
    2. I wonder what Mercedes would make of Keke Rosberg running an Audi team at Le Mans. Sure, they’re different motorsport disciplines, but it would be a touch awkward for Nico and Keke to be on opposite sides of the German motorsport fence, so to speak. If Nico does well, this will be no more than a footnote. But another year of mediocrity from Nico and this may become a bigger factor in his future with Mercedes.

    1. Keke already has links with Audi. Team Rosberg in DTM is an Audi team

      1. And when he was still driving, Keke had a long spell as an Opel driver!

      2. As is his GT3 team, running R8’s

      3. Makes it even odder, then. It seems to me Rosberg and Mercedes is more a marriage of convenience than anything else. Then again, once you’re there, you’re not far off from making the same case for Schumacher and Mercedes, either.

        I wouldn’t be too surprised if Mercedes (Stuttgart’s) dream lineup was Vettel and Hulkenberg, with Schumacher in the background as a consultant/ambassador.

        1. @journeyer I agree. I would think that probably that’s their dream lineup. You have Schumacher behind the scenes mentoring Vettel; and Vettel mentoring the new young star Hulkenberg.

          I think they’d get along famously well. In fact I think they were childhood mates

  7. Kubica….with which team? Definitely not Renault. Ferrari? I don’t know.

    1. What’s the Lotus story? Just they need the £500m debt facility to finance the new road cars? I thought they already had 100s of millions from Proton? Where has that all gone? They must be racking up a fortune in motorsport sponsorship bills every year, while selling none of the new range, I hope they hang in there for another few years, it would be a miracle if Lotus can be reborn as a top level car brand.

      1. Well, Lotus took a loan from Proton to finance that, yes.

        But the fact is that newly privatized Proton is looking for a
        buyer to take over Lotus, largely with the target of getting rid of those loans as well, because Proton had to get big loans themselves to underwrite the money for Lotus. So a buyer would have to pay something for the company, bring money to keep it running with losses for a couple of years and on top pay off those loans.

        Its probably the reason why Genii is not certain of taking over Lotus (as they would probalby like to do), as this is a big amount of financing that is needed. And Bahar is looking for someone else to do it instead

  8. Torque wheel guns. Im so surprised that these were against the FIA rules. What on earth for? Its not safe if you don’t know the torque you’re doing the wheel nuts up to. And how did the mechanics estimate/guess/measure in wheel changes before?

    1. I guess they were against the rules, because they make the teams job easier.

      Without it the teams would probalby just set a time (as they knew what pressure they were running in the system) or rely on the skills of the guys putting the nuts on. A good thing they changed this now for safety.

  9. I hope he ends up with Ferrari,because if the red squad has plans for him then there’s no place better to prepare for comeback. He’s tallanted and if he has the strength and motivation to come back ,then I think ,he’ll can make it.

  10. Circuit de Catalunya boss doesn’t do a very good job of downplaying reports suggesting its future is in doubt here

  11. I expect Di Resta will fill the void left at Mercedes. I never expected Schumacher to go beyond his 3 year deal.

    If he wins a race this year that’s comeback justified for me.

    1. I hope Schumacher can win – he still has the speed, and we now have a record of World Champions on the grid. I’d like to see him continue racing beyond 2012, but that’s only if he can win and not spoil his records with inferior cars.

  12. Comment of the day – I feel honoured :D

    I’d really like to see Schumacher win ‘one more race’ before he retires again. Preferably at his home race.

  13. Kubica IS DONE.

  14. italian site circusf1 is making a prediction that ferrari will announce kubica as a 3rd driver at the new car launch. that woulld make all the pieces add up, the constant recent ferrari rumours coming out of italy, and the suddent breakup with lotus and his doctor at the end of last year.

  15. Kubica and the Ferrari link could be his chance for returning in 2013 if Massa has another bad year

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