2008 German GP - Race 10/18

Still doesn't get over the fact that he was involved in a orgy with prostitutes though does it.

All he has won is to prove that the tabloid invaded his privacy which probably was stating the obvious anyway!
 
NathanE said:
I'm not sure about the KERS thing. It seems a bit dodgy having racing cars with loads of acid batteries in them. It's not like they can make a FIA foam storage bag like they have for the petrol...

Will certainly be some interesting accidents and safety car periods next season I reckon!
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The batteries won't be lead acid due to the weight/size issues, probably Li-Ion or some other wacky tech. The likely placement will be directly under the fuel cell though, keeps the CoG down and puts the batteries in the safest part of the car.
 
Cavallino said:
All Im saying is that no one knows for a fact that the technology was implemented at the beginning of the year.

Even Whitmarsh annouunced after Canada that they were bringing some new tech to British GP.

Added to that the sudden surge in form...

Honestly, I dunno, theres too many possibilities...
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And all i am saying is that in F1, if it is not used on the car,it is not on the car.
 
CS||nuTs said:
And all i am saying is that in F1, if it is not used on the car,it is not on the car.
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I would agree with this from a mechanical/weight point of view.

This is predominantly software, with a modified controller.

But again, the jury is still out imo.
 
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CS||nuTs said:
And all i am saying is that in F1, if it is not used on the car,it is not on the car.
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Not always true - because the cars are so finely balanced, sometimes they have to put dummy switches on the "face" of the wheel for example, either just so the driver gets used to the feel etc before its actually in use

Im sure there was a case of this a while ago - but it kinda makes sense if the whole design of the car is ready for this one part at the beginning of the season that isnt quite ready, they dont leave it out but insert corresponding weight etc to get the car working as expected (as stated this is more at the beginning of the season than where we are now, but even so)
 
I don't think the engine map selection is particularly revolutionary... F1 cars have had this for ages. Part of the setup process for a race weekend is getting all the engine maps sorted out... i.e. in case it is a wet race etc etc. A low fuel burn map for the warm up lap and behind the safety car etc.

The interesting thing is simply the "brilliant ergonomics" that McLaren has came up with of putting them as paddles on the steering wheel which makes it very very easy for the driver to scroll through his engine maps. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Hamilton which suggested this idea as it is a very "Playstation era" type idea IMO.

In fact I can see this possibly catching on with some super cars (i.e. F430 Scuderia with all its electro gizmos for the track).
 
Lots of new bits tested this week - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/testing/2008/302.html <- pics.

McLaren testing a BMW/Honda style nose wing.
Force India testing seamless shift gearbox.
Honda testing anvil engine cover.
A few teams testing 2009 aero and slick tyres.



Testing Times Day 3 @ Jerez

Code: 
Pos Driver                   Team                  Time        Laps
 1. Mark Webber              Red Bull-Renault      1:19.176      85
 2. Nelson Piquet            Renault               1:19.334      95
 3. Kimi Raikkonen           Ferrari               1:19.434      84
 4. Vitantonio Liuzzi        Force India-Ferrari   1:19.544      86
 5. Pedro de la Rosa         McLaren-Mercedes      1:19.850      39
 6. Sebastien Bourdais       Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1:20.029      77
 7. Kazuki Nakajima          Williams-Toyota       1:20.097      88
 8. Tim Glock                Toyota                1:20.421      78
 9. Rubens Barrichello       Honda                 1:20.614      68
10. Nick Heidfeld            BMW Sauber            1:20.896      97
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69426
 
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Testing Times Day 3 @ Jerez
Code: 
Pos  Driver        Team                      Time     Laps
 1.  Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes     (B)  1:18.385  116
 2.  Bourdais      Toro Rosso-Ferrari   (B)  1:18.746  113
 3.  Coulthard     Red Bull-Renault     (B)  1:19.494   93
 4.  Grosjean      Renault              (B)  1:19.561   90
 5.  Massa         Ferrari              (B)  1:19.611   92
 6.  Nakajima      Williams-Toyota      (B)  1:19.724  100
 7.  Heidfeld      BMW-Sauber           (B)  1:19.915   99
 8.  Sutil         Force India-Ferrari  (B)  1:19.965   72
 9.  Button        Honda                (B)  1:20.532   98
10.  Kobayashi     Toyota               (B)  1:20.878   90
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69451

Ferrari tested the anvil engine cover today.
 
Yep the cars look much better in the photos of them testing the 09 aero. They still look like F1 cars, but without the silly winglets.

8688_09f1.jpg
 
frakker said:
Seriously though, I thought I'd never say it, but I'm looking forward to the more back-to-basics approach for 2009.
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I never thought I'd see someone here agree with me that it's a good thing....:)

Mind, the post CS||nuTs made a little way back in this thread hasn't left me with much confidence about the rule change. I get the distinct impression that it's just a typical FIA job - a half-hearted, token effort at reducing downforce. Downforce which will be mostly clawed back by Melbourne, and all back by the time the European leg of the season rolls around. Leaving the cars just as aero-dependent as before, but slightly prettier. Eh, progress is progress....

I'm absolutely convinced that the FIA, if they could, would make F1 a spec-racing series. And, fair enough it'd make for decent racing if they got the formula right - the (supposedly) best drivers in the world, in equal cars, duking it out. But it'd only last two seasons (if that) before everyone involved got bored and buggered off to create a new series that wasn't so restrictive.
 
Mad old tory said:
Great to see F1 cars with slicks on again too.
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See, all through this reasonably disastrous flirtation with grooved tyres I've still been watching old races from when they had proper racing tyres on. So I've never really missed them. It was easy to get my slick-tyred F1 fix - just whack a vid/DVD on and enjoy.

Still....it is great to see modern F1 cars wearing 'em :)

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Mind, I say that lot....

Watched the '98 Italian GP last night. That was the first season for the narrow-track grooved-tyre cars. And I have to say, that Monza race was pretty damned good. Decided in the pits, and the result was cemented when Mika flew off the road at the Variante della Roggia and proceeded to lose several places afterwards. But still, great fun to watch. Especially that overtaking move when Mika was thrown by DC blowing up, and Schumacher fought his way by heading into the first Lesmo.
 
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I'm looking forward to the new rules just so we can see some closer racing due to less turbulent air as well as the aesthetics. I hope they leave the TC out of the equation too.

Still, F1 is about oiking as much out of the limits as possible, it's just as shame the budgets vary so much.
 
Dup said:
it's just as shame the budgets vary so much.
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Why?

Waaaaaaaay back, d'you think the budgets were any closer? F1 has lasted a long time with that state of affairs. Christ, I hate what the difference front-to-back was in '54 and '55 when Mercedes went on their rampage. I'm pretty sure Lotus never had particularly vast amounts of cash. Cooper certainly didn't. Throughout the World Championship era, there has been a distinct gap in the funding between teams. But that's alright, it still allowed for stuff like the Jordan 1991 campaign - a well-run team with a simple but effective car beating up on teams with much higher budgets.

F1 owes no-one a living. If you can't afford it, get the hell out. Still, I do feel sorry when stuff happens like the demise of Super Aguri - they only folded because of a sponsor not paying money promised to them. They certainly had the potential to 'do a Minardi' and hang on in there for a long time, picking up the odd heartwarming good result.
 
JRS said:
Why?

Waaaaaaaay back, d'you think the budgets were any closer? F1 has lasted a long time with that state of affairs. Christ, I hate what the difference front-to-back was in '54 and '55 when Mercedes went on their rampage. I'm pretty sure Lotus never had particularly vast amounts of cash. Cooper certainly didn't. Throughout the World Championship era, there has been a distinct gap in the funding between teams. But that's alright, it still allowed for stuff like the Jordan 1991 campaign - a well-run team with a simple but effective car beating up on teams with much higher budgets.

F1 owes no-one a living. If you can't afford it, get the hell out. Still, I do feel sorry when stuff happens like the demise of Super Aguri - they only folded because of a sponsor not paying money promised to them. They certainly had the potential to 'do a Minardi' and hang on in there for a long time, picking up the odd heartwarming good result.
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Quoted for Truth.

Money is a big part of F1 no matter how we try to hide it. I can walk into my bosses office and ask for a £400,000 spend and he wont laugh at me.

Ok my boss is Geoff Willis but he wont just spend cash hand over fist for the sake of it.

Even so, if there is a talented enough set of designers at any team money has no influence on their design ability. Money does hurt the ability of their team to implement,test anything they come up with but the brain power behind it is free [to a certain extent] not including wages etc.
 
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