Motorsport Off Topic Thread

Skeeter · 23 Sep 2015 at 22:42

Dimi said:
I don't think customer teams will ever get the same engines found in the works teams. That's the reason McLaren went with Honda, Williams is another example of this.

If we're ever going to get a situation where works and customer teams have the same updated engine it would have to come from a FIA mandate. Otherwise it's never going to happen.

Why are we in this mess in the first place though, Ferrari never wanted these engines. The sport loves shooting itself in the foot, they wanted to cut costs down. Have they really achieved this?

With the exception of this year, the V6 engines are exactly that. A single specification homologated by each manufacturer that is then used by all teams using that engine, both factory and customer, for the whole season. The FIA mandate exists. Every team running Mercedes engines in 2014 had exactly the same units that were in the back of Nico and Lewis' cars. If the rules don't change, it will be like that again next year.

What RBR are pushing against is the ongoing discussion about allowing manufacturers to sell previous years engines for a reduced price. Something which the rules don't currently allow (Marussia got a special exception granted). Ferrari are in favour of this change.

this_is_gav · 24 Sep 2015 at 08:39

Chris Evans said 20 minutes ago on Radio 2 that someone (unnamed) was soon to hold a press conference at Suzuka which concerned Top Gear...

Edit: listened back (quoted below) now I'm at work and it sounds like Evans is just up to his cheeky little ways. Or do the rumours hold some truth...

We are getting news from Japan, from the Formula 1 fraternity that... this is just in the last two minutes... that there is rumour of a press conference that is about to be held to do with Top Gear at Suzuka, the Japanese F1 circuit. Now to my knowledge there isn't one going to be held but there could well be and if he's listening and he wants to hold one then that's fine by me, but he hasn't signed on the dotted line or told his current bosses. We'll see how that one unfolds.

Steeps · 24 Sep 2015 at 09:47

Could the Renault/Lotus deal be stalling because of what's happening with RBR/STR? The rumors originally were Renault looking at STR before Lotus became the frontrunner but with RBR/STR unable to secure an engine for next year, would Renault be able to buy the carcass of a team once their doors are closed to run a more competitive team that probably doesn't have as much debt?

Svack · 24 Sep 2015 at 12:45

So it looks like Lotus are locked out of their hospitality unit due to late payment

I shouldn't laugh, but that is quite funny!

drunkenmaster · 24 Sep 2015 at 13:28

Steeps said:
Could the Renault/Lotus deal be stalling because of what's happening with RBR/STR? The rumors originally were Renault looking at STR before Lotus became the frontrunner but with RBR/STR unable to secure an engine for next year, would Renault be able to buy the carcass of a team once their doors are closed to run a more competitive team that probably doesn't have as much debt?

Supposedly Lotus and Renault signed a statement of intention to complete a deal, strong enough to make the uk taxmen stop chasing Lotus because they believe they will have the money to pay soon. They also supposedly paid the costs to get Lotus's stuff to Singapore and probably Japan as well. Meaning there is probably just some logistical stuff between transferring money, having it available, choosing who to pay off when and in what order, etc.

In all honesty buying Lotus is maybe worth more to Renault, thinking about all the data Lotus have from running the Merc engine, all the pictures they can have taken of the engine, software/electronic data they can share with Renault could be worth hugely more than anything TR can offer.

KiNgPiN83 · 24 Sep 2015 at 14:06

drunkenmaster said:
Supposedly Lotus and Renault signed a statement of intention to complete a deal, strong enough to make the uk taxmen stop chasing Lotus because they believe they will have the money to pay soon. They also supposedly paid the costs to get Lotus's stuff to Singapore and probably Japan as well. Meaning there is probably just some logistical stuff between transferring money, having it available, choosing who to pay off when and in what order, etc.

In all honesty buying Lotus is maybe worth more to Renault, thinking about all the data Lotus have from running the Merc engine, all the pictures they can have taken of the engine, software/electronic data they can share with Renault could be worth hugely more than anything TR can offer.

Plus if RB/TR leave they can buy the talent they want from the leftovers anyway.

SoliD · 24 Sep 2015 at 16:28

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120969 Interesting take on the bring whatever tyre you want rule, but can see the majority just using the same tyre as each other every race.

Skeeter · 24 Sep 2015 at 19:35

SoliD said:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120969 Interesting take on the bring whatever tyre you want rule, but can see the majority just using the same tyre as each other every race.

Sounds like a massively over complicated implementation of an already unnessasay and complicated stupid set of tyre rules.

SoliD · 25 Sep 2015 at 08:51

Skeeter said:
Sounds like a massively over complicated implementation of an already unnessasay and complicated stupid set of tyre rules.

Apart from the spelling mistake, in agreement with this!

Marvin · 25 Sep 2015 at 09:03

Slightly disappointed with that implementation as I was hoping for a slightly more free choice. I'd be surprised if any team go with something different to the status quo. I suppose someone like Force India might choose the harder option to make a one stop viable, where Williams might go softer for the pace advantage as they'll need to stop more anyway.

Guess we'll have to wait and see...

Syla5 · 25 Sep 2015 at 10:37

Steeps said:
Could the Renault/Lotus deal be stalling because of what's happening with RBR/STR? The rumors originally were Renault looking at STR before Lotus became the frontrunner but with RBR/STR unable to secure an engine for next year, would Renault be able to buy the carcass of a team once their doors are closed to run a more competitive team that probably doesn't have as much debt?

From whats doing the rounds it actally appears that the stalling in the deal is down to Renault pushing FOM to get the same kind of legacy status as Ferrari/Mercedes/Williams/McLaren/Redbull(lol legacy...) with regards to the distribution of money, rather than Lotus not being their choice. That legacy status is worth quite a few million per year so you can understand why renault want it before committing to buying lotus.

MissChief · 25 Sep 2015 at 12:06

I'd imagine Bernie will want a guarantee that they'll be in for several years before even considering it.

El_Watcher · 25 Sep 2015 at 16:26

Meanwhile in America :confused:

Steedie · 25 Sep 2015 at 16:39

1:46

That car just cutting out half a lap

Vertigo · 25 Sep 2015 at 17:36

New F1 Access thing looks interesting. I already fork out the £20 for the iOS app so this gives a bit more value for that although would have been nice if they'd given it to those of us who've already paid for the app for the rest of this season.

Skeeter · 25 Sep 2015 at 21:06

Marvin said:
Slightly disappointed with that implementation as I was hoping for a slightly more free choice. I'd be surprised if any team go with something different to the status quo. I suppose someone like Force India might choose the harder option to make a one stop viable, where Williams might go softer for the pace advantage as they'll need to stop more anyway.

Guess we'll have to wait and see...

The article suggests that the mandatory option will be the most conservative, so the hardest. Which means the teams will then have a choice of medium or soft, and given qualifying is massively tyre dependant, everyone will chose the soft or be stuck back in the latter half of the grid.

Basically, eveyone will chose Soft and the mandatory compound.

mctiny · 25 Sep 2015 at 23:59

Steedie said:
1:46

That car just cutting out half a lap

Probably gained half a lap back...

Duke · 26 Sep 2015 at 12:36

Great read on the Mercedes and Honda engines - https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/3mel35/the_cream_of_the_crop_and_the_black_sheep/

Marvin · 26 Sep 2015 at 18:23

Skeeter said:
The article suggests that the mandatory option will be the most conservative, so the hardest. Which means the teams will then have a choice of medium or soft, and given qualifying is massively tyre dependant, everyone will chose the soft or be stuck back in the latter half of the grid.

Basically, eveyone will chose Soft and the mandatory compound.

Oh right, then yeah, I can't see anyone doing anything but the fastest combination which will always be softest and the mandatory.

MissChief · 26 Sep 2015 at 18:43

Duke said:
Great read on the Mercedes and Honda engines - https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/3mel35/the_cream_of_the_crop_and_the_black_sheep/

Cheers, good read and not too complex either. Honda gambled, made a similar mistake to Ferrari last year and won't really be able to change anything until the end of the season.