FORMULA 1 - 2012

papatrips · August 1, 2012

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MIKA,

Is there anything on the use of KERS? I would be interested to see something similar to this graph on KERS deployment and length.

And a question....Does the KERS recharge rate stay relatively the same as the race goes on? I am thinking of the loss of fuel weight and velocity may have the same effect on braking.

MIKA27 · August 5, 2012

MIKA,

Is there anything on the use of KERS? I would be interested to see something similar to this graph on KERS deployment and length.

And a question....Does the KERS recharge rate stay relatively the same as the race goes on? I am thinking of the loss of fuel weight and velocity may have the same effect on braking.

Hi.

Firstly, thanks for reading and posting. Here below is some information on KERS:

What is KERS?

The acronym KERS stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The device recovers the kinetic energy that is present in the waste heat created by the car’s braking process. It stores that energy and converts it into power that can be called upon to boost acceleration.

How does it work?

There are principally two types of system - battery (electrical) and flywheel (mechanical). Electrical systems use a motor-generator incorporated in the car’s transmission which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy and vice versa. Once the energy has been harnessed, it is stored in a battery and released when required.

Mechanical systems capture braking energy and use it to turn a small flywheel which can spin at up to 80,000 rpm. When extra power is required, the flywheel is connected to the car’s rear wheels. In contrast to an electrical KERS, the mechanical energy doesn’t change state and is therefore more efficient.

There is one other option available - hydraulic KERS, where braking energy is used to accumulate hydraulic pressure which is then sent to the wheels when required.

Do the regulations place limitations on the use of KERS?

Currently the regulations permit the systems to convey a maximum of 60kw (approximately 80bhp), while the storage capacity is limited to 400 kilojoules. This means that the 80bhp is available for anything up to 6.67s per laps, which can be released either all in one go, or at different points around the circuit. Lap time benefits range from approximately 0.1 to 0.4s.

How is the stored energy released by the driver?

The regulations stipulate that the release must be completely under the driver’s control. There is a boost button on the steering wheel which can be pressed by the driver.

Why was KERS introduced?

The aims are twofold. Firstly to promote the development of environmentally friendly and road car-relevant technologies in Formula One racing; and secondly to aid overtaking. A chasing driver can use his boost button to help him pass the car in front, while the leading driver can use his boost button to escape. In line with the regulations, there are limits on the device’s use and therefore tactics - when and where to use the KERS energy - come into play.

Is a car running KERS heavier than one which is not running the system?

No. A typical KERS system weighs around 35 kilograms. Formula One cars must weigh at least 640kg (including the driver), but traditionally teams build the car to be considerably lighter and then use up 70kg of ballast to bring it up to weight. This means that teams with KERS have less ballast to move around the car and hence have less freedom to vary their car’s weight distribution. Heavier drivers are at a particular disadvantage, an issue addressed by the raising of the minimum car weight for the 2011 season.

Do teams have to use it?

The use of KERS is not compulsory. Several teams used it during its introductory 2009 season. A gentlemen's agreement between constructors then precluded its use in 2010, before its return in 2011.

MIKA27 · August 5, 2012

Thanks alot for this thread Mika, wow, it's like a live blog. I wasn't into f1 but i read this!

Hello Bastian and welcome to the forum and the thread.

I am pleased to hear you are enjoying the posts, news and sometimes the feedback from other members reading. Feel free to contrubute with news, personal thoughts and or comments. The more, the merrier.

MIKA27 · August 5, 2012

FORMULA 1 MID SEASON REVIEW PART 1:

Source: Jamesallenonf1

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Here, by popular demand, as we enter the summer shut down weeks, is our mid-season review.

It's quite noticeable this season that the teams divide into three distinct groups: those who have matched or exceeded expectations, those who have had some breakthroughs but ultimately feel they "could have done better" and those who have disappointed.

In the first category, I would obviously place Ferrari and Lotus but also, just, Red Bull. Ferrari and Lotus have scored far more points and podiums than might have been expected at the start of the season and although both teams can look to specific races and know that, had the strategy or other factors gone their way they might have got more, they have nevertheless done a fantastic job so far.

Ferrari have only had one car scoring points, sadly, but take nothing away from the miraculous effort Alonso and the team have put in to win three races and get themselves into a position where they have a 40 point lead and the championship is theirs to lose.

Meanwhile Red Bull have matched expectations in the sense that they've had four poles, won three races and lead the Constructors' points at the half way stage.

But it's been a rocky ride; they started slowly due to the ban on blown diffusers and have had on-days and off days this season, but at the same time they have put in a massive effort to get competitive again, they are where thy are due to both cars scoring points. They are the only team to have scored 30 points or more on four occasions.

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In the second category I would place Williams and Sauber as well asMcLaren All three have had some success this year, but have also left a lot on the table, unrealised. Williams got their first win since 2004 and have qualified in the top ten seven times, but have let countless points scoring positions slip away from them; Sauber have built a really fast race car and scored two podiums and other strong finishes, but have missed many opportunities, largely by qualifying poorly.

McLaren have been erratic and in the early part of the season failed to turn the fastest car into a healthy points lead. However they seem to be turning it around now and the story of their second half of the season could be very different from the first.

And in the third category I would place everyone else; led by Mercedes , who got the breakthrough win in China, but have been very erratic apart from that;Force India have had odd moments, but are nowhere near the fifth place in the table they have targeted; Toro Rosso sacked two good drivers at the end of 2011 and have gone backwards; while Caterham, Marussia and HRT are all still swimming in the soup at the back, with Caterham occasionally breaking out of Q1 and beating Toro Rosso on merit.

OVERVIEW

The season has been characterised by the openness illustrated by seven different winners in the first seven races and by the possibility for mid-field teams to mix it at the front and score podiums and wins. So far seven different teams have put a driver on the podium, while 11 different drivers have stood up there. This is a very healthy trend for the sport.

The cars were close enough on performance that one team tuning the car and tyres into the circuit on any given weekend was the key to it.

However we can clearly see that some teams have a better handle on getting consistent performance from the tyres; as the season has progressed they have each found a mechanism for keeping the tyres in their preferred operating window. These teams are, not surprisingly, also the teams who are in Categories 1 & 2.

2012 MID-SEASON REVIEW PART 1 – Ferrari, Lotus and Red Bull

Ferrari started the season with real problems. The car pace in Australia was 1.2 seconds down on the McLaren, largely due to aerodynamic inadequacies. The pressure was immense and the team could have crumbled, but they kept it together, worked hard on turning it around and have done so.

They had a slice of luck in Malaysia, when the elements presented Alonso with a surprise win, but he's been outstanding this year and has taken the maximum from whatever the car has to offer at every race weekend. Sometimes it's been good enough for the win, sometimes only fourth or fifth, but he's not put a foot wrong and has harvested points.

With no single challenger emerging from the Red Bull and McLaren drivers, the wins will continue to be shared out in the second half of the season and so it's Alonso's to lose at this stage. Webber's position owes a lot to five fourth places; Alonso could probably replicate that and still remain on top.

A non-finish would change that, of course.

The pit stops have been brilliant all year, showing a real team hunger for success.

Alonso: 164 Points (P1); 3 wins; 3 podiums; 2 poles; 216 laps led, Average grid slot: P6

Qualifying head to head vs Massa 11-0

Massa: 25 points; 1 lap led; Average grid slot: P11

Lotus are still looking for that first win and arguably could have had one by now, if the strategy had gone their way on a couple of occasions. But their return of 192 points, only one less than McLaren, is very positive and well beyond expectations.

The car is very fast, if not quite fast enough in qualifying to give the ideal platform for their race pace. But the car's DNA is to get the most of the tyres in the race – Lotus can run longer stints on softer tyres than their rivals and this has been a real strong point.

They have been quick since the start of the year and arguably have been the most consistent team in terms of competitiveness on race day.

Their pit stops aren't particularly fast (they were 7th in the league table in the first part of the year, now they are 4th), so there is room for improvement on a few fronts, but it's been a fine start and it's great to see Raikkonen on such good form, with five podiums in his comeback. Grosjean has been blindingly fast on occasions, but still lacks the composure to consistently convert that into results. He could have had more than 3 podiums.

The win will probably come in the second half of the season and they are in a battle to finish second in the constructors' championship.

Raikkonen: 116 points (5th); 5 podiums, 2 fastest laps; 8 laps led; Average grid slot: P8

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Raikkonen 4-7 Grosjean

Grosjean: 76 points (P8); 3 podiums; 1 fastest lap; 4 laps led; Average grid slot: P7

Red Bull – Really felt the loss of rear end downforce from the banning of the blown diffuser so it's been a frantic race to regain lost performance since the start of the season.

The pressure they have exerted on themselves to get competitive can be judged by the amount of brushes with the FIA technical staff. They've been sailing close to the wind, but it shows the team's mentality of winning. Having found the winning groove in the last few years they aren't about to lose it.

Vettel has driven well, albeit the peaks of 2011 have not been as many as he struggled early on with an awkward car. But he's always a threat. He has also let himself down on a few occasions by saying the wrong thing after suffering a loss or a set-back. This also speaks to the desperation of staying a winning force, which is felt by all the team.

Webber has been consistent, by his standards, with a couple of good wins and five fourth places, but he knows that to have a crack at Alonso for the title he needs to rack up the podiums.

There have been a few signs lately of a return to the niggles of 2010 between the drivers, as Webber sits ahead of Vettel in the championship. Can either of them get control without rancour?

Webber: 124 points (2nd), 2 wins; 1 pole; 1 no-score; 66 laps led; Average grid slot: P6

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Webber 5-6 Vettel

Vettel: 122 points (P3); 1 win; 2 podiums; 3 poles; 2 no-scores; Average grid slot: P4 (Best in field)

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

FORMULA 1 MID SEASON REVIEW PART 2:

Source: Jamesallenonf1

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Yesterday we looked at the teams who have matched or exceeded expectations so far this year. Part 2 of our mid season review focusses on the teams that have enjoyed some success, but who are left feeling that there should have been a lot more.

This group contains Williams, Sauber and McLaren.

WILLIAMS

Williams is still one of the most popular teams in F1, thanks to its place in the sport's history, but it has made precious little history of its own in the last seven years and is in transition with Patrick Head retired and Frank Williams handing over more responsibility to Toto Wolff.

After BMW's departure the squeeze on funding and the hiring of many of their best staff by manufacturer teams meant that Williams suffered a slump. Many feared a repeat of Tyrrell, but this year has seen a return to form with a new technical department led by Mike Coughlan and Prof. Mark Gillan, one of the savviest race operations men around.

The result is Williams' first win since 2004, when Pastor Maldonado took victory from pole in Barcelona. It was just one of those days when everything came together. But it was no flash in the pan; Maldonado and Williams started stongly by battling for fifth place with Alonso in Melbourne. Unfortunately the Venezuelan threw it into the fence on the final lap, leaving a guaranteed 8 points on the table.

And that has rather characterised their season; Valencia was another race where the forceful Maldonado went home empty handed after colliding with Hamilton in a fight at the end of the race for a podium. In all Maldonado has qualified in the top ten six times, but only had two points scoring finishes.

Bruno Senna has had quite a few off days, but has also been more reliable with six points scoring finishes, showing what is possible if Maldonado could keep it on the island.

The Williams is fast in qualifying and easy on its tyres in the race; the recipe for success is all there. If Alonso had been driving a Williams this year he would have 80+ points on the board.

Gillan and his track ops team have found a way to get the Pirellis to work most of the time. Williams traditionally keep developing to the end of the season, so there will be more opportunities. But the top five teams are throwing some serious resources at development and one fears that the best opportunities this year may lie behind for Williams.

WILLIAMS DRIVER STATS:

Maldonado: 29 points (P11),

1 wins;

1 pole;

9 no-scores;

37 laps led;

Average grid slot: P11

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Maldonado 9-2 Senna

Senna: 24 points (P15);

5 no-scores;

Average grid slot: P13

SAUBER

Two podiums for a team like Sauber would normally be considered a fantastic return from a first half of a season. But they have had one of the fastest race cars in the field on several occasions and could have had so much more, including a breakthrough win in Malaysia, where Sergio Perez was faster that Alonso but a combination of cautious strategy and a mistake by the Mexican led to a second place finish instead.

The Sauber was a car others were copying right from the start of the season; its exhaust design has found its way onto several cars. Like the Lotus, it is really good on the Pirelli tyres in the race; able to run longer stints on softer tyres than its rivals, able to make one less pit stop sometimes, which has given the team some great results.

But like Williams they have also seen many points go begging and the inability to qualify in the top 10 consistently is making the task of scoring points much harder. The drivers have not been outstanding, notwithstanding Perez two fine podium drives. Kobayashi has shown some glimpses of the mercurial magic we came to love last season, but now he has a competitive car he should have double the points he has on the board.

If a team like Sauber can fight for podiums then F1 is as it should be; it should not always be just the top four teams dominating everything. However as the big teams hit the spend button in the development arms race, one fears for Sauber that the opportunities for the second half of the season may be fewer.

To hear Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn's assessment of the season so far, on the latest JA on F1 Podcast, click HERE

SAUBER DRIVER STATS:

Perez: 47 points (P9),

2 podiums;

6 no-scores;

7 laps led;

Average grid slot: P13

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Perez 6-5 Kobayashi

Kobayashi: 33 points (P10);

6 no-scores;

0 laps led;

Average grid slot: P11

MCLAREN

Three wins, five podiums, two poles, second in the constructor's points table and fourth and seventh in the drivers' table. Success or failure?

McLaren can divide their year so far into three parts; they had the fastest car at the start of the season with front row lock outs at the first two races. But they didn't press home the competitive advantage. Then they lost their way a bit as others got a better handle on the tyres. McLaren found mismatched temperatures front to rear and this threw Button completely, while Hamilton soldiered on.

More recently they look like they've got their act together again and as we head into the second half of the season they look like winning races and coming back at Red Bull in the Constructors' race, especially with Button's return to form in Germany.

But how many points have been left on the table in the first 11 races; in contrast to Alonso who has maxxed everything out, except the occasional strategy error, which might conceivably have led to a better outcome?

Pit stop howlers at the start of the season, losing pole due to under fuelling in Barcelona, many points lost in Valencia, bad luck with a puncture in Germany; Hamilton's season is littered with what might have beens.

But he's on form, driving very well and two strong victories at his beloved Montreal and Budapest point to a second half of the season where he could rack up a number of wins. Whether it's enough to claw back the 47 point defect to Alonso in the title race, time will tell.

MCLAREN DRIVER STATS:

Hamilton: 117 points (4th),

2 wins;

3 podiums;

3 poles;

2 no-scores;

115 laps led;

Average grid slot: P5

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Hamilton 10-1 Button

Button: 76 points (P8);

1 win;

2 podiums;

0 poles;

4 no-scores;

61 laps led;

Average grid slot: P7

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

FORMULA 1 MID SEASON REVIEW PART 3:

Source: Jamesallenonf1

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MERCEDES

What are we to make of Mercedes? If the season had ended after China, we would have said that they'd made the breakthrough everyone had been expecting since Norbert Haug and his board took the bold decision in 2009 to buy Brawn, just as all the other manufacturers were exiting the sport.

But as the season has gone on, Mercedes have lost their way and slipped to a distant fifth in the Constructors' table; countless points finishes have gone astray, especially for Schumacher, who has had terrible luck. After seven rounds he had just two points on the board.

Rosberg has generally qualified in the top six or seven and then moved backwards in the race. As he's done so, Raikkonen has generally moved forward and picked up the results Rosberg should be getting. To make matters worse Mercedes can't rely on the cushion over the midfield teams they enjoyed in 2010 and 2011, so the likes of Williams and Sauber are beating them regularly.

Nico's very quick in qualifying and the Mercedes double DRS system has helped at certain venues, but the car's problem with chewing up rear tyres in the race has constricted the strategy and forced them into making more pit stops in general than their rivals.

Whereas the teams already reviewed have now got a handle on the best way to run the Pirelli tyres, Mercedes appear to still be some way off and until they master that, they cannot hope to repeat China.

MERCEDES DRIVER STATS

Rosberg: 77 points (P6),

2 podiums;

3 no-scores;

48 laps led;

Average grid slot: P7

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Rosberg 6-5 Schumacher

Schumacher: 29 points (P12);

1 podium,

6 no-scores;

0 laps led;

Average grid slot: P8 (Pole at Monaco taken away due to penalty)

SAHARA FORCE INDIA

After a strong end to 2011, the team set a bold target of going one better and finishing fifth in the Constructors' table this season. So far they are off target in 8th, due to improved performances by Lotus, Sauber and Williams.

Whereas other midfield teams have had wins and podiums, Force India has not made that step this year. The high points have been Hulkenberg's fifth place in Valencia and his fourth grid slot in Germany, while Di Resta has had a sixth and three sevenths. They are not challenging Mercedes, as they were last season.

The car has been outside the top ten in qualifying most of the season, although there have been seven appearances in the top ten out of a possible 12 in the last six races. In pure car pace they are about a second off the front; Di Resta has looked a little frustrated as he is keen to show his quality to a top team, while Hulkenberg has stepped it up lately, mindful that the team policy is to shed one driver every year and decision time is coming up soon.

FORCE INDIA DRIVER STATS

Di Resta: 27 points (P13);

6 no-scores;

1 lap led;

Average grid slot: P11

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Hulkenberg 6-5 Di Resta

Hulkenberg: 19 points (P16);

6 no-scores;

0 laps led;

Average grid slot: P11

TORO ROSSO

Toro Rosso has had a nightmare start to the season, with only two points scoring finishes in the first two races and nothing since. They've lost technical director Giorgio Ascanelli, Jean Eric Vergne has fallen in Q1 on five races out of 11 and the team doesn't seem to be turning it around.

Ricciardo has had some moments, like qualifying sixth in Bahrain, while Vergne finished 8th in the chaos of Malaysia, but the 41 points scored by Alguersuari and Buemi last year look a long way off.

Those two were let go because they failed to win a race, as Vettel had done in a Toro Rosso in 2008. If that is the team's mentality, the omens aren't good for Ricciardo and Vergne.

TORO ROSSO DRIVER STATS

Vergne: 4 points (P17);

10 no-scores;

Average grid slot: P17

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Ricciardo 9-2 Vergne

Ricciardo: 2 points (P18);

10 no-scores;

Average grid slot: P13

CATERHAM

Given that it is the best set-up of the three new teams from 2010 and is now in its third season with some strong well-known engineers, the fact that Caterham is still over a second off the midfield group is a disappointment.

Much more was expected, especially as adding the Renault engine, KERS and a Red Bull gearbox alone will have taken a big chunk off the lap time. There has been a subtle shift behind the scenes as Mark Smith has taken over more responsibility, while Mike Gascoyne has moved on to a wider brief across the Caterham group and away from F1.

Heikki Kovalainen still gives it everything, hoping one of the top teams will come calling again, while Vitaly Petrov has disappointed this year.

A key signing has been aerodynamics guru John Iley, who joined at Easter from McLaren and his updates are coming through now. The team expect his updates to lead them into the midfield pack, to get ahead of Toro Rosso at least. They need that as a minimum platform to make a big step forward in 2013.

CATERHAM DRIVER STATS

Kovalainen: 0 points (Best = P13);

Average grid slot: P18

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Kovalainen 9-2 Petrov

Petrov: 0 points (Best = P13);

Average grid slot: P18

MARUSSIA

It's been a painful year so far for Marussia, with the anguish and tragedy of Maria de Villota's July testing accident fresh in the mind and the team failing to make an impression in the 11 Grands Prix to date.

They are stuck around 1.5 seconds behind Caterham and one second ahead of HRT; with a Cosworth engine and no KERS that's a comparison that does more for Marussia than Caterham.

The chassis is the first from the in-house team, marshalled by Pat Symonds in Banbury after the break up with Wirth last season and the takeover by Marussia.

If they could start the whole F1 adventure again they'd do a lot of things differently, but they are still here and it's all about making 2013 a year of progress. Timo Glock is holding on, clearly frustrated but with few other options, while Charles Pic has surprisingly out qualified his team mate four times in 11 races.

MARUSSIA DRIVER STATS

Glock 0 points (Best = P14);

Average grid slot: P20

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: Glock 6-4 Pic (Glock DNS in Valencia)

Pic: 0 points (Best = P15);

Average grid slot: P21

HRT

HRT started the season with a car that arrived late, they failed to get within the required 107% of the fastest lap in Q1 in Australia, but since then have had a few good days (mostly in qualifying) and many not so good days. The team is now under Spanish ownership, based near Madrid and has the stated target for the rest of 2012 to be close to 104% of the pole, which is around 3.5 seconds off the pace around a typical 1m 30sec lap.

The car uses Cosworth engine and has no KERS and seems to have reasonable mechanical grip. In Monaco they were only 2.2secs off the fastest Q1 time. The main failing is the aerodynamics; the car lacks downforce and the DRS has less power than others.

HRT DRIVER STATS

De la Rosa 0 points (Best = P17);

Average grid slot: P21

Head to head qualifying vs team mate: De La Rosa 10-0 Karthikeyan

Karthikeyan: 0 points (Best = P15);

average grid slot: P23

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

'Why would Kimi want to be a No 2?'

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier has again brushed aside suggestions that Kimi Raikkonen could be off to Ferrari, saying he wouldn't want to play second fiddle.

Media reports claim Ferrari are interested in re-signing the 32-year-old as a replacement for Felipe Massa for the 2013 season.

Raikkonen, who won the 2007 World Championship during his three-year stint with the Italian squad, insisted he is happy at Lotus, but in the same breath said "you never know what happens in the future".

Boullier is confident Raikkonen won't leave for Maranello as he wouldn't want to be a number two driver to Fernando Alonso.

"There are always a lot of rumours," he told Finland's MTV3.

"We have a two-year contract with Kimi but, as in every agreement, there are always options.

"I believe Kimi is happy here and I do not believe that his experience with Ferrari was the best one.

"Being with (team-mate Romain) Grosjean is certainly easier than Alonso.

"I can't see why Kimi would want to be the second driver at Ferrari when he has the chance to be the number one here."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Merc want to compete on all circuits

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn admits they still have work to do if their car is to be competitive on all tracks.

After the highs of China, with Nico Rosberg claiming pole position and the race win, and the Monaco GP, where Michael Schumacher set the fastest lap in qualifying only to be demoted due to a penalty, the Brackley-based squad have gone off the boil in recent races.

Their best results in the last three races were two seven-place finishes while both Rosberg and Schumacher failed to make it through to Q3 at the Hungarian GP.

Brawn admits they made some mistakes in recent races, but says most of their struggles are due to the fact that their car doesn't work well on all tracks.

"I think in Montreal we made a bit of a hash of qualifying, but we were pretty good in the race," he is quoted as saying by Autosport.

"For Hungary, someone asked me why we were not competitive there but competitive at Monaco, but I think they are different circuits. If you look at the long corners you have at the Hungaroring, they are not the same as Monaco in any shape or form.

"Our car suits some tracks and, what we have to do is produce a car that is competitive on all circuits. That is our priority. There is a massive amount of work going on to improve the situation."

The Mercedes team boss says they will be looking to iron out their problems over the next few weeks.

"Occasionally one team will dominate and be competitive at all tracks, and we have been fortunate to be there, but more often than not there are ups and downs, and particularly up and downs on how well you use the tyres at different tracks.

"That is something we are addressing to have a more broad range of usage on the car. Maybe in Hungary the consistent balance on the long corners was not good, so we need to look at it and find some solutions."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Nurburgring receives a boost

Despite being swamped by debt, the Nurburgring may host next year's German GP as a result of a government bailout.

The running of the race rotates between Hockenheim and the Nurburgring with the later set to play host to the 2013 edition.

However, before this can happen a new deal needs to be agreed with Bernie Ecclestone and with the track in dire financial trouble, it appeared this would be unlikely.

There seems to be light on the horizon though, with the Frankfurter Allgemeine reporting that the state government of Rhineland-Palatinate -

which owns around 90% of the circuit's holding company - has agreed to release €254 million worth of funds to the Nurburgring.

"I am very optimistic that the Formula 1 will continue next year at the Nurburgring," Nurburgring chief Jörg Lindner is quoted as saying by the newspaper.

This is good news for the F1 in Germany as a whole, with Hockenheim chiefs having stated in the past that they would not be able to bear the financial burden of hosting the race every year.

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Pirelli don't want tyre war

Pirelli's Paul Hembery has indicated that the manufacturer may leave the sport if they aren't the sole tyre supplier.

The Italian company took over as the sole supplier to F1 at the beginning of last year, with Bridgestone following Michelin in leaving the sport.

Pirelli's tenure has been dogged by controversy, with many saying that they have turned F1 into a lottery and called for the return of competing manufacturers.

However, should such a proposal go through, Pirelli would not be involved.

"We work for the sport. The sport has to decide what it wants," said Hembery.

"If it wants a tyre war and procession racing again, like it did in the early 2000s, when the audience disappeared, than that's one approach. It's not for us to decide.

"We will wait and see if the rules change. If they change, then we will consider it. At the moment the teams are certainly not interested in a tyre war.

"What does it really mean to have a tyre war? If it means spending 100 million Euros to go half a second quicker - and you can't even prove that you have the better tyre, because the teams will dominate still - it is pointless," he added.

"Ultimately no-one could really make out what tyres were on what car when there was a tyre war. Nobody knew, because all the money was being spent on trying to find performance that the public couldn't see. And if the public can't see it, we don't understand it."

MIKA: I say bring it back and if Pirelli don't want to be a part of it, then bring on Michellin and Bridgestone!

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

McLaren ponder double DRS

McLaren may yet introduce a double DRS later this year, despite the concept being banned for the 2013 season.

Pioneers Mercedes enjoyed some early season success through the system, which channels air from the rear wing to the front of the car when DRS is enabled, with Nico Rosberg winning in China.

Although the technology was declared legal by the FIA following protests from teams, motorsport's governing body has confirmed that it will be outlawed from next season.

That, though, hasn't stopped Lotus from testing their own version during practice at the German and Hungarian Grands Prix and they are expected to start using it during races soon.

McLaren may follow suit with Sporting Director Sam Michael confirming they have plans in place to create their own version and are now debating the system's benefits.

"It's not like the Lotus one, but we have got a system like that," he told Autosport. "As for the chances of us bringing it, I don't know yet.

"We will look at all the programmes and see if it is feasible, because it requires work and it detracts from normal upgrades as well. So it is quite difficult to make the system work, as Lotus are discovering.

"But like anything in the pit lane, if we see a new idea then the guys jump on it, they analyse it and, if we decide that it will be a benefit to the team, then we will bring it."

He added: "There is possibly the question of a waster resource on it.

"As for Lotus, they are damn quick already, and if they add that then they will be even quicker."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Bernie keen on Olympic Park

Formula One head honcho Bernie Ecclestone believes that an F1 race held at London's Olympic Park would be a huge success.

The Olympic Park is currently playing host to the 2012 Olympics and a bid is being considered by the London Legacy Development Corporation for motor racing to take place at the park.

Ecclestone was at the venue on Saturday and admitted that he liked the possibility of a race taking place there.

"It's surprising how many people have come out, it's good. I'm sure we'd get big crowds," he told Reuters of whether the venue would suit an F1 race.

"It depends on the circuit, at the moment we are just looking at that. Somebody is looking about going into the centre of the arena and out again, so whether that is going happen or not, we'll have a look and see.

"We looked before about something more in central London, so we'll see what happens. Let's get this out the way, and then we'll have a look at it," he added.

The motor racing bid was one of four bids submitted to the London Legacy Development Corporation, with West Ham United favourited to become the new tenants with Leyton Orient Football Club also in the running.

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

No in-season test in 2013

This year's in-season test appears to have been a one-off after teams opted to do away with it for the 2013 campaign.

Mid-season testing was banned from 2009 until 2011, but teams agreed to hold an extra test at Mugello at the start of May this year.

Although nine of the 10 teams attended the test, several questioned the value of it while McLaren opted to use their test drivers instead of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

According to Autosport,the extra test has now been scrapped 'as part of cost-saving package agreed between the teams, it was decided that the expenditure needed for that event was too high considering the limited benefits it actually delivered, so the idea of a repeat has been dropped'.

The 2013 season is set to kick off with three winter tests with Jerez in Spain set to host a four-day test starting on February 5 while Barcelona will take centre stage from February 19-22 and February 28 to March 3.

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Whiting: Schumi must learn the rules

FIA race director Charlie Whiting has criticised Michael Schumacher for his error on the grid in Hungary.

The Mercedes driver stalled his engine after lining up on the wrong spot on the grid. Normal procedures call for another formation lap to take place in such an event, a rule that came into place in 2005.

However, Schumacher appears not to have realised this and turned off his engine and as a result had to be pushed to the pits by the marshals.

Whiting believes that the German really should have known better.

"Michael should know the rules," Whiting is quoted as telling Bild am Sonntag.

The Briton also revealed that drivers do not need to take a rule test prior to the season, with the FIA taking it as a given that they will know them.

"We assume that a team competing in Formula One knows the rules. It is the responsibility of the teams to ensure that its drivers - its employees - know the rules," he said.

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

General admission tickets sold-out in Austin

Circuit of the Americas has confirmed that all six general admission areas located around various parts of the track have now sold out.

The inaugural race at the brand new facility in Austin, Texas, is nearing completion for its November 18th race, round 19 of the 2012 championship.

According to Geoff Moore, chief marketing officer at COTA, tickets have been sold in each and every one of the 50 U.S. states as well as 37 other countries.

"Worldwide fan interest in the United States Grand Prix has been remarkable, with guests in every U.S. state and 37 foreign countries purchasing tickets since our public sales began three months ago," he said in a statement.

"We've allocated the maximum number of tickets we feel comfortable selling in our general admission areas to ensure guests who will be viewing the races from the grassy berms and numerous public spaces have a great experience and easy access to services and accommodations."

Grandstand tickets remain avaliable, though they too are selling fast with several grandstands already sold-out.

"Circuit of The Americas still has reserved seats available at a variety of price points in both grandstand and premium areas for fans who want the very best views we can offer," added Moore. "We encourage guests to buy tickets now while we have inventory and can accommodate them."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Lotus ready to prolong E20 development as they close in on title battle

Lotus are prepared to fight for the title until the very end according to technical director James Allison, who confirmed that the team intends to develop their cars much further in to the season than usual.

With just a handful of months between the last race of a season and the first of the new year, teams frequently halt development on their current cars before the end to focus on next years.

Allison says Lotus won't be so quick to switch development following strong results which have thurst the team into title contention.

"One of the things that our team has got a little bit wrong in the last couple of seasons is that we have been too ready to switch over to the new car a little bit too soon," he told Sky Sports.

"So we started this year consciously intending to develop this one a bit longer than normal."

He's also confident that Kimi Raikkonen, who sits 48 points behind leader Fernando Alonso with nine races remaining, has what it takes to become a two-time champion this year

"Why not? There are an awful lot of points for coming first and there are a lot of races to be done. The lead is minuscule compared to the points available," he added.

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

'Interesting developments coming' for Ferrari

Ferrari are set to introduce some 'interesting developments' in the coming races according to technical director Pat Fry.

The Briton admitted that recent upgrades brought to Germany and Hungary failed to have the desired effect on the F2012's pace despite Fernando Alonso taking victory at Hockenheim.

However, he is now confident that the team are heading in the right direction with its development programme.

"It's true we had a handful of parts that did not work the way we had expected: there's always a chance that can happen in work like this," he said.

"The positive aspect is that we understood the problem and everything is alright now: that way, we can use this experience to move forward rather than being left confused about it. In fact, we have a clear idea on the direction we need to take and we have already begun to work in this direction."

Fry confirmed that the Italian outfit has upgrades for the next few races in the pipeline, with the nature of both Belgium and Italy demanding unique packages.

"We have a few interesting developments that we will introduce at Spa, a track which, from an aerodynamic downforce point of view, is quite special, as indeed is Monza. In fact, we will also have an aerodynamic and engine package specifically suited to the Italian track.

"Therefore a lot of work has been done, but there is still also a lot to do: we must continue to keep up the pressure to a high level."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Haug sees only three engine suppliers in 2014

Mercedes motorsport boss Nobert Haug predicts there will be just three engine suppliers in 2014 when the new engine forumla is introduced.

Though Haug failed to state exactly which suppliers he believes will remain and which will leave, it's likely that he's talking about Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault, which would see the loss of Cosworth and the start-up PURE led by Craig Pollock.

"I assume and think, and I am pretty sure, that we will have three and no more than three [suppliers]," he said. "But with three I think we can get the job done."

With Renault currently supplying four teams and Ferrari and Mercedes with three apiece, it would likely mean the latter two would have to increase their customer base, something Haug says is under discussion.

"We need to evaluate the situation," he added. "We are in discussions with the three manufacturers together - still on cost issues and bringing the costs down. And this will also be the object, who will supply whom."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Daniel Ricciardo confident of new deal to stay at Toro Rosso in 2013

Daniel Ricciardo is confident that he will remain at Toro Rosso for a second season in 2013.

The Australian has scored only two points through his ninth-place finish in Melbourne, although his qualifying performances compared to team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne have made a good impression.

But despite missing out on a potential Red Bull seat after Mark Webber, whose new deal was announced after the British Grand Prix, was re-signed, Ricciardo admits that he always saw his Toro Rosso seat as at least a two-year plan.

"Unless we were getting some podiums and doing something extraordinary, I never saw that happening next year," Ricciardo told AUTOSPORT when asked about his hopes of moving to Red Bull.

"The thought of it was nice, but I wasn't disappointed because I didn't really expect it. We've still got a bit to learn.

"I'm definitely happy here. I'm not confirmed for what I am doing next year, but I'd be happy to do another year here to improve myself and see what happens."

Ricciardo admits that he does not expect to have a decision from Red Bull on next year until the end of the season.

In 2011, STR drivers Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi did not learn their fate until December, but Ricciardo is in no rush.

"It's always very late and since I started with the Red Bull junior team, the earliest news I got was November," said Ricciardo.

"If it comes before that, I would be surprise. Some good results would maybe confirm it a little bit sooner, but I think it will be quite late."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Mark Webber 'bored' by rows over Red Bull legality

Mark Webber reckons rivals' doubts about the legality of Red Bull's cars are becoming 'boring'.

The latest controversies over Red Bull designs saw the FIA issue a clarification about engine mapping rules following the German Grand Prix, and details emerge of a device that allowed manual adjustment of the car's suspension.

"I think it's incredibly boring for most people," Webber told Reuters.

"All we can do is keep passing every single test and we have... it's not a one-make series, you can design a car to the regulations and that's what we do."

Webber also believes rows over Red Bull gain more attention than queries about other teams' cars.

"I know other teams have been asked to address things with their cars, but [FIA directives] are not for general consumption," he said. "And some of ours do make the general consumption, which is just the way it's been."

He was adamant that everything Red Bull is doing is comfortably within the regulations.

"Whether it's with the wings or whatever - and there'll be something else I promise you that will pop up - we will always pass every single test," he said. "Not one single team has protested us, because they know it's within the rules."

Some rivals feared Red Bull was set to resume 2011-style domination when Sebastian Vettel pulled away from the field prior to an alternator failure in Valencia and then Webber won at Silverstone. But the team was defeated in Germany and Hungary, and Webber believes the top teams are evenly matched.

"I don't know who's got the fastest car," he said. "There's always talk that it's not the fastest car, but you need the most consistent one. I don't think anyone's got the fastest car at the moment.

"We did after Valencia and then Fernando [Alonso] had it at Silverstone until six laps to go and then all of a sudden we had it again. And then McLaren turned up for a few weeks. And Lotus.

"Kimi [Raikkonen] pushed Lewis [Hamilton] over the line in Budapest and before that we had Fernando winning with JB [Jenson Button] there and me in Silverstone. So it is up and down."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Ferrari in quandary over Fernando Alonso's team-mate

Ferrari are aiming to finalise their 2013 driver line-up by the end of September as they search for a replacement for Felipe Massa.

The team have not decided whether he will be dropped, but it is likely.

Ferrari have had talks with Jenson Button, but he is likely to stay at McLaren, while sources close to Ferrari dismiss reports that Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen could return.

Continue reading the main story

"

We're not in any rush to make any decision or to announce anything because we want to pick the right time

"

Stefano DomenicaliFerrari team principalThe favourites to partner Fernando Alonso are Force India's Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg or Sauber's Sergio Perez.

Ferrari are interested in Button, but any attempt to do a deal is complicated by the fact that the 2009 world champion is under contract to McLaren.

Button is in the first year of a 'two-plus-one' contract, with the two fixed years taking him to the end of 2013, after which McLaren have the option to retain him.

A further complication to Button joining Ferrari is that the Englishman wanted to sign a two-year contract.

The Italian team only want to sign a one-year deal with their second driver for 2013 with an eye on the possible arrival of Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel in 2014.

Ferrari have an arrangement with Vettel for the season after next, but it is not clear whether it is a firm contract or the equivalent of a letter of intent for him to join them.

Sources close to McLaren and Button dismiss talk of him moving to Ferrari as "complete rubbish".

Rumours of Raikkonen returning to Ferrari in 2013 emerged at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend - he last drove for the team in 2009, after which Ferrari terminated his contract and paid him not to drive in 2010 to make way for Alonso.

Sources close to Ferrari say the Finn's representatives did approach them to inquire whether they were interested in taking Raikkonen back, but were told the team were not interested.

Ferrari have been left in a quandary as the other drivers on the list are all to a certain degree unproven, and the team are unsure whether any would be an improvement on Massa.

But the Brazilian's inconsistent form this year means they are leaning towards replacing him.

Massa started the season a long way off the pace of Alonso at a time when the Ferrari was very difficult to drive.

His qualifying pace has improved in recent months but he continues to struggle to score points in races and has tended to get involve in incidents.

Ferrari are seeking a second driver who can back Alonso up and also score enough points to help them win the constructors' championship.

Perez is a member of Ferrari's driver academy, but the company's president Luca di Montezemolo has already said this year that he feels the Mexican is not experienced enough to drive for Ferrari.

Hulkenberg and Di Resta have very similar levels of experience to Perez, both having raced in F1 for a season and a half.

Ferrari have long been keen on Robert Kubica, but the Pole has still not sufficiently recovered from the horrendous injuries suffered in a rallying crash in February 2011.

Kubica, 27, can drive a road car and a rally car without problem but the nerves in his right arm, which was partially severed are still not healed suffiently to allow him to move his fingers quickly or accurately enough to operate the controls on an F1 car.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend: "We're not in any rush to make any decision or to announce anything because we want to pick the right time.

"We are totally in line with Felipe and for us Felipe has to be protected because it's important for this championship and this is the situation.

"So at the moment there is nothing new on that subject."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

MARK WEBBER TARGETS FIRST WIN IN SPA

336926_1.jpg#Red-Bull

The Australian, 35, heads into the summer break on the back of a disappointing eighth-place finish in Hungary last Sunday.

But he remains second in the drivers' title standings, 40 points behind Fernando Alonso.

He said: "We'll deal with the championship situation later in the season. But I love Spa and I'd love to win there for the first time."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Pedro de la Rosa says HRT is accomplishing its goals with 'flying colours'

Pedro de la Rosa says HRT has accomplished its goals for the 2012 season with "flying colours" during some periods of the campaign.

Although the Spanish squad failed to qualify for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, it has managed to compete with its most direct rival Marussia since then.

"Without a doubt," said de la Rosa when asked if the targets set have been met. "We're accomplishing them and with flying colours at times. We started outside the 107 per cent in Australia and we've reached peaks of 103.6 per cent in Monaco and our best qualifying result which was 103.4 per cent in Valencia.

"That was a very ambitious target that we set ourselves because, for us, to be close to 104 per cent is a realistic objective. We've surpassed it and have potential to do more.

"In our case, it's going to be easier to improve in this second half of the season than it will be for a big team that is striving for perfection because we've got much more room for improvement. For now we've accomplished our objectives but there are still many races to set ourselves more ambitious targets."

The Spanish driver believes that this progress will provide a great boost for the team ahead of the 2013 season.

"If we manage to qualify inside the 103 per cent it will be a complete success," he said. "Especially doing so without KERS and a much less effective DRS system than the other teams. But it's going to be very difficult because at the last grands prix the difference has been a bit bigger.

"If we manage to be under 104 per cent with the aero package for Singapore it will be a great finish to the season and the necessary momentum to start next season strongly."

De la Rosa, whose best result this season has been a 17th place in the European Grand Prix, says the team has grown significantly since the start of the season, and reiterated his belief that moving the headquarters to Madrid has helped HRT a lot.

"The team is going through a period of change and growth and now we've got a fantastic headquarters that has transformed the team. We've got a base from which it is growing day by day. No one has stopped pushing, no matter what the situation. And we've felt supported.

"It's not easy being at the back and finishing last. But what motivates us every day is that we see that we're improving and we believe that we won't be at the back for long. It's very nice to see that, despite the fact that it's being very tough, we believe in that step forward."

MIKA27 · August 7, 2012

Ferrari denies having a manually-adjusted ride-height system like Red Bull

Ferrari has strongly refuted claims from rivals Red Bull that it has been running a manually-adjusted ride-height system in Formula 1 - on the back of the latest technical controversy that erupted at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Red Bull found itself last weekend having to deny suggestions that it breached the sport's regulations by having a system on its car that could adjust the ride height without the use of tools.

It had emerged that the FIA had asked the team to change its design in Canada, because the governing body felt the effort required to make set-up alterations was too low.

Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has not only denied his team ever made changes to its car's set-up by hand - but he has also questioned why his team aroused suspicion because he claimed Ferrari had run an identical design.

Speaking to Auto Motor Und Sport, Marko said: "We have never adjusted anything by hand. I don't know why the others are upset – we know Ferrari has used something like that for a year."

But Ferrari says Marko's claims are incorrect – and that the outfit has never run anything like that.

"This is completely untrue," a team spokesman told AUTOSPORT in reference to Marko's comments.

When asked for a response to Red Bull's suggestions that it broke the rules, the Ferrari spokesman added: "Did they really accuse us of cheating? Are you sure? Anyway, we have all the confidence in the FIA's role to make sure all the regulations are fully respected."

papatrips · August 8, 2012

Hi.

Firstly, thanks for reading and posting. Here below is some information on KERS:

What is KERS? 

The acronym KERS stands for]

Thanks for the info

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