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[GODfromage]

Why are F1’s 2017 rule changes being watered down?

Teams have backtracked on plans to make cars five seconds faster. TG investigates

Joe Holding

13 Jan 2016

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• FORMULA ONE
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I’ve been completely tuned out of F1 since November. What’s going on?

Remember last year, when F1 bosses agreed to reduce lap times by at least five seconds by 2017? Well, it doesn’t look like that will happen after all.

At least, not to the same degree. Pirelli made a presentation to teams before Christmas expressing concerns over the proposed regulations, which were set to bring in a huge increase in downforce as well as more mechanical grip from wider tyres.

The problem was that they would have to increase the minimum inflation pressures to 27psi in order to cope with the increase in loads through the corners. That would have made the rubber slower, not faster, thus undermining the whole point of changing the rules in the first place.

Oh. So Pirelli have ruined things once again?

Not exactly. Mercedes warned teams that this would be the case in November, although they were (not entirely unfairly) dismissed as simply trying to protect their competitive advantage.

However Pirelli had similar worries, hence their pleas for a rethink.

That wasn’t the only issue though. Many engineers believed that increasing aerodynamic downforce would make it even more difficult for cars to follow each other than it already is, in turn making racing worse.

And overtaking is rare enough already.

Fair enough. So this has nothing to with Pirelli?

It has something to do with Pirelli, but it’s not entirely their fault.

The long-term worry is that they have essentially said they cannot meet their brief based on the planned tyre dimensions for 2017, which will be frustrating to those who think the sport would be better off with a provider like Michelin.

It adds weight to the claim that Pirelli aren’t up to the job, although few envy the task they have been set by the FIA.

Building compounds which combine high performance with a range of different lifespans is desperately tricky, and it’s hard to come across as an expert when by design your product is required to be less good than is physically possible.

[Alexius]

Quote

Maldonado confirms F1 exit
Pastor Maldonado has officially confirmed he will not be on the F1 grid in 2016.

Maldonado announced the news on social media: “Today with the utmost humility I inform you that I will not be present at the starting grid for the 2016 F1 season,” he said, “thanks for all your messages of support, passion and concern for my future.”

“I feel very honoured with the support of all of you and proud of my professional performance.”

Maldonado already had a contract to continue driving for Lotus, which Renault has taken over. He brought substantial funding to the team from Venezuelan state oil producer PDVSA, but political upheaval and falling oil prices put that support in jeopardy.
The 30-year-old made his F1 debut with Williams in 2011 as the reigning GP2 champion and won the Spanish Grand Prix with them the following year. Maldonado moved to Lotus after a frustrating 2013 season. He developed a reputation for being incident-prone, picking up penalties at more than twice the rate of his rivals during his five years in F1 to date.

Maldonado’s departure hands a lifeline to Magnussen, who drove for McLaren throughout 2014 but was squeezed out of the team when it hired Fernando Alonso at the end of the year. Magnussen substituted for Alonso at the Australian Grand Prix last year but was unable to start the race due to technical problems. He was then dropped from the team’s line-up in October.

The former Lotus team will therefore begin 2015 with a completely new driver line-up, Jolyon Palmer having already been confirmed in place of Romain Grosjean.

Maldonado was the third driver from Venezuela to race in F1, following fifties racer Ettore Chimeri and Ayrton Senna’s first team mate Johnny Cecotto.

 

[DG]

Os seguros de acidente acabam de baixar 50% na F1.  

[DG]

Acabam de anunciar que este é o último ano do GP de Itália em Monza.

 

Edited March 22, 2016 by DG

[Vasco G]

A fórmula 1 está perdida

 

[GODfromage]

Paguem e a prova continua.

[DG]

As alternativas são Imola e Mugello. 

[Vasco G]

A minha preocupação é mesmo a Fórmula 1 acabar em Itália.

[Alexius]

Quote

Massa announces he will retire from F1 this year

Felipe Massa will end his 15-year career in Formula One this season, the Williams driver has confirmed.
Massa, who arrived in F1 as a 20-year-old in 2002, has spent the last three seasons of his career at the British team.
He spent the bulk of his career with Ferrari, winning 11 races with the team between 2006 and 2013. He finished second in the world championship in 2008 after an emotional finale at his home race in Brazil where he won but was powerless to stop Lewis Hamilton snatching the title on the final lap.

The following year Massa was seriously injured when he was hit by a piece of debris during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. He missed the rest of the season, and spent four more years with Ferrari before being dropped by the team.
Massa announced his impending retirement in a press conference at Monza ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

“I must start by especially thanking my wife and my father, my whole family, my manager Nicolas and all the people who have supported me throughout my career,” he said. “Thank you to God for giving me the opportunities I have had in life and, above all, for protecting me.”

“A huge thank you as well to everyone I have worked with over the years. Every team I have been a part of has been a special experience, and not only in Formula One.”

“I have so many great memories over the years and thank everyone in all the teams I have come through to help me get to where I am today. My career has been more than I ever expected and I am proud of what I have achieved.”

“Finally, it is a great honour to finish my career at such an amazing team as Williams Martini Racing. It will be an emotional day when I finally conclude my Formula One career with my 250th Grand Prix start in Abu Dhabi.”

 

[vidas]

 

[Alexius]

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Dennis steps down from McLaren

Ron Dennis has confirmed he is standing down as chairman and chief executive of McLaren Technology Group, which includes its F1 team.

In a statement issued on Tuesday Dennis claimed he has been “required” to relinquish his position at the company. Dennis said he was “disappointed” not to have retained the backing of shareholders.

Rumours had grown about Dennis’s future over the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend following reports of an approach to McLaren from a consortium of investors.
Dennis took over the team in late 1980 and steered it to a string of championship successes during his three decades as team principal.

He handed control over to Martin Whitmarsh at the beginning of 2009 while he turned his focus to McLaren’s growing road car business. But Dennis retook control of the F1 team five years later saying the company’s shareholders had “mandated me to write an exciting new chapter in the story of McLaren, beginning by improving our on-track and off-track performance”.

McLaren’s on-track fortunes took a dive in the first year of their new association with Honda in 2015. But the team has shown signs of progress this season.

Quote

 

Statement from Ron Dennis

Ron Dennis confirms that he has today been required to relinquish his duties as Chairman and Chief Executive of McLaren Technology Group (MTG), having led and grown the business and been its creative force for more than 35 years. This follows a decision by the majority shareholders to place him on gardening leave.

Dennis remains on the Boards of both MTG and McLaren Automotive Limited and a significant shareholder in both companies. He intends to honour his commitments to the group before launching a new technology investment fund later in 2017.

Dennis said: “I am disappointed that the representatives of TAG and Mumtalakat, the other main shareholders in McLaren, have forced through this decision to place me on gardening leave, despite the strong warnings from the rest of the management team about the potential consequences of their actions on the business. The grounds they have stated are entirely spurious; my management style is the same as it has always been and is one that has enabled McLaren to become an automotive and technology group that has won 20 Formula One world championships and grown into an £850 million a year business. Throughout that time I have worked closely with a series of talented colleagues to keep McLaren at the cutting edge of technology. to whom I will always be extremely grateful.”

“Ultimately it has become clear to me through this process that neither TAG nor Mumtalakat share my vision for McLaren and its true growth potential. But my first concern is to the business I have built and to its 3,500 employees. I will continue to use my significant shareholding in both companies and my seats on both boards to protect the interests and value of McLaren and help shape its future.”

“In addition I intend to launch a new technology investment fund once my contractual commitments with McLaren expire. This will capitalise on my expertise, my financial resources, together with external investment to pursue the many commercial opportunities l have been offered in recent years but have been unable to take up while being so committed to the existing business.”

 

Quote

 

Statement from McLaren

As of this afternoon Ron Dennis no longer holds the position of Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Technology Group (or its subsidiaries). However, he remains a shareholder and a director of McLaren Technology Group.

Over the past 35 years Ron’s contribution to the success of McLaren has been colossal. During his tenure the team won 17 World Championships and 158 Grands Prix, making him the most successful leader in Formula 1 history. Like the company’s founder, Bruce McLaren, Ron is and will always be one of the true greats of the sport.

McLaren Technology Group is now in the process of seeking a new Chief Executive Officer. Until such an appointment has been made, the company will be run on an interim basis by an Executive Committee comprising the Group’s majority shareholders, in close collaboration with the Board of Directors and the senior management team, all of whom remain utterly committed to the company, its partners, its employees and its fans, and share a passionate determination to build on our many strengths towards future prosperity.

 

 

[Alexius]

Quote

HONDA TO BASE ENGINE OF MERCEDES
Honda revealed recently that they would be revamping their engine for the 2017 season, changing their design and philosophy that they've been using for the past two seasons.

It has now emerged that the team will be using a split turbine and compressor concept previously used by the dominant Mercedes.

Although no details of the redesign have been revealed, sources have confirmed that Honda's F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa has given the green light to move away from the compact 'size zero' concept that has been used for the past two years.

Honda have been struggling since their return to the sport in 2015 and will hope their new design gives them a boost to get McLaren further up the grid.

The turbo will be situated at one end of the engine while the compressor will sit on the other end. These two elements of he system will be joined by a connecting shaft which was also designed by Mercedes.

The manufacturer has also been focusing on improving the internal combustion part of the engine having made significant gains on the energy recovery side of the power unit in 2016.
 

Finalmente atiraram com o conceito do size zero às couves 

[Alexius]

Quote

Ecclestone’s departure confirmed by Liberty Media as it completes F1 takeover

Liberty Media has confirmed the completion of its F1 takeover and the departure of Bernie Ecclestone as chief executive officer.

“I’m proud of the business that I built over the last 40 years and all that I have achieved with Formula One,” said Ecclestone in a statement, “and would like to thank all of the promoters, teams, sponsors and television companies that I have worked with.”

“I’m very pleased that the business has been acquired by Liberty and that it intends to invest in the future of F1. I am sure that Chase will execute his role in a way that will benefit the sport.”
Ecclestone has been given a role as “chairman emeritus”. Chase Carey has been appointed as the new CEO of F1.

“I am excited to be taking on the additional role of CEO,” said Carey, who became F1’s chairman last September.

“F1 has huge potential with multiple untapped opportunities. I have enjoyed hearing from the fans, teams, FIA, promoters and sponsors on their ideas and hopes for the sport. We will work with all of these partners to enhance the racing experience and add new dimensions to the sport and we look forward to sharing these plans overtime.”

“I would like to recognise and thank Bernie for his leadership over the decades. The sport is what it is today because of him and the talented team of executives he has led, and he will always be part of the F1 family. Bernie’s role as chairman emeritus befits his tremendous contribution to the sport and I am grateful for his continued insight and guidance as we build F1 for long-term success and the enjoyment of all those involved.”

Liberty’s purchase of Formula One values the sport at $8 billion.
 

 

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ROSS BRAWN RETURNS, WANTS A "BETTER F1" FOR THE FANS

Former Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes AMG Petronas Technical Director will return to the world of Formula One as Motor Sports Managing Director as the sport's new owners, Liberty Media, look to bring their visions to fruition.

In an official statement issued on Monday evening, Liberty Media announced that Brawn would be joined by Sean Bratches who will become Managing Director of Commercial Operations.

The announcement shows that the departure of Bernie Ecclestone will be followed also by an operational structure that is contrasting to what has preceded it.

"It's fantastic to be returning to the world of Formula 1. I've enjoyed consulting with Liberty Media these last few months and I'm looking forward to working with Chase, Sean and the rest of the Formula 1 Team to help the evolution of the sport. We have an almost unprecedented opportunity to work together with the teams and promoters for a better F1 for them and, most importantly, for the fans."

Fans the world over will no doubt be excited at the prospect of someone of Ross Brawn's stature being brought in to influence F1's sporting direction.

The move is a statement of intent from Liberty Media. They will no doubt profit should Brawn's arrival bring about an improvement in racing, however the decision also shows that the desires of the fans are being taken into acvount.

It is about time that the fans had a voice in the upper rungs of the sport and Liberty would have been hard-pressed to find someone more suitable than Brawn to give them what they want: exciting racing.
 

[NOX]

Há alguma noticia recente sobe o estado do Shummacher ?

[Alexius]

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HONDA CONFIRMA ACORDO COM A SAUBER

A Honda e a Sauber anunciaram esta manhã uma nova parceria para o fornecimento de unidades motrizes a partir de 2018. Depois de muita especulação, este acordo coloca termo a vários anos de relação da equipa de Hinwill com a Ferrari, sendo que a Sauber se torna na segunda equipa a ser fornecida pelo construtor japonês depois da McLaren. Este é um passo importante para que a Honda comece a resolver todos os seus problemas, pois com uma segunda equipa é certo que o desenvolvimento é mais rápido. Para Monisha Kaltenborn, responsável máxima da Sauber: “É um grande honra para a Sauber F1 Team poder trabalhar com a Honda nas próximas temporadas”, disse.

Ainda que isso não tenha sido divulgado publicamente, é certo que este acordo é altamente favorável para as depauperadas finanças da Sauber e mesmo que a Honda ainda demore algum tempo a recompor-se, a diferença para a Sauber em pista nunca será grande, enquanto em termos monetários as coisas serão bem diferentes, pois esta será certamente um grande balão de oxigénio para a equipa.

 

[Alexius]

 

[GODfromage]

Se querem por aquela treta não era preferível criar um cockpit fechado? 

[RedHeart]

Do ponto de vista da segurança, não faço ideia. Do ponto de vista da "aparência" ainda vai um longo caminho entre esta solução e o cockpit totalmente fechado.

Não gostaria de ver F1 com cockpit fechado. Já o shield não me faz grande impressão e acho-o infinitamente superior ao halo.

[DG]

2 hours ago, GODfromage said:

Se querem por aquela treta não era preferível criar um cockpit fechado? 

Não! 

[DG]

Se querem correr de cockpit fechado vão para os GTs. 

Edited July 14, 2017 by DG

[GODfromage]

Por mim a F1 seria sempre o Pináculo da evolução tecnológica e não devia ter limites, fosse fechando o cockpit fosse metendo asas em todos os cantos. 

[DG]

Alonso

 

[GODfromage]

What? 

[DG]

P1 na Q3 depois de passar a 0.0000000001s da bandeira de xadrez. 

[GODfromage]

Vai partir na pole?  

Edited July 15, 2017 by GODfromage