| TimStevens | 01-11-2006 07:21 PM |
[QUOTE=Ferg]I dug around for this photo of a Jordan 195-Peugeot driven by Rubens from the 1995 season. I always liked the sidepods for the smallish openings and would love to see it become a trend in F1.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726127/large.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
Thanks, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I remembered someone running something like that, but couldn't remember who. That was definitely one of the best looking cars in the decade races... shame the current Jordan or whoever they are is so ugly by comparison.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726127/large.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
Thanks, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I remembered someone running something like that, but couldn't remember who. That was definitely one of the best looking cars in the decade races... shame the current Jordan or whoever they are is so ugly by comparison.
| Ferg | 01-11-2006 07:29 PM |
I'm right there with you Tim, aside from the livery it's a sexy sexy car.
Looking at that pic just makes me long for the days of wide cars and slicks...**sigh**
Some pics from today.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726751/large.jpg[/IMG]
**here's a decent shot of Red Bull's solution for overheating...um what do you think Mr Newey?**
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726752/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726753/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726757/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726759/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726758/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726760/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726755/large.jpg[/IMG]
Looking at that pic just makes me long for the days of wide cars and slicks...**sigh**
Some pics from today.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726751/large.jpg[/IMG]
**here's a decent shot of Red Bull's solution for overheating...um what do you think Mr Newey?**
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726752/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726753/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726757/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726759/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726758/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726760/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726755/large.jpg[/IMG]
| TimStevens | 01-11-2006 08:04 PM |
Oh man... the white bimmer looks hot, the orange mclaren, the blue Williams... they need to just ban advertising :)
| artkevin | 01-11-2006 11:25 PM |
Wurz looks like hes about to turn into the Hulk :lol:
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726760/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54726760/large.jpg[/IMG]
| StuBeck | 01-11-2006 11:49 PM |
[QUOTE=Harvey_Mushman]Seems like the are resorting the the Homer Simpson-approved "speed holes" technique.
I really hope they get things headed in the right direction too. I wonder what Ferrari is doing differently to cool their lump.[/QUOTE]
That's just so the car can physically move. They are going to a new system soon. I hope.
I really hope they get things headed in the right direction too. I wonder what Ferrari is doing differently to cool their lump.[/QUOTE]
That's just so the car can physically move. They are going to a new system soon. I hope.
| Wr4wrX | 01-12-2006 12:25 AM |
[QUOTE=TimStevens]Oh man... the white bimmer looks hot, the orange mclaren, the blue Williams... they need to just ban advertising :)[/QUOTE]
Agreed.
Agreed.
| artkevin | 01-12-2006 08:17 AM |
What the hell is up with the boys at the 3 pointed star? They keep making it seem that the loss of the titles was purely the drives fault, never the car or the engine which I seem to remember failing A LOT last year!
[url]http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=107019[/url]
12 January 2006
Illien: Montoya lost our title
According to Mario Illien McLaren lost the constructors' title last season because Juan Pablo Montoya made too many mistakes and didn't bring in enough points for the British team.
Mario Illien is one of the founders of the company which builds the Mercedes F1 engines for the McLaren team. "R�ikk�nen retired three times while leading the race, but it was never down to engine problems. Losing the constructors' championship was down to Montoya who in my opinion should have brought home more points win the championship," Illien told Autosprint. "Montoya made some mistakes which a driver with his experience shouldn't make."
Kimi R�ikk�nen scored 112 points in 2005, while Montoya scored 60 points.
[url]http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=107019[/url]
12 January 2006
Illien: Montoya lost our title
According to Mario Illien McLaren lost the constructors' title last season because Juan Pablo Montoya made too many mistakes and didn't bring in enough points for the British team.
Mario Illien is one of the founders of the company which builds the Mercedes F1 engines for the McLaren team. "R�ikk�nen retired three times while leading the race, but it was never down to engine problems. Losing the constructors' championship was down to Montoya who in my opinion should have brought home more points win the championship," Illien told Autosprint. "Montoya made some mistakes which a driver with his experience shouldn't make."
Kimi R�ikk�nen scored 112 points in 2005, while Montoya scored 60 points.
| TimStevens | 01-12-2006 08:31 AM |
Holy **** I'd be fumin. Odd that McLaren, which expects so much professionalism from their drivers, is pulling this. Very, very weird.
| StuBeck | 01-12-2006 08:58 AM |
That isn't McLaren Tim, its Ilmor, the guys who make the engines which are rebadged by Mercedes. I can see where he's coming from, but I have to believe Kimi's failure in Hockenheim was down to the engine, and the other three or four times where the engine literally exploded was down to the engine.
| TimStevens | 01-12-2006 09:00 AM |
But if McLaren drivers aren't allowed to criticize the team, why should what are effective team members be allowed to criticize the drivers? Seems shifty to me.
| StuBeck | 01-12-2006 09:50 AM |
I don't think the drivers aren't allowed to critize, they just realize it doesn't make sense. I'm guessing the quote was taken out of context too. If someone makes half the points of the other person, then yes, they are to blame.
| meebs | 01-12-2006 09:53 AM |
[QUOTE=TimStevens]Thanks, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I remembered someone running something like that, but couldn't remember who. That was definitely one of the best looking cars in the decade races... shame the current Jordan or whoever they are is so ugly by comparison.[/QUOTE]
Then in 96 it started to go wrong... :(
[img]http://www.mps-photos.de/GPI1996-1-15.JPG[/img]
Then in 96 it started to go wrong... :(
[img]http://www.mps-photos.de/GPI1996-1-15.JPG[/img]
| Ferg | 01-12-2006 11:08 AM |
News from this morning.
[QUOTE]Schumacher not ruling out team switch
January 12th 2006, 10:44 GMT
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher says he will make a decision on his future plans midway through the coming season and refused on Thursday to rule out the slim possibility he might race for another team.
"If I continue after 2006 then it is 99 percent that it will be with Ferrari. I don't want to lie, I am just telling the truth, 99 percent is what it is," he told a news conference at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites on Thursday.
"In life it is simply impossible to be 100 percent certain of what is going to happen and therefore I see my future with Ferrari but who knows? We will have to keep this little percentage open," he said.
"I think it is one percent for another possibility - if I decide to continue," he said, adding that his decision would be based on how competitive Ferrari, who disappointed last season with just one win for the German, were this year.
"It doesn't mean we have to win the championship but we have to be in a position (to do so)," the seven-times Formula One World Champion said.
Schumacher also said that his wife Corinna would be involved in any decision he made over his future.
"She helps me very often to find a decision...She watches from a distance and her advice is very important to me," he said.
The German said he believed that last season's poor results had "woken up" Ferrari and he saw positive signs of progress from the team's tests so far. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Toyota to use revised TF106 in Bahrain
January 12th 2006, 15:34 GMT
Toyota's technical director Mike Gascoyne is confident the team's decision to unveil their new car early will pay off, as the Japanese squad will have time to work on a completely revised car for the start of the season.
The Cologne-based squad were the first team to start testing with their 2006 car, which hit the track for the first time in December.
Gascoyne said, however, that the TF106 will be completely revamped before the season starts in Bahrain in March.
"You always want to bring the new car out as early as possible to get reliability, get as much mileage as possible before the season starts," Gascoyne told autosport.com during testing at Jerez.
"Conversely you want to bring the car out as late as possible because you want to give yourself as much time as possible on the aero package.
"What we have chosen to do is to bring the car very early, then totally re-do the bodywork before Bahrain, which gives the best of both worlds. The down side of doing it is most of the bodywork you see on the car you will never see it race, we just throw it away.
"But we are organised about that, so as long as you do it in an organised manner you can overcome that.
"So for us it means we can get the mechanical reliability but get the best possible package on the car for the first race. You just have to be able to afford it."
When asked what changes the updated car will include, Gascoyne said: "New front wing, new front wing end plate, front brake ducts, front turning vanes, new sidepods, new diffuser, new rear tray, new bodywork on the sides, new rear wing, new rear brake ducts, rear brake drum, and new rear crash structure, and new front and rear suspensions.
"It is a fairly substantial update."
The revised car will take to the track at Vallelunga during the second week of February, before two more chassis are tested in Barcelona and then flown to Bahrain for the season opener.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Richards considering F1 return
By Jonathan Noble January 12th 2006, 14:22 GMT
Former BAR boss David Richards has admitted that he is considering a return to Formula One with his Prodrive company.
Richards has already had two spells in the sport, one with Benetton and the other most recently with BAR, and he has said that providing costs are brought down and other factors fall into place then a third assault for him cannot be ruled it.
"I would not say it is unfinished business, but Prodrive is a motorsport business and that is at the heart of everything that we do," said Richards on the main stage at the Autosport International Show.
"We are involved in most aspects of it, but we are currently not involved in F1 - although we do supply some components.
"I will only go there (into F1) when the situation allows us to be competitive and to make a profit � and the changes coming for 2008 might allow that to come to fruition."
Richards clearly believes that a new commercial package for the teams and revised rules to make racing cheaper and more exciting from 2008 may allow Prodrive to make the move.
"There will be a major change there," he said. "Those with the deepest pockets are inevitably going to win at the moment and we have got to put more back for the drivers so they can play a bigger role.
"We need more to come in terms of game play in the races to make it less predictable and that is the way to appeal to the fans � and to add some interest to the sport.
"There is no point making an engineering challenge if the drivers cannot make a difference."
When asked whether he would consider a role in helping manage F1 itself, Richards said: "Don't you think I've got enough jobs already. Let's just go one step at a time."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Schumacher not ruling out team switch
January 12th 2006, 10:44 GMT
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher says he will make a decision on his future plans midway through the coming season and refused on Thursday to rule out the slim possibility he might race for another team.
"If I continue after 2006 then it is 99 percent that it will be with Ferrari. I don't want to lie, I am just telling the truth, 99 percent is what it is," he told a news conference at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites on Thursday.
"In life it is simply impossible to be 100 percent certain of what is going to happen and therefore I see my future with Ferrari but who knows? We will have to keep this little percentage open," he said.
"I think it is one percent for another possibility - if I decide to continue," he said, adding that his decision would be based on how competitive Ferrari, who disappointed last season with just one win for the German, were this year.
"It doesn't mean we have to win the championship but we have to be in a position (to do so)," the seven-times Formula One World Champion said.
Schumacher also said that his wife Corinna would be involved in any decision he made over his future.
"She helps me very often to find a decision...She watches from a distance and her advice is very important to me," he said.
The German said he believed that last season's poor results had "woken up" Ferrari and he saw positive signs of progress from the team's tests so far. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Toyota to use revised TF106 in Bahrain
January 12th 2006, 15:34 GMT
Toyota's technical director Mike Gascoyne is confident the team's decision to unveil their new car early will pay off, as the Japanese squad will have time to work on a completely revised car for the start of the season.
The Cologne-based squad were the first team to start testing with their 2006 car, which hit the track for the first time in December.
Gascoyne said, however, that the TF106 will be completely revamped before the season starts in Bahrain in March.
"You always want to bring the new car out as early as possible to get reliability, get as much mileage as possible before the season starts," Gascoyne told autosport.com during testing at Jerez.
"Conversely you want to bring the car out as late as possible because you want to give yourself as much time as possible on the aero package.
"What we have chosen to do is to bring the car very early, then totally re-do the bodywork before Bahrain, which gives the best of both worlds. The down side of doing it is most of the bodywork you see on the car you will never see it race, we just throw it away.
"But we are organised about that, so as long as you do it in an organised manner you can overcome that.
"So for us it means we can get the mechanical reliability but get the best possible package on the car for the first race. You just have to be able to afford it."
When asked what changes the updated car will include, Gascoyne said: "New front wing, new front wing end plate, front brake ducts, front turning vanes, new sidepods, new diffuser, new rear tray, new bodywork on the sides, new rear wing, new rear brake ducts, rear brake drum, and new rear crash structure, and new front and rear suspensions.
"It is a fairly substantial update."
The revised car will take to the track at Vallelunga during the second week of February, before two more chassis are tested in Barcelona and then flown to Bahrain for the season opener.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Richards considering F1 return
By Jonathan Noble January 12th 2006, 14:22 GMT
Former BAR boss David Richards has admitted that he is considering a return to Formula One with his Prodrive company.
Richards has already had two spells in the sport, one with Benetton and the other most recently with BAR, and he has said that providing costs are brought down and other factors fall into place then a third assault for him cannot be ruled it.
"I would not say it is unfinished business, but Prodrive is a motorsport business and that is at the heart of everything that we do," said Richards on the main stage at the Autosport International Show.
"We are involved in most aspects of it, but we are currently not involved in F1 - although we do supply some components.
"I will only go there (into F1) when the situation allows us to be competitive and to make a profit � and the changes coming for 2008 might allow that to come to fruition."
Richards clearly believes that a new commercial package for the teams and revised rules to make racing cheaper and more exciting from 2008 may allow Prodrive to make the move.
"There will be a major change there," he said. "Those with the deepest pockets are inevitably going to win at the moment and we have got to put more back for the drivers so they can play a bigger role.
"We need more to come in terms of game play in the races to make it less predictable and that is the way to appeal to the fans � and to add some interest to the sport.
"There is no point making an engineering challenge if the drivers cannot make a difference."
When asked whether he would consider a role in helping manage F1 itself, Richards said: "Don't you think I've got enough jobs already. Let's just go one step at a time."[/QUOTE]
| Harvey_Mushman | 01-12-2006 12:04 PM |
[QUOTE]"If I continue after 2006 then it is 99 percent that it will be with Ferrari. I don't want to lie, I am just telling the truth, 99 percent is what it is," he told a news conference at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites on Thursday.[/QUOTE]
I have a feeling that 99% isn't 99% in this case. Something is afoot if he's even admitting to thinking, just a little bit, about leaving.
I have a feeling that 99% isn't 99% in this case. Something is afoot if he's even admitting to thinking, just a little bit, about leaving.
| Ferg | 01-12-2006 12:46 PM |
I tend to agree with that. Either he's just having some fun with the press, for which I wouldn't blame him, or he's going to jump to another team. Everyone keeps dropping Toyota's name, which would make it Schumacher Schumacher...and Ralf on his day can wipe the floor with just about anybody.
Today's testing from Jerez.
[QUOTE]Barrichello shines in Honda debut at Jerez
January 12th 2006, 17:18 GMT
McLaren's test driver Pedro de la Rosa and Honda's new recruit Rubens Barrichello finished on top of the times on the third day of testing at Jerez.
Both de la Rosa and Barrichello posted a best lap of 1:16.732, although both men were driving V10-powered cars, and it was World Champion Fernando Alonso who set the fastest time of the V8-engined cars.
Barrichello had a promising first day of work with the Honda team, the Brazilian finally testing for his new squad. The former Ferrari driver took to the track in an hybrid car fitted with a V10 engine and managed 47 laps of the Spanish track.
The Brazilian, who ended up physically tired after two and a half months of not driving, completed a handful of laps with the hybrid car fitted with the V8 engine late in the day. Despite some problems with his seat, Barrichello was pleased with his day.
Alonso also made a promising debut at the wheel of the new Renault.
The Spanish driver, testing the R26 for the first time, completed a good day for the French squad, covering 66 laps with the new machine and outpacing his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella, who today drove the old R25 car with a detuned V10 engine.
Marc Gene took over from Michael Schumacher and Luca Badoer as Ferrari continued working with both the F2004 fitted with a V8 engine and last year's V10-powered F2005. Gene completed 47 laps in the F2004 but posted his best time in the F2005.
Mark Webber also joined the Jerez test today, replacing new Williams tester Alexander Wurz in one of the two Cosworth-powered cars at the Spanish track.
The other was driven by Nico Rosberg, who managed 49 laps on his way to the seventh fastest time, but the German driver could not escape trouble again and lost valuable time as his mechanics tried to solve some electronic problems in his Williams.
Nick Heidfeld was again the man in charge of testing duties for the BMW team, the German finishing 12th quickest after losing time in the morning due to electronic problems.
Scott Speed replaced teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi at the wheel of the Toro Rosso car, the American making his official debut as their third driver. Speed did not have the best of days, suffering problems in his car.
"Things did not go as well as yesterday," said team boss Franz Tost. "This was primarily because of several red flag periods caused by other cars. But we also lost about an hour with a fuel pressure problem while Scott was doing some set-up work, as we then had to change the fuel pump.
"Nevertheless Scott was able to do a reasonable number of laps and, overall, these two days have given us a good basis on which to prepare for our next test, starting on 25th January in Barcelona."
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Tyres Time Laps
1. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:16.732 65 *
2. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:16.732 47 *
3. Alonso Renault (M) 1:18.706 66 [2006 car]
4. Gene Ferrari (B) 1:18.825 79 *
5. Webber Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:18.838 40
6. Zonta Toyota (B) 1:18.916 89 [2006 car]
7. Rosberg Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:19.048 49
8. Davidson Honda (M) 1:19.084 106
9. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:19.164 97 [2006 car]
10. Fisichella Renault (M) 1:19.462 83 *
11. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.606 87 *
12. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (M) 1:20.148 79
13. Speed Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M) 1:21.035 64 *
14. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:21.469 44 [2006 car]
* V10 engine
All Timing Unofficial[/QUOTE]
Today's testing from Jerez.
[QUOTE]Barrichello shines in Honda debut at Jerez
January 12th 2006, 17:18 GMT
McLaren's test driver Pedro de la Rosa and Honda's new recruit Rubens Barrichello finished on top of the times on the third day of testing at Jerez.
Both de la Rosa and Barrichello posted a best lap of 1:16.732, although both men were driving V10-powered cars, and it was World Champion Fernando Alonso who set the fastest time of the V8-engined cars.
Barrichello had a promising first day of work with the Honda team, the Brazilian finally testing for his new squad. The former Ferrari driver took to the track in an hybrid car fitted with a V10 engine and managed 47 laps of the Spanish track.
The Brazilian, who ended up physically tired after two and a half months of not driving, completed a handful of laps with the hybrid car fitted with the V8 engine late in the day. Despite some problems with his seat, Barrichello was pleased with his day.
Alonso also made a promising debut at the wheel of the new Renault.
The Spanish driver, testing the R26 for the first time, completed a good day for the French squad, covering 66 laps with the new machine and outpacing his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella, who today drove the old R25 car with a detuned V10 engine.
Marc Gene took over from Michael Schumacher and Luca Badoer as Ferrari continued working with both the F2004 fitted with a V8 engine and last year's V10-powered F2005. Gene completed 47 laps in the F2004 but posted his best time in the F2005.
Mark Webber also joined the Jerez test today, replacing new Williams tester Alexander Wurz in one of the two Cosworth-powered cars at the Spanish track.
The other was driven by Nico Rosberg, who managed 49 laps on his way to the seventh fastest time, but the German driver could not escape trouble again and lost valuable time as his mechanics tried to solve some electronic problems in his Williams.
Nick Heidfeld was again the man in charge of testing duties for the BMW team, the German finishing 12th quickest after losing time in the morning due to electronic problems.
Scott Speed replaced teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi at the wheel of the Toro Rosso car, the American making his official debut as their third driver. Speed did not have the best of days, suffering problems in his car.
"Things did not go as well as yesterday," said team boss Franz Tost. "This was primarily because of several red flag periods caused by other cars. But we also lost about an hour with a fuel pressure problem while Scott was doing some set-up work, as we then had to change the fuel pump.
"Nevertheless Scott was able to do a reasonable number of laps and, overall, these two days have given us a good basis on which to prepare for our next test, starting on 25th January in Barcelona."
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Tyres Time Laps
1. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:16.732 65 *
2. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:16.732 47 *
3. Alonso Renault (M) 1:18.706 66 [2006 car]
4. Gene Ferrari (B) 1:18.825 79 *
5. Webber Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:18.838 40
6. Zonta Toyota (B) 1:18.916 89 [2006 car]
7. Rosberg Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:19.048 49
8. Davidson Honda (M) 1:19.084 106
9. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:19.164 97 [2006 car]
10. Fisichella Renault (M) 1:19.462 83 *
11. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.606 87 *
12. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (M) 1:20.148 79
13. Speed Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M) 1:21.035 64 *
14. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:21.469 44 [2006 car]
* V10 engine
All Timing Unofficial[/QUOTE]
| StuBeck | 01-12-2006 02:15 PM |
Ralf Schumacher on his day doesn't happen very often though. He is very prone to mistakes, although his qualfying is usually decent. He does have the problem of not being able to pass his brother at all too.
Take that with a grain of salt though, I highly highly dislike Ralf more as a person than anything. His cowardnece before the USGP in 2001 is just one of the examples of him being an ass.
Take that with a grain of salt though, I highly highly dislike Ralf more as a person than anything. His cowardnece before the USGP in 2001 is just one of the examples of him being an ass.
| Ferg | 01-12-2006 02:45 PM |
[QUOTE=StuBeck]Ralf Schumacher on his day doesn't happen very often though. [/QUOTE]
I couldn't agree more.
What happneed at Indy in 2001? I can't remember any specific drama. I only recall Ralfie spinning the Williams off mid distance. Are you talking about 2005 when he decided to sit out the race after a tire failure? I wouldn't call that an act of cowardice, he did break his back against turn 13's wall in 2004 afterall. I imagine that played a factor.
I couldn't agree more.
What happneed at Indy in 2001? I can't remember any specific drama. I only recall Ralfie spinning the Williams off mid distance. Are you talking about 2005 when he decided to sit out the race after a tire failure? I wouldn't call that an act of cowardice, he did break his back against turn 13's wall in 2004 afterall. I imagine that played a factor.
| Ferg | 01-12-2006 03:23 PM |
Pics :)
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756734/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756730/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756728/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756729/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756723/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756733/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756735/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756725/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756734/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756730/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756728/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756729/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756723/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756733/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756735/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756725/large.jpg[/IMG]
| Wr4wrX | 01-12-2006 05:01 PM |
[QUOTE=Ferg]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756733/large.jpg[/IMG]
[/QUOTE]
Is the "O+" Rubens' blood type in the driver info box logo thing? It looks more like the number zero with a plus sign, but I don't know what that would mean.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54756733/large.jpg[/IMG]
[/QUOTE]
Is the "O+" Rubens' blood type in the driver info box logo thing? It looks more like the number zero with a plus sign, but I don't know what that would mean.
| artkevin | 01-13-2006 09:45 AM |
[QUOTE=Wr4wrX]Is the "O+" Rubens' blood type in the driver info box logo thing? It looks more like the number zero with a plus sign, but I don't know what that would mean.[/QUOTE]
Good question and good guess. I looked for pics of Button's decal and his has the "0+" thing too so I thought you were wrong but Sato's has "A+" so it looks like you are right. Ant's has the "O+" too.
Always wondered about that.
Button's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/50548.jpg[/IMG]
Sato's
[IMG]http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/32737_2.jpg[/IMG]
Ant's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/47365.jpg[/IMG]
Good question and good guess. I looked for pics of Button's decal and his has the "0+" thing too so I thought you were wrong but Sato's has "A+" so it looks like you are right. Ant's has the "O+" too.
Always wondered about that.
Button's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/50548.jpg[/IMG]
Sato's
[IMG]http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/32737_2.jpg[/IMG]
Ant's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/47365.jpg[/IMG]
| Ferg | 01-13-2006 03:21 PM |
Sorry for the lateness, sort of a hectic morning.
Today's testing report from Jerez.
[QUOTE]Alonso on top with R26 at Jerez
January 13th 2006, 16:53 GMT
World Champion Fernando Alonso continued with the promising debut of Renault's new car when he topped the times in testing at the Jerez circuit in Spain.
The Renault driver, who tested the new R26 for the first time yesterday, proved he is happy with the handling of the new French car and posted a best time of 1:18.512 to finish nearly seven tenths of a second in front of Anthony Davidson in the Honda.
The day began poorly for all the teams present at the Spanish track, where a drop of rain hindered their plans. The sun shone eventually and allowed for the track to dry up, but intermittent bouts of rain from 2pm onwards hampered the day's work and the afternoon was wasted.
Despite the rain, Alonso managed to complete 65 laps with the R26, on a day where, apart from the rain, the progress was slowed by several red flags, the session being stopped 11 times in the afternoon alone as the drivers went off track in the slippery conditions. Renault were the only team not to cause a red flag all week.
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who made his debut with the Honda team yesterday, continued acclimatising to his new squad, today driving the V8-engined car.
The poor conditions, however, allowed him to complete just 33 laps, although the Brazilian was pleased at the end of the day. Barrichello was one of few drivers who ventured out with wet weather tyres, as he wanted to test Michelins in rainy conditions for the first time.
"I only did 30 odd laps but with those laps I am quite happy," Barrichello told autosport.com.
"I learned a lot about the V8. In the morning I struggled a bit, as the set-up was just not right and Anthony was doing a good job with the tyres then, so I talked to him and I managed to get that right but then when I went out it was when when it started raining.
"I got the best time then. I am sure I could have gone faster and of course I would have preferred to have done 100 laps but it was good."
Alexander Wurz rejoined the test with the Williams team, but the Austrian had another poor day and managed just 11 laps and not only because of the weather, but also because of massive a engine blow-up in the afternoon.
Red Bull's Christian Klien also had a brief day of work after he went off track and damaged his car. The Austrian was slowest again.
"That all went very well," said Head of Race and Test Engineering, Paul Monaghan. "Christian was quite encouraged by the car's performance today, but unfortunately, an off-track excursion meant we had to bring this session to a premature end to repair the damage prior to tomorrow's Michelin wet track test."
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Tyres Time Laps
1. Alonso Renault (M) 1:18.512 65 [2006 car]
2. Davidson Honda (M) 1:19.257 68
3. Fisichella Renault (M) 1:19.784 49 *
4. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.791 47 *
5. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.845 36 *
6. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:20.030 33
7. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (M) 1:20.482 62
8. Webber Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:20.512 61
9. Wurz Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:20.918 11
10. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:21.631 23 [2006 car]
* V10 engine
All Timing Unofficial[/QUOTE]
Today's testing report from Jerez.
[QUOTE]Alonso on top with R26 at Jerez
January 13th 2006, 16:53 GMT
World Champion Fernando Alonso continued with the promising debut of Renault's new car when he topped the times in testing at the Jerez circuit in Spain.
The Renault driver, who tested the new R26 for the first time yesterday, proved he is happy with the handling of the new French car and posted a best time of 1:18.512 to finish nearly seven tenths of a second in front of Anthony Davidson in the Honda.
The day began poorly for all the teams present at the Spanish track, where a drop of rain hindered their plans. The sun shone eventually and allowed for the track to dry up, but intermittent bouts of rain from 2pm onwards hampered the day's work and the afternoon was wasted.
Despite the rain, Alonso managed to complete 65 laps with the R26, on a day where, apart from the rain, the progress was slowed by several red flags, the session being stopped 11 times in the afternoon alone as the drivers went off track in the slippery conditions. Renault were the only team not to cause a red flag all week.
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who made his debut with the Honda team yesterday, continued acclimatising to his new squad, today driving the V8-engined car.
The poor conditions, however, allowed him to complete just 33 laps, although the Brazilian was pleased at the end of the day. Barrichello was one of few drivers who ventured out with wet weather tyres, as he wanted to test Michelins in rainy conditions for the first time.
"I only did 30 odd laps but with those laps I am quite happy," Barrichello told autosport.com.
"I learned a lot about the V8. In the morning I struggled a bit, as the set-up was just not right and Anthony was doing a good job with the tyres then, so I talked to him and I managed to get that right but then when I went out it was when when it started raining.
"I got the best time then. I am sure I could have gone faster and of course I would have preferred to have done 100 laps but it was good."
Alexander Wurz rejoined the test with the Williams team, but the Austrian had another poor day and managed just 11 laps and not only because of the weather, but also because of massive a engine blow-up in the afternoon.
Red Bull's Christian Klien also had a brief day of work after he went off track and damaged his car. The Austrian was slowest again.
"That all went very well," said Head of Race and Test Engineering, Paul Monaghan. "Christian was quite encouraged by the car's performance today, but unfortunately, an off-track excursion meant we had to bring this session to a premature end to repair the damage prior to tomorrow's Michelin wet track test."
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Tyres Time Laps
1. Alonso Renault (M) 1:18.512 65 [2006 car]
2. Davidson Honda (M) 1:19.257 68
3. Fisichella Renault (M) 1:19.784 49 *
4. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.791 47 *
5. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.845 36 *
6. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:20.030 33
7. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (M) 1:20.482 62
8. Webber Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:20.512 61
9. Wurz Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:20.918 11
10. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:21.631 23 [2006 car]
* V10 engine
All Timing Unofficial[/QUOTE]
| Ferg | 01-13-2006 03:25 PM |
More news..
[QUOTE]Barrichello 'shocked' by V8 engine
January 13th 2006, 09:39 GMT
New Honda driver Rubens Barrichello said he was shocked after driving a V8-engined car for the first time on Thursday.
"It was a shock, a big shock to the system," the Brazilian told autosport.com at Jerez. "The first feeling was shock, I did not get used to it at all."
Barrichello made his debut with the Honda team yesterday after six seasons at the Ferrari team, and he enjoyed a promising start when he finished on top of the times with last year's car fitted with a V10 engine.
He then tested the hybrid car with the new V8 for a couple of laps.
"It was nice to get into the car, so I know what it is like, so I know what to expect," he added.
"But the thing I am more worried at the moment is the seat fitting. I am moving too much inside the car, so you burn energy inside without any need, so I have to work a bit more."
Barrichello admitted after the test that, having been outside a cockpit for over two months, his body had taken its toll.
"It was the first time in my whole life that I stayed out of the car for two and a half months so obviously the body was suffering a bit."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Alonso concerned about Bridgestone form
January 13th 2006, 10:15 GMT
World Champion Fernando Alonso says he is concerned Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone could be back on top of its game following a dismal 2005.
Ferrari and Bridgestone were dominant in 2004, scoring 15 wins in 18 races, but only took one victory last season as the Michelin-shod teams dominated thanks in part to the one-tyre rule.
But rules have changed for this year and tyre changes will be back.
Bridgestone will also count on two more teams - Williams and Toyota - to carry out its development work.
And after seeing Bridgestone's performance in winter testing, Renault driver Alonso is hoping Michelin will react.
"It looks like Bridgestone is in very good shape and I'm afraid they could have another season like two years ago and dominate the way they did," Alonso told reporters during testing at the Jerez circuit.
"I hope Michelin does something to avoid that."
When asked who are the rivals he fears most for 2006, the Spaniard had no doubts.
"Michael Schumacher," he said.
But Alonso, who will leave the Renault team after this season, has warned that his motivation has not changed despite having achieved his goals last year.
"I never lose any ambition and if we started a football game right now I would play as motivated as ever. I never change my level of ambition," Alonso added.
"The best I can do this year is become champion again and that's what I'm going to focus on and what I'm going to fight for."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]BMW sign Toet as chief aerodynamicist
January 13th 2006, 10:24 GMT
The BMW Sauber team will boost their aerodynamics division, with the announcement that Willem Toet will join them in mid-March as their new chief aerodynamicist.
Toet had left the Honda team at the end of last year.
"Signing up Willem Toet marks a key step in the expansion of the BMW Sauber F1 Team's aerodynamics department at Hinwil," said BMW motorsport chief Mario Theissen.
"Willem Toet looks back on more than 20 years of Formula One experience in this field and will find in Hinwil a first-rate wind tunnel and exceptional computer facilities.
"He will support us in the further expansion of the department's staff and will provide input for the design of the car for season 2007."
53-year old Toet has been working in Formula One since 1985, when he joined the Toleman team.
At the end of 1994 he joined Ferrari, where he worked as aerodynamics chief for four years before returning to England to work with BAR, now Honda, as senior aerodynamicist.
"I'm really looking forward to the job," he said. "Any development phase is by nature very intensive and affords a lot of opportunities. I will be doing my utmost to help the BMW Sauber team on the road to success."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Ferrari say no pressure on Rossi
By Michele Lostia January 13th 2006, 14:13 GMT
Ferrari boss Jean Todt says the Italian team will not put any pressure on MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi to make a switch to Formula One.
The Italian rider has been testing for Ferrari recently and has been linked with a possible full-time race drive with the team in 2007, especially if Michael Schumacher decides to retire when his contract expires.
But Todt has said that it will be only down to Rossi to decide whether he wants to move to four wheels.
"He will be the one deciding whether he wants to try to or not, and we won't put pressure on him," Todt told reporters at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites.
"His future in F1 is only down to him and his abilities, that is whether he'll be able to be up to it or not."
Todt, whose team will lose main sponsor Vodafone after this year, also denied that a new sponsor could have a say in Ferrari's decision to sign Rossi.
"Absolutely not," he said. "No sponsor in Ferrari has ever been tied to a single person. The deals are made with Ferrari, and Ferrari then decide, in complete autonomy, who drives the car. It's always been like that."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Ecclestone: US GP future undecided
By Jonathan Noble January 13th 2006, 13:41 GMT
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said that there is no guarantee the United States Grand Prix will remain on the calendar after 2006.
Following the farce of last year's event, where only six cars raced following tyre problems suffered by the Michelin runners, there had been worries that Indianapolis would not even want F1 back this year.
But although the 2006 event is going ahead, Ecclestone has said that nothing is certain beyond this year - especially with the track's F1 contract running out this season.
"The deal finishes this year," he said at the Autosport International Show. "For 2007, the answer at the moment is let's see."
Speaking to guests at the Sid Watkins Safety Fund Lecture, Ecclestone was asked whether he thought there would be a good turnout this year.
"What, of teams?" he joked, before admitting that he 'didn't know' how many spectators would attend the race.
Ecclestone also re-iterated his belief that there was nothing that could have been done to allow last year's race to take place with a full field, even though teams argued at the time that a simple chicane would have allowed the Michelin runners to compete.
"If they had insisted on putting in a chicane it would have been against the regulations," he said, before claiming that the sport's bosses could have been punished if anything had gone wrong after the chicane was installed.
"The circuit has got to be checked 90 days before a race. Had someone been killed then the person responsible for the changes would have been on one of those flat slabs they have in the USA and given an injection. We could not take the risk."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Barrichello 'shocked' by V8 engine
January 13th 2006, 09:39 GMT
New Honda driver Rubens Barrichello said he was shocked after driving a V8-engined car for the first time on Thursday.
"It was a shock, a big shock to the system," the Brazilian told autosport.com at Jerez. "The first feeling was shock, I did not get used to it at all."
Barrichello made his debut with the Honda team yesterday after six seasons at the Ferrari team, and he enjoyed a promising start when he finished on top of the times with last year's car fitted with a V10 engine.
He then tested the hybrid car with the new V8 for a couple of laps.
"It was nice to get into the car, so I know what it is like, so I know what to expect," he added.
"But the thing I am more worried at the moment is the seat fitting. I am moving too much inside the car, so you burn energy inside without any need, so I have to work a bit more."
Barrichello admitted after the test that, having been outside a cockpit for over two months, his body had taken its toll.
"It was the first time in my whole life that I stayed out of the car for two and a half months so obviously the body was suffering a bit."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Alonso concerned about Bridgestone form
January 13th 2006, 10:15 GMT
World Champion Fernando Alonso says he is concerned Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone could be back on top of its game following a dismal 2005.
Ferrari and Bridgestone were dominant in 2004, scoring 15 wins in 18 races, but only took one victory last season as the Michelin-shod teams dominated thanks in part to the one-tyre rule.
But rules have changed for this year and tyre changes will be back.
Bridgestone will also count on two more teams - Williams and Toyota - to carry out its development work.
And after seeing Bridgestone's performance in winter testing, Renault driver Alonso is hoping Michelin will react.
"It looks like Bridgestone is in very good shape and I'm afraid they could have another season like two years ago and dominate the way they did," Alonso told reporters during testing at the Jerez circuit.
"I hope Michelin does something to avoid that."
When asked who are the rivals he fears most for 2006, the Spaniard had no doubts.
"Michael Schumacher," he said.
But Alonso, who will leave the Renault team after this season, has warned that his motivation has not changed despite having achieved his goals last year.
"I never lose any ambition and if we started a football game right now I would play as motivated as ever. I never change my level of ambition," Alonso added.
"The best I can do this year is become champion again and that's what I'm going to focus on and what I'm going to fight for."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]BMW sign Toet as chief aerodynamicist
January 13th 2006, 10:24 GMT
The BMW Sauber team will boost their aerodynamics division, with the announcement that Willem Toet will join them in mid-March as their new chief aerodynamicist.
Toet had left the Honda team at the end of last year.
"Signing up Willem Toet marks a key step in the expansion of the BMW Sauber F1 Team's aerodynamics department at Hinwil," said BMW motorsport chief Mario Theissen.
"Willem Toet looks back on more than 20 years of Formula One experience in this field and will find in Hinwil a first-rate wind tunnel and exceptional computer facilities.
"He will support us in the further expansion of the department's staff and will provide input for the design of the car for season 2007."
53-year old Toet has been working in Formula One since 1985, when he joined the Toleman team.
At the end of 1994 he joined Ferrari, where he worked as aerodynamics chief for four years before returning to England to work with BAR, now Honda, as senior aerodynamicist.
"I'm really looking forward to the job," he said. "Any development phase is by nature very intensive and affords a lot of opportunities. I will be doing my utmost to help the BMW Sauber team on the road to success."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Ferrari say no pressure on Rossi
By Michele Lostia January 13th 2006, 14:13 GMT
Ferrari boss Jean Todt says the Italian team will not put any pressure on MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi to make a switch to Formula One.
The Italian rider has been testing for Ferrari recently and has been linked with a possible full-time race drive with the team in 2007, especially if Michael Schumacher decides to retire when his contract expires.
But Todt has said that it will be only down to Rossi to decide whether he wants to move to four wheels.
"He will be the one deciding whether he wants to try to or not, and we won't put pressure on him," Todt told reporters at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites.
"His future in F1 is only down to him and his abilities, that is whether he'll be able to be up to it or not."
Todt, whose team will lose main sponsor Vodafone after this year, also denied that a new sponsor could have a say in Ferrari's decision to sign Rossi.
"Absolutely not," he said. "No sponsor in Ferrari has ever been tied to a single person. The deals are made with Ferrari, and Ferrari then decide, in complete autonomy, who drives the car. It's always been like that."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Ecclestone: US GP future undecided
By Jonathan Noble January 13th 2006, 13:41 GMT
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said that there is no guarantee the United States Grand Prix will remain on the calendar after 2006.
Following the farce of last year's event, where only six cars raced following tyre problems suffered by the Michelin runners, there had been worries that Indianapolis would not even want F1 back this year.
But although the 2006 event is going ahead, Ecclestone has said that nothing is certain beyond this year - especially with the track's F1 contract running out this season.
"The deal finishes this year," he said at the Autosport International Show. "For 2007, the answer at the moment is let's see."
Speaking to guests at the Sid Watkins Safety Fund Lecture, Ecclestone was asked whether he thought there would be a good turnout this year.
"What, of teams?" he joked, before admitting that he 'didn't know' how many spectators would attend the race.
Ecclestone also re-iterated his belief that there was nothing that could have been done to allow last year's race to take place with a full field, even though teams argued at the time that a simple chicane would have allowed the Michelin runners to compete.
"If they had insisted on putting in a chicane it would have been against the regulations," he said, before claiming that the sport's bosses could have been punished if anything had gone wrong after the chicane was installed.
"The circuit has got to be checked 90 days before a race. Had someone been killed then the person responsible for the changes would have been on one of those flat slabs they have in the USA and given an injection. We could not take the risk."[/QUOTE]
| Student Driver | 01-13-2006 03:55 PM |
[QUOTE=Ferg]Sorry for the lateness, sort of a hectic morning.
Today's testing report from Jerez.[/QUOTE]
Pffft, whatever. You kick a$$ for doing this at all. I just thought there was nothing going on this late in the day... :)
Today's testing report from Jerez.[/QUOTE]
Pffft, whatever. You kick a$$ for doing this at all. I just thought there was nothing going on this late in the day... :)
| artkevin | 01-13-2006 04:30 PM |
[QUOTE=Student Driver]Pffft, whatever. You kick a$$ for doing this at all. I just thought there was nothing going on this late in the day... :)[/QUOTE]
I for one am stuck in a slow show room half way across the country waiting for Ferg's update. Since he waited so long to update I have been kicked off of 3 furoms asking if anyone has seen him. :)
I for one am stuck in a slow show room half way across the country waiting for Ferg's update. Since he waited so long to update I have been kicked off of 3 furoms asking if anyone has seen him. :)
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:34 PM |
[QUOTE=artkevin]Good question and good guess. I looked for pics of Button's decal and his has the "0+" thing too so I thought you were wrong but Sato's has "A+" so it looks like you are right. Ant's has the "O+" too.
Always wondered about that.
Button's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/50548.jpg[/IMG]
Sato's
[IMG]http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/32737_2.jpg[/IMG]
Ant's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/47365.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
It's also on the back of their helments for the EMT's to use if necessary.
Always wondered about that.
Button's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/50548.jpg[/IMG]
Sato's
[IMG]http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/32737_2.jpg[/IMG]
Ant's
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/47365.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
It's also on the back of their helments for the EMT's to use if necessary.
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:36 PM |
Great Expectations: interview with Mike Gascoyne
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Great Expectations: interview with Mike Gascoyne
Finishing fourth in the 2005 Constructors' Championship, in their fourth F1 season, has raised the stakes for Toyota ahead of the 2006 season. The team have come of age, and with three experienced drivers and an enviable budget, technical director Mike Gascoyne is determined to take his team to the top stage
By Jonathan Noble
autosport.com's GP editor
A few years ago it would have been inconceivable for any of Formula One's big guns to consider risking their futures with Toyota.
The doubters believed that the Japanese manufacturer would never make it to the top of the sport - claiming they would be hindered by too much management interference from the big bosses in Tokyo and a lack of patience in trying to achieve results as quickly as possible.
How times have changed.
Heading into 2006, the buoyant team are surrounded by rumours linking them with Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen and their car already appears to have the potential to be a winner in the new season.
In fact, if there were any doubts about Toyota's arrival as a 'Big Player', to use Willi Weber's phrase of this week, they were swiftly wiped away on the first morning of winter testing at the end of last year.
As most teams gathered in Barcelona in late November to begin development work on their interim models, Toyota stole a march on their rivals, and surprised the media to boot, when they chose to 'launch' their 2006 challenger.
That decision delivered a message not only about Toyota's commitment, but also about how the vast resources that the outfit enjoy are allowing the team to do things that some of their budget-strapped rivals are unable to do.
Fresh from the late season major revamp of the TF105 into the TF105B, Toyota pulled out all the stops to introduce their TF106 more than three months before the start of the 2006 campaign - and they are still working flat out to bring a host of developments onto the car before the season starts.
In terms of introducing new cars, there has been the traditional view that there are two options for teams. Bring your car out early to iron out reliability problems before the start of the season but lose valuable wind-tunnel time allowing you to hone its aerodynamics. Or launch late, maximising the time in the wind-tunnel to perfect its design, but run the risk of not sorting out any mechanical troubles.
For Toyota, though, there has become a third way. Launch the car early to iron out the reliability issues but then continue devoting resources to upgrading the car and fine-tuning the aerodynamics. It's an expensive way of doing things, because in effect you will design and build a lot of parts that will never get raced, but if you have got the money to do it, then it makes perfect sense.
Technical director Mike Gascoyne is adamant that the team's approach is spot on - even though he acknowledged it may not be the cheapest in this time when 'cost-cuts' is an F1 buzzword.
"If you roll the car out early and re-bodywork it as late as possible, then you get the best of both worlds," he said from his office at Toyota's headquarters in Cologne. "The downside is that you throw away a lot of bits that you never go racing with, even though you have to design and make those parts.
"If you start early and choose that route then it works very well. We are not producing our final aero package until the second or third week of February, and we couldn't roll the whole car out that late."
There is little doubt that Toyota's decision to go early with their car has allowed the team to get a huge head start in understanding their new machine - something that is even more important for them after their switch to Bridgestone tyres.
As testing resumed this week, and ahead of the team's official launch in France on Saturday, Gascoyne is pretty content with the way that the TF106 programme has gone so far. There have been a few niggles, but then again that is exactly why a team goes out there for testing.
"It's been reasonably good," he says. "Obviously most of our work has been concerned with Bridgestone and getting the car set up around the tyres - so we can understand what sort of problems we are going to have. In general, that has been pretty positive.
"On the tyre front, we've hit the ground running and having the car out early was part of that process. We have a good technical relationship with Bridgestone already and undoubtedly the change in regulations (to allow tyre changes again) is something that takes away one of their major weaknesses. I think everyone is positive about them.
"Both drivers like the feel of the car and are happy with it. Aerodynamically, it is not as its final version yet, and we have got a big new package coming on that front. But mechanically it is a big step up, it's been reliable, it's done some reasonable mileage, and I think we are a long way ahead of the game. To have done all that testing last year, knowing what you need to do to go forward and solve problems, was very useful."
Getting reliability spot on is going to be more important than ever this season - with all-new V8 engines thrust into action. Some manufacturers had enough trouble getting tried-and-tested V10s to last two races in 2005, and now they will have to achieve that task with higher-revving smaller power-units.
Ally those demands to an increased mileage in qualifying and there is the chance of big penalties for those car makers who do not get on top of their reliability. The start of the season will, according to Gascoyne, deliver rich rewards for those who can complete the miles.
"The change to V8 will undoubtedly affect people from a reliability point early on - especially with the two-race thing," he explains. "That will provide plenty of varied results at the start of the season. People are talking up that Renault and McLaren will be very strong, but I think it will be pretty varied."
Gascoyne has been through too many seasons in the sport to know that nothing can be taken for granted with a new car. The job a team does is only in the end judged by how that compares to the opposition.
And with winter testing throwing up this time around so many different car/engine configurations (V8s, restricted V10s, V10s simulating V8s, etc) the job of trying to gauge where a team stands is harder than it has been for some time.
"I think it's going to be difficult to tell where everyone stands for a little while yet. Certainly from testing with the other Bridgestone runners, we think we are in reasonably good shape, but it is hard to know in winter testing what fuel levels people are running and what people are doing with their engines.
"But I think one of the things that you can say about us as an organisation now is that we are not a new team any more. And if you look at the level of progress from 2004 to 2005, then I think we are continuing that and we are in a situation where we know what we are doing, and that should be good enough.
"You can always sit there and try to analyse what everyone else it up to, but you've got to get on with your own programme. The people at the front are not following anyone else and we will do our own thing as well."
Gascoyne believes that Toyota have now truly come of age. Such is the complexity involved in designing a top-line F1 car that it takes years to get the organisation in place to make it happen.
He spent his first year at the team purely sorting the infrastructure out and, although the TF105 was the first car that he was able to get some proper input into from the start, he still thinks the process of necessary improvement had not reached its conclusion yet.
Only now, after two full years at Toyota, does he think that the team are delivering something that is worthy of their full potential.
"I think this year ultimately we have designed a quicker car," he says. "When I arrived it was a year until we rolled the car out and we spent that year getting things right. There was very little time before 2005 to implement procedures, but now we are a further year down the process.
"Just from the designing-a-car point of view, we are 15 months on from that point, not three months, and we've built on 2005. We've developed, in-house, a style that is more experienced at doing things correctly and I think that will be evident come Bahrain."
The focus on an improved Toyota will not just be on their car this year, though, because both their drivers are heading into 2006 with points to prove. Jarno Trulli still has to shake off his 'good qualifier/poor racer' tag despite some strong podium finishes last year, while Ralf Schumacher will have to further justify his high wages, after being outperformed by his teammate for much of last year.
Gascoyne is not unduly worried about his driver pairing. He worked with Trulli at Renault and is aware of the criticisms the Italian gets for his race pace, but he insists that it is much the team's responsibility to sort the situation out as it is the driver.
"I think Jarno showed in Bahrain and Malaysia last year that if we give him the car, then he can deliver," explains Gascoyne. "He is a very sensitive driver and very, very good at not chasing the car over the first two days of a race meeting. It means he then has a car that he knows really well and he uses that knowledge to his advantage in qualifying.
"But if the balance changes after qualifying then he is very sensitive to that. When he drove alongside Fernando at Renault, we saw that when the car changes, Alonso is much better at coping with it.
"I think that if we can give him a car that has the same balance in the race as it does in qualifying, then he can produce the same pace. He does struggle if the car changes, and I think it is our job to give him a car that gives him that confidence."
That job, of giving a car that Trulli feels comfortable with, manifested itself in the first running of the TF106. The Italian had been unhappy with the steering characteristics of the TF105B at the end of last season and, with the front-end of that car being brought into the 2006 model, that lack of feel from the front of the car left him slightly concerned.
"The car (the TF105B) was very different, it had a very different feeling, and Jarno had very little time to get used to it," continues Gascoyne. "We made a late call to go with it and he had very little time in the car, which made it a struggle for him.
"It had a lot better front end and it fixed a problem which Jarno did not have. What we have done with the TF106 is align that (the new front) with a much better rear-end and that has rebalanced the car. And he has had more time to get used to the different feel.
"The problems he did experience (at the first test) have evaporated, and to be honest we didn't need to do much. The problems went away, as did his grizzles. He is very, very positive and very happy and having time in the car has helped him."
Of course, Trulli's loss with the front-end of the TF105B was teammate Schumacher's gain. He revelled with the new feeling he got from the front of the car and secured his first pole in a Toyota at Japan before finishing on the podium in China. His end of season results leapfrogged him ahead of Trulli in the points table, despite being outpaced for much of the year.
Gascoyne thinks that Trulli's performances in 2005 will have acted as a wake-up call to Schumacher - who will be determined to not let himself lose out in the inter-team battle this season.
"I always said before they drove together that Jarno was going to qualify well and Ralf was going to be strong in the races," explained Gascoyne. "I think Ralf would look back at last year and think he was closer to Jarno's pace in the races, but if you start five places further behind all the time then you are going to struggle.
"For sure, he struggled with the feel of the car, but I think he is now feeling pretty confident for a stronger performance."
It appears that everything is in place for Toyota to go one step better than last season, and deliver that elusive maiden victory. Gascoyne himself is never one to hold back in making bold predictions - it is his bullishness that makes him so well liked by the F1 media - but even he is reluctant to talk things up too much next year.
The team have few complaints about how they performed in 2005, even though the United States Grand Prix farce almost certainly cost them third overall in the Constructors' Championship. But that maiden win is clearly what the team are desperate to achieve. Gascoyne feels the same.
"I think personally, yes, it has to be a target," he says. "If you look to do better as an organisation, then obviously you have got to stand on the top step.
"Certainly when I was at Renault it was in our third year that we won a race, and it is a very natural progression. So from my own personal point of view, I would be disappointed if we did not do it, but there are a lot of factors in it, like tyres, and for sure there has to be some luck."
But if there is talk about wins then obviously there has to be a thought given to a championship challenge. Could Toyota's early start give them enough of an advantage at the start of the year to allow them to enter the title chase?
"I think any team, once you are in the top four - and Toyota were top four, even a top three team taking Indy out of it, and it would be wrong to design a car that you think couldn't challenge," admits Gascoyne.
"We have got momentum with us, it is easy to make grandiose claims and I don't want to do, but I think you can say we are confident for the season ahead."
Finishing fourth in the 2005 Constructors' Championship, in their fourth F1 season, has raised the stakes for Toyota ahead of the 2006 season. The team have come of age, and with three experienced drivers and an enviable budget, technical director Mike Gascoyne is determined to take his team to the top stage
By Jonathan Noble
autosport.com's GP editor
A few years ago it would have been inconceivable for any of Formula One's big guns to consider risking their futures with Toyota.
The doubters believed that the Japanese manufacturer would never make it to the top of the sport - claiming they would be hindered by too much management interference from the big bosses in Tokyo and a lack of patience in trying to achieve results as quickly as possible.
How times have changed.
Heading into 2006, the buoyant team are surrounded by rumours linking them with Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen and their car already appears to have the potential to be a winner in the new season.
In fact, if there were any doubts about Toyota's arrival as a 'Big Player', to use Willi Weber's phrase of this week, they were swiftly wiped away on the first morning of winter testing at the end of last year.
As most teams gathered in Barcelona in late November to begin development work on their interim models, Toyota stole a march on their rivals, and surprised the media to boot, when they chose to 'launch' their 2006 challenger.
That decision delivered a message not only about Toyota's commitment, but also about how the vast resources that the outfit enjoy are allowing the team to do things that some of their budget-strapped rivals are unable to do.
Fresh from the late season major revamp of the TF105 into the TF105B, Toyota pulled out all the stops to introduce their TF106 more than three months before the start of the 2006 campaign - and they are still working flat out to bring a host of developments onto the car before the season starts.
In terms of introducing new cars, there has been the traditional view that there are two options for teams. Bring your car out early to iron out reliability problems before the start of the season but lose valuable wind-tunnel time allowing you to hone its aerodynamics. Or launch late, maximising the time in the wind-tunnel to perfect its design, but run the risk of not sorting out any mechanical troubles.
For Toyota, though, there has become a third way. Launch the car early to iron out the reliability issues but then continue devoting resources to upgrading the car and fine-tuning the aerodynamics. It's an expensive way of doing things, because in effect you will design and build a lot of parts that will never get raced, but if you have got the money to do it, then it makes perfect sense.
Technical director Mike Gascoyne is adamant that the team's approach is spot on - even though he acknowledged it may not be the cheapest in this time when 'cost-cuts' is an F1 buzzword.
"If you roll the car out early and re-bodywork it as late as possible, then you get the best of both worlds," he said from his office at Toyota's headquarters in Cologne. "The downside is that you throw away a lot of bits that you never go racing with, even though you have to design and make those parts.
"If you start early and choose that route then it works very well. We are not producing our final aero package until the second or third week of February, and we couldn't roll the whole car out that late."
There is little doubt that Toyota's decision to go early with their car has allowed the team to get a huge head start in understanding their new machine - something that is even more important for them after their switch to Bridgestone tyres.
As testing resumed this week, and ahead of the team's official launch in France on Saturday, Gascoyne is pretty content with the way that the TF106 programme has gone so far. There have been a few niggles, but then again that is exactly why a team goes out there for testing.
"It's been reasonably good," he says. "Obviously most of our work has been concerned with Bridgestone and getting the car set up around the tyres - so we can understand what sort of problems we are going to have. In general, that has been pretty positive.
"On the tyre front, we've hit the ground running and having the car out early was part of that process. We have a good technical relationship with Bridgestone already and undoubtedly the change in regulations (to allow tyre changes again) is something that takes away one of their major weaknesses. I think everyone is positive about them.
"Both drivers like the feel of the car and are happy with it. Aerodynamically, it is not as its final version yet, and we have got a big new package coming on that front. But mechanically it is a big step up, it's been reliable, it's done some reasonable mileage, and I think we are a long way ahead of the game. To have done all that testing last year, knowing what you need to do to go forward and solve problems, was very useful."
Getting reliability spot on is going to be more important than ever this season - with all-new V8 engines thrust into action. Some manufacturers had enough trouble getting tried-and-tested V10s to last two races in 2005, and now they will have to achieve that task with higher-revving smaller power-units.
Ally those demands to an increased mileage in qualifying and there is the chance of big penalties for those car makers who do not get on top of their reliability. The start of the season will, according to Gascoyne, deliver rich rewards for those who can complete the miles.
"The change to V8 will undoubtedly affect people from a reliability point early on - especially with the two-race thing," he explains. "That will provide plenty of varied results at the start of the season. People are talking up that Renault and McLaren will be very strong, but I think it will be pretty varied."
Gascoyne has been through too many seasons in the sport to know that nothing can be taken for granted with a new car. The job a team does is only in the end judged by how that compares to the opposition.
And with winter testing throwing up this time around so many different car/engine configurations (V8s, restricted V10s, V10s simulating V8s, etc) the job of trying to gauge where a team stands is harder than it has been for some time.
"I think it's going to be difficult to tell where everyone stands for a little while yet. Certainly from testing with the other Bridgestone runners, we think we are in reasonably good shape, but it is hard to know in winter testing what fuel levels people are running and what people are doing with their engines.
"But I think one of the things that you can say about us as an organisation now is that we are not a new team any more. And if you look at the level of progress from 2004 to 2005, then I think we are continuing that and we are in a situation where we know what we are doing, and that should be good enough.
"You can always sit there and try to analyse what everyone else it up to, but you've got to get on with your own programme. The people at the front are not following anyone else and we will do our own thing as well."
Gascoyne believes that Toyota have now truly come of age. Such is the complexity involved in designing a top-line F1 car that it takes years to get the organisation in place to make it happen.
He spent his first year at the team purely sorting the infrastructure out and, although the TF105 was the first car that he was able to get some proper input into from the start, he still thinks the process of necessary improvement had not reached its conclusion yet.
Only now, after two full years at Toyota, does he think that the team are delivering something that is worthy of their full potential.
"I think this year ultimately we have designed a quicker car," he says. "When I arrived it was a year until we rolled the car out and we spent that year getting things right. There was very little time before 2005 to implement procedures, but now we are a further year down the process.
"Just from the designing-a-car point of view, we are 15 months on from that point, not three months, and we've built on 2005. We've developed, in-house, a style that is more experienced at doing things correctly and I think that will be evident come Bahrain."
The focus on an improved Toyota will not just be on their car this year, though, because both their drivers are heading into 2006 with points to prove. Jarno Trulli still has to shake off his 'good qualifier/poor racer' tag despite some strong podium finishes last year, while Ralf Schumacher will have to further justify his high wages, after being outperformed by his teammate for much of last year.
Gascoyne is not unduly worried about his driver pairing. He worked with Trulli at Renault and is aware of the criticisms the Italian gets for his race pace, but he insists that it is much the team's responsibility to sort the situation out as it is the driver.
"I think Jarno showed in Bahrain and Malaysia last year that if we give him the car, then he can deliver," explains Gascoyne. "He is a very sensitive driver and very, very good at not chasing the car over the first two days of a race meeting. It means he then has a car that he knows really well and he uses that knowledge to his advantage in qualifying.
"But if the balance changes after qualifying then he is very sensitive to that. When he drove alongside Fernando at Renault, we saw that when the car changes, Alonso is much better at coping with it.
"I think that if we can give him a car that has the same balance in the race as it does in qualifying, then he can produce the same pace. He does struggle if the car changes, and I think it is our job to give him a car that gives him that confidence."
That job, of giving a car that Trulli feels comfortable with, manifested itself in the first running of the TF106. The Italian had been unhappy with the steering characteristics of the TF105B at the end of last season and, with the front-end of that car being brought into the 2006 model, that lack of feel from the front of the car left him slightly concerned.
"The car (the TF105B) was very different, it had a very different feeling, and Jarno had very little time to get used to it," continues Gascoyne. "We made a late call to go with it and he had very little time in the car, which made it a struggle for him.
"It had a lot better front end and it fixed a problem which Jarno did not have. What we have done with the TF106 is align that (the new front) with a much better rear-end and that has rebalanced the car. And he has had more time to get used to the different feel.
"The problems he did experience (at the first test) have evaporated, and to be honest we didn't need to do much. The problems went away, as did his grizzles. He is very, very positive and very happy and having time in the car has helped him."
Of course, Trulli's loss with the front-end of the TF105B was teammate Schumacher's gain. He revelled with the new feeling he got from the front of the car and secured his first pole in a Toyota at Japan before finishing on the podium in China. His end of season results leapfrogged him ahead of Trulli in the points table, despite being outpaced for much of the year.
Gascoyne thinks that Trulli's performances in 2005 will have acted as a wake-up call to Schumacher - who will be determined to not let himself lose out in the inter-team battle this season.
"I always said before they drove together that Jarno was going to qualify well and Ralf was going to be strong in the races," explained Gascoyne. "I think Ralf would look back at last year and think he was closer to Jarno's pace in the races, but if you start five places further behind all the time then you are going to struggle.
"For sure, he struggled with the feel of the car, but I think he is now feeling pretty confident for a stronger performance."
It appears that everything is in place for Toyota to go one step better than last season, and deliver that elusive maiden victory. Gascoyne himself is never one to hold back in making bold predictions - it is his bullishness that makes him so well liked by the F1 media - but even he is reluctant to talk things up too much next year.
The team have few complaints about how they performed in 2005, even though the United States Grand Prix farce almost certainly cost them third overall in the Constructors' Championship. But that maiden win is clearly what the team are desperate to achieve. Gascoyne feels the same.
"I think personally, yes, it has to be a target," he says. "If you look to do better as an organisation, then obviously you have got to stand on the top step.
"Certainly when I was at Renault it was in our third year that we won a race, and it is a very natural progression. So from my own personal point of view, I would be disappointed if we did not do it, but there are a lot of factors in it, like tyres, and for sure there has to be some luck."
But if there is talk about wins then obviously there has to be a thought given to a championship challenge. Could Toyota's early start give them enough of an advantage at the start of the year to allow them to enter the title chase?
"I think any team, once you are in the top four - and Toyota were top four, even a top three team taking Indy out of it, and it would be wrong to design a car that you think couldn't challenge," admits Gascoyne.
"We have got momentum with us, it is easy to make grandiose claims and I don't want to do, but I think you can say we are confident for the season ahead."
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:39 PM |
Absolute Beginners : Super Aguri F1 PT 1
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Absolute Beginners
With Super Aguri all but confirmed to enter as the 11th Formula One team this season, the Japanese squad face a mammoth task of getting ready for the Bahrain Grand Prix grid in just a few weeks. Running four year old cars to begin with, and with their drivers line up unconfirmed, Aguri Suzuki's team needs a miracle or two to make a respectable entry into the sport. Will Gray talked to some of Suzuki's predecessors to find out what it's like to be an absolute beginner in the sport
By Will Gray
autosport.com contributing writer
When Takuma Sato spilled the beans on a new Honda-backed team set to make its debut in 2006, nobody believed it would happen. Even BAR-Honda boss Nick Fry seemed a little surprised by the whole thing and most paddock insiders thought it would simply be too much to create a new team from scratch in the six months between early October and early March. But against all odds, Super Aguri are getting close to doing just that.
The last fully new team to enter the sport was Toyota, back in 2002, and they did so with the mighty financial backing of a motoring giant and a full season of testing behind them. Super Aguri, in contrast, have bought up some old cars designed by a now-bankrupt team and although they may have secured sponsorship and an engine from Honda, their plans are far from tried and tested as the new season races ever faster towards them.
Their attempts to get on the grid have already stalled twice, first when it was confirmed by the FIA that they would not be able to buy second-hand BAR chassis to run and secondly when they failed to come up with the $48 million (USD) bond in time to make the official 2006 Formula One entry list. But a surprising collaboration between the ten teams currently on the grid to vote through Aguri's entry, their debut now seems virtually guaranteed.
Led by former Formula One racer Aguri Suzuki, the team now faces a race against time to avoid embarrassment in Bahrain in a little more than seven weeks' time. But Paul Stoddart - the man who sold them the ex-Arrows chassis he bought when the receivers were selling off everything involved with the sunken outfit and the man who turned around Minardi in six weeks to get them on the grid after buying the team in 2001 - is confident it can be done.
"I am sure they will be fine," said Stoddart. "From a car point of view, they have got a fantastic head start by buying the old Arrows from me and I am sure they will be there, but when they arrive in Bahrain they will know they have been through it. They have a lot of the ex-Arrows boys back and they have recruited from other teams, so my money is on them getting one car home at the first race in Bahrain, although it will be lapped. But, really, you can't yet put odds on how they will do."
Stoddart knows only too well how much work the team has to do before they head off to Bahrain for the opening race of the season, as when he took over Minardi he had the shell of a team and had a fight on his hands to debut on time. And, he says, Super Aguri are in an even worse position.
"We had six weeks and three days to get two cars ready for Melbourne when all we had was a mock-up with a working engine in Faenza that was created when Supertec had looked at buying the company," said Stoddart. "We have helped them by about 50 to 60 percent but they still have a lot of work to do because there is so much to organise to get yourself on the grid and they will have to present a professional front.
"They seem to have the budget, but the logistics are important, and logistics is a wide, wide word. They will be organising freight, hotels, flights, and because they don't get the travel or freight allowance [from FOM], they will have to pay for every kilogram they take to the fly-away races by themselves, so they will have to make sure what they take is sensible and that they get their flight cases made in time.
"They have to strengthen their pit equipment because we sold and loaned them some of that but there are still some things they do not have. Then there are the little but important things like team clothing, race suits, and whether they are going to be embroidered or have patches. That is always a nightmare! It is all made in the Far East and there is this holiday and that holiday and it always seems to be that they occur when you need the things made.
"There are loads of pitfalls, which collectively I call the ****-up factor. They will have to deal with being at the end of the pitlane, and being the 11th team will be harder. It will be okay in Bahrain and Malaysia, because they are two new and well-built facilities, but Australia will have to build new garages for them. In the past, when there were 11 teams, certain individual teams were not getting the extra garages, now I am not sure that would happen."
Logistics are one thing, but people are another, and there are many case histories in Formula One that prove just how important it is to have a good, well-gelled team. Gone are the days of 1991, when teams like Jordan could enter with a handful of people and do a good job. These days, Formula One teams can barely exist with less than 100 people, a milestone that Eddie Jordan once said when reached would make him leave his team - until he realised the way the sport was headed.
Super Aguri have been recruiting fast and, after setting up base at the old Arrows site in Leafield, they have brought in many people who were left high and dry when that team went under. Many of them have worked together, which is a bonus, but even so it will still take a long time for them to gel even to the level that Minardi was when Stoddart took over, let alone the level that Jaguar was at when Red Bull took over last year.
Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner explains: "It is a people sport at the end of the day and you cannot get a big group of people together quickly, it takes time. That was one of the benefits of buying Jaguar, which came out of Stewart and had gelled over a period of time. We just had to bring the whole thing together and address a few personnel. Putting good people together is hard because good people tend to be looked after and are not readily available on the market.
"Our set-up is very different to theirs. They are starting with a clean sheet of paper. Red Bull took over a going concern and that is the biggest difference. The biggest thing for us was the re-branding, as Red Bull Racing had a totally different ethos to Jaguar Racing so that was a big change, but overall I think it is healthy for Formula One that it looks like there will be a new team.
"There are a lot of Formula One people around and Super Aguri are in motorsport valley so that will be good for them, but it rarely works overnight. Be it a former GP2 team or a Formula One team, it takes time to get the stability and continuity for teams and that is why teams like Williams and McLaren are so strong. I do think it is going to be a bit of a challenge for them and a lot of work."
Stoddart adds: "When BAR and Toyota first started, things did not go perfectly even though they had talented individuals and a good group of people. When I took over Minardi the team was pretty depleted and a lot of good people had left because they were not sure of the future, but we still had a fully gelled workforce we could throw straight at it. Super Aguri are different and I am not sure how many people they have in each of the areas they need."
Back in October 2005 in Japan, when the mutterings about the new mystery team first wisped around the paddock, Stoddart stood under shelter from the rain and aired his views. A man with full working knowledge of the Concorde Agreement, he quickly rubbished claims that they could run old BAR chassis in 2006 and noted, with a smirk, that he may have some cars in his garage back home that could help them out.
Stoddart had held an auction that September, which he declared would offer "the final opportunity to purchase the former Arrows Formula One equipment in a public sale", but the A23 cars, three of which were up for bidding, did not sell and he was also left with many other items, including pit equipment. Just a couple of months later, the canny Australian got his deal when he sold the cars for an estimated �1 million (GBP).
Recalling that conversation in Japan with a chuckle, Stoddart admits: "I thought the cars might run in Formula One again when I bought them, but I never even thought of this until around that time. We had got them upgraded in 2003 and I definitely thought they would form the basis of the 2004 Minardi because when we did back-to-back tests it was faster than our car at the time.
"The only reason we did not pursue it was it was a very complex car and would have been very expensive to manufacture. Our guys knew our car but Aguri have so many ex-Arrows guys there they probably don't see it as complex and it won't be a problem. I sold them at a very sensible price to help get the team going. They got a lot of stuff from me, we had four 40ft long lorries to take all the stuff there and they got so much extra the cars were virtually free."
With Super Aguri all but confirmed to enter as the 11th Formula One team this season, the Japanese squad face a mammoth task of getting ready for the Bahrain Grand Prix grid in just a few weeks. Running four year old cars to begin with, and with their drivers line up unconfirmed, Aguri Suzuki's team needs a miracle or two to make a respectable entry into the sport. Will Gray talked to some of Suzuki's predecessors to find out what it's like to be an absolute beginner in the sport
By Will Gray
autosport.com contributing writer
When Takuma Sato spilled the beans on a new Honda-backed team set to make its debut in 2006, nobody believed it would happen. Even BAR-Honda boss Nick Fry seemed a little surprised by the whole thing and most paddock insiders thought it would simply be too much to create a new team from scratch in the six months between early October and early March. But against all odds, Super Aguri are getting close to doing just that.
The last fully new team to enter the sport was Toyota, back in 2002, and they did so with the mighty financial backing of a motoring giant and a full season of testing behind them. Super Aguri, in contrast, have bought up some old cars designed by a now-bankrupt team and although they may have secured sponsorship and an engine from Honda, their plans are far from tried and tested as the new season races ever faster towards them.
Their attempts to get on the grid have already stalled twice, first when it was confirmed by the FIA that they would not be able to buy second-hand BAR chassis to run and secondly when they failed to come up with the $48 million (USD) bond in time to make the official 2006 Formula One entry list. But a surprising collaboration between the ten teams currently on the grid to vote through Aguri's entry, their debut now seems virtually guaranteed.
Led by former Formula One racer Aguri Suzuki, the team now faces a race against time to avoid embarrassment in Bahrain in a little more than seven weeks' time. But Paul Stoddart - the man who sold them the ex-Arrows chassis he bought when the receivers were selling off everything involved with the sunken outfit and the man who turned around Minardi in six weeks to get them on the grid after buying the team in 2001 - is confident it can be done.
"I am sure they will be fine," said Stoddart. "From a car point of view, they have got a fantastic head start by buying the old Arrows from me and I am sure they will be there, but when they arrive in Bahrain they will know they have been through it. They have a lot of the ex-Arrows boys back and they have recruited from other teams, so my money is on them getting one car home at the first race in Bahrain, although it will be lapped. But, really, you can't yet put odds on how they will do."
Stoddart knows only too well how much work the team has to do before they head off to Bahrain for the opening race of the season, as when he took over Minardi he had the shell of a team and had a fight on his hands to debut on time. And, he says, Super Aguri are in an even worse position.
"We had six weeks and three days to get two cars ready for Melbourne when all we had was a mock-up with a working engine in Faenza that was created when Supertec had looked at buying the company," said Stoddart. "We have helped them by about 50 to 60 percent but they still have a lot of work to do because there is so much to organise to get yourself on the grid and they will have to present a professional front.
"They seem to have the budget, but the logistics are important, and logistics is a wide, wide word. They will be organising freight, hotels, flights, and because they don't get the travel or freight allowance [from FOM], they will have to pay for every kilogram they take to the fly-away races by themselves, so they will have to make sure what they take is sensible and that they get their flight cases made in time.
"They have to strengthen their pit equipment because we sold and loaned them some of that but there are still some things they do not have. Then there are the little but important things like team clothing, race suits, and whether they are going to be embroidered or have patches. That is always a nightmare! It is all made in the Far East and there is this holiday and that holiday and it always seems to be that they occur when you need the things made.
"There are loads of pitfalls, which collectively I call the ****-up factor. They will have to deal with being at the end of the pitlane, and being the 11th team will be harder. It will be okay in Bahrain and Malaysia, because they are two new and well-built facilities, but Australia will have to build new garages for them. In the past, when there were 11 teams, certain individual teams were not getting the extra garages, now I am not sure that would happen."
Logistics are one thing, but people are another, and there are many case histories in Formula One that prove just how important it is to have a good, well-gelled team. Gone are the days of 1991, when teams like Jordan could enter with a handful of people and do a good job. These days, Formula One teams can barely exist with less than 100 people, a milestone that Eddie Jordan once said when reached would make him leave his team - until he realised the way the sport was headed.
Super Aguri have been recruiting fast and, after setting up base at the old Arrows site in Leafield, they have brought in many people who were left high and dry when that team went under. Many of them have worked together, which is a bonus, but even so it will still take a long time for them to gel even to the level that Minardi was when Stoddart took over, let alone the level that Jaguar was at when Red Bull took over last year.
Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner explains: "It is a people sport at the end of the day and you cannot get a big group of people together quickly, it takes time. That was one of the benefits of buying Jaguar, which came out of Stewart and had gelled over a period of time. We just had to bring the whole thing together and address a few personnel. Putting good people together is hard because good people tend to be looked after and are not readily available on the market.
"Our set-up is very different to theirs. They are starting with a clean sheet of paper. Red Bull took over a going concern and that is the biggest difference. The biggest thing for us was the re-branding, as Red Bull Racing had a totally different ethos to Jaguar Racing so that was a big change, but overall I think it is healthy for Formula One that it looks like there will be a new team.
"There are a lot of Formula One people around and Super Aguri are in motorsport valley so that will be good for them, but it rarely works overnight. Be it a former GP2 team or a Formula One team, it takes time to get the stability and continuity for teams and that is why teams like Williams and McLaren are so strong. I do think it is going to be a bit of a challenge for them and a lot of work."
Stoddart adds: "When BAR and Toyota first started, things did not go perfectly even though they had talented individuals and a good group of people. When I took over Minardi the team was pretty depleted and a lot of good people had left because they were not sure of the future, but we still had a fully gelled workforce we could throw straight at it. Super Aguri are different and I am not sure how many people they have in each of the areas they need."
Back in October 2005 in Japan, when the mutterings about the new mystery team first wisped around the paddock, Stoddart stood under shelter from the rain and aired his views. A man with full working knowledge of the Concorde Agreement, he quickly rubbished claims that they could run old BAR chassis in 2006 and noted, with a smirk, that he may have some cars in his garage back home that could help them out.
Stoddart had held an auction that September, which he declared would offer "the final opportunity to purchase the former Arrows Formula One equipment in a public sale", but the A23 cars, three of which were up for bidding, did not sell and he was also left with many other items, including pit equipment. Just a couple of months later, the canny Australian got his deal when he sold the cars for an estimated �1 million (GBP).
Recalling that conversation in Japan with a chuckle, Stoddart admits: "I thought the cars might run in Formula One again when I bought them, but I never even thought of this until around that time. We had got them upgraded in 2003 and I definitely thought they would form the basis of the 2004 Minardi because when we did back-to-back tests it was faster than our car at the time.
"The only reason we did not pursue it was it was a very complex car and would have been very expensive to manufacture. Our guys knew our car but Aguri have so many ex-Arrows guys there they probably don't see it as complex and it won't be a problem. I sold them at a very sensible price to help get the team going. They got a lot of stuff from me, we had four 40ft long lorries to take all the stuff there and they got so much extra the cars were virtually free."
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:40 PM |
Pt 2
�
�
Cont:
Since Stoddart threw his Arrows machines into the hat, the new recruits have all been hard at work behind the scenes in Leafield in an effort to get them race ready and compliant to all the FIA's crash tests and eligibility rules, as well as to fit in the Honda V8 engine into a hole originally built for a Cosworth V10. But Stoddart believes their decision to run that engine will cause them problems in the opening races.
"You have to have done the FIA tests but that won't be an issue, we have looked at them and the Arrows will pass the crash test and the other FIA legitimacy tests," says Stoddart. "It is how the car runs, how the engine marries into the gearbox and the chassis, that is important for the first race and now they have chosen to put a new engine in it then they will have to do more chassis and aero upgrades.
"The opening races will be hot and it is important to get the cooling mated with the new engine installation, we had problems and it can happen. They are a bit in the dark about all that so they will want to have tested that somewhere before taking it out on track in a competitive, high-speed environment. It is not a requirement, they can run having not tested it, but I would want to test it and I don't know if they will have the chance.
"We ran the car for the last time at Mugello in late Summer 2003, it was maybe one or two tenths quicker than our car then but it wasn't developed. It was designed originally with no money and it had so much potential. The Jordan is not new, it is developed from that vintage, and the 04 Minardi. But I would have gone for running a V10, and I urged them to do that, because that could have evened things out a bit for them."
Not only are the team trying to run the old Arrows machines, they are also trying to produce an all-new machine to run in one of the first European race of the season, something that will bring up a whole new set of challenges for the technical team. "Again, it is doable and launching it in Europe gives them an extra six weeks," says Stoddart. "If they have the resources, which it seems they do, then that should be possible, but there are few hurdles.
"We helped them by kitting out the old Arrows facility and providing the cars but with a new car there are unavoidable lead times that they will come up against. There are certain items that you need and it doesn't matter how quickly you need them, you will have to wait. If you order a cast titanium gearbox, for example, then to get six casings, which is the minimum you would need to go racing with, it would take 16 weeks to order.
"There are parts from the fuel cell manufacturers, and radiators, lots of component parts that are taken as a given normally because they are ordered well in advance. It will be pot luck, but what tends to happen is that if the company gets a lot of work from a team then they will get a preference, so Aguri could probably use their contacts with Honda to help them out in that area.
"They will get help from Honda, of course, and that will be a huge advantage, but the new car is going to have to be very different to anything that BAR produced in the past, the risk at the moment is too great to do otherwise. And they have also got to get trucks and motorhomes by the European races. Maybe they can get them second hand, but if they don't then coachbuilders will take forever and stupid things like motorhomes can be a bloody nightmare."
It has been strongly claimed by sources inside the sport that there is no way Super Aguri would have been allowed onto the grid without committing for the long term, something that suggests they have already signed up to race in Formula One beyond the end of the Concorde Agreement in 2007. With their links at Honda, that suggests they, too, may be ready to break from the GPMA and commit to the current series and that could bring everything back together again.
The political wheels that enabled Suzuki to get his team on the grid could end up being some of the most vital in recent history, and Stoddart adds: "The fact that Bernie [Ecclestone] got the signatures to allow them to run is very, very significant. It is a major change and I can categorically say that would not have happened last year. Let's just say I have no doubt in my mind that things are changing.
"The manufacturers have got what they wanted. It is pretty clear to most that what the GPMA stood for was right, but did they get enough? They asked for no competition bias, fair representation, an equal distribution of wealth and a much fairer way for the rules to be made. They have a better deal from Bernie but have they got better regulations and a better deal from the FIA? Possibly not, but we will have a united Formula One."
The fact that Super Aguri have Honda backing and have had to ask the powers that be to seek special permission from the other ten teams on the grid could, however, turn out to be a nightmare for team boss Suzuki himself, as he will be plunged into the infamous 'Piranha Club' already having a history at a time when the political situation around the future of the Formula One World Championship in its current guise is balanced on a knife-edge.
When Craig Pollock brought British American Racing into Formula One in 1999 he did so having bought out the popular Tyrrell squad and brought in a mighty Tobacco manufacturer with what was back then a significant amount of money. His arrival was not smooth, especially after other members of the team boasted about their potential performance before even hitting the track, and he is now quick to warn Suzuki to watch out.
"We got a very cold reception from the other teams when we set up BAR because we went in and bought out an old timer in the Tyrrell team and then established our team using Tobacco money," said Pollock. "On top of that, there was the fact that I was inexperienced in the business in their eyes! But it is not actually too difficult to fit into the group, you just have to be willing to wait and take your time before trying to reinvent the wheel."
Stoddart, too, learned the hard way. He became famed for his sharp lip and outspoken nature but, looking back, he utters a raucous laugh when forced to admit he had tried to run before he could walk. "I definitely learned the hard way! I didn't get my spurs until Friday 13th (in Canada, when he stood up to his fellow team bosses in a monumental press conference in a desperate attempt to save his team).
"To be fair they are mostly fairly cordial. I knew a few of them already, as Aguri will do, but there were some who thought I shouldn't be there, some who thought it was good to see Minardi kept going, and some who thought I had no credibility and I was just off my ****ing head. You have to earn respect, it is not just given out.
"The other problem Aguri has is, there is a trend for drivers not to last very long in that role and he has to prove to everyone that he is not like that. I wish him so much luck it is not funny, but it is not going to be easy for him and he will be like a lamb to the slaughter. You need to know when to speak and when to keep your mouth shut and only then can you earn your spurs. I would have me do it for him. That, honestly, is the best thing to do."
There are, indeed, so many things to think about that Suzuki will need some people with good experience in Formula One to help him along his way, but according to reports he has plenty of helping hands at Honda, and Stoddart's Arrows cars should have given him the assistance he needed to get the team onto the grid in time for the first race of the year. Now it just remains to be seen how competitive the team can really be.
Pollock, who was eventually ousted from the helm at BAR by David Richards in 2002 and has been linked with failed buyouts at Arrows and Jordan since then, says: "At this moment in time it could go okay for them, but it is difficult to draw a real opinion on how they will do and I think that we will only be able to give a true verdict of their chances when they provide further input on the goals of the team.
"Obtaining the short-term funds to enable the team stay at least where they are on the grid is one of the biggest challenges that faces a new operation and it is important to also have the long-term funds to improve and climb up the order. We will have to see whether they have that or not, but, to be honest, you would have to say that they will start around the GP2 level if they are lucky."
Stoddart, who left his Minardi team after selling up to Red Bull at the end of last year, adds: "I think it is definitely good for Formula One, and now they just need a team 12 to complete the pack. Aguri are not going to set the world on fire but I wouldn't bet against them beating that new MF1 - and I mean, what a ****ing name, by the way, MFI? You can see the jokes coming on that one already! - I would not be surprised at all if they beat them."
But one of the men who will be competing against the Super Aguri squad next year, Horner, who himself looked at entering his Arden team a year ago when the possibility of running customer chassis looked to be on the horizon, is holding out before he makes his predictions. "Obviously the timescale they have undertaken will no doubt have been difficult and I think that for them to simply be on the grid and operational for the opening race will be a result for them," he says.
"When I looked at coming in with Arden it was for a different set of proposed regulations to those that we have now. It was for just a race team. A Formula One team has a huge amount involved and it is a people sport down to quality. I am sure they have done their sums and I am sure they will go into it knowing what they are doing. Aguri has run teams in the past and so he is pretty experienced, but you have to earn respect in Formula One. It is not what you say, it is what you do."
SUPER AGURI TIMELINE
October 4 - BAR driver Takuma Sato reveals he is in talks with a mystery 11th team over a drive in 2006. Honda is rumoured to be backing the new team, while the FIA offers its blessing
October 8 - Paul Stoddart warns the new team they will not be able to run customer cars
October 24 - Plans for new team take a knock when the Formula One Commission rules out clone cars in 2006
November 1 - Aguri Suzuki reveals himself as being behind new team plans
Early November - A technical chief is appointed (former Arrows and McLaren engineer Mark Preston) and the team move into Leafield
November 23 - It is reported that the team could run old Arrows cars
December 1 - The 2006 Formula One entry list is released with no sign of Super Aguri
December 2 - Suzuki announces in Japan that the team will re-apply for a licence
December 12 - Sources reveal Midland (MF1) are trying to block the Super Aguri entry
December 14/15 - Toyota approve entry, Williams hold judgement and McLaren confirm they will not oppose it
December 20 - Honda reveals plans to 'sponsor' Super Aguri
December 21 - Super Aguri announce they have agreement from all teams for their late entry
January 5 - FIA confirms acceptance from teams and declare entry will be granted upon receipt of $48m bond
Since Stoddart threw his Arrows machines into the hat, the new recruits have all been hard at work behind the scenes in Leafield in an effort to get them race ready and compliant to all the FIA's crash tests and eligibility rules, as well as to fit in the Honda V8 engine into a hole originally built for a Cosworth V10. But Stoddart believes their decision to run that engine will cause them problems in the opening races.
"You have to have done the FIA tests but that won't be an issue, we have looked at them and the Arrows will pass the crash test and the other FIA legitimacy tests," says Stoddart. "It is how the car runs, how the engine marries into the gearbox and the chassis, that is important for the first race and now they have chosen to put a new engine in it then they will have to do more chassis and aero upgrades.
"The opening races will be hot and it is important to get the cooling mated with the new engine installation, we had problems and it can happen. They are a bit in the dark about all that so they will want to have tested that somewhere before taking it out on track in a competitive, high-speed environment. It is not a requirement, they can run having not tested it, but I would want to test it and I don't know if they will have the chance.
"We ran the car for the last time at Mugello in late Summer 2003, it was maybe one or two tenths quicker than our car then but it wasn't developed. It was designed originally with no money and it had so much potential. The Jordan is not new, it is developed from that vintage, and the 04 Minardi. But I would have gone for running a V10, and I urged them to do that, because that could have evened things out a bit for them."
Not only are the team trying to run the old Arrows machines, they are also trying to produce an all-new machine to run in one of the first European race of the season, something that will bring up a whole new set of challenges for the technical team. "Again, it is doable and launching it in Europe gives them an extra six weeks," says Stoddart. "If they have the resources, which it seems they do, then that should be possible, but there are few hurdles.
"We helped them by kitting out the old Arrows facility and providing the cars but with a new car there are unavoidable lead times that they will come up against. There are certain items that you need and it doesn't matter how quickly you need them, you will have to wait. If you order a cast titanium gearbox, for example, then to get six casings, which is the minimum you would need to go racing with, it would take 16 weeks to order.
"There are parts from the fuel cell manufacturers, and radiators, lots of component parts that are taken as a given normally because they are ordered well in advance. It will be pot luck, but what tends to happen is that if the company gets a lot of work from a team then they will get a preference, so Aguri could probably use their contacts with Honda to help them out in that area.
"They will get help from Honda, of course, and that will be a huge advantage, but the new car is going to have to be very different to anything that BAR produced in the past, the risk at the moment is too great to do otherwise. And they have also got to get trucks and motorhomes by the European races. Maybe they can get them second hand, but if they don't then coachbuilders will take forever and stupid things like motorhomes can be a bloody nightmare."
It has been strongly claimed by sources inside the sport that there is no way Super Aguri would have been allowed onto the grid without committing for the long term, something that suggests they have already signed up to race in Formula One beyond the end of the Concorde Agreement in 2007. With their links at Honda, that suggests they, too, may be ready to break from the GPMA and commit to the current series and that could bring everything back together again.
The political wheels that enabled Suzuki to get his team on the grid could end up being some of the most vital in recent history, and Stoddart adds: "The fact that Bernie [Ecclestone] got the signatures to allow them to run is very, very significant. It is a major change and I can categorically say that would not have happened last year. Let's just say I have no doubt in my mind that things are changing.
"The manufacturers have got what they wanted. It is pretty clear to most that what the GPMA stood for was right, but did they get enough? They asked for no competition bias, fair representation, an equal distribution of wealth and a much fairer way for the rules to be made. They have a better deal from Bernie but have they got better regulations and a better deal from the FIA? Possibly not, but we will have a united Formula One."
The fact that Super Aguri have Honda backing and have had to ask the powers that be to seek special permission from the other ten teams on the grid could, however, turn out to be a nightmare for team boss Suzuki himself, as he will be plunged into the infamous 'Piranha Club' already having a history at a time when the political situation around the future of the Formula One World Championship in its current guise is balanced on a knife-edge.
When Craig Pollock brought British American Racing into Formula One in 1999 he did so having bought out the popular Tyrrell squad and brought in a mighty Tobacco manufacturer with what was back then a significant amount of money. His arrival was not smooth, especially after other members of the team boasted about their potential performance before even hitting the track, and he is now quick to warn Suzuki to watch out.
"We got a very cold reception from the other teams when we set up BAR because we went in and bought out an old timer in the Tyrrell team and then established our team using Tobacco money," said Pollock. "On top of that, there was the fact that I was inexperienced in the business in their eyes! But it is not actually too difficult to fit into the group, you just have to be willing to wait and take your time before trying to reinvent the wheel."
Stoddart, too, learned the hard way. He became famed for his sharp lip and outspoken nature but, looking back, he utters a raucous laugh when forced to admit he had tried to run before he could walk. "I definitely learned the hard way! I didn't get my spurs until Friday 13th (in Canada, when he stood up to his fellow team bosses in a monumental press conference in a desperate attempt to save his team).
"To be fair they are mostly fairly cordial. I knew a few of them already, as Aguri will do, but there were some who thought I shouldn't be there, some who thought it was good to see Minardi kept going, and some who thought I had no credibility and I was just off my ****ing head. You have to earn respect, it is not just given out.
"The other problem Aguri has is, there is a trend for drivers not to last very long in that role and he has to prove to everyone that he is not like that. I wish him so much luck it is not funny, but it is not going to be easy for him and he will be like a lamb to the slaughter. You need to know when to speak and when to keep your mouth shut and only then can you earn your spurs. I would have me do it for him. That, honestly, is the best thing to do."
There are, indeed, so many things to think about that Suzuki will need some people with good experience in Formula One to help him along his way, but according to reports he has plenty of helping hands at Honda, and Stoddart's Arrows cars should have given him the assistance he needed to get the team onto the grid in time for the first race of the year. Now it just remains to be seen how competitive the team can really be.
Pollock, who was eventually ousted from the helm at BAR by David Richards in 2002 and has been linked with failed buyouts at Arrows and Jordan since then, says: "At this moment in time it could go okay for them, but it is difficult to draw a real opinion on how they will do and I think that we will only be able to give a true verdict of their chances when they provide further input on the goals of the team.
"Obtaining the short-term funds to enable the team stay at least where they are on the grid is one of the biggest challenges that faces a new operation and it is important to also have the long-term funds to improve and climb up the order. We will have to see whether they have that or not, but, to be honest, you would have to say that they will start around the GP2 level if they are lucky."
Stoddart, who left his Minardi team after selling up to Red Bull at the end of last year, adds: "I think it is definitely good for Formula One, and now they just need a team 12 to complete the pack. Aguri are not going to set the world on fire but I wouldn't bet against them beating that new MF1 - and I mean, what a ****ing name, by the way, MFI? You can see the jokes coming on that one already! - I would not be surprised at all if they beat them."
But one of the men who will be competing against the Super Aguri squad next year, Horner, who himself looked at entering his Arden team a year ago when the possibility of running customer chassis looked to be on the horizon, is holding out before he makes his predictions. "Obviously the timescale they have undertaken will no doubt have been difficult and I think that for them to simply be on the grid and operational for the opening race will be a result for them," he says.
"When I looked at coming in with Arden it was for a different set of proposed regulations to those that we have now. It was for just a race team. A Formula One team has a huge amount involved and it is a people sport down to quality. I am sure they have done their sums and I am sure they will go into it knowing what they are doing. Aguri has run teams in the past and so he is pretty experienced, but you have to earn respect in Formula One. It is not what you say, it is what you do."
SUPER AGURI TIMELINE
October 4 - BAR driver Takuma Sato reveals he is in talks with a mystery 11th team over a drive in 2006. Honda is rumoured to be backing the new team, while the FIA offers its blessing
October 8 - Paul Stoddart warns the new team they will not be able to run customer cars
October 24 - Plans for new team take a knock when the Formula One Commission rules out clone cars in 2006
November 1 - Aguri Suzuki reveals himself as being behind new team plans
Early November - A technical chief is appointed (former Arrows and McLaren engineer Mark Preston) and the team move into Leafield
November 23 - It is reported that the team could run old Arrows cars
December 1 - The 2006 Formula One entry list is released with no sign of Super Aguri
December 2 - Suzuki announces in Japan that the team will re-apply for a licence
December 12 - Sources reveal Midland (MF1) are trying to block the Super Aguri entry
December 14/15 - Toyota approve entry, Williams hold judgement and McLaren confirm they will not oppose it
December 20 - Honda reveals plans to 'sponsor' Super Aguri
December 21 - Super Aguri announce they have agreement from all teams for their late entry
January 5 - FIA confirms acceptance from teams and declare entry will be granted upon receipt of $48m bond
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:42 PM |
Pt 3
�
�
SIDEBAR
New F1 team performance
How the new outfits fared in the past 15 years
2005 - Red Bull Racing (developed from Jaguar Racing)
Taking over a going concern from Ford was the best way for Red Bull to enter the sport and, with some impressive financial backing and an experienced driver in David Coulthard, their debut season was a big surprise. Led by Christian Horner, who had experience with Arden in the lower formulae, and benefiting from the hard work of the Jaguar design team, Coulthard and teammate Christian Klien qualified fifth and sixth respectively for the opening race in Australia and finished fourth and seventh. The team led a race three times during the year and picked up an impressive 34 points to finish seventh in the Constructors' Championship.
2002 - Toyota (brand new team)
Toyota's arrival, the first all-new team since Stewart Grand Prix, was much heralded as they came with the biggest budget in Formula One and arrived after a season of testing, which included simulating full Grand Prix weekends in private, in 2001. But they arrived in a bad year, one where Ferrari were completely dominant and nobody else had a look in. They scored a point on their debut in Australia, with Mika Salo, and a point in the San Marino Grand Prix, again with Salo, but despite their backing that was all they collected in their first season. Two further seasons of struggle proved that it is harder than it seems to create a new team but they finally came good in 2005 when they scored their first podium and ended the season with 88 points and fourth place in the championship.
2002 - Renault (from Benetton)
Renault bought the Benetton team in 2000 and ran as Benetton in 2001, a Renault car in all but name. They suffered a disastrous year and claimed just 10 points, then entered officially with a Renault chassis in 2002. Running with Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button, they failed to get either car to the finish of their first race in Australia after qualifying seventh and 11th, but things improved and by the end of the season they had 23 points. Three years later, in 2005, they won the both championships, with Fernando Alonso.
2000 - Jaguar Racing (developed from Stewart Grand Prix)
Ford bought out Stewart in 1999 and decided to run under the Jaguar banner from 2000. They hired 1999 championship runner-up Eddie Irvine from Ferrari and made a high-profile debut with posters all around the streets of Melbourne but failed to get either car to the end. They finally posted a finish in the third race, where Irvine claimed seventh, then scored their first points with a fourth place for Irvine in Monaco, but that was their best effort of the year. Although they improved a bit each season, the continued management changes proved difficult and Ford finally gave up on the team in 2004, selling to Red Bull when the outfit was on the verge of being scrapped.
1999 - British American Racing (developed from Tyrrell)
British American Tobacco bought the long-running Tyrrell team for an estimated $26m (USD) to create their new outfit with Craig Pollock at the helm and his driver, former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, in the spotlight. The team, which ran with Mechacrome engines, were also part-owned by Reynard Racing Cars, but Adrian Reynard's brag that they would win their first race would come back and bite them.
They finished 10th and 11th on their debut in Australia and failed to score a single point in all 16 races, with their best finish a seventh place for Mika Salo in San Marino. They improved, and once a works deal with Honda was secured they rose up the grid, finishing second to Ferrari in the championship in 2004 but failing to live up to that in 2005 before being fully bought out by Honda and turned into Honda Racing for 2006.
1997 - Prost Grand Prix (developed from Ligier)
Taking over the Ligier team, former World Champion Alain Prost had a good base to work from and the debut season of Prost Grand Prix was an impressive success. Olivier Panis scored two points on their first race in Australia then came third at the following race in Brazil and second in Spain. Over their first year they claimed eight point-finishes and a total of 21 points, but that would be their best season and, after five years in the sport, the outfit collapsed when it went into liquidation in the winter break before the 2002 season.
1997 - Stewart Grand Prix (brand new team)
Following success in the lower formulae, former World Champion Jackie Stewart moved his team into Formula One with substantial assistance from Ford. The first race saw a ninth-place finish for Rubens Barrichello, then he secured a spectacular and emotional second-place finish in Monaco. That was the team's only score for the year but they went on to win one race, with Johnny Herbert, at the European Grand Prix in 1999, and secure a total of 47 points before selling up after three seasons to Jaguar Racing at the end of 1999.
1997 - Lola Formula One team (brand new team)
Lola did a deal with Mastercard to enter the sport in 1998 but were pushed to join one year early when their car was still in the early design stage. It was rushed through but finished qualifying for the first race in Australia some five seconds outside the 107 percent of pole required to get on the grid. The team collapsed before the next race in Brazil and never actually got onto the grid.
1995 - Forti Grand Prix (brand new team)
After a long period in the lower categories, culminating in a stint in Formula 3000, Forti moved into Formula One with backing from Pedro Diniz and his family. Diniz finished seventh in the team's debut race in Australia but there was little joy after that and there were just 13 more finishes between the two cars before the end of the year. Diniz left, taking the financial backing with him, and after some mysterious backroom struggles the team collapsed in 1997.
1994 - Pacific (brand new team, Reynard-built car)
Keith Wiggins had developed a good reputation in racing after running for many years in the lower formulae before he entered Pacific as a Formula One team. He aimed to enter in 1993 but could not find the funding so the team made their debut in 1994 but struggled to finish and scored no points. They continued for one more year before being folded.
1994 - Simtek (brand new team)
After creating an initial design for BMW in 1990, then supplying cars for the failed Andrea Moda team in 1992, the Nick Wirth owned outfit decided to enter their own team with backing from MTV and a driver line-up of Roland Ratzenberger and David Brabham. They got one car to 12th on their debut in Brazil but the season quickly turned to disaster when Ratzenberger was killed at Imola, his replacement Andrea Montermini was badly injured in a crash on his first flying lap, and Brabham rolled his car at Silverstone. They secured 12 finishes in total in their first season, scored no points and collapsed in the middle of 1995.
1993 - Sauber (brand new team)
Developed by Peter Sauber following a successful stint in sportscar racing with Mercedes, the Sauber Formula One team qualified an astonishing sixth and tenth on their debut in South Africa and saw one of the car driven by JJ Lehto finish in fifth place. They scored 16 points, scoring in six different races, to finish sixth in the championship. The team continued to run successfully with Ferrari engines before being sold to BMW during the 2005 season. The Sauber name will live on with BMW in 2006.
1992 - Andrea Moda (developed from Coloni)
Began the season with an old Coloni chassis from the previous year but was excluded from the first race in South Africa for failing to pay their deposit. They failed to enter the second race in Mexico then failed to qualify for the third in San Marino. Roberto Moreno finally got one of their cars into a race in Monaco but failed to finish and they then lost their engines for the Canadian Grand Prix when they failed to pay Judd, missed France when they got stuck in a blockade and continued to fail to qualify before the team owner Andrea Sassetti was arrested in Belgium and the team were finally turned away forever at the Italian Grand Prix.
1992 - Venturi (brand new team)
Set up again for Lamborghini, this team got both cars into the first race of the season and saw one finish 10th. But they finished just 10 races and scored one point, a sixth place for Bertrand Gachot in Monaco, during the season before collapsing after just one year in the sport.
1991 - Jordan (brand new team)
Created from the basis of Eddie Jordan's Formula 3000 team, the Jordan Formula One team was launched from a pit garage at a wintry Silverstone. The Gary Anderson-designed chassis proved a hit and although Andrea de Cesaris failed to qualify and Bertrand Gachot could finish only 10th in the opening race, the team finished the season with 13 points having also led a race and given Michael Schumacher his Grand Prix debut. They continued until last year and won a total of four races before they were taken over by Midland and re-named MF1 for 2006.
1991 - Modena (brand new team with Lamborghini)
Developed as a works Lamborghini project, the team began testing their chassis in mid-1990 but the project suffered from a lack of money, the car struggled to pre-qualify and despite a seventh-place finish in the opening race of the year in the United States with Nicola Larini, the team collapsed by the end of the season with just four race finishes and no points.
New F1 team performance
How the new outfits fared in the past 15 years
2005 - Red Bull Racing (developed from Jaguar Racing)
Taking over a going concern from Ford was the best way for Red Bull to enter the sport and, with some impressive financial backing and an experienced driver in David Coulthard, their debut season was a big surprise. Led by Christian Horner, who had experience with Arden in the lower formulae, and benefiting from the hard work of the Jaguar design team, Coulthard and teammate Christian Klien qualified fifth and sixth respectively for the opening race in Australia and finished fourth and seventh. The team led a race three times during the year and picked up an impressive 34 points to finish seventh in the Constructors' Championship.
2002 - Toyota (brand new team)
Toyota's arrival, the first all-new team since Stewart Grand Prix, was much heralded as they came with the biggest budget in Formula One and arrived after a season of testing, which included simulating full Grand Prix weekends in private, in 2001. But they arrived in a bad year, one where Ferrari were completely dominant and nobody else had a look in. They scored a point on their debut in Australia, with Mika Salo, and a point in the San Marino Grand Prix, again with Salo, but despite their backing that was all they collected in their first season. Two further seasons of struggle proved that it is harder than it seems to create a new team but they finally came good in 2005 when they scored their first podium and ended the season with 88 points and fourth place in the championship.
2002 - Renault (from Benetton)
Renault bought the Benetton team in 2000 and ran as Benetton in 2001, a Renault car in all but name. They suffered a disastrous year and claimed just 10 points, then entered officially with a Renault chassis in 2002. Running with Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button, they failed to get either car to the finish of their first race in Australia after qualifying seventh and 11th, but things improved and by the end of the season they had 23 points. Three years later, in 2005, they won the both championships, with Fernando Alonso.
2000 - Jaguar Racing (developed from Stewart Grand Prix)
Ford bought out Stewart in 1999 and decided to run under the Jaguar banner from 2000. They hired 1999 championship runner-up Eddie Irvine from Ferrari and made a high-profile debut with posters all around the streets of Melbourne but failed to get either car to the end. They finally posted a finish in the third race, where Irvine claimed seventh, then scored their first points with a fourth place for Irvine in Monaco, but that was their best effort of the year. Although they improved a bit each season, the continued management changes proved difficult and Ford finally gave up on the team in 2004, selling to Red Bull when the outfit was on the verge of being scrapped.
1999 - British American Racing (developed from Tyrrell)
British American Tobacco bought the long-running Tyrrell team for an estimated $26m (USD) to create their new outfit with Craig Pollock at the helm and his driver, former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, in the spotlight. The team, which ran with Mechacrome engines, were also part-owned by Reynard Racing Cars, but Adrian Reynard's brag that they would win their first race would come back and bite them.
They finished 10th and 11th on their debut in Australia and failed to score a single point in all 16 races, with their best finish a seventh place for Mika Salo in San Marino. They improved, and once a works deal with Honda was secured they rose up the grid, finishing second to Ferrari in the championship in 2004 but failing to live up to that in 2005 before being fully bought out by Honda and turned into Honda Racing for 2006.
1997 - Prost Grand Prix (developed from Ligier)
Taking over the Ligier team, former World Champion Alain Prost had a good base to work from and the debut season of Prost Grand Prix was an impressive success. Olivier Panis scored two points on their first race in Australia then came third at the following race in Brazil and second in Spain. Over their first year they claimed eight point-finishes and a total of 21 points, but that would be their best season and, after five years in the sport, the outfit collapsed when it went into liquidation in the winter break before the 2002 season.
1997 - Stewart Grand Prix (brand new team)
Following success in the lower formulae, former World Champion Jackie Stewart moved his team into Formula One with substantial assistance from Ford. The first race saw a ninth-place finish for Rubens Barrichello, then he secured a spectacular and emotional second-place finish in Monaco. That was the team's only score for the year but they went on to win one race, with Johnny Herbert, at the European Grand Prix in 1999, and secure a total of 47 points before selling up after three seasons to Jaguar Racing at the end of 1999.
1997 - Lola Formula One team (brand new team)
Lola did a deal with Mastercard to enter the sport in 1998 but were pushed to join one year early when their car was still in the early design stage. It was rushed through but finished qualifying for the first race in Australia some five seconds outside the 107 percent of pole required to get on the grid. The team collapsed before the next race in Brazil and never actually got onto the grid.
1995 - Forti Grand Prix (brand new team)
After a long period in the lower categories, culminating in a stint in Formula 3000, Forti moved into Formula One with backing from Pedro Diniz and his family. Diniz finished seventh in the team's debut race in Australia but there was little joy after that and there were just 13 more finishes between the two cars before the end of the year. Diniz left, taking the financial backing with him, and after some mysterious backroom struggles the team collapsed in 1997.
1994 - Pacific (brand new team, Reynard-built car)
Keith Wiggins had developed a good reputation in racing after running for many years in the lower formulae before he entered Pacific as a Formula One team. He aimed to enter in 1993 but could not find the funding so the team made their debut in 1994 but struggled to finish and scored no points. They continued for one more year before being folded.
1994 - Simtek (brand new team)
After creating an initial design for BMW in 1990, then supplying cars for the failed Andrea Moda team in 1992, the Nick Wirth owned outfit decided to enter their own team with backing from MTV and a driver line-up of Roland Ratzenberger and David Brabham. They got one car to 12th on their debut in Brazil but the season quickly turned to disaster when Ratzenberger was killed at Imola, his replacement Andrea Montermini was badly injured in a crash on his first flying lap, and Brabham rolled his car at Silverstone. They secured 12 finishes in total in their first season, scored no points and collapsed in the middle of 1995.
1993 - Sauber (brand new team)
Developed by Peter Sauber following a successful stint in sportscar racing with Mercedes, the Sauber Formula One team qualified an astonishing sixth and tenth on their debut in South Africa and saw one of the car driven by JJ Lehto finish in fifth place. They scored 16 points, scoring in six different races, to finish sixth in the championship. The team continued to run successfully with Ferrari engines before being sold to BMW during the 2005 season. The Sauber name will live on with BMW in 2006.
1992 - Andrea Moda (developed from Coloni)
Began the season with an old Coloni chassis from the previous year but was excluded from the first race in South Africa for failing to pay their deposit. They failed to enter the second race in Mexico then failed to qualify for the third in San Marino. Roberto Moreno finally got one of their cars into a race in Monaco but failed to finish and they then lost their engines for the Canadian Grand Prix when they failed to pay Judd, missed France when they got stuck in a blockade and continued to fail to qualify before the team owner Andrea Sassetti was arrested in Belgium and the team were finally turned away forever at the Italian Grand Prix.
1992 - Venturi (brand new team)
Set up again for Lamborghini, this team got both cars into the first race of the season and saw one finish 10th. But they finished just 10 races and scored one point, a sixth place for Bertrand Gachot in Monaco, during the season before collapsing after just one year in the sport.
1991 - Jordan (brand new team)
Created from the basis of Eddie Jordan's Formula 3000 team, the Jordan Formula One team was launched from a pit garage at a wintry Silverstone. The Gary Anderson-designed chassis proved a hit and although Andrea de Cesaris failed to qualify and Bertrand Gachot could finish only 10th in the opening race, the team finished the season with 13 points having also led a race and given Michael Schumacher his Grand Prix debut. They continued until last year and won a total of four races before they were taken over by Midland and re-named MF1 for 2006.
1991 - Modena (brand new team with Lamborghini)
Developed as a works Lamborghini project, the team began testing their chassis in mid-1990 but the project suffered from a lack of money, the car struggled to pre-qualify and despite a seventh-place finish in the opening race of the year in the United States with Nicola Larini, the team collapsed by the end of the season with just four race finishes and no points.
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:46 PM |
BAR Tech Talk: interview with Geoff Willis
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Tech Talk: interview with Geoff Willis
Next year's cars will see new engines reduced by a pair of cylinders to make 2.4l V8 motor units, and the Grand Prix weekends will feature a new qualifying format as well as a return of tyre changes during the race. Craig Scarborough talked to Honda Racing's technical director Geoff Willis about these changes and the team's preparations for 2006
By Craig Scarborough
autosport.com's technical writer
The introduction of V8 engines for 2006 was confirmed before the end of 2004, while teams already had the V10 in development for 2006. Additionally, the confirmation of the rule details came late, when some teams already had V8s running either as cut-down V10s or new, dedicated V8s. The FIA has mandated restrictions on internal engine dimensions and weight, as well as a ban on moving inlet trumpets and multiple fuel injectors.
All these changes will see engines with lower power outputs, from 900+ bhp, but with the change of format the engines are expected to vibrate more - the 90-degree V configuration not matching the 8 cylinders for a naturally balanced engine.
Honda Racing's technical director Geoff Willis says the problems with the vibrations were to be expected, "certainly the theory shows the V8 will have more vibration. I think we have anticipated that with some of our design features in our car, as I'm sure most teams have. We are not really seeing an issue about it, it doesn't appear to be causing us any issues on the car, in fact we've had two tests now and everything has been fine - hydraulics, wings and bits on the back of the car."
So it seems the expected issue with vibrations isn't going to dominate as one might have predicted. "I would say it's probably going to be a non issue," Willis agrees. "There are things you can do with the firing order on your engine installation in the chassis, but as you wind the revs up it may become more of a problem, we will see."
So with the vibrations not stopping the engines running reliably, the teams can focus on the power and how it's delivered. With a 20% drop in capacity, logic would suggest a similar drop in performance. But the march of development in F1 sees an annual gain of around 3-5% in power, so the target this year will be somewhat less than the 20% (around 180-190bhp) drop and probably around 750bhp.
With peak power somewhat easier to predict, the drivability of the engine - that is, the way the power is delivered - will be very different to the V10s. Says Willis: "What's changed in the regulations, as well as the reduction in displacement, is we cannot have variable trumpets, must have single injectors and quite a lot of materials limitation.
"All the engine manufacturers used the moving trumpets to smooth out the torque curve, giving you good peak rev torque and good pick up. Now there's more of a compromise to balance those. So that's making the torque curve rather lumpier and there are more issues to do with part throttle control, making the engine rather harder to map and to drive. A careful right foot is going to be more beneficial."
Offsetting this lumpier power delivery is the fact that engine power output is now a match for the tyre. In recent years, the V10s simply couldn't get their power down - the dreaded traction control cutting in to limit the power from overwhelming the tyres. This made the car's traction limited; the car could be quicker only if the tyres could cope.
"In terms of absolute laptime, the cars were traction limited in a lot of places with a v10," Willis explains. "Now that traction limit is different for two reasons: there is a lot less power with the V8, but we are going to multiple tyres for a race. So the tyre grip's gone up".
This leaves the teams with some new options in terms of optimum set up. "We are likely to take wing off the car to improve the top speed the lap simulations are showing," Willis adds.
With more drivable power, better tyres and aerodynamics the cars will be faster and slower at different parts of the track, overall lap times will be down but corner speeds and potentially top speeds may be up, "cornering speed will be up all the time through the corners, you are really just going to look at lack of acceleration once your no longer traction limited. But they will be accelerating for a lot longer down the straight; the v10s were able to get to the terminal speeds much sooner."
This changes the emphasis from getting a V10 car into position where its power gains the lap time, to where a V8 car will be looking at corner entry speed to gain lap time. This will also be a different discipline for the drivers, more akin to F3, where maintaining cornering speed is critical - no longer the aggressive point-and-squirt of the past few years.
Some drivers will adapt from the aggressive approach, some already have a more fluid style, and no doubt some drivers will struggle. With this point in mind, Willis clearly feels he has an asset with Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello as Honda's drivers in 2006.
"I think Jenson's driving style is much more suited to the V8 than some others," the Briton says. "I think the smooth drivers will be able to drive around the slightly less smooth power curves and not using the TC quite so much, and maybe there's going to be an advantage in that."
Unlike last year, the aerodynamic rules haven't changed except for one small area, where the bargeboards are no longer allowed to be lower between the front wheels. Willis says this small change was a safety issue, "to stop us ripping them off on the kerbs," and adds that "it stops dragging debris back on the track from minor offs."
With this stability in the aero rules, teams who struggled with the rule changes last year or made compromises to get some parts working have a another chance to regain the lost downforce from the wing and diffuser changes.
Two areas that most teams didn't get to optimise to the higher front wing and lower diffuser was the interaction with the suspension. This was either due to the structural reasons or conservatism in their geometry to suit the no-tyre-change rule.
Since the introduction of the twin keel, the "Keel" debate has laboured on - from teams not really having keels to the choice of single over twin keels. Keels are only a structural attachment between the lower front wishbone to the chassis, but the position right behind the front wing makes them critical in aero performance.
The offset of cleaner aerodynamic shape was weight or stiffness - something the chassis designers struggled to compromise on. In 2005, all teams except McLaren launched with singles keels (Renault's V keel is seen as a single keel derivative).
McLaren made a late change to raise up their front wishbones to make the "zero keel" - which is effectively not a keel at all, as the wishbone's mount direct to the chassis, like in the old days (except the modern high nose chassis force the suspension geometry into an odd drooped format).
What McLaren gained was that the clean underside to the nose and wishbones has been well placed to interact with the front wing to gain even more downforce and efficiency.
Importantly for the chassis designers, this set-up fed the loads into the stiffest part of the car without heavy and complicated keels. Toyota followed suit in the last three races. For 2006, many teams are tipped to adopt this format, and maybe the term 'keel' can be dropped from the F1 vocabulary.
Willis rationalises the decision on which concept to go for. "It really depends on what comes out of the various teams' wind tunnels programmes," he says. "I think that having the same aero rules for two years running means that it does allow the other groups to catch up a bit. It's not so much copying, as the physics are the same for everybody, so it's not surprising when people end up with similar packages."
But Willis does warn that "the car that won the championship had fairly conventional front suspension layout compared to the car that appeared to be faster but didn't deliver the goods in the end. If you were just going to work on the evolutionary path that's most effective, I'm not sure which way I'd say is the best."
Other area affecting the car's layout and aerodynamics is the V8 engine itself. The new engines will be a minimum length, not something that an engine manufacturer will struggle to meet. This gives the chassis around 90-100mm to play with, which in turn gives a range of options - from shortening the car to adding a spacer so as to retain the current wheelbase.
"Its really going to depend on what people want to do with weight distribution and where the wheels go," Willis comments. "This is possibly going to have caused the most problems to the car designers. If you've got enough ballast to move around then you can deal with it, but I know there are some people who do not have the ability to move enough ballast around.
"But as the aero rules are more or less the same, the engines in truth will be similar weight, because there is a minimum weight. My guess is the cars' layout will be fairly similar."
So as the gearboxes will be longer, the position of the gear cluster and differential may be changed in detail. The gearbox internals are something that has been a source of interest in the past year, with the so-called "Zeroshift" selection mechanisms. These are aimed at reducing the drive lost in gear shifting to a minimum.
One patented version of this is called Zeroshift, so the term could be misinterpreted. Instead, what we'll term "Quick shift" systems are believed to be in use at McLaren and BAR. This is a highly secretive area and one much misunderstood.
Next year's cars will see new engines reduced by a pair of cylinders to make 2.4l V8 motor units, and the Grand Prix weekends will feature a new qualifying format as well as a return of tyre changes during the race. Craig Scarborough talked to Honda Racing's technical director Geoff Willis about these changes and the team's preparations for 2006
By Craig Scarborough
autosport.com's technical writer
The introduction of V8 engines for 2006 was confirmed before the end of 2004, while teams already had the V10 in development for 2006. Additionally, the confirmation of the rule details came late, when some teams already had V8s running either as cut-down V10s or new, dedicated V8s. The FIA has mandated restrictions on internal engine dimensions and weight, as well as a ban on moving inlet trumpets and multiple fuel injectors.
All these changes will see engines with lower power outputs, from 900+ bhp, but with the change of format the engines are expected to vibrate more - the 90-degree V configuration not matching the 8 cylinders for a naturally balanced engine.
Honda Racing's technical director Geoff Willis says the problems with the vibrations were to be expected, "certainly the theory shows the V8 will have more vibration. I think we have anticipated that with some of our design features in our car, as I'm sure most teams have. We are not really seeing an issue about it, it doesn't appear to be causing us any issues on the car, in fact we've had two tests now and everything has been fine - hydraulics, wings and bits on the back of the car."
So it seems the expected issue with vibrations isn't going to dominate as one might have predicted. "I would say it's probably going to be a non issue," Willis agrees. "There are things you can do with the firing order on your engine installation in the chassis, but as you wind the revs up it may become more of a problem, we will see."
So with the vibrations not stopping the engines running reliably, the teams can focus on the power and how it's delivered. With a 20% drop in capacity, logic would suggest a similar drop in performance. But the march of development in F1 sees an annual gain of around 3-5% in power, so the target this year will be somewhat less than the 20% (around 180-190bhp) drop and probably around 750bhp.
With peak power somewhat easier to predict, the drivability of the engine - that is, the way the power is delivered - will be very different to the V10s. Says Willis: "What's changed in the regulations, as well as the reduction in displacement, is we cannot have variable trumpets, must have single injectors and quite a lot of materials limitation.
"All the engine manufacturers used the moving trumpets to smooth out the torque curve, giving you good peak rev torque and good pick up. Now there's more of a compromise to balance those. So that's making the torque curve rather lumpier and there are more issues to do with part throttle control, making the engine rather harder to map and to drive. A careful right foot is going to be more beneficial."
Offsetting this lumpier power delivery is the fact that engine power output is now a match for the tyre. In recent years, the V10s simply couldn't get their power down - the dreaded traction control cutting in to limit the power from overwhelming the tyres. This made the car's traction limited; the car could be quicker only if the tyres could cope.
"In terms of absolute laptime, the cars were traction limited in a lot of places with a v10," Willis explains. "Now that traction limit is different for two reasons: there is a lot less power with the V8, but we are going to multiple tyres for a race. So the tyre grip's gone up".
This leaves the teams with some new options in terms of optimum set up. "We are likely to take wing off the car to improve the top speed the lap simulations are showing," Willis adds.
With more drivable power, better tyres and aerodynamics the cars will be faster and slower at different parts of the track, overall lap times will be down but corner speeds and potentially top speeds may be up, "cornering speed will be up all the time through the corners, you are really just going to look at lack of acceleration once your no longer traction limited. But they will be accelerating for a lot longer down the straight; the v10s were able to get to the terminal speeds much sooner."
This changes the emphasis from getting a V10 car into position where its power gains the lap time, to where a V8 car will be looking at corner entry speed to gain lap time. This will also be a different discipline for the drivers, more akin to F3, where maintaining cornering speed is critical - no longer the aggressive point-and-squirt of the past few years.
Some drivers will adapt from the aggressive approach, some already have a more fluid style, and no doubt some drivers will struggle. With this point in mind, Willis clearly feels he has an asset with Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello as Honda's drivers in 2006.
"I think Jenson's driving style is much more suited to the V8 than some others," the Briton says. "I think the smooth drivers will be able to drive around the slightly less smooth power curves and not using the TC quite so much, and maybe there's going to be an advantage in that."
Unlike last year, the aerodynamic rules haven't changed except for one small area, where the bargeboards are no longer allowed to be lower between the front wheels. Willis says this small change was a safety issue, "to stop us ripping them off on the kerbs," and adds that "it stops dragging debris back on the track from minor offs."
With this stability in the aero rules, teams who struggled with the rule changes last year or made compromises to get some parts working have a another chance to regain the lost downforce from the wing and diffuser changes.
Two areas that most teams didn't get to optimise to the higher front wing and lower diffuser was the interaction with the suspension. This was either due to the structural reasons or conservatism in their geometry to suit the no-tyre-change rule.
Since the introduction of the twin keel, the "Keel" debate has laboured on - from teams not really having keels to the choice of single over twin keels. Keels are only a structural attachment between the lower front wishbone to the chassis, but the position right behind the front wing makes them critical in aero performance.
The offset of cleaner aerodynamic shape was weight or stiffness - something the chassis designers struggled to compromise on. In 2005, all teams except McLaren launched with singles keels (Renault's V keel is seen as a single keel derivative).
McLaren made a late change to raise up their front wishbones to make the "zero keel" - which is effectively not a keel at all, as the wishbone's mount direct to the chassis, like in the old days (except the modern high nose chassis force the suspension geometry into an odd drooped format).
What McLaren gained was that the clean underside to the nose and wishbones has been well placed to interact with the front wing to gain even more downforce and efficiency.
Importantly for the chassis designers, this set-up fed the loads into the stiffest part of the car without heavy and complicated keels. Toyota followed suit in the last three races. For 2006, many teams are tipped to adopt this format, and maybe the term 'keel' can be dropped from the F1 vocabulary.
Willis rationalises the decision on which concept to go for. "It really depends on what comes out of the various teams' wind tunnels programmes," he says. "I think that having the same aero rules for two years running means that it does allow the other groups to catch up a bit. It's not so much copying, as the physics are the same for everybody, so it's not surprising when people end up with similar packages."
But Willis does warn that "the car that won the championship had fairly conventional front suspension layout compared to the car that appeared to be faster but didn't deliver the goods in the end. If you were just going to work on the evolutionary path that's most effective, I'm not sure which way I'd say is the best."
Other area affecting the car's layout and aerodynamics is the V8 engine itself. The new engines will be a minimum length, not something that an engine manufacturer will struggle to meet. This gives the chassis around 90-100mm to play with, which in turn gives a range of options - from shortening the car to adding a spacer so as to retain the current wheelbase.
"Its really going to depend on what people want to do with weight distribution and where the wheels go," Willis comments. "This is possibly going to have caused the most problems to the car designers. If you've got enough ballast to move around then you can deal with it, but I know there are some people who do not have the ability to move enough ballast around.
"But as the aero rules are more or less the same, the engines in truth will be similar weight, because there is a minimum weight. My guess is the cars' layout will be fairly similar."
So as the gearboxes will be longer, the position of the gear cluster and differential may be changed in detail. The gearbox internals are something that has been a source of interest in the past year, with the so-called "Zeroshift" selection mechanisms. These are aimed at reducing the drive lost in gear shifting to a minimum.
One patented version of this is called Zeroshift, so the term could be misinterpreted. Instead, what we'll term "Quick shift" systems are believed to be in use at McLaren and BAR. This is a highly secretive area and one much misunderstood.
| MPME | 01-13-2006 05:47 PM |
BAR Tech Talk: interview with Geoff Willis PT 2
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�
Cont:
Willis does on expand on this area, but he says: "We suspect there are other very rapid shift gearboxes around and we strongly suspect others will be trying the same. It's not so much the shift speed, but how it integrates with the transients of the car during gearshifts. That's where the developments are - always trying to minimise the disturbance to the car mid-corner upshift and downshift without destabilising the cars.
"I don't think the shift speed in itself is that critical. With conventional gearboxes we were down to very quick shift times. Up and down the pitlane there's around a 30-millisecond shift, which is not a very slow gearshift. But there are other benefits in terms of simplicity of the inside of the gearbox and the gear sizes and various other componentry, all the time to minimise the bits you are trying to carry, minimise mass and inertia, but maintain reliability."
With the outright speed of the shift not as important as the quality of the shift to keep the car steady, Willis admits to a similar system being on the BAR for the past two years. "Our quick shift gearbox, or whatever you want to call it, was developed a couple of years ago and we raced it all last season and all this season.
"It's not the Zeroshift, which uses these bullets on the shaft to lock the dogs. It's a piece of gearbox technology largely developed by HGT - that's the Honda R&D plant in Tochigi, Japan, form which the F1engine and chassis programme come from.
"It's a concept that was refined by them and implemented with the F1 team, it's been one of the biggest of the joint projects, it's one of the areas where we did a lot of work and continue to work. It's an advantage of having the support of a major manufacturer."
Away from the mechanics and aerodynamics of the car itself, the other major technical rule change is the reintroduction of mid-race tyre changes. As a Bridgestone team from their inception and now a Michelin team for two years, Willis is well placed to assess the two tyre-makers' approach.
"There's a slight culture difference between Bridgestone and Michelin, certainly they both look at the construction of the tyre and compounding as two separate strands and they'll be looking at how they vary both of these things."
Willis further explains how his current relationship with Michelin is progressing: "We are discussing with them the consequences and implications of the rules changes and the V8. This is a very busy winter, when we get back to testing in January I am expecting a lot of testing to be done to get us back in to the multiple tyre formula."
This regulation U-turn will affect how the teams set up their cars and suspension, while the tyre suppliers have had a year of long-life tyres to apply to the new breed of tyres. This latter development is out of the hands of the teams.
Although the tyres will be used in similar race strategies to those in 2004, Willis doesn't see it as totally relevant. "I think they will be looking at which of the developments they made in 2005 can give the advantages in what we will now be doing. You have 2004 to go back to for a lot of information, but it is remarkable how quickly the tyre technology moves, and how relentless the rate of progress is."
The V8 engine's lesser power output will have impact in tyre design that perhaps was not evident initially. "As we'll have less power going through the tyres, tyre warm-up will be more of an issue," Willis explains. This will help the teams get the heat into the tyres - especially the rears - and maintain that heat during pace-car periods.
Again, the new cars will place less demands on the tyres as a result. "Also, the benefit will be on hot tracks, where tyre temperatures will be less of an issue," Willis predicts.
As already mentioned, the greater part of tyre development is done by the tyre manufacturers, but the teams still have design work in order to accommodate the new rubber. Willis sees the tyres as central to the car's whole design philosophy.
"Everything else you do on the car - aerodynamics, engine, whatever it is. It's got to communicate with those four contact patches." Of course, by this he means the suspension - still something of a black art. But the design software and simulations assists the engineers.
"The key is to get the tyre at its ideal orientation at all times," Willis says. "There are - with passive suspension double wishbone geometry - a number of conflicts between the best tyre alignment for traction, the best alignment for mid-corner, and mixed loads.
"So you will see all the teams working quite hard with both kinematics and compliance effects." By this Willis means the relationship between the angle that the wishbones hold the wheel at, and the way the springs and roll bars control the angle of the car.
"You might think you've got one tyre attitude due to the kinematic effect of the suspension geometry, but it's relative to the different elements which add their own geometry to that of the tyre orientation. What we are learning, as we work with the tyre manufacturers, is just what is the most critical factor with that tyre orientation.
"Then, there's the balance between having the tyre in its right position with the attitude of the car and how that will affect the aerodynamic performance. It's a very tough call and every year we learn another big step in how it works."
Willis continues on how Michelin assists in the process: "We have a very clear design guidance from Michelin; they have done a lot of work with the tyres at all sort of orientations, at different loads and slip angles. The trouble is, sometimes you can't get the tyre perfectly aligned at all times. Part of the skill of the car designer is choosing where to make the compromises."
The last change for 2006 is not a technical rule but still one that affects how the teams will tackle the car's design, and how they operate the car at race weekends. The FIA has announced - quite late in the year - the new format for qualifying, making it a more complex three-part session, mixing elements of the "one lap" and open-session formats.
"It is quite interesting," Willis comments. "I think the objective is to try to get the combination of the equal TV coverage of one by one - but with that sense of the old qualifying, where the dying few seconds of the session could see the epic shoot-outs, with pole changing hands four or five times.
"We certainly think that qualifying with fuel for the start of the race leads to quite interesting race strategies, so I think it was important to keep that. I think this is an interesting mix of those ideas; it's going to make for a busy hour. There's going to be no worry of twenty minutes of nothing happening and no worry of watching cars that are not that quick going one at a time while you wait for the top ten to come and show what it's about."
In the new format, all 20 cars will announce their proposed race fuel level. They then have an initial 15-minute session to set a laptime, and then the fifteen fastest cars will have another 15-minute session to set another time. At the close of this session, the ten slowest cars will be allowed to re-tyre and refuel for the race's start, albeit other parc ferme conditions apply.
Then, the last ten cars go out for a final twenty-minute session with the times zeroed for the final top-ten order. However, the final ten will not be allowed to reset their fuel load, having qualified with race fuel.
This opens up many avenues of strategy, and Willis expands on some of the options: "I suspect it will be relatively easy for the top ten cars to make sure they are in the top ten. The tricky bit strategically will be the cars that think they can only qualify P9 or P10 - then you might want to qualify P11 and get the opportunity to put a lot more fuel in.
"We are doing quite a lot of simulations to work out how we deal with it; I think it will take two or three races for it to shake out into a standard pattern."
Although, Willis warns, with up to 50 minutes of track time, we won't be seeing long runs of laps from the top teams. "You'll just need to make sure you've done a quick enough lap, you'll go and do a lap fairly early on, then you'll be watching to see.
"In the second fifteen minutes, you probably won't want to use up engine life so you'll try to do one lap to get you in the top ten if you're in a quick enough car. Then the challenge in the last session is how much do you want to put mileage on the engine versus how much do you want the fuel top-up benefit?"
There are speculations that the top ten cars will be droning around trying to burn off fuel in order to get a lightweight qualifying lap before being allowed to reset their fuel to the pre-qualifying level.
This has been intercepted by a rule agreed by the Technical Working Group, as Willis explains: "It looks as though the FIA is going to define a fuel consumption number, so for every lap you do faster than a certain percentage of pole, it qualifies for a top up. Say it's 2.5kg a lap, and you do you ten laps in the sessions, then on Sunday morning you are entitled to pump in ten times 2.5kg of fuel.
"What we didn't want was cars of vastly different speeds going around - it will encourage you to drive around and have a couple of goes. The interesting bit will be how late before the end do you have a go? Do you have a go and then have time to come in, stick on a set of tyres, and go back out again to cover it if you haven't been quick enough?
"My feel it that you will have done a practice lap in the untimed session in the morning, you will have done your first run in Q1 and a second run in Q2 - so you really shouldn't really need more than a go at it in Q3. But you will need to make sure it is very close to the end of the session to get the best track. It could be quite an exciting last few minutes."
This more strategic qualifying will lead into the race with the option to switch tyres. "Its going to be similar to 2004 with the mixture thrown in that the teams that qualify further back will typically be able to run longer, as they will have topped up to their optimum.
"So you'll find the last ten, if they do their sums correctly, will be fuelled to the qualifying position they got, whereas the front ten won't necessarily be quite as good. There could well be, by the first stops, a bit of swapping around in the midfield. Plus, it gives you another opportunity if you have a major problem in qualifying, by fuelling long and keeping out of trouble."
With the technical and strategic changes, 2006 will be a serious challenge for the teams. While it often appears that the major teams will adapt the best, a canny midfield team with the right design and strategy for qualifying could well spring a surprise.
Not least, the teams that struggled in 2005 from either the rules affecting aero or tyre life, could return to much better form.
Willis does on expand on this area, but he says: "We suspect there are other very rapid shift gearboxes around and we strongly suspect others will be trying the same. It's not so much the shift speed, but how it integrates with the transients of the car during gearshifts. That's where the developments are - always trying to minimise the disturbance to the car mid-corner upshift and downshift without destabilising the cars.
"I don't think the shift speed in itself is that critical. With conventional gearboxes we were down to very quick shift times. Up and down the pitlane there's around a 30-millisecond shift, which is not a very slow gearshift. But there are other benefits in terms of simplicity of the inside of the gearbox and the gear sizes and various other componentry, all the time to minimise the bits you are trying to carry, minimise mass and inertia, but maintain reliability."
With the outright speed of the shift not as important as the quality of the shift to keep the car steady, Willis admits to a similar system being on the BAR for the past two years. "Our quick shift gearbox, or whatever you want to call it, was developed a couple of years ago and we raced it all last season and all this season.
"It's not the Zeroshift, which uses these bullets on the shaft to lock the dogs. It's a piece of gearbox technology largely developed by HGT - that's the Honda R&D plant in Tochigi, Japan, form which the F1engine and chassis programme come from.
"It's a concept that was refined by them and implemented with the F1 team, it's been one of the biggest of the joint projects, it's one of the areas where we did a lot of work and continue to work. It's an advantage of having the support of a major manufacturer."
Away from the mechanics and aerodynamics of the car itself, the other major technical rule change is the reintroduction of mid-race tyre changes. As a Bridgestone team from their inception and now a Michelin team for two years, Willis is well placed to assess the two tyre-makers' approach.
"There's a slight culture difference between Bridgestone and Michelin, certainly they both look at the construction of the tyre and compounding as two separate strands and they'll be looking at how they vary both of these things."
Willis further explains how his current relationship with Michelin is progressing: "We are discussing with them the consequences and implications of the rules changes and the V8. This is a very busy winter, when we get back to testing in January I am expecting a lot of testing to be done to get us back in to the multiple tyre formula."
This regulation U-turn will affect how the teams set up their cars and suspension, while the tyre suppliers have had a year of long-life tyres to apply to the new breed of tyres. This latter development is out of the hands of the teams.
Although the tyres will be used in similar race strategies to those in 2004, Willis doesn't see it as totally relevant. "I think they will be looking at which of the developments they made in 2005 can give the advantages in what we will now be doing. You have 2004 to go back to for a lot of information, but it is remarkable how quickly the tyre technology moves, and how relentless the rate of progress is."
The V8 engine's lesser power output will have impact in tyre design that perhaps was not evident initially. "As we'll have less power going through the tyres, tyre warm-up will be more of an issue," Willis explains. This will help the teams get the heat into the tyres - especially the rears - and maintain that heat during pace-car periods.
Again, the new cars will place less demands on the tyres as a result. "Also, the benefit will be on hot tracks, where tyre temperatures will be less of an issue," Willis predicts.
As already mentioned, the greater part of tyre development is done by the tyre manufacturers, but the teams still have design work in order to accommodate the new rubber. Willis sees the tyres as central to the car's whole design philosophy.
"Everything else you do on the car - aerodynamics, engine, whatever it is. It's got to communicate with those four contact patches." Of course, by this he means the suspension - still something of a black art. But the design software and simulations assists the engineers.
"The key is to get the tyre at its ideal orientation at all times," Willis says. "There are - with passive suspension double wishbone geometry - a number of conflicts between the best tyre alignment for traction, the best alignment for mid-corner, and mixed loads.
"So you will see all the teams working quite hard with both kinematics and compliance effects." By this Willis means the relationship between the angle that the wishbones hold the wheel at, and the way the springs and roll bars control the angle of the car.
"You might think you've got one tyre attitude due to the kinematic effect of the suspension geometry, but it's relative to the different elements which add their own geometry to that of the tyre orientation. What we are learning, as we work with the tyre manufacturers, is just what is the most critical factor with that tyre orientation.
"Then, there's the balance between having the tyre in its right position with the attitude of the car and how that will affect the aerodynamic performance. It's a very tough call and every year we learn another big step in how it works."
Willis continues on how Michelin assists in the process: "We have a very clear design guidance from Michelin; they have done a lot of work with the tyres at all sort of orientations, at different loads and slip angles. The trouble is, sometimes you can't get the tyre perfectly aligned at all times. Part of the skill of the car designer is choosing where to make the compromises."
The last change for 2006 is not a technical rule but still one that affects how the teams will tackle the car's design, and how they operate the car at race weekends. The FIA has announced - quite late in the year - the new format for qualifying, making it a more complex three-part session, mixing elements of the "one lap" and open-session formats.
"It is quite interesting," Willis comments. "I think the objective is to try to get the combination of the equal TV coverage of one by one - but with that sense of the old qualifying, where the dying few seconds of the session could see the epic shoot-outs, with pole changing hands four or five times.
"We certainly think that qualifying with fuel for the start of the race leads to quite interesting race strategies, so I think it was important to keep that. I think this is an interesting mix of those ideas; it's going to make for a busy hour. There's going to be no worry of twenty minutes of nothing happening and no worry of watching cars that are not that quick going one at a time while you wait for the top ten to come and show what it's about."
In the new format, all 20 cars will announce their proposed race fuel level. They then have an initial 15-minute session to set a laptime, and then the fifteen fastest cars will have another 15-minute session to set another time. At the close of this session, the ten slowest cars will be allowed to re-tyre and refuel for the race's start, albeit other parc ferme conditions apply.
Then, the last ten cars go out for a final twenty-minute session with the times zeroed for the final top-ten order. However, the final ten will not be allowed to reset their fuel load, having qualified with race fuel.
This opens up many avenues of strategy, and Willis expands on some of the options: "I suspect it will be relatively easy for the top ten cars to make sure they are in the top ten. The tricky bit strategically will be the cars that think they can only qualify P9 or P10 - then you might want to qualify P11 and get the opportunity to put a lot more fuel in.
"We are doing quite a lot of simulations to work out how we deal with it; I think it will take two or three races for it to shake out into a standard pattern."
Although, Willis warns, with up to 50 minutes of track time, we won't be seeing long runs of laps from the top teams. "You'll just need to make sure you've done a quick enough lap, you'll go and do a lap fairly early on, then you'll be watching to see.
"In the second fifteen minutes, you probably won't want to use up engine life so you'll try to do one lap to get you in the top ten if you're in a quick enough car. Then the challenge in the last session is how much do you want to put mileage on the engine versus how much do you want the fuel top-up benefit?"
There are speculations that the top ten cars will be droning around trying to burn off fuel in order to get a lightweight qualifying lap before being allowed to reset their fuel to the pre-qualifying level.
This has been intercepted by a rule agreed by the Technical Working Group, as Willis explains: "It looks as though the FIA is going to define a fuel consumption number, so for every lap you do faster than a certain percentage of pole, it qualifies for a top up. Say it's 2.5kg a lap, and you do you ten laps in the sessions, then on Sunday morning you are entitled to pump in ten times 2.5kg of fuel.
"What we didn't want was cars of vastly different speeds going around - it will encourage you to drive around and have a couple of goes. The interesting bit will be how late before the end do you have a go? Do you have a go and then have time to come in, stick on a set of tyres, and go back out again to cover it if you haven't been quick enough?
"My feel it that you will have done a practice lap in the untimed session in the morning, you will have done your first run in Q1 and a second run in Q2 - so you really shouldn't really need more than a go at it in Q3. But you will need to make sure it is very close to the end of the session to get the best track. It could be quite an exciting last few minutes."
This more strategic qualifying will lead into the race with the option to switch tyres. "Its going to be similar to 2004 with the mixture thrown in that the teams that qualify further back will typically be able to run longer, as they will have topped up to their optimum.
"So you'll find the last ten, if they do their sums correctly, will be fuelled to the qualifying position they got, whereas the front ten won't necessarily be quite as good. There could well be, by the first stops, a bit of swapping around in the midfield. Plus, it gives you another opportunity if you have a major problem in qualifying, by fuelling long and keeping out of trouble."
With the technical and strategic changes, 2006 will be a serious challenge for the teams. While it often appears that the major teams will adapt the best, a canny midfield team with the right design and strategy for qualifying could well spring a surprise.
Not least, the teams that struggled in 2005 from either the rules affecting aero or tyre life, could return to much better form.
| StuBeck | 01-13-2006 10:47 PM |
[QUOTE=Ferg]I couldn't agree more.
What happneed at Indy in 2001? I can't remember any specific drama. I only recall Ralfie spinning the Williams off mid distance. Are you talking about 2005 when he decided to sit out the race after a tire failure? I wouldn't call that an act of cowardice, he did break his back against turn 13's wall in 2004 afterall. I imagine that played a factor.[/QUOTE]
He did not want to come to the race because of 9/11. He said it was not safe and the race should be cancelled. He was forced to come. He also did not race in 05 because none of the michelin teams did.
What happneed at Indy in 2001? I can't remember any specific drama. I only recall Ralfie spinning the Williams off mid distance. Are you talking about 2005 when he decided to sit out the race after a tire failure? I wouldn't call that an act of cowardice, he did break his back against turn 13's wall in 2004 afterall. I imagine that played a factor.[/QUOTE]
He did not want to come to the race because of 9/11. He said it was not safe and the race should be cancelled. He was forced to come. He also did not race in 05 because none of the michelin teams did.
| Ferg | 01-14-2006 12:16 AM |
I had forgotten about the 9/11 thing, he did make a bit of a a stink didn't he.
I seem to remember that Ralf pulled out of the 2005 US GP before the announcement from Michelin...but I could be wrong.
I seem to remember that Ralf pulled out of the 2005 US GP before the announcement from Michelin...but I could be wrong.
| Ferg | 01-14-2006 12:17 AM |
And hey, wow, MPME, thanks for the input. I see we get our info from the same places.
| MPME | 01-14-2006 12:30 AM |
[QUOTE=Ferg]And hey, wow, MPME, thanks for the input. I see we get our info from the same places.[/QUOTE]
very cool--I started buying Autosport in the mid-80's, and have saved every copy of it since. Their site is the only F1 site worth viewing; too bad for others that they only post about 1/50th of what is published weekly in the magazine.
very cool--I started buying Autosport in the mid-80's, and have saved every copy of it since. Their site is the only F1 site worth viewing; too bad for others that they only post about 1/50th of what is published weekly in the magazine.
| MPME | 01-14-2006 03:46 AM |
Nostalgia: Senna's Last One
�
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Nostalgia: Senna's Last One
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayrton Senna really wanted to win his last race with McLaren and have the team break Ferrari's legendary record. He did it, indeed. But in reality, the Grand Prix of Australia 1993 was also to be his final race win.
There was so much at stake. The 1993 Australian Grand Prix was to be Ayrton Senna's final race for McLaren after six seasons. He wanted to end on a high, and not just for himself. Victory in the underpowered McLaren-Ford MP4/8 would be McLaren's 104th world championship-qualifying grand prix win. A win that would break Ferrari's all-time record as Formula One's most successful marque.
Although the MP4/8 was underpowered, there were compensations: it had an immensely capable chassis that handled beautifully. And in combination with the skills of the triple world champion, it could still win races. However, there was added piquancy around Adelaide that weekend, for the grand prix was also the swansong of a former McLaren shining star, Senna's often bitter rival Alain Prost, who was ending his career with Williams-Renault.
The McLaren team arrived in Adelaide fresh from a fine first and third place in Japan. New recruit Mika Hakkinen had demonstrated real promise, while Senna's victory had been coloured by a subsequent scuffle with that other new boy, Eddie Irvine, after "unmannerly" driving by the Ulsterman.
As practice began, Senna found a pair of boxing gloves laced to his McLaren's steering wheel. He saw the joke - but the emotional end-of-an-era charge around McLaren's garage could only grow. Senna was seriously hyped up, and aggressive questioning in the press conference about the Japanese contretemps merely heightened these tensions.
As he went for his time in qualifying, the McLaren pit was in turmoil. As Ron Dennis recalls: "We were convinced that he didn't have enough fuel on board to complete another flyer and were desperately radioing him to slow down."
Senna confirmed it: "I knew that I was low on fuel and I was calling but never got any reply. My radio button was stuck, so they couldn't talk to me."
In the pits: "We were screaming to him to back off, but all we heard was this continuous stream of expletives - throughout his quick lap."
Despite these dramas, he did it again. Senna claimed pole position for the 62nd time in his glittering career.
On the starting grid, he liked to inch himself really tightly into his car, to mould himself into the centre of its very being. But this time - this tense, emotive time - Senna's routine changed. Team co-ordinator Jo Ramirez: "Ayrton suddenly called me over to fix his belts. He looked at me very intently and said: 'I feel really very strange doing this for the last time in a McLaren.' It was an emotional moment. I said: 'You just win this for us and I'll love you forever.'
"He instantly grabbed my arm, squeezed it really hard, and his eyes filled up. Mine did, too, and I thought: 'Oh ****, now I've upset him. Of all the moments!' I feared I'd ruined it, for sure..."
Two aborted race starts wound the tension ratchet even higher. But from the green light, Senna rocketed into a lead he would lose only briefly. After the first pitstops his lead peaked at 33.8 seconds before he paced himself to victory - though not before surviving a couple of stomach-wrenching moments as his engine cut out twice in the tight hairpin. Prost was second, and world champion for the year.
When these two had been feuding team-mates at McLaren, Ramirez was one of the few who found it easy to be friends with both. "Now as they went up on to the podium," he recalls, "it was great to see them both make the effort, hugs and handshakes and warm words. And when Senna came back into the garage it was all tears of relief and happiness. We had won and broken the record, but he was sad that it was his last time for McLaren. He told me: 'It was lovely what you said before the start. It nearly broke me. It was another test I had to overcome.'"
Senna gave Ramirez his hat, and the Brazilian flag he had picked up from somebody on his victory lap. In the post-race open air concert, Tina Turner pulled the former McLaren driver out on stage as she sang Simply the Best.
Ramirez still has that moment on video at home. To this day he cannot watch it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayrton Senna really wanted to win his last race with McLaren and have the team break Ferrari's legendary record. He did it, indeed. But in reality, the Grand Prix of Australia 1993 was also to be his final race win.
There was so much at stake. The 1993 Australian Grand Prix was to be Ayrton Senna's final race for McLaren after six seasons. He wanted to end on a high, and not just for himself. Victory in the underpowered McLaren-Ford MP4/8 would be McLaren's 104th world championship-qualifying grand prix win. A win that would break Ferrari's all-time record as Formula One's most successful marque.
Although the MP4/8 was underpowered, there were compensations: it had an immensely capable chassis that handled beautifully. And in combination with the skills of the triple world champion, it could still win races. However, there was added piquancy around Adelaide that weekend, for the grand prix was also the swansong of a former McLaren shining star, Senna's often bitter rival Alain Prost, who was ending his career with Williams-Renault.
The McLaren team arrived in Adelaide fresh from a fine first and third place in Japan. New recruit Mika Hakkinen had demonstrated real promise, while Senna's victory had been coloured by a subsequent scuffle with that other new boy, Eddie Irvine, after "unmannerly" driving by the Ulsterman.
As practice began, Senna found a pair of boxing gloves laced to his McLaren's steering wheel. He saw the joke - but the emotional end-of-an-era charge around McLaren's garage could only grow. Senna was seriously hyped up, and aggressive questioning in the press conference about the Japanese contretemps merely heightened these tensions.
As he went for his time in qualifying, the McLaren pit was in turmoil. As Ron Dennis recalls: "We were convinced that he didn't have enough fuel on board to complete another flyer and were desperately radioing him to slow down."
Senna confirmed it: "I knew that I was low on fuel and I was calling but never got any reply. My radio button was stuck, so they couldn't talk to me."
In the pits: "We were screaming to him to back off, but all we heard was this continuous stream of expletives - throughout his quick lap."
Despite these dramas, he did it again. Senna claimed pole position for the 62nd time in his glittering career.
On the starting grid, he liked to inch himself really tightly into his car, to mould himself into the centre of its very being. But this time - this tense, emotive time - Senna's routine changed. Team co-ordinator Jo Ramirez: "Ayrton suddenly called me over to fix his belts. He looked at me very intently and said: 'I feel really very strange doing this for the last time in a McLaren.' It was an emotional moment. I said: 'You just win this for us and I'll love you forever.'
"He instantly grabbed my arm, squeezed it really hard, and his eyes filled up. Mine did, too, and I thought: 'Oh ****, now I've upset him. Of all the moments!' I feared I'd ruined it, for sure..."
Two aborted race starts wound the tension ratchet even higher. But from the green light, Senna rocketed into a lead he would lose only briefly. After the first pitstops his lead peaked at 33.8 seconds before he paced himself to victory - though not before surviving a couple of stomach-wrenching moments as his engine cut out twice in the tight hairpin. Prost was second, and world champion for the year.
When these two had been feuding team-mates at McLaren, Ramirez was one of the few who found it easy to be friends with both. "Now as they went up on to the podium," he recalls, "it was great to see them both make the effort, hugs and handshakes and warm words. And when Senna came back into the garage it was all tears of relief and happiness. We had won and broken the record, but he was sad that it was his last time for McLaren. He told me: 'It was lovely what you said before the start. It nearly broke me. It was another test I had to overcome.'"
Senna gave Ramirez his hat, and the Brazilian flag he had picked up from somebody on his victory lap. In the post-race open air concert, Tina Turner pulled the former McLaren driver out on stage as she sang Simply the Best.
Ramirez still has that moment on video at home. To this day he cannot watch it.
| StuBeck | 01-14-2006 09:40 AM |
[QUOTE=Ferg]I had forgotten about the 9/11 thing, he did make a bit of a a stink didn't he.
I seem to remember that Ralf pulled out of the 2005 US GP before the announcement from Michelin...but I could be wrong.[/QUOTE]
He may have, that was because of injury though, not because he was nervous about it. I do wonder how the hospital visit must have been after he threatened to sue them after 04.
I also hate him because of all the comments he made about JPM when they were teammates. He started attacking him before he even came to the team. I think the biggest thing which points out how much of an ass he is is his comments abut why JPM had more engines blow then him. He stated JPM was overreving his engines...when they were running FULLY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. Yea, ****ing *******.
I seem to remember that Ralf pulled out of the 2005 US GP before the announcement from Michelin...but I could be wrong.[/QUOTE]
He may have, that was because of injury though, not because he was nervous about it. I do wonder how the hospital visit must have been after he threatened to sue them after 04.
I also hate him because of all the comments he made about JPM when they were teammates. He started attacking him before he even came to the team. I think the biggest thing which points out how much of an ass he is is his comments abut why JPM had more engines blow then him. He stated JPM was overreving his engines...when they were running FULLY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. Yea, ****ing *******.
| artkevin | 01-14-2006 11:03 AM |
I agree Stu, I lost a lot of respect for Ralf in that era.
Speaking of Ralf and the boys in white and red they released there 06 challenger today. I like rear end treatment.
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54758.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54781.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54782.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54771.jpg[/IMG]
Speaking of Ralf and the boys in white and red they released there 06 challenger today. I like rear end treatment.
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54758.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54781.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54782.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://images.f1racing.net/large/54771.jpg[/IMG]
| Ferg | 01-14-2006 12:47 PM |
Last bit of testing and some other news.
[QUOTE]De la Rosa on top at wet Jerez
January 14th 2006, 16:59 GMT
McLaren's test driver Pedro de la Rosa finished on top of the times on the final day of testing of the week at the Jerez circuit.
Only three drivers were in action today as Michelin carried out a wet tyre testing programme, artificially watering the track despite moments of natural rain during the session.
De la Rosa, driving a V10-engined car, was the quickest and busiest man in action, covering a total of 101 laps to finish nearly a second ahead of Rubens Barrichello in the Honda.
The Brazilian, who made his debut with his new team this week, carried out his first proper wet test with Michelin tyres, having driven on Bridgestones most of his career. Barrichello caused the only red flag of the day when his car stopped on track.
Red Bull's Christian Klien was slowest of the trio in the team's new RB2.
Formula One testing returns to Jerez next Tuesday.
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Tyres Time Laps
1. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:28.451 101
2. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:29.617 95
3. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:29.842 83[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Trulli reminds Toyota he has other options
By Alan Baldwin January 14th 2006, 14:43 GMT
Jarno Trulli has warned Toyota that a rival Formula One team is interested in him for 2007.
The Italian, whose contract expires at the end of the season, said at a pre-season event in northern France that he hoped to stay but could not wait indefinitely for confirmation even if time was not an issue yet.
"Me and Toyota, we are focused on the 2006 season and we are not in a hurry to renew the contract. We are talking, but we are not in a hurry," he told reporters.
"I have other options, this is very clear," added the Italian. "The only thing is that in case Toyota does not want to continue, I don't want to lose the other good option.
"I hope and believe that if we show good performance, we can carry on together.
"It's difficult to say when (a decision is needed)," continued Trulli.
"For sure I don't want to announce it in September and I would like to do it a bit earlier, especially when you have other options and I don't want to lose that in case something goes wrong."
Trulli joined Toyota in late 2004 after winning the Monaco Grand Prix for Renault and then falling out with team boss Flavio Briatore.
Last year, the 31-year-old handed Toyota their first podium and first pole position.
Only a handful of drivers have contracts for 2007 and beyond, Trulli's teammate Ralf Schumacher being one of them.
Trulli's position at Toyota has moved into the spotlight since Renault's Spanish World Champion Fernando Alonso signed to join McLaren in 2007.
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, winner of seven races last year and twice a championship runner-up, is also out of contract at the end of the year and has been linked to big-budget Toyota as well as Ferrari.
Toyota motorsport president John Howett said the team had not spoken to Raikkonen.
"We've had no discussions with Kimi or his management team. We're happy with the current drivers, we think for 2006 they can certainly deliver what we want and we feel it's too early really to consider what we do in the future," he said.
Trulli was confident Toyota, chasing their first win since they entered the sport in 2002, would be strong this year after finishing fourth last season.
"Anything is possible during the season because we have new rules. We feel we have a strong package," he said.
"Things are running pretty well. I had a problem with the front suspension at the end of the season but now it has been solved. Now I have a better feeling with the car and am more confident," he said.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Ferrari to test Rossi 'over next months'
By Michele Lostia January 14th 2006, 16:24 GMT
Ferrari boss Jean Todt says MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will do more tests with the Maranello-based team, and the Italian rider confirmed this will happen "over the next months."
Rossi has been testing for Ferrari recently and has been linked with a possible full-time race drive with the team in 2007, especially if Michael Schumacher decides to retire when his contract expires.
"I admire Valentino, who will do more tests with Ferrari," Todt told reporters at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites. "Then it will be the one deciding whether to try [to come to F1] or not."
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport writes that Rossi, when told of Todt's announcement about doing more tests with Ferrari, stayed silent for a few seconds, clearly embarrassed.
"I don't know," said the Italian rider. "It's possible I'll do more tests with Ferrari. At the moment I'm busy with testing with Yamaha."
But later confirmed: "The tests will definitely happen over the next months, but there isn't a finalized schedule yet."
Todt, showing his admiration for Rossi, further added: "We like seeing him drive the Ferrari. Once I read I scolded him for having come to Maranello in shorts. As far as I'm concerned, he can even come in underpants."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Coulthard heaps praises on Newey
By Biranit Goren January 14th 2006, 15:22 GMT
David Coulthard heaped praises on Adrian Newey's talent and abilities, saying the newly signed Red Bull Racing technical chief was 'an all-rounder' and 'exceptional'.
Newey worked with Coulthard for most of the latter's career, and all of Coulthard's 13 Grand Prix victories were achieved in Newey-designed cars, both in Williams and McLaren.
But Coulthard said the years have not waned Newey's input and capabilities, although his contribution to Red Bull Racing's car performance may not become evident immediately.
"Adrian came to the test in Jerez this week," Coulthard said at the Autosport International Show, "and it was great to see him with his headset on, his clipboard out, and he was taking notes, and occasionally he'll come and try and play a part in the engineering of the car as well.
"He's just an absolute all-rounder; he can design, he can drive - he does some hobby racing - and he can race-engineer a car.
"It's just a natural talent. There's always exceptional people in any sport, in any field. And clearly for more than a decade Adrian has been the leader in his field. As I said, an all-rounder, because he's not just on the drawing board back in an office, theorising how quick a racing car can be.
"He likes to be at the race track, he likes to deal with the problems that are real, inherent in making a race car achieve a fast lap time.
"So I think that this enthusiasm and that experience will take the team forward. As to how quickly his influence will play a part in the success of the team? We just need to get into the season first.
"At the moment, we don't know whether we're going to be more competitive than last year, or whether we're going to be worse of. We won't know that until we get to Bahrain."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Coulthard wants to race for RBR in 07
By Biranit Goren January 14th 2006, 15:06 GMT
David Coulthard says he plans to continue driving for Red Bull Racing in 2007 in a fully designed Adrian Newey car, but the Scot admitted his chances depend on doing a good job this season.
Coulthard won all of his thirteen Grands Prix in Newey-designed cars - initially at Williams and then at McLaren, where he raced for nine seasons before joining Red Bull last year.
And the Scot said he has no wish to retire in the near future, adding that Newey is now his primary motivation to continue racing.
"I'm stuck on 13 wins, which is a horrible number," Coulthard said at the Autosport International Show, in front of a packed crowd. "Obviously if I hadn't moved over a couple of times then I would have had more.
"But I'd like to add a 14th, and as you say all my victories have been in Adrian's cars, and the motivation is to be in a 2007 car which he has played his part in [designing], and so I need to get my finger out and try to do a good job this year."
Coulthard also downplayed recent speculations that he is likely to hang up his helmet and turn to management soon, stating he has no inclination to think about his life after racing.
"I haven't considered it because it means thinking about it, and thinking about it means thinking about retiring," he replied when asked if he would switch to a managerial role.
"I think about the testing at Barcelona next week; I think about racing at Monte Carlo...I just think about the year ahead.
"You know, I don't think [Fernando] Alonso or Kimi Raikkonen think what they're going to do after they retire from F1, and so I have to be of the same mindset if I want to achieve anything."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]De la Rosa on top at wet Jerez
January 14th 2006, 16:59 GMT
McLaren's test driver Pedro de la Rosa finished on top of the times on the final day of testing of the week at the Jerez circuit.
Only three drivers were in action today as Michelin carried out a wet tyre testing programme, artificially watering the track despite moments of natural rain during the session.
De la Rosa, driving a V10-engined car, was the quickest and busiest man in action, covering a total of 101 laps to finish nearly a second ahead of Rubens Barrichello in the Honda.
The Brazilian, who made his debut with his new team this week, carried out his first proper wet test with Michelin tyres, having driven on Bridgestones most of his career. Barrichello caused the only red flag of the day when his car stopped on track.
Red Bull's Christian Klien was slowest of the trio in the team's new RB2.
Formula One testing returns to Jerez next Tuesday.
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Tyres Time Laps
1. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:28.451 101
2. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:29.617 95
3. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:29.842 83[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Trulli reminds Toyota he has other options
By Alan Baldwin January 14th 2006, 14:43 GMT
Jarno Trulli has warned Toyota that a rival Formula One team is interested in him for 2007.
The Italian, whose contract expires at the end of the season, said at a pre-season event in northern France that he hoped to stay but could not wait indefinitely for confirmation even if time was not an issue yet.
"Me and Toyota, we are focused on the 2006 season and we are not in a hurry to renew the contract. We are talking, but we are not in a hurry," he told reporters.
"I have other options, this is very clear," added the Italian. "The only thing is that in case Toyota does not want to continue, I don't want to lose the other good option.
"I hope and believe that if we show good performance, we can carry on together.
"It's difficult to say when (a decision is needed)," continued Trulli.
"For sure I don't want to announce it in September and I would like to do it a bit earlier, especially when you have other options and I don't want to lose that in case something goes wrong."
Trulli joined Toyota in late 2004 after winning the Monaco Grand Prix for Renault and then falling out with team boss Flavio Briatore.
Last year, the 31-year-old handed Toyota their first podium and first pole position.
Only a handful of drivers have contracts for 2007 and beyond, Trulli's teammate Ralf Schumacher being one of them.
Trulli's position at Toyota has moved into the spotlight since Renault's Spanish World Champion Fernando Alonso signed to join McLaren in 2007.
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, winner of seven races last year and twice a championship runner-up, is also out of contract at the end of the year and has been linked to big-budget Toyota as well as Ferrari.
Toyota motorsport president John Howett said the team had not spoken to Raikkonen.
"We've had no discussions with Kimi or his management team. We're happy with the current drivers, we think for 2006 they can certainly deliver what we want and we feel it's too early really to consider what we do in the future," he said.
Trulli was confident Toyota, chasing their first win since they entered the sport in 2002, would be strong this year after finishing fourth last season.
"Anything is possible during the season because we have new rules. We feel we have a strong package," he said.
"Things are running pretty well. I had a problem with the front suspension at the end of the season but now it has been solved. Now I have a better feeling with the car and am more confident," he said.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Ferrari to test Rossi 'over next months'
By Michele Lostia January 14th 2006, 16:24 GMT
Ferrari boss Jean Todt says MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will do more tests with the Maranello-based team, and the Italian rider confirmed this will happen "over the next months."
Rossi has been testing for Ferrari recently and has been linked with a possible full-time race drive with the team in 2007, especially if Michael Schumacher decides to retire when his contract expires.
"I admire Valentino, who will do more tests with Ferrari," Todt told reporters at the team's winter retreat in the Dolomites. "Then it will be the one deciding whether to try [to come to F1] or not."
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport writes that Rossi, when told of Todt's announcement about doing more tests with Ferrari, stayed silent for a few seconds, clearly embarrassed.
"I don't know," said the Italian rider. "It's possible I'll do more tests with Ferrari. At the moment I'm busy with testing with Yamaha."
But later confirmed: "The tests will definitely happen over the next months, but there isn't a finalized schedule yet."
Todt, showing his admiration for Rossi, further added: "We like seeing him drive the Ferrari. Once I read I scolded him for having come to Maranello in shorts. As far as I'm concerned, he can even come in underpants."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Coulthard heaps praises on Newey
By Biranit Goren January 14th 2006, 15:22 GMT
David Coulthard heaped praises on Adrian Newey's talent and abilities, saying the newly signed Red Bull Racing technical chief was 'an all-rounder' and 'exceptional'.
Newey worked with Coulthard for most of the latter's career, and all of Coulthard's 13 Grand Prix victories were achieved in Newey-designed cars, both in Williams and McLaren.
But Coulthard said the years have not waned Newey's input and capabilities, although his contribution to Red Bull Racing's car performance may not become evident immediately.
"Adrian came to the test in Jerez this week," Coulthard said at the Autosport International Show, "and it was great to see him with his headset on, his clipboard out, and he was taking notes, and occasionally he'll come and try and play a part in the engineering of the car as well.
"He's just an absolute all-rounder; he can design, he can drive - he does some hobby racing - and he can race-engineer a car.
"It's just a natural talent. There's always exceptional people in any sport, in any field. And clearly for more than a decade Adrian has been the leader in his field. As I said, an all-rounder, because he's not just on the drawing board back in an office, theorising how quick a racing car can be.
"He likes to be at the race track, he likes to deal with the problems that are real, inherent in making a race car achieve a fast lap time.
"So I think that this enthusiasm and that experience will take the team forward. As to how quickly his influence will play a part in the success of the team? We just need to get into the season first.
"At the moment, we don't know whether we're going to be more competitive than last year, or whether we're going to be worse of. We won't know that until we get to Bahrain."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Coulthard wants to race for RBR in 07
By Biranit Goren January 14th 2006, 15:06 GMT
David Coulthard says he plans to continue driving for Red Bull Racing in 2007 in a fully designed Adrian Newey car, but the Scot admitted his chances depend on doing a good job this season.
Coulthard won all of his thirteen Grands Prix in Newey-designed cars - initially at Williams and then at McLaren, where he raced for nine seasons before joining Red Bull last year.
And the Scot said he has no wish to retire in the near future, adding that Newey is now his primary motivation to continue racing.
"I'm stuck on 13 wins, which is a horrible number," Coulthard said at the Autosport International Show, in front of a packed crowd. "Obviously if I hadn't moved over a couple of times then I would have had more.
"But I'd like to add a 14th, and as you say all my victories have been in Adrian's cars, and the motivation is to be in a 2007 car which he has played his part in [designing], and so I need to get my finger out and try to do a good job this year."
Coulthard also downplayed recent speculations that he is likely to hang up his helmet and turn to management soon, stating he has no inclination to think about his life after racing.
"I haven't considered it because it means thinking about it, and thinking about it means thinking about retiring," he replied when asked if he would switch to a managerial role.
"I think about the testing at Barcelona next week; I think about racing at Monte Carlo...I just think about the year ahead.
"You know, I don't think [Fernando] Alonso or Kimi Raikkonen think what they're going to do after they retire from F1, and so I have to be of the same mindset if I want to achieve anything."[/QUOTE]
| artkevin | 01-14-2006 01:28 PM |
So with what I have seen so far with the rear wings it looks like they have found a lot of deflection or sag in the center of the rear wing. I remember Ferrari and Williams stariting to run center braces but now the Renualt and Toyota are start to do the same with their 06s. Seems like a problem that isn't new but a simple solution. Ferg, do you know if its a rule, a material change or what that started designers putting in these towers?
| Ferg | 01-14-2006 01:32 PM |
Well there's definately a regulation against having a moving wing. I remember both Ferrari and BAR have been accused of having flexible rear wings that would lay down at speed to reduce drag. There were even some picture evidence to suggest that's exactly what they were doing...
Since then the FIA has come up with a pretty tuff test involving weights to see if the wings are movable. The extra braces might be away to stay within the regs while keeping the wing structure as light as possible.
Since then the FIA has come up with a pretty tuff test involving weights to see if the wings are movable. The extra braces might be away to stay within the regs while keeping the wing structure as light as possible.
| Wr4wrX | 01-15-2006 07:00 AM |
I don't think this has been posted yet:
[URL=http://www.hondaracingf1.com/php/audiovideo_popup.php?audiovideo_id=1005&type=video&size=2]Life of an F1 Engine[/URL]
I believe this is Honda's old V10, although it seems odd that they didn't feature their new V8 (maybe they didn't want to let out their secrets). Anyway, I always love seeing the exhausts glow bright red.
[URL=http://www.hondaracingf1.com/php/audiovideo_popup.php?audiovideo_id=1005&type=video&size=2]Life of an F1 Engine[/URL]
I believe this is Honda's old V10, although it seems odd that they didn't feature their new V8 (maybe they didn't want to let out their secrets). Anyway, I always love seeing the exhausts glow bright red.
| artkevin | 01-15-2006 10:26 AM |
Good find Wr4wrX
I heard a Williams header guy say that their exhausts go white hot on the dyno and translucent in the car under race conditions. :eek:
Why is McLaren still using their old V-10? Seems like they are either running behind with their V-8 development or they truly think they can reproduce the hp and vibrations of the V-10.
I heard a Williams header guy say that their exhausts go white hot on the dyno and translucent in the car under race conditions. :eek:
Why is McLaren still using their old V-10? Seems like they are either running behind with their V-8 development or they truly think they can reproduce the hp and vibrations of the V-10.
| StuBeck | 01-15-2006 10:59 AM |
McLaren is running their V10 because it will not work well in the development car. Mercedes is also apparently redesigning the engine because they have had issues with it lately.
| StuBeck | 01-15-2006 11:03 AM |
There is a regulation on moving parts. It was created because in the 60's when Lotus was doing moveable wings, they had massive failures from them. Since then they have banned wings but have allowed spoilers. There is now a 50kg weight put on the back of the spoiler and it can not move. Considering the wings make well over 2000lbs of downforce at speed, this isn't the best test, but they can't put all that weight on it.
They are rethinking it. The GP2 series has made them rethink it since the moveable side planks are allowing the cars to run much closer together.
They are rethinking it. The GP2 series has made them rethink it since the moveable side planks are allowing the cars to run much closer together.
| artkevin | 01-15-2006 01:04 PM |
I get the movable wing thing but they have had the same rule in place for years now and we are just starting to see the tower brace. I am wondering if the teams started to use a lighter and more flexible material to build the wings out of and were forced to use the brace to comply with the rules. Just curious really.
[IMG]http://www.schlegelmilch.com/New/images/0149/0518-0080-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.schlegelmilch.com/New/images/0134/0517-0067-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.schlegelmilch.com/New/images/0149/0518-0080-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.schlegelmilch.com/New/images/0134/0517-0067-1.jpg[/IMG]
| StuBeck | 01-15-2006 01:41 PM |
The problem was before they would not really testing for moveable wings like that. They were looking for something which would physically move, not flex. They just started using the brace becuse they are using less material in the wings and need the stability to pass the results.
| artkevin | 01-15-2006 02:48 PM |
Cool, thanks for the info.
| finnRex | 01-15-2006 03:11 PM |
[QUOTE=StuBeck]McLaren is running their V10 because it will not work well in the development car. Mercedes is also apparently redesigning the engine because they have had issues with it lately.[/QUOTE]
Mercedes having motor problems? <gasp> You DARE say!;). Somehow, I am not surprised though. Just another rough year for Kimi, would be my guess.
I still think Ferrari is going to be DAMN tough to be this year.
Mika
Mercedes having motor problems? <gasp> You DARE say!;). Somehow, I am not surprised though. Just another rough year for Kimi, would be my guess.
I still think Ferrari is going to be DAMN tough to be this year.
Mika
| mclmk8d | 01-15-2006 06:55 PM |
Mclarens, Mclarens, Mclarens
�
�
Some photos from my collection:
Bruce Mclaren
[IMG]http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5724/ofo07.jpg[/IMG]
Denny Hulme
[IMG]http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/4746/374875573060alb2mf.jpg[/IMG]
Mark Donohue
[IMG]http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5778/ofo145kn.jpg[/IMG]
Donohue again
[IMG]http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/6151/369465573060alb8nk.jpg[/IMG]
Peter Revson
[IMG]http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2846/604075573060alb8dn.jpg[/IMG]
Bruce Mclaren
[IMG]http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5724/ofo07.jpg[/IMG]
Denny Hulme
[IMG]http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/4746/374875573060alb2mf.jpg[/IMG]
Mark Donohue
[IMG]http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/5778/ofo145kn.jpg[/IMG]
Donohue again
[IMG]http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/6151/369465573060alb8nk.jpg[/IMG]
Peter Revson
[IMG]http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2846/604075573060alb8dn.jpg[/IMG]
| mclmk8d | 01-15-2006 07:06 PM |
More Old F1 Images
�
�
Class of 1984
[IMG]http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6985/198675573060alb7ae.jpg[/IMG]
Graham Hill
[IMG]http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5702/ofo08.jpg[/IMG]
A Rare Moment...Schumi and Damon Hill
[IMG]http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4149/993275573060alb5fa.jpg[/IMG]
Jack Brabham
[IMG]http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6180/ofo04.jpg[/IMG]
Young Dudes
[IMG]http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/5124/588675573060alb9lw.jpg[/IMG]
I'll end with Senna
[IMG]http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/1403/ofo229bo.jpg[/IMG]
:(
[IMG]http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6985/198675573060alb7ae.jpg[/IMG]
Graham Hill
[IMG]http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5702/ofo08.jpg[/IMG]
A Rare Moment...Schumi and Damon Hill
[IMG]http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4149/993275573060alb5fa.jpg[/IMG]
Jack Brabham
[IMG]http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6180/ofo04.jpg[/IMG]
Young Dudes
[IMG]http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/5124/588675573060alb9lw.jpg[/IMG]
I'll end with Senna
[IMG]http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/1403/ofo229bo.jpg[/IMG]
:(
| Ferg | 01-15-2006 07:09 PM |
Only two of the pics are showing up for me, but what great pics. Thanks for sharing! :D
| mclmk8d | 01-15-2006 07:34 PM |
Ferg, most likely a problem with Ofoto...will fix it tomorrow
meanwhile, here is the link to the complete album on ofoto...enjoy.
Donohue after Indy 72 is autographed.
[url]http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=oak17c2.1694gttm&x=1&y=-6swtc8[/url]
meanwhile, here is the link to the complete album on ofoto...enjoy.
Donohue after Indy 72 is autographed.
[url]http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=oak17c2.1694gttm&x=1&y=-6swtc8[/url]
| artkevin | 01-16-2006 09:22 AM |
Nice shots mclmk8d.
I can't get the link to pop up to post an image but the 06 Ferrari is on track at Fiorano today.
[url]http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=107309[/url]
I can't get the link to pop up to post an image but the 06 Ferrari is on track at Fiorano today.
[url]http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=107309[/url]
| TimStevens | 01-16-2006 09:24 AM |
Whoa... dig them rear cowling wings.
| Ferg | 01-16-2006 12:37 PM |
What's a little epsionage charges between friends.
[QUOTE]Ex-Toyota officials charged with espionage
January 16th 2006, 12:28 GMT
German investigators have filed charges against three former Toyota Motorsport officials suspected of using technology stolen from Ferrari to test racing car aerodynamics, Cologne prosecutors said on Monday.
The unidentified officials are accused of violating German competition law by using a data analysis programme brought over by a technician who joined the Toyota Formula One team from Ferrari in early 2002, the prosecutors said in a statement.
The Toyota officials used the programme in 2002 and 2003 to develop race cars even though they knew the software had been obtained illegally, the statement said.
"Separate investigations into the former Ferrari staff member are being conducted in Italy and by Cologne prosecutors," it added.
Toyota Motorsport had no immediate comment on the charges, which were lodged in December. A Cologne court that specialises in economic crimes will hear the case. No date has been set.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Horner plays down overheating problems
By Jonathan Noble January 16th 2006, 15:02 GMT
Christian Horner has played down problems suffered by Red Bull Racing's new car in testing - despite a troubled outing at Jerez in Spain last week.
The new RB2 was having its first major run following a shakedown in December, but it suffered from serious overheating problems, which in turn caused a number of breakdowns.
Although the team tried to find a temporary solution in Jerez, cutting holes in the bodywork, it is likely that a major revamp will be necessary because the current temperatures experienced in testing are not nearly as high as those expected for Bahrain and Malaysia at the start of the season.
Speaking to autosport.com, Horner insisted that the situation was under control and said the team had brought their car out so early just in case they suffered such problems.
"Inevitably with any new car you are going to have some teething problems, and that is one of the reasons why we pushed to get the car out early," he said. "With the new engine and new electronics, we expected there to be this kind of scenario.
"By getting the car out early it gives us the chance to address the issues, to make sure we are fully reliable for the first race."
Horner said he remains calm about the situation - especially because some other teams are also suffering overheating issues - and a new aero package due to run next month should help alleviate some of the problems.
"The definitive aero package is not on the car yet. That will be seen during the next month, so for sure all the teething problems will be addressed. But it (the overheating) is not unique to us and we brought the car out early just in case we had this kind of scenario.
"Speed-wise, you cannot really say much about the car yet. There was no performance testing in Jerez, it was all just reliability stuff - putting mileage on various components.
"But the initial feeling from the drivers is that they are quite happy with it. We will get a much better idea of its performance when the new aero package comes on tap further down the road."
Horner is also keen to play down the mounting expectations surrounding the team - especially on the back on their coup of capturing the services of highly-rated designer Adrian Newey.
"I think it is very important that our feet remain on the ground," he added. "We are going to have a year of consolidation in many respects. Adrian has just joined us and the Bedford wind tunnel has just come on stream in the last few weeks, so we are looking to move forwards from where we were last year.
"But we remain focused on what our targets are. Rome wasn't built in a day, so we will see progression this year."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Coulthard fears qualifying may confuse fans
By Jonathan Noble January 16th 2006, 13:10 GMT
David Coulthard believes that Formula One's new qualifying format this season may end up being too difficult to explain to the public.
With teams having voted in favour of a knockout format rather than single-lap qualifying, there has already been plenty of talk that the new system will generate an improved spectacle.
But Coulthard believes that the way cars are knocked out in the first two 15-minute sessions - which will leave some teams only getting a little bit of running on Saturday afternoons, with the final 20 minute session seeing race fuel-levels run - may lead to confusion.
"I have had so many rules and regulations - wide cars, slicks, narrows cars, grooved tyres, 3-litre engines, 2.4-litre engines and all the different qualifying rules," he said. "I know I cannot try and change what is going to happen, so I will just accept it.
"What is interesting is that if Minardi had still been a privateer team then it would have been a disaster for them because they would always have gone out in the first 15 minutes - and it would have been like having the Premiership and the First Division in F1.
"Tactically also, if you think you are going to be eighth, ninth or 10th on the grid then you might want to be 11th (so you can fuel up the car). There are going to be some interesting strategies and it will be difficult for the public to understand.
"I don't think the people on the pitwall will even fully understand it and we just have to see what potential it creates for an exciting F1 season."
Despite his feelings on the complications of the new system, Coulthard has admitted that he is happy the sport has finally got rid of the single-lap format, which he did not like.
"Obviously I struggled a little bit with single-lap qualifying so I am keen to find out how I get on with the new format," he said. "I hope I fit in with the new system."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Schumacher takes new car for first ride
January 16th 2006, 11:39 GMT
Michael Schumacher gave Ferrari's new Formula One car its first outing when he drove it around the team's test circuit at Fiorano on Monday.
The seven-times world champion completed four laps and practised starts in the car, which will be officially unveiled at Mugello on January 24th.
The shake-down of the new car, which some suggest might be named F248 - although Ferrari have not confirmed that - continued this morning, despite some light snow falling on track.
According to reports in Italy, Schumacher completed a total of 33 laps before the lunch break. His best laptime was under the one minute mark.[/QUOTE]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54929804/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54929805/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54929806/large.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54929807/large.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE]Ex-Toyota officials charged with espionage
January 16th 2006, 12:28 GMT
German investigators have filed charges against three former Toyota Motorsport officials suspected of using technology stolen from Ferrari to test racing car aerodynamics, Cologne prosecutors said on Monday.
The unidentified officials are accused of violating German competition law by using a data analysis programme brought over by a technician who joined the Toyota Formula One team from Ferrari in early 2002, the prosecutors said in a statement.
The Toyota officials used the programme in 2002 and 2003 to develop race cars even though they knew the software had been obtained illegally, the statement said.
"Separate investigations into the former Ferrari staff member are being conducted in Italy and by Cologne prosecutors," it added.
Toyota Motorsport had no immediate comment on the charges, which were lodged in December. A Cologne court that specialises in economic crimes will hear the case. No date has been set.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Horner plays down overheating problems
By Jonathan Noble January 16th 2006, 15:02 GMT
Christian Horner has played down problems suffered by Red Bull Racing's new car in testing - despite a troubled outing at Jerez in Spain last week.
The new RB2 was having its first major run following a shakedown in December, but it suffered from serious overheating problems, which in turn caused a number of breakdowns.
Although the team tried to find a temporary solution in Jerez, cutting holes in the bodywork, it is likely that a major revamp will be necessary because the current temperatures experienced in testing are not nearly as high as those expected for Bahrain and Malaysia at the start of the season.
Speaking to autosport.com, Horner insisted that the situation was under control and said the team had brought their car out so early just in case they suffered such problems.
"Inevitably with any new car you are going to have some teething problems, and that is one of the reasons why we pushed to get the car out early," he said. "With the new engine and new electronics, we expected there to be this kind of scenario.
"By getting the car out early it gives us the chance to address the issues, to make sure we are fully reliable for the first race."
Horner said he remains calm about the situation - especially because some other teams are also suffering overheating issues - and a new aero package due to run next month should help alleviate some of the problems.
"The definitive aero package is not on the car yet. That will be seen during the next month, so for sure all the teething problems will be addressed. But it (the overheating) is not unique to us and we brought the car out early just in case we had this kind of scenario.
"Speed-wise, you cannot really say much about the car yet. There was no performance testing in Jerez, it was all just reliability stuff - putting mileage on various components.
"But the initial feeling from the drivers is that they are quite happy with it. We will get a much better idea of its performance when the new aero package comes on tap further down the road."
Horner is also keen to play down the mounting expectations surrounding the team - especially on the back on their coup of capturing the services of highly-rated designer Adrian Newey.
"I think it is very important that our feet remain on the ground," he added. "We are going to have a year of consolidation in many respects. Adrian has just joined us and the Bedford wind tunnel has just come on stream in the last few weeks, so we are looking to move forwards from where we were last year.
"But we remain focused on what our targets are. Rome wasn't built in a day, so we will see progression this year."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Coulthard fears qualifying may confuse fans
By Jonathan Noble January 16th 2006, 13:10 GMT
David Coulthard believes that Formula One's new qualifying format this season may end up being too difficult to explain to the public.
With teams having voted in favour of a knockout format rather than single-lap qualifying, there has already been plenty of talk that the new system will generate an improved spectacle.
But Coulthard believes that the way cars are knocked out in the first two 15-minute sessions - which will leave some teams only getting a little bit of running on Saturday afternoons, with the final 20 minute session seeing race fuel-levels run - may lead to confusion.
"I have had so many rules and regulations - wide cars, slicks, narrows cars, grooved tyres, 3-litre engines, 2.4-litre engines and all the different qualifying rules," he said. "I know I cannot try and change what is going to happen, so I will just accept it.
"What is interesting is that if Minardi had still been a privateer team then it would have been a disaster for them because they would always have gone out in the first 15 minutes - and it would have been like having the Premiership and the First Division in F1.
"Tactically also, if you think you are going to be eighth, ninth or 10th on the grid then you might want to be 11th (so you can fuel up the car). There are going to be some interesting strategies and it will be difficult for the public to understand.
"I don't think the people on the pitwall will even fully understand it and we just have to see what potential it creates for an exciting F1 season."
Despite his feelings on the complications of the new system, Coulthard has admitted that he is happy the sport has finally got rid of the single-lap format, which he did not like.
"Obviously I struggled a little bit with single-lap qualifying so I am keen to find out how I get on with the new format," he said. "I hope I fit in with the new system."[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Schumacher takes new car for first ride
January 16th 2006, 11:39 GMT
Michael Schumacher gave Ferrari's new Formula One car its first outing when he drove it around the team's test circuit at Fiorano on Monday.
The seven-times world champion completed four laps and practised starts in the car, which will be officially unveiled at Mugello on January 24th.
The shake-down of the new car, which some suggest might be named F248 - although Ferrari have not confirmed that - continued this morning, despite some light snow falling on track.
According to reports in Italy, Schumacher completed a total of 33 laps before the lunch break. His best laptime was under the one minute mark.[/QUOTE]
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| artkevin | 01-16-2006 12:46 PM |
At least Toyota put all that data to good use and won so many grand prixs. :lol:
| Ferg | 01-16-2006 01:23 PM |
Here's a little something that I try to pick up every year. A sticker sheet that Autosport puts out at the start of the year.
Without this hanging on my fridge my year has no direction or purpose.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54931549/large.jpg[/IMG]
Without this hanging on my fridge my year has no direction or purpose.
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/image/54931549/large.jpg[/IMG]
| StuBeck | 01-16-2006 03:52 PM |
Is that available in the current issue or a past one...that would be useful!
I think Ferrari may still have issues. One hting to remember with testing last week was Schumi was running a 2004 chassis, so yea, he was quick cuz he had more downforce. Without Indy they would have been much lower in the standings last year, and I don't know how well Massa is going to help. It'll be interesting.
I'm not too concerned with RBR either, they are running the car two months early, so a sidepod change is not a major issue which can't be changed. But they will probably lose a bit of performance this way.
I think Ferrari may still have issues. One hting to remember with testing last week was Schumi was running a 2004 chassis, so yea, he was quick cuz he had more downforce. Without Indy they would have been much lower in the standings last year, and I don't know how well Massa is going to help. It'll be interesting.
I'm not too concerned with RBR either, they are running the car two months early, so a sidepod change is not a major issue which can't be changed. But they will probably lose a bit of performance this way.
| Ferg | 01-16-2006 04:21 PM |
You can find it in the December 29th issue. It has Alonso on the cover with the headline, "Alonso Sparks F1 Shake Up"
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