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when a rookie can jump into an F1 car and post the fadtest time- the system is broken
Nah, this is just testing. No way to know what objectives the different teams have, plus Pirelli is testing as well, and that changes that team's objectives as well.
Now, we can discuss the broken-ness of the system, but test days aren't a good indicator.
It might mean sacrificing this season, but it would put pressure on to change F1 like nothing else.
Now that I think about it...that B.S. artist Toto Wolff would never let it happen.
He would throw races if necessary to prevent it.
The FIA believes he holds more cards than anyone else right now.
So, you complain about this team of broken arms of the Scuderia? yes, the Prussians learned more from the Roman legions than the Italians themselves: order, discipline, serenity! there is fire in Maranello! but here we are, can we blame the best students on the grounds that they have been studious and applied? should we favour the cankers over excellence? that is the question!
Merco works, without internal war and does not worry about the colour of the paint but about efficiency, that's all.
An article by Nicolas Carpentiers of AutoPlus that you are getting to know.
It is not only the three top teams that have brought new products to Barcelona. McLaren, Haas, Renault, etc. have also introduced new parts on their cars, sometimes radically different.
F1 2019 FRONT SPOILER
McLAREN CHANGES ITS SHOULDER GUN....
McLaren is the first team to switch from one front spoiler concept to another. As we know, there are two models of fins in the paddock. On the one hand, a "right" fin, whose flaps are straight and attach quite high to the lateral fin. The flaps therefore cover the tyre's tread quite widely. This is the option chosen by Mercedes, Red Bull, Renault, Haas, McLaren and other teams.
On the other hand, a "falling" fin, whose flaps curve in a sloping direction when seen from the front. They rise fairly high to about one-quarter of the length, then bend more and more as they approach the lateral drift. This is the approach followed by Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Toro Rosso... and now McLaren.
Indeed, the McL34 received a radically different fin in Barcelona from the previous version.
F1 2019 McLaren front spoiler
First, the curve drawn by the flaps is downward, as shown above: it dives to attach itself lower to the lateral drift (compare the yellow lines). Second, the main plane curves differently, as can be seen by comparing the two red lines. Finally, the "endplate" is slightly more curved on the new specification (blue lines) and has a small notch.
Each version has advantages and disadvantages. A straight flap fin normally generates more support, eliminates the risk of flow separation in the upper part of the tire but creates less "outwash".
Conversely, a drop-flap fin generates more outwash and less drag, while its higher flaps in the inner part (towards the nose) deprive the side daggers ("bargeboards") of part of the flow - while generating enough support
NEW BACKBONE
In addition, a fin running the full length of the engine cowling appeared on the backbone of the MCL34, instead of the small fin located in the lower part of the cowling.
... AND GETS IN LINE
Logically, this choice led to a series of modifications in the wake of the aileron. For example, the bargeboards and side panels have been redesigned to take more conventional forms.
Already retouched in Bahrain, the half-boomerang-shaped wing (see the red arrows) adopts a more traditional, sloping profile to direct the air flow towards the "undercut" (the hollow drawn by the base of the pontoons).
As for the side panel, it extends further forward (compare the yellow arrows), probably to reinforce its role as a shield against the turbulent wake produced by the rotation of the front wheels.
NEW BACKBONE
In addition, a fin running the full length of the engine cowling appeared on the backbone of the MCL34, instead of the small fin located in the lower part of the cowling.
IN THE "RIGHT" WAY
Until now Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris used a spoon-shaped rear spoiler to reduce drag in a straight line and thus improve the aerodynamic fineness of the orange car.
In Spain, however, the McLaren was equipped with a flat (not curved) main-plane fin, which generates more support... but also more drag, which penalizes straight line speed. This is, as always, a matter of compromise.
The model seen in Barcelona also had three thin deflectors attached to the side fin.
These appendages direct the air flow upwards, which otherwise naturally tends to plunge downwards, and contribute to the upwash of the air flow that occurs behind a F1 car. This upward expansion phenomenon allows the diffuser to extract more air from the flat bottom, which increases support.
RENAULT RECTIFIES THE SITUATION
McLaren, like Renault, mounted in Barcelona the new evolution of the French V6, which is supposed to improve reliability.
This winter, Renault admitted that it bypassed some internal validation procedures in order to focus on increasing the power of its turbocharged six-cylinder engine, which is still below the best powertrains five years after the introduction of hybrid "power units".
The team introduced a new specification of its block in Spain to solve reliability problems that affected the beginning of the season and forced the team to use aggressive modes sparingly.
"The engine has more or less returned to where it was at the beginning of the season, thanks to the solutions we have implemented with this specification to improve reliability," explained Abiteboul last weekend.
The update concerns certain materials used on the combustion engine, which suggests that the MGU-K - optimised after failures during the first Grand Prix - was not the only one involved in the reliability problems encountered by the Losange.
T-WING BIPLAN
On the chassis side, the team mounted a biplane T-wing on the engine hood of the RS19 (it was simple in Melbourne), which will most probably be found next week in Monaco, a track requiring strong support.
HAAS SHOWS THE TEETH
Handicapped by its inability to properly operate the 2019 tires (with thinner tread), the Haas VF-19 has received a battery of evolutions, mainly focused on the management of the Y250 vortex (explained here).
The first elements in contact with the vortex, the curved fins (called "turning vanes" in the jargon) were equipped with four vertical deflectors with a sharp profile. It is a question of manipulating - orienting - differently the famous tourbillon.
Note the last image, which shows how the curved fins attach to the monohull on the Haas by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.
NOTCHING, AGAIN AND AGAIN
After the "turning vanes", the Y250 vortex meets the lateral daggerboards (or "bargeboards").
The aerodynamic engineers led by Ben Agathangelou redesigned the top of the vertical elements by notching them (yellow arrows), added two small aluminium deflectors (red arrows) and altered the profile of the fins at the base of the daggerboard (blue arrows).
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
Just in front of the rear wheels, the flat bottom of all F1 cars has cuts and appendages to try to minimize the impact of turbulence generated by wheel rotation.
Each team has incises (more or less different), but some of them also add a handle-shaped element on the side, like Mercedes, Toro Rosso and Haas.
The American team, whose aerodynamic engineers use the Ferrari wind tunnel, has modified the design of this part by adding an additional fin.
FUNDAMENTAL WORK
In Catalonia, Racing Point continued to develop the RP19, designed with bits of string while the team was placed under court administration. This is why an important development, not strictly aerodynamic, has appeared.
The front suspension has been redesigned at the level of the wheel attachment, raised as on the Mercedes and McLaren in particular (compare the yellow arrows, the difference is clearly visible in the lower images).
The brake scoops have also been redesigned (red arrows), whose role goes well beyond the cooling of the carbon discs.
F1 2019 Racing Point bargeboards
EVER MORE SOPHISTICATION
In addition to a new front suspension, Racing Point has remodelled its side daggerboards, already reworked in Australia, into different points (red, white and yellow arrows). Here too, why make it simple when you can make it complicated?
This gallery does not claim to be exhaustive, especially since not all the new features are visible. The other teams have introduced changes, including Toro Rosso (who modified the lateral drift of his front wing) and Alfa Romeo (who modified the front wing following Kimi Räikkönen's disqualification due to a failed deflection test due to an inadequate angle adjuster)."
(for some reason GPtoday isn't loading that article, but I can guess what it says...)
I'll disagree with that. IMO it's the car AND the driver. No one could touch Schumacher and Ferrari; no one could touch Vettel and RB. Now no one can touch Hamilton and Mercedes. You could make the argument that Rosberg did, but go back and look; Hamilton was too rough with his equipment and DNF'd too many times to Rosberg. Since that WDC loss Hamilton has really upped his game, and the results show it.
This year when the two Mercedes have been fighting for position, you can see that both race hard, but neither put the other off the road. Of course, when they're running nose to tail you have 2 even cars, and regardless of what series you're watching, aero always wins in clean air. So if Bottas is in front, Hamilton can't really make a move, and vice versa.
Mike, here is a copy of the webpage (his point is not what you might think ):
The superiority of the mighty Mercedes W10 was made evident when inexperienced Formula 2 driver Nikita Mazepin climbed into the car for the first time and ended the session fastest of all on Wednesday.
The Russian driver did a solid job in the cockpit, racking up 128 laps – more than any other driver on the day -with a best lap time of 1:15.775 which compares to Valtteri Bottas’ best effort of 1:15.551 set a day earlier, in similar conditions.
This, of course, did not go unnoticed by sharp-tongued Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko who told Auto Bild, “The fact that a second-class Formula 2 driver can immediately fastest in the Mercedes show how more superior it is. More superior than ever.”
Mazepin, who finished second in the 2018 GP3 Series, has not had the best of starts to his rookie F2 campaign but it still early days.
On the subject, Marko wasn’t finished, “What surprised me was that Mercedes did not even try to hide it and didn’t prevent Mazepin from setting the best time of the day, so the superiority is very clear now.”
The same thing happened in Bahrain during in-season testing, early last month, when George Russell also topped the timing screens after his day-long stint in the W10, having spent the race weekend at the same venue, four seconds off the pace in the woeful Williams.
However, the F2 Champion had tested for the world champs before and would have been far better prepped for his feat in Bahrain than Mazepin who was in the car for the first time in Barcelona a couple of days ago.
Alonso may not be on the starting grid at Indy: https://jalopnik.com/fernando-alonso...m-i-1834867490
McLaren is 2nd slowest in the non-tow areas.
Maybe Chevrolet should have tried to shoehorn an LT4 in it?
Hell, they can use mine.
Due to finals grading and a weekend full of family wedding fun (truly!), I got to watch Indy qualifying late last night. In an apparent fit of arrogance and hubris, McLaren brought only one, yes, ONE, speedway configured car to Indy. And when Alonso crashed during practice, McLaren had to scramble to throw anything together at all. They did one, ONLY ONE, day of testing their car prior to going to Indy.
And finally, Alonso wouldn't have even had a chance at qualifying for the final row except for getting parts and help from Andretti Motorsports. I'm really surprised they helped at all, considering Alonso's attitude towards Honda (they refused to support an Alonso car after he kept continually throwing them under the McLaren bus).
Finally, it shows how good a car Andretti put under Alonso last time. I just hope that if McLaren & Alonso try again they dump the "Indycar's a junior league" attitude and come properly prepared. They didn't deserve to get in.
Some F1 news:
Bad news for Niki: The comeback of Niki Lauda, 70 years old, is unfortunately not coming along as expected. Recovering from a lung transplant this winter, he unfortunately suffered from kidney problems. Already 2 kidney transplants, 1997, 2005, but the problems encountered this winter obviously affected his kidneys, and he was admitted to a clinic for dialysis.
Standardisation of additional parts on F1 in two years' time: the FIA has launched a new call for tenders as part of the standardisation of parts from 2021 on F1. This time, these are the key elements of the fuel system, following the recently launched calls for tenders for gearboxes, brakes and rims.
I used to watch F1 with a passion but I've really gotten bored with it the last several years. Indy is becoming more interesting again and I'm starting to enjoy Formula E.
I wish F1 would require single element wings with end plates that must be a single surface without notches or winglets. Also get rid of the winglets on the car. Too much engine would over power the tires. Maybe too much of a throwback.
05-15-2019, 02:56 PM
