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This is really looking very bleak. Honestly, I can't see them finishing the season without a miracle at this point.
Poor Kubica....after this, his career will be over.
I don't think they are in financial trouble to the point of going out of business.
But they very well might be bringing up the rear this year.
Originally Posted by VetteDrmr
sounds like Ferrari is off to a good start. Problem is, they had good starts the last 2 seasons, but just couldn't keep Mercedes behind them past mid-season.
If Leclerc doesn't come thru for them and soundly trounces Bottas, I expect this season will play out like last.
Unfortunately, as DK says, it would take a miracle to save Williams (a Russian billionaire to place his son, Mazepin, Markelov...) to at least, save him the last place. The money after Martini's retirement probably came late in addition to the retirement of the Russian who was paying well. In recent F1 history, a team that failed pre-season testing, died immediately, HRT, marussia. Considering the level of competitiveness seen these 2 days in Barcelona, the teams have erased the 1.5 sec delay due to the new rules, this delay seems unreachable, especially since Williams already says that the car seems to have failed with 2 sec delay compared to the FW41 of 2018 !!! It is very sad for such a venerable team that I admired like many of you.
Merco's usual calm is frightening, everything seems under control even with his front wing so particulary at the ends. After Féfé and Merco, the rest of the teams are grouped in 1,000 km.
Kilométrage/Mileage by day, team, motorist and in equivalent number of GPs But we don't know how PU and elements used
Lando Norris and Alex Albon impressed me because for a contact in the real world of F1, they come out well. Albon still needs another 300 km to get his superlicence and get rid of those green lights at the back, he's going to get that 300 km.
Ferrari is off to a MUCH better start than previous years. It was always a close fight with Merco to get the faster time and even though they got it, it came with a lot of stress and fighting.
This year they seem to be much more calm and organized.
PETRONAS, the Malaysian mafia is always known for sandbagging, so I don't think they are anywhere close as slow as they seem. Rumors of a very different wing in Melbo.
McLaren thank God has pulled something out of a bag. At least they are in there somewhere. Fingers crossed. It would be great to see them fighting with Haas and Renault. Fernando must be turning in his grave.
Williams is in big trouble. How could Paddy let it get to this point? No wonder Rob left in a hurry. Unless they have produced a unicorn, they will be 4-5 seconds slower. Please don't let it be so.
Williams is in big trouble. How could Paddy let it get to this point?
Lowe didn't.
The problems at Williams started well before he signed on last year.
Sir Frank hung on too long and the daughter....well, she's the daughter.
Right now it's a simple situation: they need an influx of money to hire some top talent.
Without it, they're relegated to the back of the grid.
Lowe didn't.
The problems at Williams started well before he signed on last year.
Sir Frank hung on too long and the daughter....well, she's the daughter.
Right now it's a simple situation: they need an influx of money to hire some top talent.
Without it, they're relegated to the back of the grid.
Correct, I agree.
Barcelone jour 3, am
10h12 FW42 engine started ! Hope a ride this pm.
On track, lot of cars with Pitot tubes. An old music since monday, Féfé ahead...move for the McL's gearbox
11h33 box changed, Carlito on track, Hulk P3 gap vs V4 0,445 sec.
Fittipaldi stopped on track, a lot of small problems with the VF 19 since monday
Technical note by Nicolas Carpentiers F1i Auto-Moto ''Yesterday afternoon, Charles Leclerc drove a SF90 with fluted rims, the design of which is based on the one introduced by Mercedes at the end of last season. McLaren also adopted a similar design. As a reminder, the legality discussed last year does not concern these splines (a variant of which has been found on the Red Bull for several seasons), but rather the holes made in certain parts of the rim. By increasing the surface area, these dents increase the surface area of heat dispersion and thus the cooling of the rim and tire.''
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
But what I can said, Merco at this moment, is the one with drilled rims. Mercedes does not scare the clock, as usual, but they still perform a productive day of testing with this 88 lap am:
14h00
Immediately after the start of the pm run, Romain on track and the VF 19 stopped again ! Sorry for the fans of Haas. These last days, it was a fuel pressure problem and bucket position but no talk about these new problems by Haas since this morning. The configuration of the Ferrari team factory and his customisers could be different because of location of many peripheric parts, as radiators, intercoolers, so you have problems unknow by the team factory.
Williams on track with #63 Russell at 14h27 for an installation lap.
Féfé
According to some sources, the key to the new Féfé performance is based on a very bold front wing. A more extreme version has also been tried by Alfa Romeo, whose links with Féfé
However, the front wing would not be the Scuderia's only find. The Auto Bild German paper also report that the rear of the SF90 tends to collapse at full load and would therefore create an undeniable aerodynamic advantage. GENIAL, incredible ingénieurs...according to several sources the gap minimum in advantage to Féfé vs Merco is 0.5 sec minimum, amazing.
This discovery would also be difficult to adopt by the other teams, which, for the most part, have thought their cars in a different way but what I know , OTOH, is that Renault is waiting for a new suspension and front wing next week and Merco is testing several solutions. Nothing is definitive and between the end of the tests on March 1st and Melbourne, just 2 weeks ago
At 16h23
Ham V in very long runs in yellow the C3 tyre, 1.23 to 1.25 sec
Williams on track but so so slowly, in 1.49, Romain driving the VF 19 on the track again
Kimi Alfa, Kvyatt STR in the pitlane without power. McL without DRS, a new part with the rear wing, new rule 2019. The problems will begin to appear probably.
Russel Williams now in 1.25 sec but in C4 tyre the 2nd soft
At 17h00
Féfé stopped at 17h35 but Ham V Merco continues, Kvyatt P1 amazing with the C4, off course, explosives ! or C5 , difficult see the différence on the screen, 1 17 704. 134 laps
And before 3mn at the end RoGro stopped on the track, once again, again...3rd red flag and only for Haas today. A fuel tank test to evaluate the gauge and tank? It's used in F1 at the end of the session but to tell you the truth, I don't know if that's it.
it's ended for the day
Last edited by BKorsaire; 02-20-2019 at 02:05 PM.
Reason: new stats boards, nouveaux tableaux de stats
McLaren thank God has pulled something out of a bag. At least they are in there somewhere. Fingers crossed. It would be great to see them fighting with Haas and Renault. Fernando must be turning in his grave.
One of the videos I watched last night said that the McLaren long run pace was still really slow. Slower than Renault by a decent bit. So while the car is reasonably quick on the softer tires and with low fuel, it's apparently quite slow with heavy fuel and harder tires. Hopefully that's not the case, but I'm not sure my heart can take a 3-4 team battle in the midfield. Hopefully Renault have made enough progress to be solidly at the front of that group, and everyone else can battle it out for 5th.
However, the front wing would not be the Scuderia's only find. The Auto Bild German paper also report that the rear of the SF90 tends to collapse at full load and would therefore create an undeniable aerodynamic advantage. GENIAL, incredible ingénieurs...according to several sources the gap minimum in advantage to Féfé vs Merco is 0.5 sec minimum, amazing.
This discovery would also be difficult to adopt by the other teams, which, for the most part, have thought their cars in a different way.
I thought that movable aerodynamic devices (obviously not DRS) were banned, even if the movement is passive and brought on by air loads. Am I missing something?
Absolutely no Mike, it's right but I think and according to the appropriate formula, Féfé's engineers use a ''grey area'' of the regulations, like Merco and McL are doing right now for brake scoops.
Competitors will ask questions to the FIA, as for Merco rims, to see if they can do the same.
In any case, parts are being manufactured for Renault and Merco, surely, I read that and Abitboul said that, I think like these gaps will still evolve in one direction or another at the end of next week, for example. Renault's front wing is due to change again next week. And between the end of the Barcelona and Melbourne tests, there are still 2 weeks for adjustments.
I will continue to update the post #3286 until 6pm french hour
What is collapsing? Is it bodywork? Or is it suspension? Because, from my understanding, one of the big reasons to run a lot of rake is to run a soft heave element at the rear of the car to allow it to squat at higher speeds with the extra downforce. This lowers the rear wing, reducing it's downforce, and you could probably get to the point of stalling the floor, if you wanted to. That would reduce drag significantly.
I read again the article and the journalist wrote the back/rear of the car , without more precision. But in F1 a secret doesn't remain so for long, there is always someone who will speak
This vibs problem existed already on the McL32 2017
Nevertheless, it seems to work well for STR, even though P1 is also due to C5 but we don't know the power used, soft, agressive etc
This vibration problem generates strong oscillations of the motor and its peripherals. Boulier had explained that this produced torque drops, gear shifting difficulties and when exiting corners. Remember also that during this winter, I talk you about bad discussion ended between AVL and Honda. the Japs got angry and broke up with AVL, one of the greatest F1 consulting experts, what pride at Honda, even Ferrari uses AVL Austria. One of the few to have with Merco, Féfé and since February Renault a dynamic dyno, dyno that allows to test the engine ICE and MGU... and everything that goes around, gearbox, chassis etc. This type of dyno can even accommodate an FE entirely and beyond 1500 HP. I think that if AVL had been able to test this engine, Honda would have been aware of the persistence of this recurring problem very early on this new PU.
If it is true, to be solved in 14 days, good luck Toyoharu Tanabe San.
PS on the time board above #3286, Ham V used sometimes this pm tyres nammed PROTO, it's experimental tyres scheduled for 2021, it was made with agreement of FIA and teams, RBR tested already.
Last edited by BKorsaire; 02-20-2019 at 01:19 PM.
Reason: #3286 and McL 32 not 33
This all happened because the *** mentality was to use a single cylinder to do their testing and validation.
Once they decided on a type, they built a 6 cylinder engine and oops there are vibrations....
This all happened because the *** mentality was to use a single cylinder to do their testing and validation.
Once they decided on a type, they built a 6 cylinder engine and oops there are vibrations....
All engine designs are first evaluated by using a 1 cylinder engine. It's significantly cheaper to try out bore/stroke combos, head geometry, etc, with 1 cylinder than with 6. Honda was late to switching to the 6 cylinder last year, and that cost them a lot. It seems like they never fixed the issue, but pushed it away at their old power levels. Then, they kept turning up the wick, and now we're seeing it again.
Adding on, from an Autosport video talking about the Williams, they got this picture of the front end:
Which shows quite an interesting take on the extended upper arm theory that Merco and STR had last year. The upper control arm is almost flat, and with high mounted side pods (a combination not normally paired together). It'll be interesting to see how this fairs.
Last edited by mattastick; 02-20-2019 at 03:32 PM.
If it is true, to be solved in 14 days, good luck Toyoharu Tanabe San.
Admittedly, my knowledge of the inner workings of a F1 engine is limited.
But I know in street cars (like our Corvettes) fixing an engine that vibrates excessively means going back to the drawing board (literally) and junking the previous design.
I gotta believe that the boys at Honda will be burning the midnight oil for a long time to come and may mean there won't be a 3-way race for the championship this season.
02-19-2019, 02:27 PM
