Formula 1 2014: General Discussion Thread

greedygoblin

It doesn't look great does it. Maybe if we see a proper photo of the car it won't look so bad.

ZiabR

Yup, thats brutal....

_rebelkid

If only it was like this.



This one is closer to regs (nose tip too high on last one):

_rebelkid

2 Breaking stories on Twitter:

F1 Bosses agree to keep Last Race Double Points

McLaren renew partnership with Santander.

More as it continues...

ZiabR

_rebelkid wrote: »

2 Breaking stories on Twitter:

F1 Bosses agree to keep Last Race Double Points

McLaren renew partnership with Santander.

More as it continues...

Shocked they agreed to the double points... booo

Andrew76

Myrddin wrote: »

Ugh, that nose...

I'd call that 'The Dolphin'. :pac:

Horrible thing if it's true, even worse than the Walrus.

Max_Charger

_rebelkid wrote: »

McLaren renew partnership with Santander.

Interesting. Alonso is out of contract this year isn't he?

ZiabR

Max_Charger wrote: »

Interesting. Alonso is out of contract this year isn't he?

Alonso to McLaren next year? Button out?

_rebelkid

Very nice piece by Mercedes on their Power Unit for this year.

ZiabR

Great article, nice find.

_rebelkid

logik wrote: »

Great article, nice find.

More of a great stumble... they tweeted it

_rebelkid

For those of you who frequent F1 on twitter, you may have come across Rob Sinfield, aka GrandPrixDiary.

Today, he has spotted a trend between F1 car designs, and beloved TV and Film Characters.

_rebelkid

Two interesting points from Kamui's interview at the start of the video

When asked about the link he has to Ferrari, and if it's still there:

It's still there. They weren't happy about my decision, but I wanted the chance to be back in F1 and I took it.

And following on from that, Ted asked did Kamui think he was out of F1 completely last season:

Not after last season, but if I didn't get the drive for this season, I don't think I would have gotten back in to F1.

Seems like Kamui fought his way into Caterham this year. Can't wait ti see him fighting on track again.

_rebelkid

F1 Online Article about the Williams Render Reveal:

Williams reveal first images of FW3623 Jan 2014
First image of Williams' new car for 2014, the Mercedes-powered FW36 First image of Williams' 2014 car, the Mercedes-powered FW36 Pat Symonds (GBR) Williams Technical Director.
Formula One World Championship, Rd11, Belgian Grand Prix, Preparations, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Thursday, 22 August 2013
Williams have become the latest team to release images of their 2014 car, the Mercedes-powered FW36.

Clearly visible in the rendered images, which the team posted on their official Twitter feed, is a distinctive drooped nose - a feature that many of the 2014 cars are expected to sport because of changes to the technical regulations that demand lower noses.

Also noticeable on the car, which has been presented in Williams' 'heritage blue' livery that will be used in testing, are a fin on the engine cover and a rear wing monkey seat which is situated behind the central exhaust outlet.

But what the images don’t show is just how much is going on under the bodywork of Williams' 2014 machine.

"There's a lot more technology on the cars this year," said Williams chief technical officer Pat Symonds. "We've had turbo-charged engines in F1 before; what's different this time is that it is much more than just an engine change, it is a completely different system. We've gone from a slightly hybridised normally-aspirated engine to a fully-integrated hybrid power unit with novel technology at its heart."

"Overall the cars will need more cooling this year," he added. "The demands on water and oil cooling may be slightly diminished, but the ERS system is significantly more powerful and hence needs more cooling. We also have to cool the charge air from the turbocharger compressor which requires a substantial intercooler."

Williams confirmed that the FW36's new eight-speed gearbox - the first the team have built in their history - ran on the dyno for the first time at the beginning of November, before running with the full power unit several weeks later.

"We finished the gearbox relatively early," said Symonds. "It's completed a lot of running on the test rig and at Mercedes HPP (High Performance Powertrains) in Brixworth, but you can't take reliability for granted. It's a completely new 'box and it has to cope with a lot more torque than was the case with the (2013) V8."

The FW36 passed all of its crash tests prior to Christmas, but ensuring the car meets the new minimum weight was more difficult, according to Symonds.

"The build of the new car has gone remarkably smoothly," he explained, "but it's been a challenge to get the car down to the weight limit. It's been achievable, but it hasn't been easy because the new power unit is heavier than the outgoing V8."

Williams revealed that they finalised their launch-specification aerodynamic package in the first week of December, with an upgrade package for Melbourne's season-opener signed off in early January.

"F1 is still going to be an aerodynamic formula in 2014," said Symonds. "There are some significant changes: the nose is lower than last year and the front wing is narrower, which means the end plates are now more shrouded by the front tyre. The rear wing isn't as deep as last year and the beam wing below it is no longer permitted, and we've also lost the ability to use the exhaust to enhance aero performance."

However, despite the changes, Symonds is confident the team will be “closer to the front aerodynamically than we were last year”.

Valtteri Bottas will give the new car its maiden run when it officially breaks cover at next week’s first pre-season test in Jerez. The Grove-based team’s new recruit, Felipe Massa, will take over driving duties for the final two days of the Spanish session, which runs from January 28-31.

ZiabR

Why were Ferrari not happy with Kamui coming back to F1? They love pushing drivers around... What sane driver would not want to move back into F1. They were never going to take him on as a Ferrari driver in F1 so I think fair play to Kamui for taking the job.

_rebelkid

logik wrote: »

Why were Ferrari not happy with Kamui coming back to F1? They love pushing drivers around... What sane driver would not want to move back into F1. They were never going to take him on as a Ferrari driver in F1 so I think fair play to Kamui for taking the job.

I can only assume he was playing a blinder in the simulator, and him not being there this year means they're sim work won't be as good. From what I can gather, Ferrari offered him FP1 time in the car (quite a lot I think), but Kamui wants to race, and race he will.

Jordan 199

_rebelkid wrote: »

The Williams FW36.

I see the Williams has a fin on the engine cover like the one on last years FW35:

lolie

Side by side pic of the Williams FW36 and FW35.
Last years car looks like a bulldozer compared to this years.
Not surprising with who they had driving the car.

ZiabR

Big sidepods to help with the major issues of cooling this year. Apart from the front nose the car looks decent. It just depends what way teams go about the designing the front. That droopy nose is nasty.

logik

logik wrote: »

Alonso to McLaren next year? Button out?

I get the feel Button has "settled" over the last while tbh. Stupid decision by McLaren to have Merc this year then just as all the wrinkles are ironed out they'll be switching to Honda. If they don't luck into a good car this year I can't see how they'll do anything in '15.

_rebelkid

logik wrote: »

Big sidepods to help with the major issues of cooling this year. Apart from the front nose the car looks decent. It just depends what way teams go about the designing the front. That droopy nose is nasty.

Yeah. Note also the extra cooling fins on the airbox. The nose's this year will have a few iterations I think. Caterham's Technical boss says there'll be at least 3 different designs, which we can only hope will be less representative of someone "over-compensating for a certain appendage"...

ZiabR

He did also say that they have found ways around certain things in the rules so he thinks they wont be that bad. Cant wait to see the McLaren tomorrow.

ZiabR

Deleted User wrote: »

I get the feel Button has "settled" over the last while tbh. Stupid decision by McLaren to have Merc this year then just as all the wrinkles are ironed out they'll be switching to Honda. If they don't luck into a good car this year I can't see how they'll do anything in '15.

But staying with Merc this year was not their idea i thought. Honda came out and said they would not be ready for 2014 and that kinda forced McLarens hand. They had to use Merc this year.

But yeah, I can see your point, it is not ideal moving to Honda and basically starting from scratch. Think of it this way. Merc by 2015 will have ironed out all of the performance and reliability issues. Honda come into the market in 2015 and have to start all of that work. It will mean that Honda and McLaren will be 1 year behind the field...

Peanut Butter Jelly

logik wrote: »

Big sidepods to help with the major issues of cooling this year. Apart from the front nose the car looks decent. It just depends what way teams go about the designing the front. That droopy nose is nasty.

Could you imagine how ugly it would be with a back nose?

RayM

I seem to be the only person (anywhere) who doesn't mind the weird, droopy noses. The elevated nose cone on last year's Williams was hideous. The car looked (and, coincidentally, went) a bit like a tractor.

Peanut Butter Jelly

One thing I will say about the Williams, they have found a way in that picture to use the exhaust to get some downforce with a monkey seat. Interesting to see if it's allowed.

ZiabR

Peanut Butter Jelly wrote: »

One thing I will say about the Williams, they have found a way in that picture to use the exhaust to get some downforce with a monkey seat. Interesting to see if it's allowed.

Well spotted, but I am not sure the exhaust is allowed to exit that low down. They all essentially have to blow the hot gas inbetween the two side pillars of the rear wind and in turn gain no downforce advantage.

SamAK

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but Kobayashi paid a million quid(fan donations) for his seat at Caterham, and isn't getting a salary.

Quote - "I don't need or care about money. I just want to drive ... so I am racing for free."

http://f1pulse.com/news/2014012123/kobayashi-racing-at-caterham-for-free-this-season

Myrddin

SamAK wrote: »

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but Kobayashi paid a million quid(fan donations)

It's like kickstarter now, but for F1 drivers. While I'm delighted to see Kobayashi back racing, it's ridiculous what things have become in terms of crowd funding a seat.

KarlFitz01

Does anybody know about what time Mclaren will be unavailing their car tomorrow?