Gearboxes lasting four races
Discussion
From next season gearboxes need to last four races in a similar manner to the two race engine rule from recent years.
From what Ive read, teams are not allowed to change anything inside the box with gearboxes being sealed by the FIA, and if replacement parts are required inbetween a 5 place grid penalty will be applied. This would suggest that they'll need to run the same ratios at Monaco (which is the slowest circuit and requires most downforce) as they will at Montreal two weeks later, a track with one of the quickest straights on the calendar and generally requiring a fairly low level of downforce?!
How's that going to work then, are they going to have to install gear ratios for the highest they'll need in the following 4 races and be hampered at the slower circuits, or have the snippets of the rule Ive read not given an accurate picture?
From what Ive read, teams are not allowed to change anything inside the box with gearboxes being sealed by the FIA, and if replacement parts are required inbetween a 5 place grid penalty will be applied. This would suggest that they'll need to run the same ratios at Monaco (which is the slowest circuit and requires most downforce) as they will at Montreal two weeks later, a track with one of the quickest straights on the calendar and generally requiring a fairly low level of downforce?!
How's that going to work then, are they going to have to install gear ratios for the highest they'll need in the following 4 races and be hampered at the slower circuits, or have the snippets of the rule Ive read not given an accurate picture?
Edited by LocoBlade on Sunday 2nd December 17:40
I was mainly going on reading this Renault press release on F1-Live, talking about gearboxes next year
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/...
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/...
Specifically
"[i]In 2008, the Federation is pursuing its cost-cutting measures and will oblige the teams to use the same transmission for four consecutive races. In case of an unforeseen change the driver whose car had been worked on will go back five positions on the grid. To ensure that the regulations are respected the gearboxes will be sealed by the FIA. Only the gears can be changed and the replacement parts must be identical.
In addition, the teams will have to prove that these have been damaged to be able to put in new ones. It is a question of refining reliability without penalising gearchange speeds. Enstone is getting down to this challenge this winter.[/i]"
The second paragraph seems to suggest that even gear clusters cannot be changed unless they are damaged, and even then a 5 place penalty will be imposed.
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/...
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/...
Specifically
"[i]In 2008, the Federation is pursuing its cost-cutting measures and will oblige the teams to use the same transmission for four consecutive races. In case of an unforeseen change the driver whose car had been worked on will go back five positions on the grid. To ensure that the regulations are respected the gearboxes will be sealed by the FIA. Only the gears can be changed and the replacement parts must be identical.
In addition, the teams will have to prove that these have been damaged to be able to put in new ones. It is a question of refining reliability without penalising gearchange speeds. Enstone is getting down to this challenge this winter.[/i]"
The second paragraph seems to suggest that even gear clusters cannot be changed unless they are damaged, and even then a 5 place penalty will be imposed.
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