The Official 2018 F1 Silly Season *Contains Speculation*
Discussion
ELUSIVEJIM said:
You would have to presume there are not sure or Kubica is not 100% confident on doing a whole season.
Or they are sure and they want to maximise his seat time after such a long break from the sport.Or they're mostly sure and just want a final check on a part of his performance. Maybe they gave him some targets to improve certain aspects and this is the test he has to prove that.
Or they think they're sure, but they need to double check because it's such a big risk.
It seems to have got to a stage where you must presume that actually they think it is possible, otherwise they've wasted a lot of effort and resource. They saw what he did in the Renault in the Hungary test, and he's already driven the Williams twice, so they must have a pretty clear idea by now of what is possible. If it was a definite no-go then we wouldn't still be talking about him getting in the car again in an official test when they could be using what limited track testing they have for better ends.
thegreenhell said:
First time in the current Williams, but they saw him drive a 2017 Renault so will have an idea of his performance relative to Hulkenberg (an ex-Williams driver). They will also have benchmarked him in the 2014 car against Di Resta and Stroll, who have both also tested the 2014 car.
Yes good point and Renault went with Hulkenberg and Sainz in the end.Long term thinking or was Kubica not fast enough.
thegreenhell said:
Or they are sure and they want to maximise his seat time after such a long break from the sport.
Or they're mostly sure and just want a final check on a part of his performance. Maybe they gave him some targets to improve certain aspects and this is the test he has to prove that.
Or they think they're sure, but they need to double check because it's such a big risk.
It seems to have got to a stage where you must presume that actually they think it is possible, otherwise they've wasted a lot of effort and resource. They saw what he did in the Renault in the Hungary test, and he's already driven the Williams twice, so they must have a pretty clear idea by now of what is possible. If it was a definite no-go then we wouldn't still be talking about him getting in the car again in an official test when they could be using what limited track testing they have for better ends.
Good points Or they're mostly sure and just want a final check on a part of his performance. Maybe they gave him some targets to improve certain aspects and this is the test he has to prove that.
Or they think they're sure, but they need to double check because it's such a big risk.
It seems to have got to a stage where you must presume that actually they think it is possible, otherwise they've wasted a lot of effort and resource. They saw what he did in the Renault in the Hungary test, and he's already driven the Williams twice, so they must have a pretty clear idea by now of what is possible. If it was a definite no-go then we wouldn't still be talking about him getting in the car again in an official test when they could be using what limited track testing they have for better ends.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
thegreenhell said:
First time in the current Williams, but they saw him drive a 2017 Renault so will have an idea of his performance relative to Hulkenberg (an ex-Williams driver). They will also have benchmarked him in the 2014 car against Di Resta and Stroll, who have both also tested the 2014 car.
Yes good point and Renault went with Hulkenberg and Sainz in the end.Long term thinking or was Kubica not fast enough.
In fact I reckon that of those Kvyat could well be the best in terms of outright pace, however Williams need a stable driver, a 'thinking' driver, who can mentor stroll, lead the development of the car, perform at a consistent level etc.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
thegreenhell said:
First time in the current Williams, but they saw him drive a 2017 Renault so will have an idea of his performance relative to Hulkenberg (an ex-Williams driver). They will also have benchmarked him in the 2014 car against Di Resta and Stroll, who have both also tested the 2014 car.
Yes good point and Renault went with Hulkenberg and Sainz in the end.Long term thinking or was Kubica not fast enough.
jamiebae said:
I think it was more that an opportunity presented itself for Renault to get hold of a future star without having to pay a ton of money so they jumped at it. It was a very shrewd bit of business on the part of Renault and I don't think it reflects badly at all on Kubica's showing in testing.
I agree. Sainz vs Kubica is an easy choice. Kubica va Palmer, etc, less clear (which is where the process started) for Renault
I don't think speed is the problem for Kubica. As regards fitness, it's all cardio/core and specific muscles that are fine for Kubica.
It's fiddling with this lot:
...while driving at 200 mph that could throw up some issues. Looks like it's not going to be a deterrent for a team like Williams.
I hope so.
It's fiddling with this lot:
...while driving at 200 mph that could throw up some issues. Looks like it's not going to be a deterrent for a team like Williams.
I hope so.
Dr Z said:
I don't think speed is the problem for Kubica. As regards fitness, it's all cardio/core and specific muscles that are fine for Kubica.
It's fiddling with this lot:
...while driving at 200 mph that could throw up some issues. Looks like it's not going to be a deterrent for a team like Williams.
I hope so.
I think you are right. Shifting gears is one thing, controlling the clutch at launch where places are easily won, or lost, would be an issue as well as controlling this lot.It's fiddling with this lot:
...while driving at 200 mph that could throw up some issues. Looks like it's not going to be a deterrent for a team like Williams.
I hope so.
At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
We all want a fairy tail to come true, but the reality is that F1 is the toughest of competition for drivers. The Martini over-25 requirement has already been dismissed, but nonetheless I can see Robert as a Williams reserve / goodwill ambassador. Benchmarking the simulator could be another important role. I think he will replace de Resta, rather than Massa.
rdjohn said:
I think you are right. Shifting gears is one thing, controlling the clutch at launch where places are easily won, or lost, would be an issue as well as controlling this lot.
At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
And yet he managed the Renault test.At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
Vaud said:
rdjohn said:
I think you are right. Shifting gears is one thing, controlling the clutch at launch where places are easily won, or lost, would be an issue as well as controlling this lot.
At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
And yet he managed the Renault test.At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
He's had three tests with Renault and two so far with Williams with no reports that he struggles to twiddle his knobs. If it was a genuine problem for him he wouldn't have got past the first test session, let alone be considered for the race seat that Williams have admitted he is in contention for.
Vaud said:
rdjohn said:
I think you are right. Shifting gears is one thing, controlling the clutch at launch where places are easily won, or lost, would be an issue as well as controlling this lot.
At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
And yet he managed the Renault test.At Goodwood, he struggled to fasten his HANS, but did not have sufficient dexterity to buckle his chin strap.
A driver gets their speed from their motor sensors and brain function, if you have one less than optimal functioning arm you can still be fast with a bit of adaption of controls. You don't support yourself in a racing car when driving, that's what the seat and belts are for. If the car is good you drive with fingertip pressures on the wheel.
jsf said:
As someone who straps drivers into F1 cars for a living, none of that matters. If Zanardi can manage to drive a racing car with no legs and throttle controls on the wheel, i'm sure Robert could manage a clutch 3 times a race.
And if Zanardi was in contention some would be hypothesising that he had an unfair weight advantage by having no legs.Vaud said:
jsf said:
As someone who straps drivers into F1 cars for a living, none of that matters. If Zanardi can manage to drive a racing car with no legs and throttle controls on the wheel, i'm sure Robert could manage a clutch 3 times a race.
And if Zanardi was in contention some would be hypothesising that he had an unfair weight advantage by having no legs.
jsf said:
As someone who straps drivers into F1 cars for a living, none of that matters. If Zanardi can manage to drive a racing car with no legs and throttle controls on the wheel, i'm sure Robert could manage a clutch 3 times a race.
A driver gets their speed from their motor sensors and brain function, if you have one less than optimal functioning arm you can still be fast with a bit of adaption of controls. You don't support yourself in a racing car when driving, that's what the seat and belts are for. If the car is good you drive with fingertip pressures on the wheel.
A touring car with hand throttle and half a dozen buttons you might use ten times in total is a far cry from 15 buttons, four dials and two or three rotating switches. A driver gets their speed from their motor sensors and brain function, if you have one less than optimal functioning arm you can still be fast with a bit of adaption of controls. You don't support yourself in a racing car when driving, that's what the seat and belts are for. If the car is good you drive with fingertip pressures on the wheel.
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