2018 Pre-Season Thread
Discussion
isaldiri said:
Mclaren were desperate and the fact top team (which Mclaren were not by then other than in RD's dreams) would give him a seat tells it's own story.
Phenomenal driver but especially after 07 with Mosley and the Singapore incident the next year, he's impossible to like imo.
I must forge tthre past too easily, but I love Alonso and for the same reasons now verstappen and RicciardoPhenomenal driver but especially after 07 with Mosley and the Singapore incident the next year, he's impossible to like imo.
They engage and show emotion like drivers of old. As much I appreciate Hamilton's speed, barring personal blips hes too good at non-answers and being the perfect PR guy.
EddieSteadyGo said:
With regard to the analysis of race sims which suggest Mercedes have a decent advantage. Vettel is reported as saying the Merc race sims were conducted with a single tyre compound which of course isn't allowable in an actual race. So the apparent advantage in pace is just down to an irregular use of tyres.
Would be interesting to know from people who have been interpreting the race sims if this is an valid point in explaining the difference in pace.
Vettel is partly right, but given that both Merc drivers ran a long 30 lap 1st stint on the medium tyres, the pace shown by Ferrari should at least be close to them when they ran their 2nd stint on the medium tyres. I'm afraid, I'm still seeing a small pace advantage to Merc when compared like for like.Would be interesting to know from people who have been interpreting the race sims if this is an valid point in explaining the difference in pace.
It has been reported that Merc's engine advantage is such that they run 10kg less fuel than other manufacturers in many tracks last year. Interestingly, 10 kg is worth 3-tenths per lap around Barcelona, not to mention an advantage in tyre management. This could also explain the pace advantage shown by Merc in the relevant parts of the race sims.
I'm still betting/hoping on RB's competitiveness in the early part of the season. Ferrari, it appears have changed their car concept quite significantly, so they'll have a steeper development curve than other teams as the season progresses--given that they did keep pace with Merc development all through last year.
Dr Z said:
EddieSteadyGo said:
With regard to the analysis of race sims which suggest Mercedes have a decent advantage. Vettel is reported as saying the Merc race sims were conducted with a single tyre compound which of course isn't allowable in an actual race. So the apparent advantage in pace is just down to an irregular use of tyres.
Would be interesting to know from people who have been interpreting the race sims if this is an valid point in explaining the difference in pace.
Vettel is partly right, but given that both Merc drivers ran a long 30 lap 1st stint on the medium tyres, the pace shown by Ferrari should at least be close to them when they ran their 2nd stint on the medium tyres. I'm afraid, I'm still seeing a small pace advantage to Merc when compared like for like.Would be interesting to know from people who have been interpreting the race sims if this is an valid point in explaining the difference in pace.
It has been reported that Merc's engine advantage is such that they run 10kg less fuel than other manufacturers in many tracks last year. Interestingly, 10 kg is worth 3-tenths per lap around Barcelona, not to mention an advantage in tyre management. This could also explain the pace advantage shown by Merc in the relevant parts of the race sims.
I'm still betting/hoping on RB's competitiveness in the early part of the season. Ferrari, it appears have changed their car concept quite significantly, so they'll have a steeper development curve than other teams as the season progresses--given that they did keep pace with Merc development all through last year.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
If Alonso knew/thought his contract was as the number one driver then he would have been pretty confused about what was going on.
I very much doubt that Alonso's contract was as the number one at McLaren in 2007 as at the time that he signed the expectation was that he would be part of a "dream team" with Raikkonen.Raikkonen's contract with McLaren was one where the team had the option each year of retaining Kimi but at an ever escalating salary. McLaren's option on Kimi for 2007 required them to pay a salary of $50m for the year. McLaren wanted to retain Kimi but not at the cost of $50m so allowed the option to expire and then attempted to negotiate a new contract. However, with the option expired Raikkonen was free to sign with another team and left for Ferrari. McLaren already had a contract with Hamilton but instead of the expected testing role he was promoted to a race seat.
Taken from Autosport.
McLaren has accused Ferrari and the FIA of breaking a gentleman's agreement after the Italian Formula 1 team announced it had signed FIA safety and deputy race director Laurent Mekies.
Mekies will serve a three-month notice period before leaving his current post, and will start at Ferrari in just over six months' time on September 20.
Renault's signing of former FIA technical head Marcin Budkowski at the end of last year prompted teams to discuss the matter of gardening leave in a Strategy Group meeting.
It was agreed that 12 months would be an appropriate minimum wait for former employees of both the FIA and the F1 Group to start working for teams.
The fact that this deadline has been broken so soon after it was agreed has angered rival teams.
"We are very unhappy with the FIA for losing yet another key employee to a racing team," McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told Autosport.
"Especially after it was agreed by all teams at the last Strategy Group meeting that no key technical FIA employees would be employed by a race team within 12 months of leaving the FIA.
"Ferrari went against the gentleman's agreement, and the FIA has not enforced it."
Other teams are known to have expressed similar views in private, although they have yet to comment publicly.
McLaren has accused Ferrari and the FIA of breaking a gentleman's agreement after the Italian Formula 1 team announced it had signed FIA safety and deputy race director Laurent Mekies.
Mekies will serve a three-month notice period before leaving his current post, and will start at Ferrari in just over six months' time on September 20.
Renault's signing of former FIA technical head Marcin Budkowski at the end of last year prompted teams to discuss the matter of gardening leave in a Strategy Group meeting.
It was agreed that 12 months would be an appropriate minimum wait for former employees of both the FIA and the F1 Group to start working for teams.
The fact that this deadline has been broken so soon after it was agreed has angered rival teams.
"We are very unhappy with the FIA for losing yet another key employee to a racing team," McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told Autosport.
"Especially after it was agreed by all teams at the last Strategy Group meeting that no key technical FIA employees would be employed by a race team within 12 months of leaving the FIA.
"Ferrari went against the gentleman's agreement, and the FIA has not enforced it."
Other teams are known to have expressed similar views in private, although they have yet to comment publicly.
McLaren have a new sponsor, Gandys. They make flip flops, the logo is going on the Halo 
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/134854/flipflop-...
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/134854/flipflop-...
te that the F1 has turned into.They can mix and match as much as they want to out of those 3 elements of the PU.
You could use all 3 PU assemblies in the first 3 races then cycle them. You could save your last 2 PU assemblies for the end of season.
There will no doubt be some strategy calls on how to best use the 3 elements over a season.
You could use all 3 PU assemblies in the first 3 races then cycle them. You could save your last 2 PU assemblies for the end of season.
There will no doubt be some strategy calls on how to best use the 3 elements over a season.
For Mercedes, I guess that PU2 will arrive for Canada and PU3 at Spa.
PU1 will be doing Fridays for most of the year.
I think Lewis taking a new PU at Interlagos last year and then both drivers doing high speed race simulations in pre-season testing makes me suspect that Mercedes are already on top of durability for this season.
The others taking grid penalties simply shows that they know that are competing for the scraps.
PU1 will be doing Fridays for most of the year.
I think Lewis taking a new PU at Interlagos last year and then both drivers doing high speed race simulations in pre-season testing makes me suspect that Mercedes are already on top of durability for this season.
The others taking grid penalties simply shows that they know that are competing for the scraps.
Angpozzuto said:
Would teams be able to strip down/ rebuild engine components? As I think that'll be some teams only chance of getting 3 engines to the end of the season
Units are sealed with FIA seals. Can be visually inspected but some parts may be changed under FIA supervision (selected components within engine, gearbox)2017 regs:
Replacing power unit parts :
Refer to the table in Appendix 2 of these regulations.
The parts listed as “EXC” in the table referred to above may be changed without incurring a penalty under Article 23.3 of the F1 Sporting Regulations. If changing any of these parts involves breaking a seal this may be done but must be carried out under FIA supervision. Any parts changed may only be replaced by parts homologated in accordance with Appendix 4 of the F1 Sporting Regulations
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