F1 General News and Discussion thread 2012

[bpratt]

Now that really is an end of an era, with Patrick Head stepping down.

That's really half the Williams team gone, when you think about the wins that the team has had in the past.

[DanielAquilina]

Well yeah Patrick Head is gone, Sam Michael already left the Williams F1 team we used to know is no longer really there. In saying that I believe Williams F1 lost some of their magic when firstly Sam Michael was no longer Ralf Schumacher's crew Chief in 2004 and became technical director and secondly when BMW left them....since then it hasn't really been the same.

[Mothers Worry]

Ferrari has further strengthened its aerodynamic department at the expense of McLaren, after signing a handful of former McLaren engineers.

Looks like things are getting serious for the new season.

[DanielAquilina]

Awesome, Go Ferrari!!!!! They already got Pat Fry or someone didn't they, and they tried to get Adrian Newey but that wasn't gonna happen for them. Let's hope we are back on form this year

[Ian G.]

Yeah sad,end of an era at Williams,i notice some comparing their current status to the final years of Jordan,if they continue to struggle it may well be the end.Losing the Bank of Scotland hurt,20 million £ + per year in sponsorship.

[bpratt]

Yeah sad,end of an era at Williams,i notice some comparing their current status to the final years of Jordan,if they continue to struggle it may well be the end.Losing the Bank of Scotland hurt,20 million £ + per year in sponsorship.

I was hoping no one was going to bring that up, as it would be a tragedy if we lost Williams in the same manner as Jordan. Williams was always a major player in F1.


It is only 1 win away from reminding people why they are there, but alas that's still a long way off.

[Ian G.]

Mark is still on the Ferrari radar but hard to see RB letting him take their knowledge elsewhere,surely they will pay him to retire but you never know.

http://www.f1zone.net/news/montezemolo-names-candidates-for-massas-seat/11332/

[Jiji_the_cat]

Below are the updated section of the sporting regulations as published by the FIA (yesterday i believe). The new stuff is the blue.
There were a couple of other things here and their but nothing really worth reporting.

5.3   The distance of all races, from the start signal referred to in Article 38.9 to the chequered flag, shall be equal to the least number of complete laps which exceed a distance of 305 km (Monaco 260km). However, should two hours elapse before the scheduled race distance is completed, the leader will be shown the chequered flag when he crosses the control line (the Line) at the end of the lap during which the two hour period ended.
However, should the race be suspended (see Article 41) the length of the suspension will be added to this period up to a maximum total race time of four hours.

17)   PROTESTS AND APPEALS
 17.1   Protests shall be made in accordance with the Code and accompanied by a fee of €2000.
17.2   Appeals may not be made against decision concerning the following :
a)   Penalties imposed under Articles 16.3a), b) c) or d), including those imposed during the last five laps or after the end of a race.
b)   Any drop of grid positions imposed under Article 28.
c)   Any penalty imposed under Article 31.6.
d)   Any decision taken by the stewards in relation to Article 36.1.
e)   Any penalty imposed under Articles 38.4 or 42.3.

it will be interesting to see how they regulate 20.3 below.

20.3   More than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted. Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off‐line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner.

22.2   Track testing may only be carried out using cars which have been subjected to, and fulfilled the requirements of, the tests described in Articles 16.2‐6, 17.2‐3 and 18.2‐9 of the F1 Technical Regulations.
Furthermore, any car used for track testing must be fitted with the panels described in Articles 15.4.7 and 15.4.8 of the F1 Technical Regulations.

[/color]

22.5   During all track testing cars must be fitted with the FIA ECU required by Article 8.2 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations. However, FIA approved software need not be installed in the FIA ECU when aerodynamic testing is being carried out in accordance with 22.4(c)(iii) above.

40.8   With the exceptions of the cases listed under a) to h) below, no driver may overtake another car on the track, including the safety car, until he passes the first safety car line for the first time when the safety car is returning to the pits. However, if the safety car is still deployed at the beginning of the last lap, or is deployed during the last lap, Article 40.15 will apply.
The exceptions are :
a)   If a driver is signalled to do so from the safety car.
b)   Under 40.13 or 40.16 below.
c)   When entering the pits a driver may pass another car remaining on the track, including the safety car, after he has reached the first safety car line.
d)   When leaving the pits a driver may overtake, or be overtaken by, another car on the track before he reaches the second safety car line.
e)   When the safety car is returning to the pits it may be overtaken by cars on the track once it has reached the first safety car line.
f)   Whilst in the pit entry, pit lane or pit exit a driver may overtake another car which is also in one of these three areas.
g)   Any car stopping in its designated garage area whilst the safety car is using the pit lane (see 40.11 below) may be overtaken.
h)   If any car slows with an obvious problem.

40.12   If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" is shown on the timing monitors, any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car. This will only apply to cars that were lapped at the time they crossed the Line at the end of the lap during which they crossed the first Safety Car line for the second time after the safety car was deployed.

Having overtaken the cars on the lead lap and the safety car these cars should then proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking, and take up position at the back of the line of cars behind the safety car. Whilst they are overtaking, and in order to ensure this may be carried out safely, the cars on the lead lap must always stay on the racing line unless deviating from it is unavoidable.
If the clerk of the course considers track conditions are unsuitable for overtaking the message "OVERTAKING WILL NOT BE PERMITTED" will be shown on the timing monitors.

Below are the new Technical Regualtions, these seem mainly to do with the off throttle debarcle and engine mapping

Engine torque demand : The only means by which the driver may control the engine torque is via a single chassis
mounted foot (accelerator) pedal. Designs which allow specific points along the accelerator pedal travel range to be identified by
the driver or assist him to hold a position are not permitted.

The maximum accelerator pedal travel position must correspond to an engine torque demand equal to or greater than the maximum engine torque at the measured engine speed.

The minimum accelerator pedal travel position must correspond to an engine torque demand equal to or lower than 0Nm.
The accelerator pedal shaping map in the ECU may only be linked to the type of the tyres fitted to the car : one map for use with dry‐weather tyres and one map for use with intermediate or wet‐weather tyres.

At any given engine speed the driver torque demand map must be monotonically increasing for an increase in accelerator pedal position.

At any given accelerator pedal position and above 5,000rpm, the driver torque demand map must not have a gradient of less than – (minus) 0.030Nm / rpm.

Engine control :
The maximum delay allowed, computed from the respective signals as recorded by the ADR or ECU, between the accelerator pedal position input signal and the corresponding output demand being achieved is 50ms.

Teams may be required to demonstrate the accuracy of the engine configurations used by the ECU.

The maximum throttle target map in the ECU may only be used to avoid throttle target oscillations when the change of torque is small for a change of throttle position. It must not be used to artificially reduce the maximum engine torque.

The selection of the maximum throttle target map will be fixed during qualifying and race. Engine control must not be influenced by clutch position, movement or operation. The idle speed control target may not exceed 5,000rpm.

Except when anti‐stall or idle speed control are active, ignition base offsets may only be applied above 80% throttle and 15,000rpm and for the sole purpose of reducing cylinder pressure for reliability.

A number of engine protections are available in the ECU.

A minimum of nine seconds hold time should be configured for the engine protections enabled during qualifying and race. The configuration of the air tray fire detection and throttle failsafe are exceptionally unrestricted in order to allow each team to achieve the best level of safety.

Engine high rev limits :
Engine high rev limits may vary for differing conditions provided all are significantly above the peak of the engine torque curve. However, a lower rev limit may be used when :
‐   The gearbox is in neutral.
‐   Stall prevention is active.
‐   The driver clutch request is greater than 95% of the total available travel of the driver clutch actuation device, used only to protect the engine following a driver error.
‐   An engine protection is active.
‐   The bite point finder strategy is active.
 ‐   The safety car is deployed or during the formation lap.
Except for the above conditions, ignition, fuelling and throttle may not be used to artificially control the engine speed or alter the engine response in a rev range more than 1,000rpm below the final rev limit.

Exhaust systems :
With the exception of incidental leakage through exhaust joints (either into or out of the system), no fluids, other than those which emerge from the engine exhaust ports, may be admitted into the engine exhaust system.

Engine exhaust systems may incorporate no more than two exits, both of which must be rearward facing tailpipes, through which all exhaust gases must pass.

The last 100mm of any tailpipe must in its entirety :
a)   Form a thin‐walled unobstructed right circular cylinder whose internal diameter is no greater than 75mm with its axis at +/‐10° to the car centre line when viewed from above the car and between +10° and +30° (tail‐up) to the reference plane when viewed from the side of the car. The entire circumference of the exit should lie on a single plane normal to the tailpipe axis and be located at the rearmost extremity of the last 100mm of the tailpipe.
b)   Be located between 250mm and 600mm above the reference plane.
c)   Be located between 200mm and 500mm from the car centre line.
d)   Be positioned in order that the entire circumference of the exit of the tailpipe lies between two vertical planes normal to the car centre line and which lie 500mm and 1200mm forward of the rear wheel centre line.

Once the exhaust tailpipes, the bodywork required by Article 3.8.4 and any apertures permitted by Article 3.8.5 have been fully defined there must be no bodywork lying within a right circular truncated cone which :
a)   Shares a common axis with that of the last 100mm of the tailpipe.
b)   Has a forward diameter equal to that of each exhaust exit.
c)   Starts at the exit of the tailpipe and extends rearwards as far as the rear wheel centre line.
d)   Has a half‐cone angle of 3° such that the cone has its larger diameter at the rear wheel centre line.
Furthermore, there must be a view from above, the side, or any intermediate angle perpendicular to the car centre line, from which the truncated cone is not obscured by any bodywork lying more than 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line.

[Jiji_the_cat]

James Allen gets the Gig for BBC Radio 5 Live. He will continue his association with  so we will still get his pre race reports.
Don't know if many here listen to five live, i do enjoy their podcasts.

“I'm delighted to announce that I am joining the BBC Radio 5 Live team as F1 correspondent and lead commentator this season,
I'm really happy about this; 5 live is the default setting on my radio at home and in the car, it's a great institution and I'm proud to be part of it.
Anyone who has followed my career knows I love a challenge; whether it's taking over from Murray Walker, setting up this website, or creating the first F1 fans forums. I've never done radio before and I'm really looking forward to adapting to a new medium.
This is a time of significant change in our industry and I see great opportunity here, thanks to the unique place Radio 5 Live has in this sport.”

Quoted from the James Allen official Web Site

[Oldtony]

Great Journalist. Terrible commentator, but then maybe he doesn't love LuLu so much noeadays.

[Jiji_the_cat]

Great Journalist. Terrible commentator, but then maybe he doesn't love LuLu so much noeadays.

your right he is a good journalist and a bad commentator. i think the 5 live team do commentate on the radio for the british fans (not sure), which means he'll probably stink at that.

However i think his journalistic skills will come into play for the podcast preview and reviews, so maybe they (the podcasts) will still be good.

[Mothers Worry]

Great Journalist. Terrible commentator, but then maybe he doesn't love LuLu so much noeadays.

Agreed.

[Ian G.]

Thanks "Jiji" for posting the new Regs.,it will be interesting on how,and if, it effects the front runners.I haven't seen any change in the Red Flag rule that was supposed to be under review,surely changing to Wets can be the only permitted act on the starting grid.

[Jiji_the_cat]

i can see Ferrari benefiting from the new Technical Regulations dealing with the off throttle issue. If you remember back to Silverstone when it was banned for that one race, Ferrari were not only competitive, but fatty won the race with genuine competitive times.
I can also see Caterham, Sauber, and Williams benefiting as well. Sauber were reasonably quick at the start of the year and as the other teams sorted out the off throttle, they (Sauber) slowly slipped backwards. With Williams, well, its one less area they can go wrong.

I haven't seen any change in the Red Flag rule that was supposed to be under review,surely changing to Wets can be the only permitted act on the starting grid.

Pretty sure that was dealt with after Monaco.

[blacknwhite]

Great Journalist. Terrible commentator, but then maybe he doesn't love LuLu so much noeadays.

your right he is a good journalist and a bad commentator. i think the 5 live team do commentate on the radio for the british fans (not sure), which means he'll probably stink at that.

However i think his journalistic skills will come into play for the podcast preview and reviews, so maybe they (the podcasts) will still be good.

I think the 5 live crew does the best summations of a GP I have heard ...it is a must listen the day after a GP
I have had trouble getting the James Allen on F1 site  up of late Jiji.....has he changed web addy?

[Jiji_the_cat]

I have had trouble getting the James Allen on F1 site  up of late Jiji.....has he changed web addy?

here is the one i went to. Not sure if it has changed address or not.

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

[blacknwhite]

I have had trouble getting the James Allen on F1 site  up of late Jiji.....has he changed web addy?

here is the one i went to. Not sure if it has changed address or not.

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/

Yes what I had , have tried Chrome and Firefox after clearing cache without success....any ideas?

[Jiji_the_cat]

Yes what I had , have tried Chrome and Firefox after clearing cache without success....any ideas?

i use firefox, 8.01, and the site is loading up fine, so i am not sure why it wont work on your machine.

[DanielAquilina]

Can someone give me clarification of what the off throttle blown diffuser actually does. I do indeed remember my beloved Ferrari going like Stink at the British Grand Prix when that was the case, but what does it actually do?

[Mothers Worry]

Can someone give me clarification of what the off throttle blown diffuser actually does. I do indeed remember my beloved Ferrari going like Stink at the British Grand Prix when that was the case, but what does it actually do?

http://www.australianmotorsportforums.com.au/forum/technical-and-industry-discussion/cold-difuser-vs-hot-blown-defuser/