Formula 1 2009: The Launch Season

[Sureboss]

We own the R, the B and a little flick of the S.

 

[Ardius]

Not bad for a car partly sponsored by the good old British taxpayer

Heh, thats a good point, technically we all sponsor Williams, awesome.

 

[Metar]

And half of Germany sponsors the Allianz part. Apparently, my grandparents now live in a Williams not-so-motor home.

 

[Mt. Lynx]

Must say the Renault looks absolutely amazing in action! Love the sidepods!

 

[prisonermonkeys]

What's so special, you may ask? The rain. It may have rendered the past two days of testing worthless as far as information goes, but it allowed us, the fans, a peek into a vital part of the 2009 rules: the behavior of a car's wake. Take a look at the rooster-tail behind the Toro Rosso, and then at those behind the three 2009 cars: The difference is amazing. The wake is far less dense, and at the same time, also taller - meaning far less turbulence immediately behind the car! Looks like the OWG's suggestions worked.

I had my fingers crossed that we'd get some pictures like this when the reports surfaced that bad weather was forecast.

 

[nissan tuner]

Awesome post Metar!!

 

[Omnis]

Guess someone doesn't know what the new rules are for?

Yes, I do. By drafting meant on the straights. I was thinking Fuji, but aren't they going to Suzuka again this year?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Yes, I do. By drafting meant on the straights. I was thinking Fuji, but aren't they going to Suzuka again this year?

Yes, they are, but there's plenty of other long straights on the calendar - Bahrain, Sepang, and Shanghai to mention a few - courtesy of Tilke. Abu Dhabi also looks pretty good, because the long back straight is peceded by the slowest corner on the circuit, so if someone gets it wrong, there will be plenty of opportunities.

 

[Metar]

Yes, I do. By drafting meant on the straights. I was thinking Fuji, but aren't they going to Suzuka again this year?

Sorry for not replying earlier. Actually, drafting will be present just as much - cars still produce the same "hole" in the air as they used to, more or less. The difference is the way these disturbances behave: Instead of very strong upwards turbulences, they rules attempted to force teams into designing cars that calmed these turbulences. A following car will still have less drag, but more importantly, it'll lose less downforce.

 

[Omnis]

Sorry for not replying earlier. Actually, drafting will be present just as much - cars still produce the same "hole" in the air as they used to, more or less. The difference is the way these disturbances behave: Instead of very strong upwards turbulences, they rules attempted to force teams into designing cars that calmed these turbulences. A following car will still have less drag, but more importantly, it'll lose less downforce.

Well of course they are still going to draft behind one another, but surely it won't be as solid a pocket, right? I mean, it doesn't really matter anyway because I'm sure the newly gained downforce more than makes up for any kind of drag difference.

 

[Metar]

It'll be more or less the same - the cars are still of the same dimensions, move at the same speeds as before, and produce about the same amount of drag at those speeds.

 

[darkfinal]

Having said that, I have mixed feelings. Renault have either come up with a brilliant, edge-cutting aerodynamic design (and hence the rigid, angular look), or just couldn't get the damn thing right and ended up with cartooney and underdeveloped lines (hence the... rigid, angular look). So I'm afraid they will either be on the very top or the very bottom of the grid.

The opening test of Renault's 2009 car did not proceed as planned for the French team, according to Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell.

Although the Portimao test was badly marred by the weather last week, it is suggested that Renault struggled with the early performance of the new R29.

The aerodynamics of the unique-looking racer is apparently the culprit, and at the end of the only dry day in Portugal last week, Fernando Alonso was easily the slowest of the four new cars.

The Motorsport Aktuell claims are backed up by suggestions last week in the Spanish press, where Alonso was said to have complained bitterly about the car's low-speed handling.


The Spaniard did not make his concerns public, as he told the sports daily Marca: "The main thing is that there were no technical problems; the times are not important."

Marca said Alonso will only turn his attention to performance at the last two tests, beginning at Jerez, prior to the start of the season in Australia.

"Hopefully we can make some good progress with the performance of the car there," the 27-year-old driver said.

Suits me for believing Renault would do things right this year.

 

[mu22stang]

Despite the naysaying of many, the aerodynamic plot continues to thicken. I will say it again; these cars will be no less technical or challenging, aero-wise or otherwise, than before. I can't wait for Melbourne.

 

[senamic]

Just looking at the toyota car...

Doesn't that look like bending the aero regs a bit?

 

[Blake]

Nope.

 

[Ardius]

Just looking at the toyota car...

Doesn't that look like bending the aero regs a bit?

No, but Renault thinks Williams and Toyota are bending the rules too much with their diffusers...which probably says more about the performance of the Renault currently
If Williams have finally managed to get back to the front of the grid, I will be very pleased, however, I recall a similar situation happening last year, where Williams looked great in the pre-season but flopped back to the bottom after the first race.
In fact, my dream championship for this year would be if it was between Toyota, BMW Sauber, Williams and Red Bull/Toro Rosso with Ferrari and McLaren falling to the bottom. That would be awesome, but unlikely.

 

[Metar]

What's suppposed to be wrong with the Toyota? It looks perfectly alright...


Also, guys, hang on with analysis. We had one slightly-dry day of winter testing. There's no point trying to assume what team is where until we get at least four-five days of dry testing, preferably near the start of the season. Several teams haven't tested with the others yet, and even then, it's winter-testing: Only the teams can assume where they stand.

 

[Ardius]

What's suppposed to be wrong with the Toyota? It looks perfectly alright...


Also, guys, hang on with analysis. We had one slightly-dry day of winter testing. There's no point trying to assume what team is where until we get at least four-five days of dry testing, preferably near the start of the season. Several teams haven't tested with the others yet, and even then, it's winter-testing: Only the teams can assume where they stand.

Well I don't see much wrong with it either, but Renault are certainly up in arms about it - which is why I say it says something about their performance.
I agree that nothing can be determined by these tests, drivers are still getting used to cars and many of the teams are doing mostly durablility tests as engine survivability is extra important this season with engines having to last 3 Grand Prix including testing and qualifying sessions.
But still, I think it speaks a lot about Renault's confidence in their machine if they are so readily complaining about other teams' designs.

 

[Metar]

They haven't complained - they've asked for clarification. Big difference: they want to know if they can design such a thing themselves, or of the FIA will outlaw it anyway. A similar clarification is what made the Ferrari exhausts illegal, or what kept the wing-bridges legal in 2007. I don't think they had other problems with other designs so far?

But Renault do indeed seem to be a little on the weak side - only this week, they did straightline-testing involving a whopping five trucks - while they normally don't bother with more than one for those tests.

 

[Blake]

But Renault do indeed seem to be a little on the weak side - only this week, they did straightline-testing involving a whopping five trucks - while they normally don't bother with more than one for those tests.

That’s the problem, they should be doing straight line tests with their car, not the trucks…

 

[Tired Tyres]

Well I don't see much wrong with it either, but Renault are certainly up in arms about it - which is why I say it says something about their performance.
I agree that nothing can be determined by these tests, drivers are still getting used to cars and many of the teams are doing mostly durablility tests as engine survivability is extra important this season with engines having to last 3 Grand Prix including testing and qualifying sessions.
But still, I think it speaks a lot about Renault's confidence in their machine if they are so readily complaining about other teams' designs.

That is no longer the case.

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/1/8890.html

 

[Ardius]

That is no longer the case.

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2009/1/8890.html

Wow, I can't believe I missed that, must have been when I briefly scan the pages when reading at uni (boring lectures ).
Well, still, the teams will be no doubt be focusing on reliability with some of their tests, especially Ferrari.

 

[Metar]

8 engines for the season isn't that much easier. In fact, because it includes Fridays, it's even stricter. The 17 GPs this season, that's just over two engines per race - but remember that every race on the 9th will be with a penalty. Fridays will be either very quiet (saving engines), or very busy (with everyone testing for the new regulations). Also note, the same engine no longer has to last the two/three races consecutively..

 

[Alex.]

Don't you mean engines per race?

 

[Blake]

but remember that every race on the 9th will be with a penalty

No, just the first race on each extra engine receives the penalty.

Also I imagine most/all teams will use 2 of their 8 engines just for Friday testing, then share the other 6 over the 17 GPs, so if teams need to test they will. But yeah, I imagine Friday will be quiet. Just validating setups for the most part I imagine.

 

[Metar]

I'd reckon they'll use an engine for a race or two, then keep it Fridays-only. Though they can also swap them after Saturday practice now, too.

 

[SUPER NUMBBER]

Great minds think alike...

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090203131644.shtml

 

[Roo]

Williams, Toyota diffusers given all clear

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde Thursday, February 5th 2009, 17:36 GMT

The rear diffusers of the Toyota and Williams teams have been cleared by Formula One's governing body, according to FIA president Max Mosley.

As reported by Autosport magazine last month, rivals teams were set to request a clarification about the diffuser designs of Williams and Toyota, with the outfits having opted for a different concept compared to their rivals.

The diffusers of the Williams FW31 and the Toyota TF109 appear to exceed the maximum height of 175 mm at their peak through clever aerodynamic shaping of the rear crash structure.

Mosley says, however, that the FIA has seen nothing illegal about the "clever" design, although he admitted a protest could not be ruled out during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

"It will always happen when you have got new regulations," Mosley told selected reporters on Thursday.

"The current FIA view is that Williams and Toyota have been clever and have exploited the wording of the rules in a clever way. But somebody may challenge it and the stewards may take a different view - it could happen.

"It is a curious idea in a way - where you are not allowed two surfaces, you have a surface and then something that is not a surface because it is unsprung. The view on our technical people is that it is okay, we will wait and see if someone challenges it."

Autosport.com has learned that at least one other team are now developing a similar diffuser design ready for the start of the season.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73140

 

[Ardius]

I can already imagine it - a Toyota or Williams 1-2 and then the stewards decide to make their cars illegal and take the points off them, that would really suck, especially for Williams.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I can already imagine it - a Toyota or Williams 1-2 and then the stewards decide to make their cars illegal and take the points off them, that would really suck, especially for Williams.

That's wy they're settling the issue now.