F1 Most liked posts in thread: 2015 - F1

mrntd · Jan 6, 2015

Alonzo has got to be pissed. Although Honda did have a long time to develop the engine and make changes after seeing everyone else's.

daviday · Jan 6, 2015

From the F1 website RE Power Unit and KERS

Power Unit and ERS

A Formula One carâ€™s power unit consists of a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine which operates in conjunction with an Energy Recovery System (ERS). The engine must have six cylinders in a 90-degree formation, with two inlet and two exhaust valves per cylinder and a single turbocharger. They are rev-limited to 15,000rpm, have a fuel flow limit of 100 kilograms/hour and produce around 600bhp. They must also have a single tailpipe exhaust.

The other part of the power unit - ERS - provides an additional 160bhp or so per lap via two clever motor generator units (MGU) that convert mechanical and heat energy to electrical energy and vice versa.

The first MGU (known as MGU-K, where the K stands for kinetic) converts kinetic energy generated under braking into electricity. Under acceleration 120kW of this electricity, which is stored in batteries in the Energy Store (ES), can then be used to power the MGU-K which is connected to the crankshaft of the engine and in turn helps propel the car.

The second MGU (known as MGU-H, where the H stands for heat), is connected to the turbocharger and converts heat energy from exhaust gases into electrical energy. The energy can then be used to power the MGU-K or be retained in the ES for subsequent use. In total, ERS has twice the power of the pre-2014 KERS (120kW compared to 60kW, a maximum of 4MJ per lap compared to 0.4MJ per lap) and provide it for nearly ten times as long (approximately 33 seconds per lap as opposed to six).

For safety, each car is fitted with ERS status lights which warn marshals and mechanics of the carâ€™s electrical safety status when it is stopped or in the pits. If the car is safe, the lights - which are situated on the roll hoop and the rear tail lamp - will glow green; if not, they glow red. The lights must remain on for 15 minutes after the power unit has been switched off.

The overall weight of the power unit must be a minimum of 145kg. The ES must be installed wholly within the survival cell and must weigh between 20kg and 25kg.

The materials used in the manufacture of the engine and its components are strictly controlled by the regulations. The crankcase and cylinder block must be made of cast or wrought aluminium alloys - the use of composite materials is not allowed. The crankshaft and camshafts must be made from an iron-based alloy, pistons from an aluminium alloy and valves from alloys based on iron, nickel, cobalt or titanium.

Formula One cars do not have their own, onboard starting systems. Separate starting devices may be used to start engines in the pits and on the grid. If the engine is fitted with an anti-stall device, this must be set to cut the engine within ten seconds in the event of an accident.
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Steve · Jan 6, 2015

Surprise!! Or not.....

Updated FIA calendar quietly removes Korean GP (MotorSportsTalk)

Tony DiZinno | Dec 24, 2014, 11:00 AM EST

The updated FIA 2015 International Sporting Calendar was released on Tuesday, and features one notable but perhaps unsurprising omission.

VIEW THE CALENDAR HERE.

The Korean Grand Prix, added to the calendar at this monthâ€™s earlier World Motor Sport Council meeting, has been removed from the list of Grands Prix. It had been listed for May 3.

However, while the Korean race itself isnâ€™t listed, the banner above the F1 calendar still lists â€œ21 competitionsâ€ â€“ implying that Korea would still be there.

This is either a typo in it not removing the 21 and moving it down to 20, or an inadvertent oversight by the FIA in taking a race off the schedule that was not meant to be taken off.

Either way, 21 vs. 20 races is the interesting number as it relates to F1â€™s number of power units each car can use over the season.

At only four units, for five races apiece, 20 is the perfect number â€“ 21 threw a monkey wrench into that theory when Korea was announced.

The Korean race, as it was, appeared a bit of an albatross anyway. There were doubts by many key paddock insiders and reporters who thought the race had about a snowballâ€™s chance of going off â€“ either at the Korean International Circuit in Mokpo or a potential new event, a street race, in Seoul.

Hereâ€™s more from Joe Saward on why Korea seemed an unlikely prospect for 2015 at the time it was announced.
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Steve · Jan 6, 2015

It's crazy this even needs to be considered but I think the new Superlicense rules make it almost a necessity. Still, a fascinating concept.

Two new teams developing 2016 F1 cars (Racecar-Engineering.com)

By Sam // January 6, 2015

Two new constructors are developing cars to the 2016 Formula 1 technical regulations it has been revealed, but neither of them intends to race in the world championship. Instead by designing and building cars that are fully compliant with the 2016 rules both groups intend to offer a low cost route for drivers wanting get enough mileage in a grand prix car to get a Super Licence. The ambitious Perrinn company, based in the Yorkshire Dales region of England has already announced its project (pictured here) and Racecar Engineering has confirmed that there is also a second design in development elsewhere in Europe, but that project has yet to be made public.

The 2016 Super Licence regulations require a driver to clock up at least 300km in a Formula 1 car built after 2011. Currently this tends to mean that drivers must pay teams very large sums of money to drive what the FIA calls â€˜Previous Carsâ€™ essentially an otherwise obsolete V8 powered design. The mileage can be accumulated using a 2014 or 2015 design, (â€˜Current Carsâ€™ in FIA parlance) but the cost of the power units is thought to be prohibitive, leaving young drivers few opportunities to get up to the required mileage without a substantial financial outlay.

Testing restrictions mean that teams are generally unwilling to use up their already restricted track time with current cars on getting young drivers super licences.

The two new projects aim to offer a lower cost way to achieve the mileage required by the Super Licence rules, by building a â€˜Current Carâ€™ and not entering it into the championship. â€˜This is not an official Formula 1 car, instead it is a car fully designed to the Formula 1 technical regulationsâ€™ Nicolas Perrin, who believes the Super Licence cars can be built up to a rolling chassis for a fraction of the cost of other teams cars. â€˜We are not a Formula 1 entrant and we have no intention of being one. It means we have a lot of potential, we could be an engine manufacturer or technology testbed, young drivers could use our car to get a Super Licence or to get up to speed with modern F1.â€™

The FIA regulations specifically allow this approach, stating that the cars used must be designed and built in order to comply with the 2014, 2015 or 2016 Formula One Technical Regulations, however the rules do not state that the cars be built by Formula 1 entrants or indeed have ever been used in the Formula 1 World Championship.

Without the demands of competition the development and operation of these cars is thought to be significantly cheaper. Staffing levels are substantially reduced, lead times for component manufacture can be increased and the â€˜development warâ€™ is ignored, all of these and many other factors which also come into play cut costs substantially.

Both of the new designs are expected to shakedown in late 2015 or early 2016.
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Full article w/ a couple renderings here.

Nathan · Jan 6, 2015

Hell of a track day car too...

mrntd · Jan 7, 2015

Maybe Haas can use one of these upgraded with the Ferrari parts.

Steve · Jan 14, 2015

Here's an aspect of F1 costs I'd not heard of. Note it's an FIA fee, doesn't go to Bernie, et al.

Mercedes pays record F1 entry fee for 2015 season (grandprix247.com)

14 January, 2015

Reigning world champions, Mercedes is paying the highest ever Formula 1 entry fee to contest the 2015 world championship.

The German team may have triumphantly dominated last yearâ€™s titles, but one unpleasant consequence is a hefty FIA bill to the tune of almost $5 million.

The cost of merely entering the world championship was changed in recent years, when instead of a flat fee teams were also asked to pay per point scored in the previous season.

But the cost just got even higher. Last year, the flat fee was $508,000, while now it is $516,000, Auto Motor und Sport reported.

And the variable performance element of the entry cost has also gone up for 2015, with each point now costing teams $5,161, up from $5,080 just a year ago.

The champion team, meanwhile, now pays a hefty $6,194 per point scored, meaning that Mercedesâ€™ bill for simply entering the 2015 world championship is nearly $4.9 million.

It is significantly more than the $2.6 million entry fee payable by runner-up Red Bull. But the good news for Mercedes is that the teamâ€™s official prize money haul has also significantly increased, after receiving $87 million for finishing the 2013 championship as runner-up.

The 2014 prize for winning the constructorsâ€™ title, on the other hand, is a cool $102 million, the German report added.

In addition to Mercedes and Red Bullâ€™s nearly $8 million in fees, the FIA will receive a further combined total of almost $16 million from the other teams on the 2015 grid.

As it is likely Caterham and Marussia will not be in Melbourne or beyond, however, the governing body will ultimately lose their extra million in fees.
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Dave.0 · Jan 14, 2015

Now the F1 has the pay by point system I would bet other racing orgs do it soon. NHRA, NASCAR, INDY.....

Pay to play keeps the riff raff out.

Zapski · Jan 16, 2015

BBC Sport - Malaysian Grand Prix: 'Quieter engines attract new fans'

Formula 1's controversial engines are attracting new fans to the sport, says the Malaysian Grand Prix boss.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has led criticisms of F1's new turbo hybrid engines since they were introduced last year and is still pushing for a change.

But Razlan Razali, head of the Sepang circuit, said he believed the quieter engines attracted a "new fanbase".

He said the muted noise was persuading families to visit, which was harder with the previous, much louder engines.

This year's Malaysian Grand Prix will be screened live across BBC TV, radio and online on 29 March.

Last year's race was held immediately after the season-opening race in Australia, where promoter Ron Walker, a close ally of Ecclestone, had heavily criticised the new engines and fuel efficiency formula.

Razali, who was talking to Reuters news agency after a meeting with Ecclestone in London, said: "We were concerned after the feedback from Australia. Very concerned. When it finally came to Malaysia, I didn't like it. It was simply too quiet.

"But what I noticed in the grandstands is that you get families with kids watching and enjoying Formula 1 better.

"I can remember in the past where a dad would put headphones on the kid and hold it. Or a kid would be too scared and start crying, wanting to go home. I think it attracts a new breed of fanbase now. And that's what you want."

F1 bosses are concerned by dropping viewing figures in many countries - although in the UK television audiences have increased slightly - and Ecclestone has been pushing for change.

He wants to see engines with 1,000 bhp and producing more noise and has asked the manufacturers in the sport to come up with proposals.

The Malaysian Grand Prix has struggled to attract large crowds since its debut in 1999, not least because of strong competition from the Singapore night race, which is held later in the season.

But Razali said Malaysia wanted to stay on the calendar because the race had a positive economic impact and promoted the country globally.

He and Ecclestone discussed turning Malaysia into a night race but Razali said: "It's a danger to force us to do it. In the past he was pushing but now I think it's the first time where he actually listened to us as a promoter what we want.

"At the moment [we don't want it]. Every circuit has its own identity; the danger is to copy someone else."

He added that Ecclestone was considering making the Malaysian race start an hour earlier than normal at 15:00 local time because of worries about fading light.

This follows a recommendation in a report into the accident that left Marussia's French driver Jules Bianchi with severe head injuries in last October's Japanese Grand Prix to have a minimum of four hours between the race start time and sunset.
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Zapski · Jan 17, 2015

BBC Sport - Honda wins Formula 1 engine battle with FIA

McLaren's new engine partner Honda has won its fight to be allowed to develop its engine during 2015.

Formula 1's governing body the FIA has backtracked on an earlier ruling that allowed Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari to upgrade their engines but not Honda.

The move comes after Honda expressed its unhappiness about what it considered to be an unfair situation.

Honda will now be allowed to develop its brand new engine within limits explicitly laid out by the FIA.

What can Honda do?

Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari are allowed to change up to 48% of the engines they used in 2014 by the end of the 2015 season.

This is defined by a number of 'tokens', which are assigned to parts of the engine on the basis of their influence on performance.

Out of a total of 66 tokens, Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari can modify 32 through 2015.

Previously Honda had been barred from changing any of its engine after it was approved for competition on 28 February.

Friday's ruling will allow Honda to change a given amount of its engine calculated by the average of the number of tokens unused by the other manufacturers by the time of the first race in Australia on 16 March.

In the example given by FIA race director Charlie Whiting, and seen by BBC Sport, he writes: "If the three 2014 manufacturers have eight, seven and five unused tokens respectively at the start of the season, then the new manufacturer will be allowed to use six during the season (the average rounded down to the nearest whole number)".

Why has this been done?

Honda, which is the first new engine manufacturer to enter F1 for well over a decade, had been concerned that it was not being treated fairly.

Its senior management flew over from Japan to meet the FIA on Monday to express its concerns at the situation.

This followed the decision by the FIA to allow Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari to use their 32 development tokens over the course of the 2015 season, rather than by the originally intended approval date of 28 February.

That came after Ferrari, who had the worst engine in 2014, pointed out to the FIA that the rules did not clearly define when the modified engines for 2015 should be submitted for approval.

Whiting admitted in his note to the teams on Friday evening that that ruling left "unaddressed uncertainty" within the rules on the permitted engine development.

The FIA's decision also takes into account the opinions of Honda's rivals that it had an advantage inherent in entering a year late in that it knew a target to aim for, because it was aware of the performance of the rival engines in 2014.

By contrast, Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari were shooting in the dark before 2014, when the new turbo hybrid engine formula, with accompanying fuel restriction, was introduced.

What number of tokens will Honda have available?

None of the three existing manufacturers are expected to start the season with an engine that uses all 32 development tokens.

Mercedes are in the best position, but both Renault and to an even greater extent Ferrari will leave substantial leeway to make major changes to their engine architecture during the season as they are both behind where they wanted to be in terms of development.

It is unclear exactly how much Honda will be able to develop its engine, but the latest FIA ruling and the positions of its rivals mean it is likely to have a significant amount of development available.
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Minidave · Jan 17, 2015

Tokens? Are you f'ing kidding me?

F1 more and more resembles some stupid reality TV series......

What a joke it's become. :frown2:

mrntd · Jan 19, 2015

It is a reality show. I very expensive one!

daviday · Jan 19, 2015

Honda being in the mix is good news and I'm happy they're starting on an even keel.

Steve · Jan 20, 2015

Given I saw a list earlier today showing Williams' car launch will come 31 Jan, it seems odd that Williams tweeted this just minutes ago, but here it is...apparently:

"The FW37 is revealed in this week's @F1Racing_mag & feature on the making of inside"

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Zapski · Jan 20, 2015

Well, I'm not sure I can say that nose is better, but it ain't any worse.

Stinker · Jan 20, 2015

Can't wait for my issue to get here so I can read all about it.

Zapski · Jan 21, 2015

Footage of the Red Bull Trophy theft has been posted

BBC News - CCTV shows Red Bull trophy break in at Milton Keynes factory

Can't embed it here though.

Steve · Jan 21, 2015

A few predicted in the last day or so that Haas was the mystery potential last-minute buyer of Marussia -- apparently not so -- but Haas buying the Marussia factory has been considered likely for some time.

Haas Formula 1 squad buys Marussia factory but not the team (autosport.com)

By Jonathan Noble | Wednesday, January 21st 2015, 13:21 GMT

The Haas Formula 1 team will use the former Marussia factory in Banbury as its European base for its grand prix entry in 2016.

With the American outfit pushing on with its plans to join the F1 grid next year, team chiefs have settled on the Banbury facility after concluding a deal with its former owner Andrei Cheglakov to buy it.

Haas hopes to begin preparing the facility once the assets of the Marussia team - which had been due to be auctioned this week and are still in the factory - are sold.

Although Haas intends much of the work on its new F1 challenger to be done at its high-tech facility in Charlotte, it has always intended to have a European base that can be used for preparing the cars during the campaign.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT last year, team owner Gene Haas said: "There will have to be some kind of European base at least for the cars to go to initially, because we've got to ship them out of either London or Germany.

"We'll probably have to have something where we can at least work on the cars. Primarily everything is going to be made in North Carolina.

"The engines and stuff will go there, and the finished cars will then be shipped to some location [in Europe] for transport to the races, or the European races.

"Then when they're done they'll go back there for refurbishment, or whatever is required."

NO MARUSSIA TAKEOVER

Haas's takeover of the Banbury facility has prompted speculation that it could even be looking to buy the actual Marussia entry, and start racing with the team's old cars this season.

But AUTOSPORT understands that Haas has no intention of deviating from its original plan of starting racing from 2016, after agreeing a close technical partnership with Ferrari.

The cancellation of the Marussia auction this week is due to talks with a mysterious third party which is looking at buying the assets.

One possibility is that it could be a Ferrari-backed project to create some form of junior team.
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Nathan · Jan 21, 2015

Wonder how long Petrobras can toss money at this at the current price of oil.

Zapski · Jan 22, 2015

ScottinBend said: ↑

wow.......what a bunch of asshats. Looks like they didn't even know what they wanted to do. Tossed a bunch of the trophies on the ground that they seem to not want.
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They threw the Monaco one on the floor.

MONACO.

****** doesn't begin to describe it.

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