F1 Most liked posts in thread: 2015 - F1

Minidave · Aug 26, 2015

Whatever............

The point is the Mercedes is still WAY out front on a fast track.....and the only time they can be beaten is when they beat themselves.....

Shades of Red Bull the four years prior to the beginning of the MBZ juggernaut.

cerenkov · Aug 27, 2015

Minidave said: ↑

You all are missing the bigger picture - Vettel had to do a one stop race in order just to finish third!

Something wrong there.....and he was the fastest of the racers who weren't Mercedes.
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That's exactly the point I was trying to make. One less pit stop strategy is also the only reason Vettel won in Malaysia.

mrntd · Aug 27, 2015

Every time Ferrari wins Merc just turns up the wick a little more. I bet they still aren't at 100%. If they did they'd lap the field and BIG rule changes would be happening.

Minidave · Aug 27, 2015

Just enough to win, but not enough to be blatant about it?

I think they're past that point already......

I'm not suggesting something needs to be done to slow the Mercs down, rather something needs to be done to speed the others up!

Crashton · Aug 27, 2015

My .02

Minidave said: ↑

It's practically a spec series these days anyway.

No, what I'd like to see is the same many others have said, relax the rules and let some innovation happen....
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There is innovation. How one team makes a chassis with better aero that works better than the others is innovation. They all have the same rules to design by, but not all can do it as well. Some are better at reading the rules I'd guess.

The things that made F1 so interesting in the past were the variety of solutions the teams came up with to make the cars win - I don't need to rehash all that now, but think of what could be done with today's technology if they weren't so constrained!
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I agree with this. IMO the darned Prius race engines have screwed up the sport. Although I still enjoy F1 racing. If we like the old days & I do, we should watch old movies of the glory days cause we can't go back in time.

As far as spending goes, I have no answer for that, but as others have said, it's always been so.

The old saying in SCCA racing was - How fast you wanna go? How much you wanna spend?
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All racing is the same from when it began to today.

It was the same way with Can-Am, all sorts of cool innovative stuff till finally one (German) team came in with the killer ($$$) car ($$$$) and dominated ($$$$$) the series ($$$$$$) till it finally gave up.

But it sure was fun while it lasted!
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Can-Am had a very few rules & it killed itself. I think F1 would do the same if it wasn't limited my rules.
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Steve · Aug 29, 2015

Renault poised to complete Lotus deal (racer.com)

Friday, 28 August 2015

Renault is poised to return as a works team to Formula 1, with a deal to take a majority stake in Lotus due to be finalized next week. The agreement would end months of protracted negotiations and bring a factory Renault operation back onto the F1 grid for the first time since 2010.

The French car manufacturer is expected to take a stake up to 65 percent, worth a total of $100 million, with an initial downpayment of $11.5m to be followed by equal instalments over the following 10 years.

Gerard Lopez, currently Lotus F1 team co-owner via his Genii organization, looks set to remain as a shareholder with a potential stake of around 25 percent, with four-time champion and Renault ambassador Alain Prost acquiring the remaining 10 percent.

The arrangement with Lopez and Prost would be very similar to that at Mercedes, where motorsport boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda possess shareholdings in the F1 team.

Following a Renault presentation meeting currently scheduled for Monday, an array of documents is then due to be signed involving parties from both sides over the following days. At this stage in proceedings Renault is understood to have negotiated a full sponsorship package, with the board – spearheaded by CEO Carlos Ghosn – signing off on a budget that would put it on a par with the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull.

One of the few areas to be determined surrounds the driver lineup, for while Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado have contracts with Lotus for next year, Renault coming on board alters the landscape. Renault is expected to keep Frenchman Grosjean, with Maldonado believed to be negotiating – supported by backer PDVSA – to ensure he retains his seat.

The up-to-date facilities at Lotus's Enstone, UK factory – well known to Renault from its previous ownership of the team – are crucial to the deal. Lotus's CFD program and driver-in-the-loop simulator are only two years old, while the 60 percent wind tunnel is three years old.

Although Renault, through Prost, has also held tentative talks with Force India about a potential shareholding, the Silverstone-based marque's relative lack of facilities is a drawback. Renault has no real wish to acquire a team without the infrastructure behind it, although Force India remains an option should the Lotus shareholders pull out of the deal at the last minute.

Of particular interest is Renault's current engine deal with Red Bull and Toro Rosso, with sources suggesting there are three options on the table. The first is Renault honoring its other contracts for 2016 alongside its own team. While this would maintain an additional income stream, Red Bull's contract specifically states that it takes priority.

Another possibility is for Renault – which has road car affiliations with Mercedes – to keep Lotus's current Mercedes power for a year while seeing out its other contracts. Finally, Renault could focus entirely on its own program, but as a way of softening the blow to Red Bull, assist it in finding a new supplier, where the links with Mercedes could again pay dividends.

The planned payment structure would amount to a bold statement of long-term F1 commitment from Renault, guaranteeing a minimum 10-year presence.

While tentative steps would be taken in 2016, as Renault again tries to find its feet in F1 as a full-time works outfit, it would consider '17 as its first year to try to push the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari for top honors.

Originally on Autosport.com
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Steve · Sep 3, 2015

Some low drag wings coming out for Monza.

McLaren:

Toro Rosso:

Williams:

Merc even has a lower drag version of their curvy wing for this place.

Zapski · Sep 3, 2015

So DRS will have nearly no effect. As it should be.

Nathan · Sep 3, 2015

Where's the money coming from for Lotus....

Given that Renault itself does not have the cash to buy the team (the company will not agree to that) the only way it can happen is with money that is what one might term as being “off the books”. I would imagine that this would come from two sources: Bernie Ecclestone has said that he would be willing to pay Renault a historical bonus for its loyalty to F1, and I suspect a big chunk of money will come from him; secondly, I would guess that Renault would happily settle its 2016 engine deal with Red Bull in exchange for a lump sum payment. This money could then be applied to the purchase and while this is all being sorted out, all that is required is about $10 million to settle with the trade creditors and to keep the team running through the changeover.
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From - https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2015/09/03/to-monza-2/

mrntd · Sep 4, 2015

Merc out front by 1.6 sec!

Zapski · Sep 4, 2015

McLaren with another 10 place grid penalty for engine swaps. Though they will be running the engine they ran at Spa on race day.

Button's out with major car bleeding right now. Probably no race prep for him, and since they won't get out of Q1 anyway, and will start at the back no matter what, I'd not be surprised if they don't even bother with qually.

Doggybags · Sep 4, 2015

In contrast, Merc using their 2016 spec engine...

Steve · Sep 4, 2015

Interpret as you like but I think the first part of that post-meeting quote from Rosberg speaks volumes.

Drivers asked to tone down Pirelli criticism (racer.com)

Friday, 04 September 2015

Formula 1 drivers have been asked to stop criticizing Pirelli in public in a meeting with the tire maker and Bernie Ecclestone at the Italian Grand Prix.

The talks followed severe criticism of Pirelli by Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg following their Belgian GP tire blowouts. Pirelli met with Vettel between Spa and Monza, leaving the Ferrari driver appreciative of the Italian company's efforts. That was followed by a meeting with a larger group of drivers and team bosses on Friday in which topics included the need for more testing freedom and an agreement to voice criticism in private.

"It was to find a way, if we're to stay in Formula 1, to have a much better working relationship and collaboration with all the parties in the sport," said Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery. "You can't go to 2017 with a dramatic change in tire widths with the current regulations saying you can't test.

"We also feel that there needs to be a greater communication with the drivers and all parties need to agree on what is the objective. You might not agree with the objective, but if the sport decides to go in a direction then we all need to know that we're all looking at the same future."

Asked if the drivers had been told they were barred from negative comments about Pirelli, Hembery replied: "They've been asked to do it in the right environment, which is in the teams and with us. They should express their opinions in the right manner.

"Other things happen in the sport and they don't offer an opinion, so it just needs to be balanced."

Although Pirelli is currently embroiled in a battle with Michelin for the next F1 tire contract, Hembery (BELOW) said the main impact of driver criticism was on the public rather than Pirelli's board-level decision-makers.

"It's less about the board, it's what the general public thinks," he said. "Public perception, obviously, with famous people saying those things is not favourable."

He accepted there was also fault on Pirelli's side.

"We're guilty of not communicating enough with the drivers," he said. "I think there's a willingness from the drivers to work with us.

"The main point is that we need more communication, so we've suggested regular meetings with the drivers so we can take their points of view and put them to the other parties."

Drivers present in the meeting were unwilling to comment about its specifics.

When asked by reporters what had been discussed, Rosberg replied: "You guys know too much. I'm not going to say anything. It's not a good idea [to talk about it].

"[The meeting] was OK. I'm pleased with the effort that's gone in since Spa to try to understand it and take measures to further improve the safety."

Originally on Autosport.com
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Crashton · Sep 4, 2015

This doesn't surprise me. I'm sure Bernie would love to fine them for $uch talk.

Steve · Sep 5, 2015

SPOILERS below for anyone waiting to watch quali.
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You know there were a lot of grid penalties if Button qualified 16th and takes a grid penalty yet will start 15th! Wow! I don't know all the details but I read there were some teams/drivers that were planning to pull the same trick at Monza that McHonda did at Spa, strategically piling up grid penalties in one race to avoid them in others. Maybe that's what happened here?

But at the front, there are all sorts of questions about how it will go tomorrow. Hamilton 1st and not as far ahead of Raikkonen (2nd) as one might have expected, esp. given Hamilton is using that upgraded Merc engine. Rosberg starting 4th using an old spec engine with 6 races already on the clock. Plus don't forget they had to swap Rosberg to the old engine because of a problem with the new version. Should this worry Hamilton? He says not but I'm betting Ferrari have all their fingers and toes crossed.

Nico Rosberg worried about Italian Grand Prix prospects with old engine (espn.co.uk)

Nate Saunders, ESPN F1 Assistant Editor

Nico Rosberg admits he may find it difficult to challenge the Ferraris for a spot on the podium after qualifying fourth for the Italian Grand Prix with an old spec Mercedes engine.

Mercedes spent its remaining seven development tokens ahead of this weekend but an engine issue ahead of qualifying forced Rosberg to switch back to the power unit he used at Spa-Franchorchamps. The power deficit with the old engine was clear to see as Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel split Rosberg from team-mate and polesitter Lewis Hamilton.

Rosberg thinks he could struggle to just get on the Monza podium with his old engine.

"We had to go back to an engine which has done six races and every kilometre you lose a bit of power," Rosberg said. "At Monza, which is the absolute power track where you need a good engine its very disappointing that it happened exactly here, it's a really big compromise and that's the reason I'm fourth today. It makes the race tomorrow tough also because I'll be a bit slower than I could be in the race, so that's not ideal and it's going to be difficult against those Ferraris."

Despite Mercedes demonstrating ominous pace during Friday practice, Ferrari appeared to have closed the gap in qualifying - Hamilton's pole advantage was less than three tenths.

Asked if it was a case of Ferrari improving or Mercedes "calming down" given Rosberg's engine troubles, the German replied: "Definitely us calmed down a bit, that's what it looked like to me!"
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Minidave · Sep 5, 2015

I was surprised to see how close the two Ferraris were at the end of qually, all weekend the Mercs had shown a lot of speed and seemed untouchable.

If the Hamster gets a weak start, it could be a guy in Red Jammies on the top step tomorrow!

What do you suppose will happen if the Ruby boys are running 1-2 at the end and Kimi's in front - do you think they'll ask him to slide aside since Vettel is such a wide margin ahead in the championship?

Would Kimi do it if asked?

Crashton · Sep 5, 2015

I think it is a good bet that a red car may well win. If Lewis blows the start, those red cars are going to be very hard or impossible to pass.

If asked to move over I bet Kimi's radio stops receiving. :wink:

Should be a good race. :biggrin5:

minirab · Sep 5, 2015

^^^^^The Kimsters best quote ever!!:lol:

minirab · Sep 5, 2015

The Kimster's best quote ever!!:lol:

Minidave · Sep 6, 2015

Can Vettel take second in the championship away from Rosberg?

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