F1 2020
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1%er
Well-Known Member
Sean Bratches F1 managing director to leave next week
Formula 1’s parent company, Liberty Media, has completed arrangements for the motor-racing championship’s managing director of commercial operations, Sean Bratches, to depart from his position as early as next week, according to newsreports. Bratches was brought on board in January 2017 as part of a three-man management committee introduced by Liberty when it completed its takeover of F1. Liberty brought an end to Bernie Ecclestone’s four-decade reign as the commercial supremo of the championship by bringing in media industry veteran Chase Carey as chief executive.
Former ESPN executive Bratches was made responsible for F1 commercial operations, as one of two managing directors. Former Ferrari technical director and Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn was placed in charge of motorsports. Bratches’ future has been in doubt for a number of months and he had previously been tipped to leave at the end of the 2019 season. Reports claim that it had become apparent late last year that he wanted to spend less time in London and travelling to races, and more time with his family in the US.
Israeli GP?
There may be more than meets the eye with regards to Williams signing little known Israeli driver Roy Nissany, as he hinted this may be the first step towards a Grand Prix in the country. At the post-grand prix test in Abu Dhabi last year, the unknown 25-year-old Nissany was suddenly at the wheel of Williams’ 2019 car. He was quickly ridiculed, not only because he was several seconds off the pace of Williams regular drivers, but because his then 42-year-old father Chanoch was even slower when he did a Friday practice for Minardi back in 2005.
For the 2020 test driver announcement, which will involve Nissany doing several Friday practice sessions, Claire Williams travelled to Roy’s native Tel Aviv. He has strong Israeli backing, including by the new Tour de France team Israel Start-Up Nation. “I feel like we are all putting the Israeli flag on the map,” Nissany said. La Gazzetta dello Sport said it could just be the first step towards a grand prix in Israel, “The goal is to race in Israel in 2021. It would be a dream to be able to drive there, with 350 million people admiring my country on TV. “For me it has been a long journey, almost 20 years. Formula 1 was never a dream but a goal. Williams is a wonderful place to learn and I am very grateful to be offered this opportunity,” he said.
Israel Start-Up Nation was founded by Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, who said: “The fast-track plan is for Roy to be an actual F1 driver as early as 2021. Of course, he has a few hurdles to accomplish before he can be selected to be one of the two drivers.”
[I haven't added Israel to the list yet, we need more facts]
Sponsor Tata Communications leaves F1
Formula 1 has lost a major sponsor. A source close to the company, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reports that Tata Communications, a major Indian multinational, will no longer be F1’s connectivity partner. Forbes’ F1 business journalist Christian Sylt said the deal, which has run for eight years, was worth $26 million. “Yes, both Tata Communications and Formula 1 have ended their partnership. The sponsorship deal ended on December 31,” PTI’s source confirmed.
French F1 TV goes the same way UK
F1 television viewership has collapsed in France, according to F1 legend Alain Prost. In the country, all the races are only shown live on Canal Plus, a pay broadcaster. The sport’s free-to-air coverage, on TF1, only involves three races. “We used to have 8 million fans in France watching TF1, but now that it is on Canal Plus it is 750,000,” the quadruple world champion and Renault team advisor told Speed Week. “But that’s how it works when you move everything to pay TV.”
The completed Pit complex and paddock in Vietnam
Formula 1’s parent company, Liberty Media, has completed arrangements for the motor-racing championship’s managing director of commercial operations, Sean Bratches, to depart from his position as early as next week, according to newsreports. Bratches was brought on board in January 2017 as part of a three-man management committee introduced by Liberty when it completed its takeover of F1. Liberty brought an end to Bernie Ecclestone’s four-decade reign as the commercial supremo of the championship by bringing in media industry veteran Chase Carey as chief executive.
Former ESPN executive Bratches was made responsible for F1 commercial operations, as one of two managing directors. Former Ferrari technical director and Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn was placed in charge of motorsports. Bratches’ future has been in doubt for a number of months and he had previously been tipped to leave at the end of the 2019 season. Reports claim that it had become apparent late last year that he wanted to spend less time in London and travelling to races, and more time with his family in the US.
Israeli GP?
There may be more than meets the eye with regards to Williams signing little known Israeli driver Roy Nissany, as he hinted this may be the first step towards a Grand Prix in the country. At the post-grand prix test in Abu Dhabi last year, the unknown 25-year-old Nissany was suddenly at the wheel of Williams’ 2019 car. He was quickly ridiculed, not only because he was several seconds off the pace of Williams regular drivers, but because his then 42-year-old father Chanoch was even slower when he did a Friday practice for Minardi back in 2005.
For the 2020 test driver announcement, which will involve Nissany doing several Friday practice sessions, Claire Williams travelled to Roy’s native Tel Aviv. He has strong Israeli backing, including by the new Tour de France team Israel Start-Up Nation. “I feel like we are all putting the Israeli flag on the map,” Nissany said. La Gazzetta dello Sport said it could just be the first step towards a grand prix in Israel, “The goal is to race in Israel in 2021. It would be a dream to be able to drive there, with 350 million people admiring my country on TV. “For me it has been a long journey, almost 20 years. Formula 1 was never a dream but a goal. Williams is a wonderful place to learn and I am very grateful to be offered this opportunity,” he said.
Israel Start-Up Nation was founded by Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, who said: “The fast-track plan is for Roy to be an actual F1 driver as early as 2021. Of course, he has a few hurdles to accomplish before he can be selected to be one of the two drivers.”
[I haven't added Israel to the list yet, we need more facts]
Sponsor Tata Communications leaves F1
Formula 1 has lost a major sponsor. A source close to the company, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reports that Tata Communications, a major Indian multinational, will no longer be F1’s connectivity partner. Forbes’ F1 business journalist Christian Sylt said the deal, which has run for eight years, was worth $26 million. “Yes, both Tata Communications and Formula 1 have ended their partnership. The sponsorship deal ended on December 31,” PTI’s source confirmed.
French F1 TV goes the same way UK
F1 television viewership has collapsed in France, according to F1 legend Alain Prost. In the country, all the races are only shown live on Canal Plus, a pay broadcaster. The sport’s free-to-air coverage, on TF1, only involves three races. “We used to have 8 million fans in France watching TF1, but now that it is on Canal Plus it is 750,000,” the quadruple world champion and Renault team advisor told Speed Week. “But that’s how it works when you move everything to pay TV.”
The completed Pit complex and paddock in Vietnam
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
Drive to survive season 2 coming to Netflix at end of Feb. Will no doubt provide again an interesting alternative angle on last year’s events. I just hope they calm down with the sound effects while showing race footage.
www.formula1.com
Coming February 28 – Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 2 on Netflix | Formula 1®
F1 fans’ excitement levels are already mounting ahead of the start of the 2020 season – and to whet your appetite even more, Season 2 of Netflix’s stunning Formula 1: Drive to Survive launches on Netflix from February 28.
www.formula1.com
1%er
Well-Known Member
Two grandstands named after Charles Leclerc
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has become such a superstar that he will race past grandstands bearing his name at the French and Monaco grands prix in 2020. Leclerc, 22, joined Ferrari last season and immediately became a favourite of both the tifosi and the Italian media. Showing fight even in the face of team orders, Leclerc was not only quick but willing to battle anyone, even his team-mate.
This season, to mark his growing popularity, he will have a grandstand named after him at both the Monaco and French GPs. Stepping up to Ferrari last season, Leclerc claimed his first grand prix victory at the Belgian GP and followed that up with a win at the Italian race. He finished the season fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, beating his four-time world champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel. That, though, wasn’t the driver’s only honour. He also was the season’s top qualifier with seven pole positions, more than any other driver.
Miami GP a step closer
Despite months of back-and-forth that seemed to strike any possibility of a Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix dead in the water, it looks like the Floridian race could soon become a reality. By working with officials to construct a route that's both conducive to exciting racing and convenient for locals, organizers now seem to have created an event that'll make good on its principle agreement to appear on the 2021 F1 calendar. A prior point of contention centered on the proposed route, which was built around Hard Rock St adium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The newly reconfigured track layout still features the facility as a focal point, but it notably eliminates the use of Northwest 199th Street. Miami residents were worried that including the roadway in the Grand Prix circuit could cause massive traffic congestion, so F1 and its track design engineers were sent back to the drawing board.
Organizers additionally confirmed that no race activity would be scheduled before 3 p.m. on Friday of the race weekend so as not to disturb local schools. “The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is another example of a world-class event coming to our region,” said Tom Garfinkel, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium Vice Chairman and CEO. “Like the Super Bowl, an event like this provides a unique opportunity to proudly showcase our region to the world.” It's worth mentioning that the new potential configuration is still far more technical than the initially proposed route, which simply shot across Port Boulevard to Dodge Island and back.
F1 owner Liberty Media has been fervently working to add a second race to the United States, which is considered to be a largely untapped market for the pinnacle of motorsport. Complications have popped up in each potential location, Las Vegas, New York City, and Miami but plans are further now with the latter than any time in recent history. The event must still be approved by local authorities and boards before it's guaranteed to take place, however. Should the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen race in Miami next year, it'd be the first time F1 has formally competed in Florida since the 1959 United States Grand Prix at Sebring.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has become such a superstar that he will race past grandstands bearing his name at the French and Monaco grands prix in 2020. Leclerc, 22, joined Ferrari last season and immediately became a favourite of both the tifosi and the Italian media. Showing fight even in the face of team orders, Leclerc was not only quick but willing to battle anyone, even his team-mate.
This season, to mark his growing popularity, he will have a grandstand named after him at both the Monaco and French GPs. Stepping up to Ferrari last season, Leclerc claimed his first grand prix victory at the Belgian GP and followed that up with a win at the Italian race. He finished the season fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, beating his four-time world champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel. That, though, wasn’t the driver’s only honour. He also was the season’s top qualifier with seven pole positions, more than any other driver.
Miami GP a step closer
Despite months of back-and-forth that seemed to strike any possibility of a Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix dead in the water, it looks like the Floridian race could soon become a reality. By working with officials to construct a route that's both conducive to exciting racing and convenient for locals, organizers now seem to have created an event that'll make good on its principle agreement to appear on the 2021 F1 calendar. A prior point of contention centered on the proposed route, which was built around Hard Rock St adium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The newly reconfigured track layout still features the facility as a focal point, but it notably eliminates the use of Northwest 199th Street. Miami residents were worried that including the roadway in the Grand Prix circuit could cause massive traffic congestion, so F1 and its track design engineers were sent back to the drawing board.
Organizers additionally confirmed that no race activity would be scheduled before 3 p.m. on Friday of the race weekend so as not to disturb local schools. “The Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is another example of a world-class event coming to our region,” said Tom Garfinkel, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium Vice Chairman and CEO. “Like the Super Bowl, an event like this provides a unique opportunity to proudly showcase our region to the world.” It's worth mentioning that the new potential configuration is still far more technical than the initially proposed route, which simply shot across Port Boulevard to Dodge Island and back.
F1 owner Liberty Media has been fervently working to add a second race to the United States, which is considered to be a largely untapped market for the pinnacle of motorsport. Complications have popped up in each potential location, Las Vegas, New York City, and Miami but plans are further now with the latter than any time in recent history. The event must still be approved by local authorities and boards before it's guaranteed to take place, however. Should the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen race in Miami next year, it'd be the first time F1 has formally competed in Florida since the 1959 United States Grand Prix at Sebring.
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1%er
Well-Known Member
Chinese and Australian GPs under threat?
Depending on what you read it appears that both the Australian and Chinese GPs are under threat of not taking place. Some news reports in Australia are claiming that because of the bush fires the Grand Prix will not go ahead, I'm not sure this is the case, Albert Park isn't in a fire zone and the promoter and F1 are not in the business of cancelling Grand Prix. If I had tickets I'd still be planning on attending.
China on the other-hand is a different kettle of fish, the government well make the decision about that race not F1 or anyone else. It is still very unclear how widespread this coronavirus is and how quickly the government can take control of the spread if it. The Chinese GP isn't until April the 19th and a great deal can and I'm sure will change by then. The Motor Sports Federation of the People’s Republic of China has already announced the cancellation of a rally that was scheduled for mid-February and the Formula E’s Chinese ePrix is scheduled for March 21, so that will give us some idea if that get cancelled also.
As I said above F1 doesn't cancel races very often, so things would have to be really bad for them to cancel either of the two races above, but in the case of China I'm not sure F1 would have a great deal of option as the People’s Republic government will make that call.
Argentina is still on the list
Argentine sports minister Matias Lammens is considering a bid to bring Formula One back to the country for the first time since 1998. Appointed in December, Lammens is looking to make a statement in Argentina and bringing Formula One back to the country would be just that. Various configurations of the Autódromo de Buenos Aires Juan y Oscar Gálvez were run in the 21-Grand Prix held between 1953 and 1998 with races won by the likes of Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and Damon Hill.
Home hero and Formula One legend Juan Manuel Fangio won the race four times while the final 1998 running was won by Michael Schumacher. Matias Lammens, who was appointed in December, told Diario AS Argentina: “We would like to work towards recovering Formula 1 in a few years, It would be very interesting for Argentina from a sporting and a tourism point of view.”
For 1999, the race was cancelled with financial problems and aging facilities to blame, but a new facility in Termas de Río Hondo saw MotoGP return to Argentina in 2014. Bringing F1 back is a much more expensive venture though, and Lammens conceded that private funding would be required before a serious bid could be launched. “Although this is a significant investment, I believe that we can work to make it happen with private sponsors,” he added.
Depending on what you read it appears that both the Australian and Chinese GPs are under threat of not taking place. Some news reports in Australia are claiming that because of the bush fires the Grand Prix will not go ahead, I'm not sure this is the case, Albert Park isn't in a fire zone and the promoter and F1 are not in the business of cancelling Grand Prix. If I had tickets I'd still be planning on attending.
China on the other-hand is a different kettle of fish, the government well make the decision about that race not F1 or anyone else. It is still very unclear how widespread this coronavirus is and how quickly the government can take control of the spread if it. The Chinese GP isn't until April the 19th and a great deal can and I'm sure will change by then. The Motor Sports Federation of the People’s Republic of China has already announced the cancellation of a rally that was scheduled for mid-February and the Formula E’s Chinese ePrix is scheduled for March 21, so that will give us some idea if that get cancelled also.
As I said above F1 doesn't cancel races very often, so things would have to be really bad for them to cancel either of the two races above, but in the case of China I'm not sure F1 would have a great deal of option as the People’s Republic government will make that call.
Argentina is still on the list
Argentine sports minister Matias Lammens is considering a bid to bring Formula One back to the country for the first time since 1998. Appointed in December, Lammens is looking to make a statement in Argentina and bringing Formula One back to the country would be just that. Various configurations of the Autódromo de Buenos Aires Juan y Oscar Gálvez were run in the 21-Grand Prix held between 1953 and 1998 with races won by the likes of Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and Damon Hill.
Home hero and Formula One legend Juan Manuel Fangio won the race four times while the final 1998 running was won by Michael Schumacher. Matias Lammens, who was appointed in December, told Diario AS Argentina: “We would like to work towards recovering Formula 1 in a few years, It would be very interesting for Argentina from a sporting and a tourism point of view.”
For 1999, the race was cancelled with financial problems and aging facilities to blame, but a new facility in Termas de Río Hondo saw MotoGP return to Argentina in 2014. Bringing F1 back is a much more expensive venture though, and Lammens conceded that private funding would be required before a serious bid could be launched. “Although this is a significant investment, I believe that we can work to make it happen with private sponsors,” he added.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Racing Point F1 team to become Aston Martin F1 in 2021
The Racing Point F1 team is set to be renamed as Aston Martin in 2021 after its owner Lawrence Stroll agreed a £182 million deal to buy into the manufacturer. Under the terms of the deal, details of which were published in a filing on the London Stock Exchange on Friday, Racing Point will become the works Aston Martin team in Formula 1 in 2021. A 10-year initial deal has been agreed under which Aston Martin will receive equity in the Silverstone based team. Aston Martin’s current title sponsorship deal with Red Bull, believed to be worth around $20 million, will end after this season. The manufacturer has agreed a five-year sponsorship deal with Racing Point on similar commercial terms.
The technology partnership between Aston Martin and Red Bull will continue until it has completed deliveries of the Valkyrie, a hypercar developed in conjunction with the Formula 1 team. Red Bull confirmed it has “agreed to release Aston Martin from its Formula 1 exclusivity clause which in turn has allowed it to generate the necessary investment required to re-finance and pursue alternative opportunities within the sport”. The first Valkyries will be delivered by the end of the year, it added.
Stroll led a consortium which purchased the assets of Racing Point from its previous owners in mid-2018 after it went into administration. He will take a seat on Aston Martin’s board following the latest investment, which will see him take a 16.7% stake in the manufacturer. “I am very pleased that I, and my partners in the consortium, have reached agreement with the board and major shareholders to make this significant long-term investment,” said Stroll. The stock exchange filing indicates other members of the consortium, which Stroll will lead, include many of the same names who joined his purchase of Force India in 2018.
“Aston Martin Lagonda makes some of the world’s most iconic luxury cars, designed and built by very talented people,” Stroll continued. ” Our investment announced today underpins the Company’s financial security and ensures it will be operating from a position of financial strength. On completion of the £500m of fundraising I look forward to working with the Board and management team in Aston Martin Lagonda to review and improve each aspect of the company’s operations and marketing; to continue to invest in the development of new models and technologies and to start to rebalance production to prioritise demand over supply. I, and my partners, firmly believe that Aston Martin is one of the great global luxury car brands. I believe that this combination of capital and my experience of both the motor industry and building highly successful global brands will mean that, over time, we fulfil Aston Martin Lagonda’s potential.”
Aston Martin Lagonda president and Group CEO Andy Palmer said Stroll’s arrival to the company “brings strong and proven expertise in both automotive and luxury brands more widely which we believe will be of significant benefit to Aston Martin Lagonda, I would like to thank Red Bull Racing, who we will continue to sponsor this year, for their partnership and support in us being able to say this today,” he added.
The Racing Point F1 team is set to be renamed as Aston Martin in 2021 after its owner Lawrence Stroll agreed a £182 million deal to buy into the manufacturer. Under the terms of the deal, details of which were published in a filing on the London Stock Exchange on Friday, Racing Point will become the works Aston Martin team in Formula 1 in 2021. A 10-year initial deal has been agreed under which Aston Martin will receive equity in the Silverstone based team. Aston Martin’s current title sponsorship deal with Red Bull, believed to be worth around $20 million, will end after this season. The manufacturer has agreed a five-year sponsorship deal with Racing Point on similar commercial terms.
The technology partnership between Aston Martin and Red Bull will continue until it has completed deliveries of the Valkyrie, a hypercar developed in conjunction with the Formula 1 team. Red Bull confirmed it has “agreed to release Aston Martin from its Formula 1 exclusivity clause which in turn has allowed it to generate the necessary investment required to re-finance and pursue alternative opportunities within the sport”. The first Valkyries will be delivered by the end of the year, it added.
Stroll led a consortium which purchased the assets of Racing Point from its previous owners in mid-2018 after it went into administration. He will take a seat on Aston Martin’s board following the latest investment, which will see him take a 16.7% stake in the manufacturer. “I am very pleased that I, and my partners in the consortium, have reached agreement with the board and major shareholders to make this significant long-term investment,” said Stroll. The stock exchange filing indicates other members of the consortium, which Stroll will lead, include many of the same names who joined his purchase of Force India in 2018.
“Aston Martin Lagonda makes some of the world’s most iconic luxury cars, designed and built by very talented people,” Stroll continued. ” Our investment announced today underpins the Company’s financial security and ensures it will be operating from a position of financial strength. On completion of the £500m of fundraising I look forward to working with the Board and management team in Aston Martin Lagonda to review and improve each aspect of the company’s operations and marketing; to continue to invest in the development of new models and technologies and to start to rebalance production to prioritise demand over supply. I, and my partners, firmly believe that Aston Martin is one of the great global luxury car brands. I believe that this combination of capital and my experience of both the motor industry and building highly successful global brands will mean that, over time, we fulfil Aston Martin Lagonda’s potential.”
Aston Martin Lagonda president and Group CEO Andy Palmer said Stroll’s arrival to the company “brings strong and proven expertise in both automotive and luxury brands more widely which we believe will be of significant benefit to Aston Martin Lagonda, I would like to thank Red Bull Racing, who we will continue to sponsor this year, for their partnership and support in us being able to say this today,” he added.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Williams strengthen its technical team
ROKiT Williams Racing is delighted to announce two new appointments that will strengthen its technical team. David Worner, who will be Chief Designer, and Jonathan Carter, who will be Deputy Chief Designer & Head of Design, both have many years of experience in the sport. They will take up these positions in the near future.
Worner is currently responsible for the Red Bull Racing/Scuderia Toro Rosso Synergies initiative and has been working in Formula 1 since 1997, when he joined Arrows as a Design Engineer. He gained experience in both stress and design engineering with Rolls Royce Aero, who he was with for 18 years from 1979. He moved to Jaguar Racing in 2003, transitioning to Red Bull Racing the following year as Senior Suspension Designer. He became Head of Suspension and Driver Controls for them in 2007 and was appointed Deputy Chief Designer in 2014.
Carter began his motorsport career in 1979 with Reynard Racing Cars before also working for Arrows as a Design Engineer for six years. He then moved to McLaren in 2002 and was responsible for their first composite maincase, before leading a team responsible for advancing the team’s monocoque. He then went on to be Principal Engineer Car Integration before becoming Deputy Head of Vehicle Design in 2012. He is joining Williams from the Renault F1 Team where he has been Head of Composite Design since 2015. Coincident with the above appointments, Adam Carter is appointed to the position of Chief Engineer and will be responsible for the integration and coordination of activities across the core engineering functions and delivery of vehicle programmes.
Deputy Team Principal of ROKiT Williams Racing, Claire Williams, commented: "Dave and Jonathan bring enormous experience, knowledge and skills to the Williams team, and we are delighted that they are joining us in the near future. They will strengthen our design capabilities and work closely with Adam Carter, our Chief Engineer, and the other senior members of the Engineering team on the design and development of the next generation of Williams F1 cars."
Zandvoort asphalting under-way
Zandvoort has issued an update on the construction work currently underway at the venue, preparing for the return of the Dutch Grand Prix. Work continues unabated at the Circuit Zandvoort as the venue prepares for the return of Formula 1 this May. Week on week, the circuit goes through extensive construction work and organisers have issued an update of where things stand at the end of another week. The picture below shows the final preparation work going on the Hugenholtz corner, which will feature some banking. The asphalt is yet to be laid down at this corner.
ROKiT Williams Racing is delighted to announce two new appointments that will strengthen its technical team. David Worner, who will be Chief Designer, and Jonathan Carter, who will be Deputy Chief Designer & Head of Design, both have many years of experience in the sport. They will take up these positions in the near future.
Worner is currently responsible for the Red Bull Racing/Scuderia Toro Rosso Synergies initiative and has been working in Formula 1 since 1997, when he joined Arrows as a Design Engineer. He gained experience in both stress and design engineering with Rolls Royce Aero, who he was with for 18 years from 1979. He moved to Jaguar Racing in 2003, transitioning to Red Bull Racing the following year as Senior Suspension Designer. He became Head of Suspension and Driver Controls for them in 2007 and was appointed Deputy Chief Designer in 2014.
Carter began his motorsport career in 1979 with Reynard Racing Cars before also working for Arrows as a Design Engineer for six years. He then moved to McLaren in 2002 and was responsible for their first composite maincase, before leading a team responsible for advancing the team’s monocoque. He then went on to be Principal Engineer Car Integration before becoming Deputy Head of Vehicle Design in 2012. He is joining Williams from the Renault F1 Team where he has been Head of Composite Design since 2015. Coincident with the above appointments, Adam Carter is appointed to the position of Chief Engineer and will be responsible for the integration and coordination of activities across the core engineering functions and delivery of vehicle programmes.
Deputy Team Principal of ROKiT Williams Racing, Claire Williams, commented: "Dave and Jonathan bring enormous experience, knowledge and skills to the Williams team, and we are delighted that they are joining us in the near future. They will strengthen our design capabilities and work closely with Adam Carter, our Chief Engineer, and the other senior members of the Engineering team on the design and development of the next generation of Williams F1 cars."
Zandvoort asphalting under-way
Zandvoort has issued an update on the construction work currently underway at the venue, preparing for the return of the Dutch Grand Prix. Work continues unabated at the Circuit Zandvoort as the venue prepares for the return of Formula 1 this May. Week on week, the circuit goes through extensive construction work and organisers have issued an update of where things stand at the end of another week. The picture below shows the final preparation work going on the Hugenholtz corner, which will feature some banking. The asphalt is yet to be laid down at this corner.
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spitfire
Walty McWaltface
Williams strengthen its technical team
ROKiT Williams Racing is delighted to announce two new appointments that will strengthen its technical team. David Worner, who will be Chief Designer, and Jonathan Carter, who will be Deputy Chief Designer & Head of Design, both have many years of experience in the sport. They will take up these positions in the near future.
Worner is currently responsible for the Red Bull Racing/Scuderia Toro Rosso Synergies initiative and has been working in Formula 1 since 1997, when he joined Arrows as a Design Engineer. He gained experience in both stress and design engineering with Rolls Royce Aero, who he was with for 18 years from 1979. He moved to Jaguar Racing in 2003, transitioning to Red Bull Racing the following year as Senior Suspension Designer. He became Head of Suspension and Driver Controls for them in 2007 and was appointed Deputy Chief Designer in 2014.
Carter began his motorsport career in 1979 with Reynard Racing Cars before also working for Arrows as a Design Engineer for six years. He then moved to McLaren in 2002 and was responsible for their first composite maincase, before leading a team responsible for advancing the team’s monocoque. He then went on to be Principal Engineer Car Integration before becoming Deputy Head of Vehicle Design in 2012. He is joining Williams from the Renault F1 Team where he has been Head of Composite Design since 2015. Coincident with the above appointments, Adam Carter is appointed to the position of Chief Engineer and will be responsible for the integration and coordination of activities across the core engineering functions and delivery of vehicle programmes.
Deputy Team Principal of ROKiT Williams Racing, Claire Williams, commented: "Dave and Jonathan bring enormous experience, knowledge and skills to the Williams team, and we are delighted that they are joining us in the near future. They will strengthen our design capabilities and work closely with Adam Carter, our Chief Engineer, and the other senior members of the Engineering team on the design and development of the next generation of Williams F1 cars."
Zandvoort asphalting under-way
Zandvoort has issued an update on the construction work currently underway at the venue, preparing for the return of the Dutch Grand Prix. Work continues unabated at the Circuit Zandvoort as the venue prepares for the return of Formula 1 this May. Week on week, the circuit goes through extensive construction work and organisers have issued an update of where things stand at the end of another week. The picture below shows the final preparation work going on the Hugenholtz corner, which will feature some banking. The asphalt is yet to be laid down at this corner.
You can see the slot!
1%er
Well-Known Member
Reminder of changes for 2020
While the regulations are largely remaining the same in 2020 compared to 2019 as the grid prepares for the major overhaul in 2021, there are still some changes that are worth noting.
Different testing format
The first change compared to last year is at winter testing, which starts in just over two weeks
. Firstly, there is less of it this season. Rather than eight testing days in Barcelona there are just six, and in-season testing will be scrapped entirely. Another detail that should make things more interesting during testing is that the screens, which teams put in front of their garages to keep outsiders from looking in, will be banned. Other engineers but also fans and media should be able to look into the garages now and see what's really going on.
There could be a negative to this, however: teams could be bringing old parts to testing, comparable to what Mercedes did last year, just to throw the rest of the grid off the scent so they don't see all the shiny new parts and potentially copy them.
Changes to the car
Unless a team finds a loophole in the regulations, the cars will look practically the same in 2020 as they did last year. There are two changes in the rules, however. The most notable is the return of the 'shark fin', albeit a small one. The driver's number has to be placed on this fin so fans have a more clear idea of who is passing them.
Furthermore, teams will have to design air vents to cool the brakes themselves from now on. A lot of teams bought them from a third party before, but they'll have to roll up their sleeves now. Finally, no more metals are allowed in the wing-endplates. The final five centimeters have to be made from carbon fiber. The FIA are hoping to decrease the number of punctures this way when a front wing makes contact with a tyre.
Change in proceedings
Finally, there are some things during the race weekend that will be slightly different, and how teams and drivers prepare for a race.
Checkered flag at the end of races
The traditional checkered flag was replaced by an LED screen last year at the end of races, but it wasn't a success. At the Japanese Grand Prix, a malfunction in the software meant the race didn't end on the end it should have. From now on, someone will physically wave a flag again.
Earlier curfew
Between Thursday and Friday, the curfew will take force an hour earlier. More sleep for the mechanics!
More lenient penalties for missing weighbridge
Drivers would get a hefty grid penalty if they were called into the weighbridge and ignored it, they had to start from the pitlane. From now on, less strict penalties can be handed out too.
One more MGU-K
The number of MGU-K units any driver can use over the season has gone up from two to three. All there is to it, really.
Less fuel can flow through the car outside of the tank
In 2020, a maximum of 250ml of fuel can flow through the car outside of the fuel tank. This 250ml can only be used for propelling the engine. This is to prevent teams to use fuel in other places to gain an advantage.
FIA cancels China Formula E race
In the wake of the continuing spread of the coronavirus, the FIA has cancelled the Formula E race due to take place in Sanya in March. In a brief statement, issued days after the World Health Organisation declared the virus an international emergency, the FIA said: "In view of the continued spread of coronavirus and after close consultation with the relevant departments of Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, Formula E together with the FIA, the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF), and regional partner Enova Holdings have jointly decided not to race in Sanya on the scheduled date of March 21, 2020. Given the current growing health concerns and with the World Health Organisation declaring the coronavirus an international emergency, Formula E has taken the necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of its travelling staff, championship participants and spectators, which remains of paramount importance. We are working closely with our regional partner and the local authorities in Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, to continue monitoring the situation as it develops. All parties will take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates should the situation improve."
The news will obviously have ramifications in terms of the Chinese Grand Prix due to take place in Shanghai in mid-April, though it is the organisers who will have to make the call. Sanya, the southernmost city on Hainan Island, and rapidly emerging as a popular tourist destination, is around 1,200 miles from Shanghai. However, today's announcement from the FIA comes at a time the virus has claimed its first death outside China, where, to date, more than 300 people have died.
The Formula E race was scheduled for 31 March, while the Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to take place just two weeks later on 19 April. However, with the virus spreading, it is not yet known if the inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix scheduled for 5 April, might also be impacted.
While the regulations are largely remaining the same in 2020 compared to 2019 as the grid prepares for the major overhaul in 2021, there are still some changes that are worth noting.
Different testing format
The first change compared to last year is at winter testing, which starts in just over two weeks
. Firstly, there is less of it this season. Rather than eight testing days in Barcelona there are just six, and in-season testing will be scrapped entirely. Another detail that should make things more interesting during testing is that the screens, which teams put in front of their garages to keep outsiders from looking in, will be banned. Other engineers but also fans and media should be able to look into the garages now and see what's really going on.There could be a negative to this, however: teams could be bringing old parts to testing, comparable to what Mercedes did last year, just to throw the rest of the grid off the scent so they don't see all the shiny new parts and potentially copy them.
Changes to the car
Unless a team finds a loophole in the regulations, the cars will look practically the same in 2020 as they did last year. There are two changes in the rules, however. The most notable is the return of the 'shark fin', albeit a small one. The driver's number has to be placed on this fin so fans have a more clear idea of who is passing them.
Furthermore, teams will have to design air vents to cool the brakes themselves from now on. A lot of teams bought them from a third party before, but they'll have to roll up their sleeves now. Finally, no more metals are allowed in the wing-endplates. The final five centimeters have to be made from carbon fiber. The FIA are hoping to decrease the number of punctures this way when a front wing makes contact with a tyre.
Change in proceedings
Finally, there are some things during the race weekend that will be slightly different, and how teams and drivers prepare for a race.
Checkered flag at the end of races
The traditional checkered flag was replaced by an LED screen last year at the end of races, but it wasn't a success. At the Japanese Grand Prix, a malfunction in the software meant the race didn't end on the end it should have. From now on, someone will physically wave a flag again.
Earlier curfew
Between Thursday and Friday, the curfew will take force an hour earlier. More sleep for the mechanics!
More lenient penalties for missing weighbridge
Drivers would get a hefty grid penalty if they were called into the weighbridge and ignored it, they had to start from the pitlane. From now on, less strict penalties can be handed out too.
One more MGU-K
The number of MGU-K units any driver can use over the season has gone up from two to three. All there is to it, really.
Less fuel can flow through the car outside of the tank
In 2020, a maximum of 250ml of fuel can flow through the car outside of the fuel tank. This 250ml can only be used for propelling the engine. This is to prevent teams to use fuel in other places to gain an advantage.
FIA cancels China Formula E race
In the wake of the continuing spread of the coronavirus, the FIA has cancelled the Formula E race due to take place in Sanya in March. In a brief statement, issued days after the World Health Organisation declared the virus an international emergency, the FIA said: "In view of the continued spread of coronavirus and after close consultation with the relevant departments of Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, Formula E together with the FIA, the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF), and regional partner Enova Holdings have jointly decided not to race in Sanya on the scheduled date of March 21, 2020. Given the current growing health concerns and with the World Health Organisation declaring the coronavirus an international emergency, Formula E has taken the necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of its travelling staff, championship participants and spectators, which remains of paramount importance. We are working closely with our regional partner and the local authorities in Hainan Province and Sanya Municipal Government, to continue monitoring the situation as it develops. All parties will take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates should the situation improve."
The news will obviously have ramifications in terms of the Chinese Grand Prix due to take place in Shanghai in mid-April, though it is the organisers who will have to make the call. Sanya, the southernmost city on Hainan Island, and rapidly emerging as a popular tourist destination, is around 1,200 miles from Shanghai. However, today's announcement from the FIA comes at a time the virus has claimed its first death outside China, where, to date, more than 300 people have died.
The Formula E race was scheduled for 31 March, while the Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to take place just two weeks later on 19 April. However, with the virus spreading, it is not yet known if the inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix scheduled for 5 April, might also be impacted.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Mercedes nick Ferrari sponsor AMD
Though it has yet to sign a new team agreement and commit to F1 post-2020, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team has announced a multi-year partnership with high-performance computing leader AMD, technology supplier of supercomputing, simulation, PC and data centre technologies. AMD was previously partnered with Ferrari, and while the company's logo is now featured among the many partners on Mercedes stationery, it has disappeared from that of the Maranello outfit.
According to the press release, "the new partnership combines the two companies' passion for extreme performance", and will see the AMD logo on both sides of the cockpit of the team's 2020 car, on the drivers' race suits and team clothing and on the engineering station. The new partnership will also see the team pilot the use of AMD commercial solutions, including AMD EPYC server processors and AMD Ryzen PRO laptop processors, to optimize the team's various workstreams.
Changes at Paul Ricard for 2020
The 2019 French Grand Prix was not the most exciting race in the world. In fact, you could probably describe it as being boring. Formula 1 fans will be pleased to hear that the Paul Ricard circuit is undergoing changes ahead of 2020 to try and make it a better racing track for Formula 1. Eric Boullier, the director of the race, has revealed that they are considering adjusting the chicane mid-way through the Mistral Straight. Several drivers have already proposed completely removing the chicane to make overtaking and catching up easier. However, the promoters are not prepared to completely remove the chicane, because the grandstand has a perfect view of the bend combination.
Will there be any change? Jarno Zaffelli, owner of the Dromo Circuit Design, has said that possible changes to the layout of the chicane along with other changes have been submitted to the FIA. “The current working group led by Craig Wilson at FOM is pushing very hard and we have made a proposal at the FIA. There are several options that the FIA and we are now evaluating," Zaffelli told said, "The FIA must evaluate the chicane, because the chicane is sure to stay," Zaffelli continued. "The chicane does not necessarily remain in the current configuration."
Though it has yet to sign a new team agreement and commit to F1 post-2020, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team has announced a multi-year partnership with high-performance computing leader AMD, technology supplier of supercomputing, simulation, PC and data centre technologies. AMD was previously partnered with Ferrari, and while the company's logo is now featured among the many partners on Mercedes stationery, it has disappeared from that of the Maranello outfit.
According to the press release, "the new partnership combines the two companies' passion for extreme performance", and will see the AMD logo on both sides of the cockpit of the team's 2020 car, on the drivers' race suits and team clothing and on the engineering station. The new partnership will also see the team pilot the use of AMD commercial solutions, including AMD EPYC server processors and AMD Ryzen PRO laptop processors, to optimize the team's various workstreams.
Changes at Paul Ricard for 2020
The 2019 French Grand Prix was not the most exciting race in the world. In fact, you could probably describe it as being boring. Formula 1 fans will be pleased to hear that the Paul Ricard circuit is undergoing changes ahead of 2020 to try and make it a better racing track for Formula 1. Eric Boullier, the director of the race, has revealed that they are considering adjusting the chicane mid-way through the Mistral Straight. Several drivers have already proposed completely removing the chicane to make overtaking and catching up easier. However, the promoters are not prepared to completely remove the chicane, because the grandstand has a perfect view of the bend combination.
Will there be any change? Jarno Zaffelli, owner of the Dromo Circuit Design, has said that possible changes to the layout of the chicane along with other changes have been submitted to the FIA. “The current working group led by Craig Wilson at FOM is pushing very hard and we have made a proposal at the FIA. There are several options that the FIA and we are now evaluating," Zaffelli told said, "The FIA must evaluate the chicane, because the chicane is sure to stay," Zaffelli continued. "The chicane does not necessarily remain in the current configuration."
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
Very useful update there, thanks 1%er, but I didn’t understand the above section. What does “flow through the car” mean in this context? Is it referring to the rate of fuel flow from the fuel tank to the engine, or have teams been transferring fuel around within the car for nefarious purposes?
If it’s a fuel flow rate, then it surely has to be 250ml per X time, rather than just 250ml (250ml Per minute for example?)
Limejuice
Well-Known Member
I may have this wrong, but my impression is that the 250ml outside the fuel tank is the volume contained in the fuel line, fuel pump and injectors. That's the volume that's allowed to be flowing through the car outside the fuel tank. At just 250ml, it wouldn't leave any spare fuel to get used in some dastardly clever way.
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
That makes sense, ta.
1%er
Well-Known Member
China and Russia GPs swap?
The Shanghai Sports Federation has now recommended the city suspends “all sports events until the epidemic is over”. It seems with the number of cases still increasing that the epidemic isn't going to end any time soon, so it is now highly likely that the Chinese GP will not go ahead in April. F1’s strategy group met to discuss the coronavirus situation on Wednesday (yesterday), but the discussions look to have been largely unnecessary as the Shanghai Sports Federation appear to have made the decision about the race for them. It will now be down to the FIA and Liberty Media to see which race to swap with China, so the race isn't cancelled just postponed.
No Danish GP it seems
I haven't removed them from the list, as you should never say never
Denmark no longer seems to be interested in hosting a Formula One Grand Prix, even though the country had applied for F1, it considers the Formula 1 Grand Prix project ‘too risky’. Denmark’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Simon Kollerup, has definitively ruled out the idea of organising a Formula 1 Grand Prix in his country; a project that he considers both complex and risky to implement.
“It is a complex and risky project that will require broad support from many players, including broad political support. This is a complex and risky project that will require broad support from many players, including broad political support,” Simon Kollerup said in a letter to Helge Sander, the former Minister of Science who was in charge of the F1 project in Denmark. “The project is not a priority for the government at the moment, but I recognise the environmental efforts of Formula One in recent years and would like to hear more about this development later".
The FIA had given its approval to a route in the streets of Copenhagen, but the mayor of the city decided to withdraw his support for the project at the last moment. Initially, the Danish Grand Prix had managed to “reserve” its place on the 2020 calendar, but it was the Dutch Grand Prix that was made official this season on this very date, May 3rd. Of course, this news will be considered a blow to the popular Danish driver Kevin Magnussen of the US based Haas F1 team.
In some respects, the news of the possible Danish GP dissolving away from the initial hype in some way reflects the lacklustre fortunes of the Haas F1 team last season. After a fantastic 2018 season, the team slumped badly in 2019. The Danish driver believes the team can learn from their poor 2019 season and avoid a downward spiral. “The first three years we took big steps forward,” Magnussen told reporters “Maybe it doesn’t look so big, but actually going from P8 in the constructors to P5 in three years is pretty good. We all need to be frank with ourselves and say: Look, what can we do better? where can we improve?’ [What] was the area [that was] not the best, the drivers, engineers, management, communications, kitchen? Everyone in the team needs to look at themselves honestly and see what we can do better? If we can all do that, we can improve.” concludes Magnussen.
The Shanghai Sports Federation has now recommended the city suspends “all sports events until the epidemic is over”. It seems with the number of cases still increasing that the epidemic isn't going to end any time soon, so it is now highly likely that the Chinese GP will not go ahead in April. F1’s strategy group met to discuss the coronavirus situation on Wednesday (yesterday), but the discussions look to have been largely unnecessary as the Shanghai Sports Federation appear to have made the decision about the race for them. It will now be down to the FIA and Liberty Media to see which race to swap with China, so the race isn't cancelled just postponed.
No Danish GP it seems
I haven't removed them from the list, as you should never say never
Denmark no longer seems to be interested in hosting a Formula One Grand Prix, even though the country had applied for F1, it considers the Formula 1 Grand Prix project ‘too risky’. Denmark’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Simon Kollerup, has definitively ruled out the idea of organising a Formula 1 Grand Prix in his country; a project that he considers both complex and risky to implement.“It is a complex and risky project that will require broad support from many players, including broad political support. This is a complex and risky project that will require broad support from many players, including broad political support,” Simon Kollerup said in a letter to Helge Sander, the former Minister of Science who was in charge of the F1 project in Denmark. “The project is not a priority for the government at the moment, but I recognise the environmental efforts of Formula One in recent years and would like to hear more about this development later".
The FIA had given its approval to a route in the streets of Copenhagen, but the mayor of the city decided to withdraw his support for the project at the last moment. Initially, the Danish Grand Prix had managed to “reserve” its place on the 2020 calendar, but it was the Dutch Grand Prix that was made official this season on this very date, May 3rd. Of course, this news will be considered a blow to the popular Danish driver Kevin Magnussen of the US based Haas F1 team.
In some respects, the news of the possible Danish GP dissolving away from the initial hype in some way reflects the lacklustre fortunes of the Haas F1 team last season. After a fantastic 2018 season, the team slumped badly in 2019. The Danish driver believes the team can learn from their poor 2019 season and avoid a downward spiral. “The first three years we took big steps forward,” Magnussen told reporters “Maybe it doesn’t look so big, but actually going from P8 in the constructors to P5 in three years is pretty good. We all need to be frank with ourselves and say: Look, what can we do better? where can we improve?’ [What] was the area [that was] not the best, the drivers, engineers, management, communications, kitchen? Everyone in the team needs to look at themselves honestly and see what we can do better? If we can all do that, we can improve.” concludes Magnussen.
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
Some interesting bits in this Braun interview.
www.theguardian.com
“These cars at the moment are terrible aerodynamically when they get close to each other,” he said. “They have a plethora of bits that fall off as soon as they look at each other. That’s not a racing car, you don’t want a tank but you want something which is robust enough to race properly and we have lost that.”
Lewis Hamilton and Schumacher share a rare ability, says Ross Brawn
Ross Brawn said Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share a rare ability when it comes to getting the best performance out of their cars
“These cars at the moment are terrible aerodynamically when they get close to each other,” he said. “They have a plethora of bits that fall off as soon as they look at each other. That’s not a racing car, you don’t want a tank but you want something which is robust enough to race properly and we have lost that.”
1%er
Well-Known Member
Haas the first team to unveil their 2020 car
Having finished 5th in the constructors championship in 2018 dropped to 9th in 2019, so will be looking to move up this season for sure. An aerodynamic instability issue on last season’s Haas VF-19 meant the team scored points in five of 21 races and were left with a tally of just 28 by the final race in Abu Dhabi. But after unveiling his team’s 2020 contender, the VF-20, Haas underlined his hope that the squad had learned their lessons from last season, and could begin the rebuilding process in 2020.
The Haas VF-20 will hit the track for the first time on February 19, in the hands of the team’s 2020 driver pairing of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, when the six days of pre-season testing begin at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya.
Having finished 5th in the constructors championship in 2018 dropped to 9th in 2019, so will be looking to move up this season for sure. An aerodynamic instability issue on last season’s Haas VF-19 meant the team scored points in five of 21 races and were left with a tally of just 28 by the final race in Abu Dhabi. But after unveiling his team’s 2020 contender, the VF-20, Haas underlined his hope that the squad had learned their lessons from last season, and could begin the rebuilding process in 2020.
The Haas VF-20 will hit the track for the first time on February 19, in the hands of the team’s 2020 driver pairing of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, when the six days of pre-season testing begin at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya.
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
I love this time of year. That first glimpse of the cars as they are launched, even though they all look the bloody same!
I really hope F1 can run a full-ish season this year, because I doubt China will be the only race to be cancelled due to the Wuhan flu. I hope I’m wrong.
I really hope F1 can run a full-ish season this year, because I doubt China will be the only race to be cancelled due to the Wuhan flu. I hope I’m wrong.
Limejuice
Well-Known Member
My daughter's in Vietnam, near Hanoi. So far, the country has 10 cases with no fatalities and 1 recovery.
So far, people are uncertain whether the Vietnam GP will go ahead on 5th April. As it's an inaugural event, they want it to take place, but the government seems to be way more pro-active than China in locking down the place until they see which way the viral wind blows.
The Vietnamese are being pretty nifty dealing with the epidemic. Schools and government buildings closed this week as a preventative measure until further notice, and the borders are closed. The schools my daughter teaches in have all been sprayed with bleach, as has my daughter's flat. Historically, Vietnam's handling of the SARS in 2003 thing was brutal. "Uncompromising" is maybe a better word. One victim had been taken to a particular hospital. The authorities basically locked the hospital doors with all the staff inside. The staff all caught the lurgy, but it didn't spread outside.
I think that F1 would be best advised to look at calendar swapping sooner rather than later. I know it must be a logistical clusterfuck, with team equipment on the high seas heading in the wrong direction. But they can't risk the authorities in the Far East cancelling at the last minute when they can't re-arrange. The Vietnam promoter is "actively monitoring" the position, according to press reports.
So far, people are uncertain whether the Vietnam GP will go ahead on 5th April. As it's an inaugural event, they want it to take place, but the government seems to be way more pro-active than China in locking down the place until they see which way the viral wind blows.
The Vietnamese are being pretty nifty dealing with the epidemic. Schools and government buildings closed this week as a preventative measure until further notice, and the borders are closed. The schools my daughter teaches in have all been sprayed with bleach, as has my daughter's flat. Historically, Vietnam's handling of the SARS in 2003 thing was brutal. "Uncompromising" is maybe a better word. One victim had been taken to a particular hospital. The authorities basically locked the hospital doors with all the staff inside. The staff all caught the lurgy, but it didn't spread outside.
I think that F1 would be best advised to look at calendar swapping sooner rather than later. I know it must be a logistical clusterfuck, with team equipment on the high seas heading in the wrong direction. But they can't risk the authorities in the Far East cancelling at the last minute when they can't re-arrange. The Vietnam promoter is "actively monitoring" the position, according to press reports.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Is this the new Mercedes livery for 2020
This is the Mercedes 2019 car but in what is believed to be the 2020 livery, including their new major sponsor INEOS.
This is a video of Toto and the chairman of INEOS holding a press conference, they talk about China and Mercedes staying on after this season and signing the new concorde agreement, as well as other things (the video starts at minute 33).
This is the Mercedes 2019 car but in what is believed to be the 2020 livery, including their new major sponsor INEOS.
This is a video of Toto and the chairman of INEOS holding a press conference, they talk about China and Mercedes staying on after this season and signing the new concorde agreement, as well as other things (the video starts at minute 33).
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
Is anyone else watching the Ferrari launch live on YouTube just now? Jeez it’s turgid! I had to quit it for now and will go back later to see if the car is onstage, because the speeches they are going through are driving me nutty. Hiring an English translator with a comedy accent and speech impediment was not the smartest of moves.
Link below if you want it, but be advised it’s extremely tedious. If you catch it on repeat, skip the first 25 mins would be my advice.
Link below if you want it, but be advised it’s extremely tedious. If you catch it on repeat, skip the first 25 mins would be my advice.
Last edited:
1%er
Well-Known Member
The 2020 Ferrari SF1000
Ferrari have unveiled a 2020 Formula 1 car that team boss Mattia Binotto says takes design to the “extreme” as they seek to challenge for the title. The Italian team struggled last year, winning only three races as Mercedes dominated, but hope to take a step forward this season. He said: “It may look similar to last year’s, but it’s completely different. We have been as extreme on the concept as we could, to look for the maximum aerodynamic performance first.”
Aerodynamics was the area in which Ferrari lagged most in 2019, their car very fast in a straight line, partly down to the most powerful engine, but also because it lacked downforce compared to Mercedes and Red Bull. Binotto said this had been a major focus for the new car, which has been called the SF1000, to reflect the fact that Ferrari will celebrate their 1,000th World Championship grand prix this season. “[We have been] trying to maximise the downforce level, so the car has been packaged to have a very narrow and slim body shape, that is quite visible,” Binotto said. “We have worked with all the components. The suspension has been designed to have more adaptability on track. We put in a lot of effort to keep the weight down.”
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who starts the season under pressure after being out-performed by team-mate Charles Leclerc last year, said: “A lot of hours have gone into the car. We had the opportunity to see a direct comparison to last year and you can really spot the difference, especially down to packaging at the back. We found some clever solutions to do that. It is also a little bit more red than last year, so I think it looks great. I think it is a step forward and I hope it feels like that when I drive it. there is whole team working right now to improve it.”
Despite the tightly packaged rear, attention will also focus on the front wing, where Ferrari have stuck with the philosophy they pursued last year, which differs from that of Mercedes. It is known as an ‘inboard-loaded’ design, referring to the fact it creates its maximum downforce towards the centre of the wing rather than the edges. This aids in achieving consistent downforce but reduces the maximum load that can be achieved.
Leclerc, who in December signed a new contract with the team until 2024, said: “It is a big challenge but I can’t wait to drive it. I prepared physically in the mountains to be first and psychologically my approach is very similar to the past seasons.” Leclerc scored seven pole positions last year, more than any other driver, and won two races to Vettel’s one, but has repeatedly acknowledged he made too many mistakes in his first season with Ferrari and only his second in F1. “I try to give my best,” he said. “We worked hard in order develop the best possible car and I have tried to learn from the past mistakes and I want to be a better driver this year.”
Ferrari have unveiled a 2020 Formula 1 car that team boss Mattia Binotto says takes design to the “extreme” as they seek to challenge for the title. The Italian team struggled last year, winning only three races as Mercedes dominated, but hope to take a step forward this season. He said: “It may look similar to last year’s, but it’s completely different. We have been as extreme on the concept as we could, to look for the maximum aerodynamic performance first.”
Aerodynamics was the area in which Ferrari lagged most in 2019, their car very fast in a straight line, partly down to the most powerful engine, but also because it lacked downforce compared to Mercedes and Red Bull. Binotto said this had been a major focus for the new car, which has been called the SF1000, to reflect the fact that Ferrari will celebrate their 1,000th World Championship grand prix this season. “[We have been] trying to maximise the downforce level, so the car has been packaged to have a very narrow and slim body shape, that is quite visible,” Binotto said. “We have worked with all the components. The suspension has been designed to have more adaptability on track. We put in a lot of effort to keep the weight down.”
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who starts the season under pressure after being out-performed by team-mate Charles Leclerc last year, said: “A lot of hours have gone into the car. We had the opportunity to see a direct comparison to last year and you can really spot the difference, especially down to packaging at the back. We found some clever solutions to do that. It is also a little bit more red than last year, so I think it looks great. I think it is a step forward and I hope it feels like that when I drive it. there is whole team working right now to improve it.”
Despite the tightly packaged rear, attention will also focus on the front wing, where Ferrari have stuck with the philosophy they pursued last year, which differs from that of Mercedes. It is known as an ‘inboard-loaded’ design, referring to the fact it creates its maximum downforce towards the centre of the wing rather than the edges. This aids in achieving consistent downforce but reduces the maximum load that can be achieved.
Leclerc, who in December signed a new contract with the team until 2024, said: “It is a big challenge but I can’t wait to drive it. I prepared physically in the mountains to be first and psychologically my approach is very similar to the past seasons.” Leclerc scored seven pole positions last year, more than any other driver, and won two races to Vettel’s one, but has repeatedly acknowledged he made too many mistakes in his first season with Ferrari and only his second in F1. “I try to give my best,” he said. “We worked hard in order develop the best possible car and I have tried to learn from the past mistakes and I want to be a better driver this year.”
cybershot
Well-Known Member
Is there actually anything different about that car to last years in reality? I get the impression this season is going to be practically the same as last. Same cars more or less, same driver lineups more or less. Surely majority of research and development is being spent on 2021.
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
They have emphasised the extremely tight packaging, and the back of the car does seem very thin at the rear of the coke bottle.
Amazing actually when you look at the three quarters view just how small it is at the back, when you realise engine, gearbox, etc all needs to fit under that skinny engine cover.
Amazing actually when you look at the three quarters view just how small it is at the back, when you realise engine, gearbox, etc all needs to fit under that skinny engine cover.
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
And lo...
www.theguardian.com
F1's Chinese GP called off because of coronavirus with Vietnam race at risk
The Chinese GP, scheduled for 19 April, has been postponed because of the outbreak of the coronavirus and the inaugural Vietnam GP is also at risk
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
And lo...
F1's Chinese GP called off because of coronavirus with Vietnam race at risk
The Chinese GP, scheduled for 19 April, has been postponed because of the outbreak of the coronavirus and the inaugural Vietnam GP is also at risk
No doubt there’s manoeuvring going on behind the scenes to try to agree the financial impact of the cancellation. Maybe that’s the reason the inevitable cancellation of the Chinese race has not yet been formally announced.
