F1 2022

[spitfire]

There was some twitter nonsense flying around last night that Turkey GP was selling tickets but the Russian one was dead on the F1 site. I cba to check it out though.

 

[a_chap]

These "aero rakes" are pretty interesting...

 

[1%er]

Something tells me the Russian GP might not be going ahead this year...

There was some twitter nonsense flying around last night that Turkey GP was selling tickets but the Russian one was dead on the F1 site. I cba to check it out though.

F1 releases statement on Russian GP as ticket sales halted following Ukraine invasion​

The Russian Grand Prix has been removed from the Formula One ticketing website in the wake of the ongoing military situation in Ukraine. The event, which was scheduled to be held in September, now appears to be in doubt after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of this morning. Fans are now unable to purchase tickets for the Russian Grand Prix, which has been hosted in Sochi since 2014. The event was briefly replaced by the Turkish Grand Prix on F1's official ticketing website, according to reports. The race in Istanbul was left without a confirmed deal for 2022 when this year's calendar was initially announced. It was part of the schedule from 2005 to 2011 before returning due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

The event's temporary inclusion on F1's ticketing website appears to suggest that it could soon replace the Russian Grand Prix in the wake of recent developments in Ukraine. It remains to be seen whether the planned race in Sochi will eventually be pulled from the calendar as a result of Russia's decision to take military action. An F1 statement read: "F1 is closely watching the very fluid developments like many others and at this time has no further comment on the race scheduled for September. "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely." Last year's race in Russia was won by Lewis Hamilton, who became the first driver to reach 100 victories by taking the chequered flag ahead of Max Verstappen.

 

[1%er]

Andretti needs ‘a billion’ for F1 entry – Wolff​

A $200 million fee will not be enough to convince existing Formula 1 teams to open the door to an eleventh competitor like Andretti. That is the word of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who earlier said that he thinks the current ten teams are “enough” for a full and healthy F1 grid. It follows F1 legend Mario Andretti’s revelation that his son Michael’s US-based racing empire is in talks with the FIA about a new team entry for 2024. There is talk of a $200 million ‘anti-dilution’ fee that would address Wolff’s fears that an eleventh team only means a more diluted share of the sport’s official income.

The FIA also reacted by insisting it is “not currently in a position to consider” allowing an eleventh team to race. “Andretti is a big name and the American market is very important for everyone,” Wolff said on Wednesday when asked again about the latest reports. “But the arrival of a new team should be beneficial to everyone. It’s not just paying the $200m entry fee. In my opinion, such a team should show what it can do for the other teams, for Formula 1 and for the FIA. Formula 1 is the absolute pinnacle of motorsport,” the Austrian added, “like the Champions League or the NFL in America. And franchising is not something we want to do. But if it’s a really great brand with strong people and the necessary funding, then it won’t be $200 million for an entry fee, but much more. You’d need a billion dollars if you want to play in this club. If they have that kind of money, then why not?” Wolff said.

Fellow top team Red Bull’s Christian Horner agrees that it is not a straightforward matter for an entity like Andretti to enter Formula 1. “It’s nice that they’re interested,” he said. “But there are some clear terms and conditions attached to the Concorde Agreement. They’re working on that now. That agreement defends the ten competitors that are already there so it needs to be looked at carefully.”

 

[1%er]

F1 testing: Charles Leclerc tops the timesheets on day two​

It was another good day for Ferrari who finished top of the timesheet on Day Two of testing in Barcelona. Ferrari came second and third on day one behind McLaren, but on Thursday Charles Leclerc completed the fastest time. AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly came second and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo finished in third. Lewis Hamilton only completed 40 laps while Sergio Perez broke down in the RB18. Charles Leclerc topped the timesheet for Ferrari on day two of pre-season testing as Red Bull lost time in Barcelona due to a gearbox issue. Ferrari completed more miles than anyone as they did 150 laps and it was the Monacan who took top spot on C3 tyres in his F1-75.

McLaren's Lando Norris topped the timesheet on day one and it looked like his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo would lead the constructors to another first-place finish, but he was pipped by Leclerc's time of 1:19.689.It was another good day for Ferrari who finished top of the timesheet on Day Two of testing in Barcelona. Ferrari came second and third on day one behind McLaren, but on Thursday Charles Leclerc completed the fastest time. AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly came second and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo finished in third.

Lewis Hamilton only completed 40 laps while Sergio Perez broke down in the RB18. Ricciardo ended up in third with AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly taking second after completing 147 laps. Mercedes' George Russell finished in fourth. His team-mate Lewis Hamilton was only able to complete 40 laps and finished bottom of the day's timesheet. It was a day to forget for Red Bull, though, as Sergio Perez missing two hours of testing time due to a gearbox issue and was forced to stop on the track which saw the first red flag of the week. Haas' Nikita Mazepin was also red flagged due to a fuel pump issue in the afternoon session. In a big boost for Alfa Romeo, rookie Guanyu Zhou completed 71 laps and finished in tenth.

DAY TWO TIMES
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:19.804, C3, 79 laps
2. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) 1:19.918, C4, 147 laps
3. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 120.288, C4, 126 laps
4. George Russell (Mercedes)1:20.537, C3, 66 laps
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1:20.546, C3, 71 laps
6. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) 1:20.784, C3, 74 laps
7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 1:21.430, C3, 78 laps
8. Nikita Mazepin (Haas) 1:21.512, C3, 42 laps
9. Alex Albon (Williams) 1:21.531, C3, 47 laps
10. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) 1:21.885, C3, 71 laps
11. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) 1:21.894, C3, 61 laps
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 1:21.920, C2, 55 laps
13. Mick Schumacher (Haas) 1:21.949, C3, 66 laps
14. Sebastian Ocon (Alpine) 1:22.164, C3, 125 laps
15. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 1:22.288, C3, 21 laps
16. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:22.562, C2, 40 laps

 

[1%er]

F1 teams blindsided by 'porpoising' phenomenon​

Formula 1 teams have been blindsided by a common issue in Barcelona pre-season testing as the sport ushers in a new era. Drivers and teams have been racking up mileage in order to gain a better appreciation of how the new aerodynamic regulations that have seen a return to a ground-effect philosophy, and required an almost complete rethink to car design, will take effect. Almost every car has been hit by a phenomenon known as 'porpoising', where the vehicle aggressively bounces on its suspension when travelling in a straight line. The effect has not been seen in F1 since the sport left ground-effect behind, but could be the key to success or failure this year. When air passes over a surface, either the front wing, leading floor-edge or both in this instance to create downforce, the distance between the surface and the floor is reduced. This increases the power of the ground effect and thus increase air pressure underneath the car.

The air pressure above the car remains the same, resulting in an increase in pressure difference between the underside of the car and topside and therefore produces even more downforce until the airflow stalls. This causes the first surfaces to raise and restart the above process, repeating in a vicious circle until speed is abated. Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto explained: "Most of us underestimated the problem of on track, we are bouncing more than expected. We knew with the ground-floor situation, it is a learning process." Asked if the cause was the same as the previous ground-effect era, he added: "The cars are quite different but it is related to the ground effect and how powerful it is. I think the regs of the car were slightly different but certainly, it is very similar. The frequency of the car bouncing is the natural frequency of the car itself and I think it is excited by the aero."

Alfa Romeo counterpart Fred Vasseur said: "We are all facing the same issue. To fix the problem is not the biggest issue but then to be efficient will be the key. How quickly the team will react will be the key for the first races. I am sure in three or four events, at the press conference, we won't speak about bouncing anymore."

[Anyone who has flown a light aircraft will understand this problem, it can happen when landing if you are not set up correctly. It suddenly feels like the plane is floating and you hit the ground with the front wheel first. The brains in F1 will sort this problem out fast I think, for those who don't the first few races will be hard on the driver and the teams will not be fast]

 

[spitfire]

A footnote to events but this is the F1 thread so...

‘I will not go’: Vettel calls on F1 to scrap Russian GP after Ukraine invasion

The four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has issued a strident call for Formula One to abandon this season’s scheduled race in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine

www.theguardian.com

 

[Indeliblelink]

 

[Ax^]

andretti to buy hass

 

[dessiato]

A small protest, but a protest nonetheless.

 

[Ax^]

hmm does than mean Mazespin will soon be replaced his father is the non executive board member of the title sponsor?

 

[Ax^]

if it was not for him i'd not be world champion

 

[Limejuice]

Max saying that Mr "Fixit" Masi was harshly treated shows a hideous lack of situational awareness.

The problem is that he sees himself as Number One both in fact (he got the title) and by right (he deserved it and earned it).

Going into battle on Mr Fixit's behalf only kicks off the Streisand Effect. The more fuss he makes, the more he reminds the world that he was given an unbeatable helping hand by the official he supports. But for the helping hand, no title for Max. But Max can't see that.

The fact Mr Fixit got fired, and the rest of the F1 world nodded, should be some clue that the helping hand is generally seen as maladministration and unfair.

But then Max has always been an arrogant, entitled twat, so what's new?

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Keep digging Max, you’re champion on a technicality only

 

[dessiato]

Last year Max won the championship on merit, despite the shit of the last race. If you take that out he was still the champion.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Last year Max won the championship on merit, despite the shit of the last race. If you take that out he was still the champion.

That's just it though, there are 2 perfectly legitimate takes on it.

1) Max over the course of the season was spectacular - laps led more than everyone else combined, most race wins, he deserved the title.

2) Without the shit of the last race, he wasn't world champion. If all lapped cars had been let through, the race would have finished under the safety car with Hamilton as champion. If no lapped cars had been let through, brilliant as Max is it's doubtful he would have got past and Hamilton would have been champion. The improper intervention of Masi was the only reason Max has no.1 on his car.

Both have merit. The more Max comes out in support of the guy who contrived the finale, the more no.2 sticks as the prevailing narrative.

 

[spitfire]

 

[1%er]

andretti to buy hass

Last season he was link to bids for both Haas and Alfa Romeo. For sure it is easier to get into F1 by buying a team than setting a new one up. I think it would also cost less.

 

[1%er]

F1 testing halted as crash brings out another red flag​

The final day of F1 testing in Barcelona has been halted once again by a red flag as AlphaTauri became the latest team to suffer a Friday blow. Pierre Gasly's morning on the track came to an abrupt end after the Frenchman hit the wall in sector two at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, bringing out the second red flag of Friday's running. AlphaTauri's AT03 has shown tremendous reliability thus far, completing 146 laps on Thursday, before adding another 40 to their tally during the first two-and-a-half hours of Friday morning. But the team were forced to call for the tow truck after Gasly made contact with the wall, resulting in damage to the front-right of his car, which was left stationary in the gravel trap. The team then took to social media to confirm that Gasly is unhurt and has returned safely to the garage.

Shortly after the session resumed at 12:00 local time, Alfa Romeo rookie Guanyu Zhou brought out another red flag with a spin into the gravel in the final sector, but he also escaped unharmed.

Alonso pain brought out Friday's first red flag
The first red flag of Friday's running was brought out by Fernando Alonso as his Alpine lost power as he came to complete his 13th lap of the morning session. The A522 ground to a halt with smoke billowing from Alonso's car, with marshals quickly on the scene to get the situation under control. Alpine later confirmed that Alonso stopped the car "due to a loss of pressure". It brought an end to an eventful morning for the Spaniard who, after a trip through the gravel, momentarily topped the timesheets.

 

[1%er]

Ted Kravitz uses Babybel cheese to explain Ferrari advantage over Mercedes and Red Bull​

​

FERRARI driver Carlos Sainz was left confused as Sky F1 reporter Ted Kravitz showed the Italians innovation using a Babybel. Sky F1 reporter Ted Kravitz used the wax casing of a Babybel cheese to explain the Ferrari design which could give them a crucial advantage over Mercedes and Red Bull in 2022. The 2022 F1 season is the ushering in of a new era, with new rules and regulations set to force teams to adjust their cars to capitalise on new technical innovations. The regulations have been designed to improve competition and parity within the sport after a year dominated each week by Mercedes and Red Bull. As pre-season testing got underway at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Ferrari raised eyebrows thanks to their eye-catching and unique sidepods. The Italian outfit have opted for sidepods which ramp gently down in its lower regions with an upward ramp where the sidepods merge into the engine cover with a scalloped-out section in that transition. This has given a sidepod shape, which is heavily undercut at the front beneath the small slat-like radiator inlet, which merges with a flat side before then heavily undercutting once more as it merges into the rear.

Sky F1 commentator Kravitz was talking to Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz about the innovative design and using a Babybel to unconventionally illustrate his words. “How is the car and how are your scalloped sidepods helping the air channel to the back? Are they working?” Kravitz asked Sainz, whose eyes were firmly locked on the Babybel wax which the reporter had fashioned into a rough sidepod design. The Spaniard asked: “Is this a Babybel?” “It is a Babybel,” Kravitz confirmed. “Well, the outer casing!”

[I love Ted and his creative ways of explaining how things work]

 

[Limejuice]

[I love Ted and his creative ways of explaining how things work]

The bit I liked was when he stuffed the naked cheese wheel of the Babybel in his pocket "for later".

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Last year Max won the championship on merit, despite the shit of the last race. If you take that out he was still the champion.

Max won it because the race director made up a situation on the spot. That is unarguable. Without that situation, Hamilton would be champion.

Whether in spite of that Max deserved the championship is another matter, and will likely be debated for years to come.

 

[1%er]

2022 Barcelona F1 Test Day 3 - Friday lap times 5pm​

Pos	Driver	Nat.	Team	Time	Laps
1	George Russell	GBR	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	1m19.233s	66
2	Max Verstappen	NED	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1m19.756s	59
3	Sebastian Vettel	GER	Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team	1m19.824s	48
4	Charles Leclerc	MON	Scuderia Ferrari	1m19.831s	44
5	Alexander Albon	THA	Williams Racing	1m20.318s	62
6	Sergio Perez	MEX	Oracle Bull Racing	1m20.452s	48
7	Nicholas Latifi	CAN	Williams Racing	1m20.699s	13
8	Daniel Ricciardo	AUS	McLaren F1 Team	1m20.790s	57
9	Lando Norris	GBR	McLaren F1 Team	1m20.827s	52
10	Carlos Sainz	ESP	Scuderia Ferrari	1m20.883s	66
11	Fernando Alonso	ESP	BWT Alpine F1 Team	1m21.242s	12
12	Guanyu Zhou	CHN	Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen	1m21.939s	41
13	Pierre Gasly	FRA	Scuderia AlphaTauri	1m22.469s	40
14	Lewis Hamilton	GBR	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	1m23.020s	71
15	Nikita Mazepin	RUS	Uralkali Haas F1 Team	1m26.229s	9
16	Valtteri Bottas	FIN	Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen	1m30.433s	10
17	Lance Stroll	CAN	Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team	No Time Set	0
18	Yuki Tsunoda	JPN	Scuderia AlphaTauri	No Time Set	0
19	Esteban Ocon	FRA	BWT Alpine F1 Team	No Time Set	0
20	Mick Schumacher	GER	Uralkali Haas F1 Team	No Time Set	0

Full F1 driver line-up for Day 3 of Barcelona test:
Mercedes: George Russell (AM), Lewis Hamilton (PM)
Red Bull: Max Verstappen (AM), Sergio Perez (PM)
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc (AM), Carlos Sainz (PM)
McLaren: Lando Norris (AM), Daniel Ricciardo (PM)
Alpine: Fernando Alonso (AM), Esteban Ocon (PM)
AlphaTauri: Pierre Gasly (AM), Yuki Tsunoda (PM)
Aston Martin: Sebastian Vettel (AM), Lance Stroll (PM)
Williams: Nicholas Latifi (AM), Alex Albon (PM)
Alfa Romeo: Guanyu Zhou (AM), Valtteri Bottas (PM)
Haas: Nikita Mazepin (AM), Mick Schumacher (PM)

 

[1%er]

Back in the black: Formula 1 reports $92m profit for 2021​

Formula 1 saw its profits recover in 2021 following a difficult 2020 season, where it posted a $386 million loss because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year saw the championship complete a full season with eased restrictions, helping it to post a $92m profit on the back of revenues of $2.13bn. 2020’s revenue was just $1.1bn as the season comprised just 17 rounds, many of which were less profitable European rounds. The lack of spectators, paddock club and financial aid for teams, were also to blame for the drop in profits in 2020.

But a bumper season of racing, which included 22 rounds, the easing of many restrictions and several contract renewals saw profits recover, with 2021 surpassing even 2019’s profit of $19m and revenues of $2bn. Teams also shared one of the largest prize pots in history, with $1.06bn shared amongst the ten outfits. That compares to just $711m in 2020, which also included Concorde Agreement sign up bonuses. The bulk of F1’s revenue was driven by race hosting income, broadcasting deals and sponsorship, which rose from $1.02bn to $1.85bn. Other revenue, such as freight and hospitality revenue, more than doubled from $116m to $286m. “2021 was a remarkable year for Formula 1 in all respects,” said Formula 1 president and CEO, Stefano Domenicali. “The racing was spectacular and the business produced outstanding results. We continue to build off this strong foundation and look forward to our record setting 23-race calendar for 2022 with new cars, regulations, races and drivers.”

Liberty Media, which owns F1, also reported that the sport’s cumulative TV viewership rose by 4% to 1.55 billion, averaging 70.3 million viewers per race. The US, which has seen a boom in interest after Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary, saw a 58% rise in cumulative viewership. The sport’s social media platforms saw substantial growth too, with followers up 40% to 49 million with 1.5 billion aggregate social engagements.

 

[1%er]

The stats from the 2022 Barcelona shakedown​

The highly-anticipated 2022 challengers took to the track in Barcelona for the unofficial start of pre-season testing. While the official test is in Bahrain from March 10-12, the teams descended on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for an equally important three-day outing, as their new-look 2022 cars were put into extended action for the first time. That meant more track time for some than others, with a real mixed bag on the reliability front, while we also got our first feel for the lap times achievable in these ground effect 2022 cars.

Fastest lap (per driver)
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:19.138 C5 tyre
George Russell, Mercedes, 1:19.233 C5
Sergio Perez, Red Bull, 1:19.556 C4
Lando Norris, McLaren, 1:19.568 C4
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1:19.689 C3
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 1:19.756 C3
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, 1:19.824 C5
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri, 1:19.918 C4
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, 1:20.072 C3
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, 1:20.288 C4
Alex Albon, Williams, 1:20.318 C4
Nicholas Latifi, Williams, 1:20.699 C4
Fernando Alonso, Alpine, 1:21.242 C3
Nikita Mazepin, Haas, 1:21.512 C3
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 1:21.638 C3
Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo, 1:21.885 C3
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, 1:21.920 C3
Mick Schumacher, Haas, 1:21.949 C3
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, 1:22.164 C3
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo, 1:22.288 C3
Robert Kubica, Alfa Romeo, 1:24.909 C3

Fastest lap (per team)
Mercedes, 1:19.138 C5
Red Bull, 1:19.556 C4
McLaren, 1:19.568 C4
Ferrari, 1:19.689 C3
Aston Martin, 1:19.824 C5
AlphaTauri, 1:19.918 C4
Williams, 1:20.318 C4
Alpine, 1:21.242 C3
Haas, 1:21.512 C3
Alfa Romeo, 1:21.885 C3

Lap counts (per driver)
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, 236 laps
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, 212
George Russell, Mercedes, 209
Alexander Albon, Williams, 207
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 206
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 203
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri, 187
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 184
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, 174
Lando Norris, McLaren, 155
Sergio Pérez, Red Bull, 152
Fernando Alonso, Alpine, 141
Nicholas Latifi, Williams, 140
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, 125
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, 122
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 121
Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo, 112
Mick Schumacher, Haas, 89
Nikita Mazepin, Haas, 71
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo, 54
Robert Kubica, Alfa Romeo, 9

Lap counts (per team)
Ferrari 439 laps
Mercedes 393
McLaren 367
Red Bull 358
Williams 347
AlphaTauri 308
Aston Martin 296
Alpine 266
Alfa Romeo 175
Haas 160

Kilometres covered (per driver)
Carlos Sainz Jr, Ferrari, 1103 kilometres
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, 991
George Russell, Mercedes, 977
Alexander Albon, Williams, 967
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 963
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 949
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri, 874
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 860
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, 813
Lando Norris, McLaren, 724
Sergio Pérez, Red Bull, 710
Fernando Alonso, Alpine, 659
Nicholas Latifi, Williams, 654
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, 584
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, 570
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 565
Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo, 523
Mick Schumacher, Haas, 416
Nikita Mazepin, Haas, 331
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo, 252
Robert Kubica, Alfa Romeo, 42

Kilometres covered (per team)
Ferrari 2052 kilometres
Mercedes 1837
McLaren 1715
Red Bull 1673
Williams 1622
AlphaTauri 1439
Aston Martin 1383
Alpine 1243
Alfa Romeo 818
Haas 748

Lap counts (per engine)
Mercedes 1403 laps
Ferrari 774
Red Bull 666
Renault 266

 

[Ax^]

know testing normally a false dawn for most teams


but got to feel for botty this year appears to be some crash landing back to reality

surprised he did not try to go back to williams

 

[1%er]

Alfa Romeo finally reveal their 2022 F1 car, the C42​

Alfa Romeo became the last Formula 1 team to reveal their 2022 car, the C42, which was revealed on Sunday, two days after the conclusion of the first pre-season testing in Barcelona. The Hinwil-based team went through the pre-season testing session in Barcelona with a special camouflage livery on the car, the only team to do so, as all other nine teams have revealed their ‘real’ 2022 cars or at least their 2022 liveries. Alfa Romeo are fielding a totally new driver lineup with ex-Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas leading the team’s track efforts, with Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou occupying the second of the Alfa Romeo garage.

Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver: “I am impressed by our new car, the C42. I think the livery is really beautiful, the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile did a brilliant job. It’s my first car at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, of course, which makes it special, and I am really looking forward to being on the grid in Bahrain with it. What is exciting is that we have no idea how that first race is going to pan out. Testing helped us confirm our expectations of where we stand, the progress we have made with the car, but now we are getting closer to the moment that really matters. Since I joined, I have seen so much motivation within this team: everyone is pushing a lot, trying to work harder than the others to be competitive, and that in turn gives me that extra boost when I am in the cockpit.”


Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver: “I am fully pumped up for the season and seeing the C42 in the livery in which I will race it definitely makes it real. We are at the beginning of a new era, with new cars and new regulations, and this creates an opportunity for all teams to make progress since we are all starting from scratch. Everyone at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN has been incredibly helpful since I joined and seeing all the hard work, the commitment and motivation from everyone, in Hinwil and at the track, fills me with pride and excitement. I can’t wait to be on the grid with this car and work with my team to bring home the results we are targeting together.”


Robert Kubica, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN reserve driver: “The start of a new season is always a time where expectations, hopes and plans come together: this year, the stakes are even higher as we are taking a bit of a jump into the unknown with the new regulations. There has been an incredible amount of work that went into this car, the C42, and I am looking forward to seeing what the team can achieve with it. In my role, I am aiming to provide as much help as possible in the development of this car: we know how big the margins of improvement are at this stage in the lifetime of a car and we know that each upgrade can make a difference, so the work we do back at base is going to be crucial to deliver results trackside.”

 

[1%er]

know testing normally a false dawn for most teams


but got to feel for botty this year appears to be some crash landing back to reality

surprised he did not try to go back to williams

Yes, testing is just that "testing". Teams don't want to give too much away, I think we'll see a little more speed in Bahrain but the first race will let us know what is really going on. Interestingly a number of big names in the F1 journalist world are saying they don't think Red Bull or Mercedes will win the first race. I don't know where they are getting their info from, but I've read and heard a few saying the same thing.

With regards to Bottas, I think Nicholas Latifi had a contract so was staying, plus he brings a massive amount of money to the team. Why they went for Alex Albon over Bottas is a good question, but is suspect money was also a factor. Bottas is said to be on $10 million at Alfa Romeo while Albon is on $2 million at Williams.

 

[1%er]

The key tech standouts from F1’s first 2022 test​

Formula 1’s pre-season test at Barcelona may have been the first opportunity for teams to get mileage with their 2022 cars, but that did not stop them already introducing upgrades. For while many opted to show off only early development parts during their official launches, it is clear that teams are pushing hard to keep adding more downforce before the season gets underway.

McLaren presented us with two versions of its front wing when launching the MCL36: the one in the renders and the one on the physical car that was revealed at the factory. However, it was fairly obvious that the one on the physical car was the one that would feature, given it was trying to hide some of the details with carbon fibre tape. Whilst the wings do share the dipped central section to help feed airflow to the underside of the nose, the shape and connection of the second element and the body of the nose are slightly different. Meanwhile, rather than having a relatively similar chord length on each of the elements the wing consists of two short chord upper flaps and a larger chord mainplane and secondary flap. The outboard section of the wing also doesn’t have the abrupt surface discontinuation, the flaps are angled abruptly to promote more outwash. This is an area where we will see all of the teams push back against the intent of the new regulations, as they can’t unlearn what they already know, which is that driving flow outboard will improve performance downstream.

The team also shied away from revealing the tricks it might have up its sleeve on the edge of the floor as there was little point offering too much information to its rivals. The floor used by McLaren during testing takes what it has learned over the course of the last set of regulations and applies it to the new ones. That means it has to be even smarter if it wants to deploy slots, flaps and scrolls in combination in order to defeat the more restrictive regulations. The team utilised the opportunity afforded to it within the regulations to use a flapped section that’s detached from the floor itself, with a series of metal stays used to connect it to the floor. This is also orientated in a way that will have an influence on the airflow’s passage. Meanwhile, the permitted cutout in the floor's edge has been made in such a way that it allows the L-shaped flap to intersect with it. There’s various surface geometries at play too, in order that the two surfaces can pass off and improve the surrounding flow structures to artificially seal the floor’s edge from the outboard flow that’s attempting to ingress.


Ferrari threw its hat into the ring in this regard on day three of the test when the F1-75 was seen with a new floor edge solution. It was a different approach from the Scuderia, as its solution also featured the cutout permitted in the regulations. However, rather than the elongated flap that’s disconnected from the floor's edge, it favoured a tongue-like flap mounted on the underside instead. Haas also cut out a section of its floor’s edge and, whilst it won’t be considered as aggressive as some of the other solutions, it’s good to see it has been busy utilising the additional CFD and wind tunnel time it is allowed to use as a compensation for its lack of results. We already knew of the wavy section at the front of Mercedes' floor, as the W13 that was presented to us at the launch also featured the design.

However, whilst the rest of the teams introduced more complex floor edge designs thereafter, introducing discontinuity and flaps to help artificially seal the edge of the floor and reduce rear tyre squirt into the diffuser, Mercedes did not. The team will undoubtedly bring a fresh batch of parts to Bahrain, some of which will focus more heavily on this region of the car and should alleviate another ill effect of the new regulations that its rivals have also been suffering from: porpoising. To help manage the situation, teams have all been working on car set-up. But on the last day of the test, Mercedes added a metal stay ahead of the rear tyre to help stabilise the floor. It needed this extra stability as teams are seeing substantially more load on the floor's edge due to the cars running much lower to the ground than in previous years to exploit ground effect. This in-turn results in the edge of the floor being pulled too close to the track’s surface.


F1 designers have a few more tools at their disposal this year when it comes to cooling. And whilst some teams have taken to baking them into their designs, with large cooling gills part of the recipe, Mercedes and Red Bull are two of the teams that have resisted the temptation. Their designs rely on the sidepod and engine cover working without these cooling gills when temperatures are at their lowest, with interchangeable panels with gills and/or louvres favoured instead. Mercedes had several designs it wanted to try out during the first test in this respect, with a couple variations of the more conventional louvered panel beside the cockpit tested, plus a more expansive panel with gills around the powerunit also being put through its paces on day two. Red Bull, meanwhile, opted for a longer series of cooling louvres in the panel beside the cockpit to assist with cooling. It’s clear though that a similar panel exchange could be made with less louvres in order to provide the requisite cooling.


Sticking with Red Bull, we were afforded the opportunity to see its front brake assembly without the brake drum attached, which threw up some interesting details given the teams have different parameters to consider this season. Unable to use the larger front brake assembly as a way of dumping airflow out the wheel face under the new regulations, teams are focused more on heat management. Red Bull is now not only feeding ducting in and away from the caliper, but the set-up seen here in testing suggests the team intends to encapsulate the brake disc for a similar purpose.

 

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What are F1’s tyre rules?​

Tyres are the most important and arguably most confusing part of modern Grand Prix racing. Teams are allocated different sets to use at different times and managing the process involves a big team of people. It wasn’t always this complicated but the introduction of a wide range of different tyre types has revolutionised the sport, making it a complex game of strategy. Here, we explore what goes into getting that right.

Who makes F1’s tyres?
Pirelli is the current supplier and has been since 2011. The Italian company took over from Bridgestone, which had been the sole supplier since its competitor Michelin quit the sport in 2007. F1 has had a single tyre supplier since 2007, when the FIA decided to restrict competition to prevent escalating costs and help reduce performance gaps between different teams. It hasn’t always been a one-make show, however. There were five different manufacturers involved in the 1950s and since the start of the world championship, F1 has had nine different manufacturers: Avon, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Englebert, Firestone, Goodyear and Michelin. When Pirelli arrived in F1 the company was asked to deliberately design tyres that would not last a full race. The idea was to force teams to make more pit stops (without the dangers of refuelling) and make the racing less predictable. New regulations were introduced in 2017, and tweaks have been made since then, with the latest changes to a stiffer construction done this year to make the tyres stronger and more durable.

What types of tyres are there and what do the different colours mean?
Pirelli has developed five different tyre specifications for F1, which are designated C1 to C5. The C1 the hardest and the C5 is the softest. There are also two types of rain tyre: intermediates and full wets. Three of the five types of dry-weather tyre are allocated for use at each event, and the teams are told this a few weeks in advance. They are then colour coded with the hardest of the three given a white stripe and lettering on the side, the medium given yellow and the softest red. Intermediate and wet tyres are also taken to every event – even in the Middle East, where it is highly unlikely to rain – and these are colour coded green for ‘inters’ and blue for full wets.

How big are F1 tyres and what do they weigh?
F1 cars have run 13-inch wheels rims for years, with the diameter of the tyre and rim combination measuring 26.4 inches (67cm). The fronts are 30.5cm wide and the rears are 40.5cm, with intermediates 5cm wider and full wets 10cm wider. From 2022, the rim size will increase to 18 inches (45.7cm) but the tyre and rim diameter will only go up to 28.3 inches (72cm). The lower profile design will change the way the cars behave on track, in theory making them even more responsive to changes of direction. Excluding the wheel rims, the front and rear tyres weigh 9.5kg and 11.5kg respectively – about 1.5 times the weight of a bowling ball.

What is a tyre made of?
Tyres a constructed using a mix of natural and synthetic rubber and artificial fibres. They consist of a bead wire, a carcass, a belt and the outer tread and once fitted to the rim they are filled with a nitrogen gas, as it remains more stable with varying temperatures. The bead is a thick, inflexible section in the innermost part of the tyre. It contains fibres and ridges that are designed to grip to the rim. The carcass encompasses the sidewall, which made only of rubber and will flex under high load, and the outer surface, which must be durable. The belt, which wraps around the carcass, makes the tyre rigid and is covered with the outer compound, which is around half a centimetre thick and is the part that grips to the road but also wears down.

Why do dry F1 tyres not have any tread?
Slick tyres, with no tread pattern, first appeared in F1 in 1971 and all dry tyres are made this way. That is because it creates the biggest contact patch between the tyre and the ground. Grooves are actually only used to help steer water away, so when it’s wet there’s no need for them and the more tyre that is in contact with the racetrack, the more grip it can provide. F1 did re-introduce grooved dry tyres in 1998 but only to slow the cars down. Each tyre had a set of circumferential grooves around it, which did nothing to remove water but just reduced the total amount of rubber in contact with the track. They did the job but were scrapped in 2009 when slicks came back. Rain tyres do have grooves, with the intermediates – or ‘inters’ – given a shallower groove than the full wets. Inters are used on wet or drying circuits, with each tyre shifting 30 litres of water per second compared to the full wet’s 85 litres, which makes it more resistant to aquaplaning in heavy rain. The compounds are different too – the inter lasts longer on a moist track, whereas the full wet needs to stay wet to avoid overheating.

What makes F1 tyres soft or hard?
The level of grip the tyre creates depends on the formulation of the compound that makes up the tyre surface. Every tyre is made using a different recipe of rubber, and choosing between softer and harder tyres is all about the balance between durability (or degradation) and speed. The hard C1 tyre is good for tracks with fast corners, abrasive surfaces or high ambient temperatures. It takes longer to warm up and get grippy but is super durable and can handle the tough stuff for longer. The mid-range C3 is the most widely used tyre, while the C5 is the fastest, suitable for tighter, twistier circuits and times – like qualifying when the focus is on peak performance rather than wear, because it only lasts a handful of laps.

What tyres do teams get to use when?
Teams are told what tyre specifications will be used no less than two weeks before each race. This defines the three dry tyre specifications available, the two that must both be used in the race and the one (always the softest) that must be used if a car gets into the final part of qualifying. At each race, the supplier presents and hands over all the sets of tyres to the FIA Technical Delegate. To ensure independence and non-bias, the FIA allocates all the different sets to the different cars. Each team gets 13 sets of dry tyres to use over the weekend two sets of hards, three mediums and eight softs. They also get four sets of intermediate tyres and three sets of full wets. If either of the Friday practice sessions, FP1 or FP2, are wet or the Saturday morning session, FP3, looks likely to be wet, teams get another set of inters to play with – but they must give back a used set before the start of qualifying.

How are tyres managed during the weekend?
Tyre usage is strictly monitored using a digital tagging system, which allows teams to pick up, hand back and swap tyres during the weekend. [It’s complicated, so strap in and stay with me ] Of the 13 dry sets, teams must nominate one set that can only be used in the first 40 minutes of first practice and they must hand that set and one more set back within two hours of the end of FP1. Two more sets go back within two hours of the end of FP2 (unless both sessions are wet or cancelled, in which case one set can be kept until the end of FP3) and another two go back within two hours of FP3. All teams must keep a fresh set of the softest compound ready for the final part of qualifying, Q3, in case they make it in. All cars in Q3 must then use that set during the top-10 shoot-out and hand back a used set of that type within three and a half hours after qualifying ends. In the race, the drivers must use at least two different types of dry tyre, at least one of which must be one of the mandatory race specs mentioned earlier. If it rains, intermediate or wets are used and drivers don’t even need to change tyres at all if they don’t want to. This rarely happens though Esteban Ocon became the first driver in 24 years not to stop for tyres this year in Turkey. All the teams that don’t make it into Q3 can choose which tyres to start the race on, but those that go into the top-10 shoot-out all have to start on the exact set of tyres they used to make it into that session (unless it is raining on race day). That’s why some teams try to gamble on getting through Q2 on medium tyres, rather than using up the faster softer compound, to give them more scope for strategy in the race. If a tyre is damaged in Q2, teams can ask for a replacement but the decision to give them one is down to the FIA Technical Delegate.

Why do teams use tyre blankets and how do they work?
Tyre blankets are wrapped around each tyre whenever they are stacked up in the pits waiting to be put on a car, or on the grid. They are used to warm the outer tyre compound up towards racing temperatures, as going out on cold slick tyres is no fun for any driver. The typical temperature is around 110 degrees Celsius and the blanket is designed to keep an even spread across the circumference of the tyre. It wraps around the tyre and is fastened with a Velcro joint and two drawstrings pulls, with a circular cover fitted to the rims, again using Velcro. The tyres are carefully logged and stored in sets and when they need to be moved they are stacked on a trolley and connected to power via colour-coded leads, with each tyre having its own temperature monitor. This trolley unit reportedly costs around £5,000, with each blanket costing around £1,500.

What running restrictions are there on F1 tyres?
Before the race, all teams are given a set of starting parameters for their tyres the pressures they must run, the maximum temperatures the tyres can be heated up to in their tyre blankets and the camber angle they must set. These are all individually set and are calculated by Pirelli based on data supplied by the teams. Once out on track, the pressures and temperatures vary with conditions tyre pressures drop as temperature drops, or vice versa and there are no rules to what these must be, mainly because there is no way of policing it. The starting parameters are designed to ensure safe running loads when the race gets underway, but the lower the tyre pressure, the greater the potential grip as long as the compound sits within the right operating temperature window. If there are ways to exploit that, you can be the teams will try. From next year, though, the new tyres will include a standard sensor, which is controlled by the FIA. This will enable them to fully monitor the running pressures at all times, and keep a closer eye on the tyres to potentially warn of imminent failures before they occur.