***SPOILERS*** 2013 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX Practice 1/2/3

W04 is running even more rear ride height than I've ever seen. They look like Red Bull in that regard. New double vanes under the nose. Larger rear cooling exit for Malaysia. They are experiencing some graining here which tells me they have a bit of wheels spin and still perhaps not enough heat in the tires.
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If Ferrari can keep their tires together here they will win this race. Alonso finished just 12 seconds behind Kimi on a 3 stopper.

 

E21 has a new diffuser with a full-length perforated gurney atop and no gurny on the sides.

Red Bull are running a double perforated gurney like F138 now.
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Ferrari definitely do seem to have a good chance. Kimi isn't the best qualifier so I'd be shocked if he starts on pole. Top 5 is more likely. I really hope the red bull is as hard on its tires as is appears in the heat, as I've grown tired of their dominance. Vettel is also the first person to whine and complain when things get tough.

I don't care if massa has faster practice times. When it comes to crunch time alonso is the most likely to overdrive the machine and perform.

 

An Alonso vs Kimi battle would make for a fantastic season.

 

it did in 2005.

 

Kimi will win if the Lotus is easy on its tires, regardless of where he starts, because he's a racer, just like Fred. Championships are won on Sunday.

 

The point that many are missing in giving the first four races to Kimi. Ferrari's strategy was built around beating Vettel and RBR in Australia. It felt like they pitted for tires when Vettel did, even though their cars were still turning fast times. I'm certain their strategy now will focus on Kimi at the front, as his car has the speed and tire wear advantage to beat RBR.

I think the battle at this point in the season is between Lotus and Ferrari. I will never count out Newey and the Bulls, but they won't get a fix at least until after race #4.

 

You mean the slot I've highlighted below?

If so, that's no Gurney, I believe that's their current attempt at duplicating something of the double diffuser.

Cheers,
Ian
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I cannot make any predictions regarding other teams tire wear other than simply state that Lotus have the advantage. Force India was questionable regarding tires as they were very much hot and cold depending on the compound, they literally destroyed their supersofts after just 3-4 laps. This tells me not everyone had appropriate heat, either too much or too little, and the teams who did have appropriate heat are being heralded as tire gods. I do not believe we know who can do what with their tires yet.

What we learned in Australia was that Mercedes can hold the supersofts together better than any other team as they went 13 laps and ended their stint with a 1:33 which was two seconds quicker than any team had after just 7 laps on their supersofts. For some reason though, the Merc was slow for the first 8 or so laps with them, no idea why but I suspect heat (too little)


Lotus kept the medium compound tire together better and more consistent than anyone throughout most of the race, followed by Ferrari and followed by Force India (note: both Ferrari and Force India ate their super softs). Red Bull and Mercedes final stint on the medium compounds were their quickest stints of the race as both were lapping quicker than anyone, both held their mediums together very very well at the end stint.


So, we simply learned everyone puts heat in their tires at a different level which is dependant on their fuel load, suspension geometry, and track temps. Lotus seem to be the only ones who somewhat understand their car whilst everyone else is quite literally hot or cold depending on the tires and their fuel load. It's maddening that F1 has come down to this, I just have a laugh about it as I suppose it does make more of a spectacle.

 

It cannot be a diffuser because it's not extracting any air from below the car. The only activity that tab takes part in is stalling the low pressure air above the diffuser thus allowing the diffuser to operate more efficiently and partially helping their exhaust gases getting sucked into that area as well.


Ferrari and now Red Bull have a double tab. My gosh that sounds like an 80s drink commercial (Tab) doesn't it.

 

Now, what Mercedes and more recently Ferrari have done is in fact make a mini DDD just beyond the starter motor hole. Ferrari and Mercedes have a duct which reaches downward just after the starter hole which provides a small amount more diffuser area. It's not much but it's something. Mercedes have an actual duct for theirs whereas Ferrari simply exit the flow above the diffuser and onto their double gurney tab.
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I do believe Merc got a grip on their tires in FP2, as the times reflect much better degradation compared to FP1.


practice 1

9 1:45.314
10 1:43.294
11 1:42.737
12 1:43.047
13 1:43.503
14 1:43.399
15 1:44.425
16 1:44.941
17 1:48.355


practic 2

1 14:02:33
2 1:44.164
3 1:42.622
4 1:43.619
5 1:43.441
6 1:43.389
7 1:43.167
8 1:42.894
9 1:43.047
10 1:42.947
11 1:44.068
12 1:43.653
13 1:43.800
14 1:45.886
15 1:45.366

 

We'll beg to differ here. I can't find it now (Scarbs maybe?) but it's very definitely a "slot". I don't recall where it gets it's "input" air, but I'm sure there's air coming out of it - Otherwise it wouldn't be there...... If the air coming out is fast enough (and it's a small slot, so it will accelerate) it will help "pull" the air from under the car.

I've highlighted the same slot on the Ferrari......

Cheers,
Ian
PS - Tried searching Scarbs site, and that's always an (interesting!) black hole......
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Nah, highly speculative. FP2 folks were in a frantic panic to get in some high-fuel load ie longer runs before the rain arrived.

 

I think they did, and the numbers show their degradation is at least better than it was in FP2. Red Bull's were better too.

 

interesting stat i heard last night is that kimi is the only champion to win when starting lower than 5th in any race (or something along those lines). He has a higher percentage of wins when starting farther back then when from pole.

 

I find this area of the Lotus very, very interesting:
http://i.imgur.com/QrMamvH.jpg

Note the squarish hole up front and vertical beam. I wonder where/how they are channeling the air to?

And look at that additional slot spoiler peaking out on the edge of the floor (furthest left)...very curious what aero benefit it brings or whether it's there to minimize the wash through cornering & turns.

And look at how different their exhaust ramp is from Melbourne...really good stuff by Lotus here. Who said a small team can't develop?! Bullocks!
http://i72.servimg.com/u/f72/14/79/55/26/_79p2610.jpg

 

Now you mention it, I too have watched Sky Sports in 'mainland' Europe. I guess it's down to the satellite footprints whether you can receive it.

When do you move back?.......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Lotus are on a different level this year. Here we are at the second race and they've already update the diffuser and the tunnel/exhaust exit sections essentially shortening the tunnel but raising the rearmost portion of the sidepod to accomodate flow into the tunnel under the exhaust. nicely done, anyone else completley surprised by this as I am? I suspect Genni $$ ??

The slot gap at the edge of the floor near the vertical element, no one is sure what it's for yet to my knowledge It's been discussed a bit on technical boards a bit though.