From Grand Prix Guide news this morning: Dec.3 (GMM) F1 cars could be matched for pace by the single seaters of its support series next year. That is the fear and warning of Enrico Scalabroni, a well-known name in the F1 paddock, having worked as a technical chief at teams including Williams and Ferrari. He set up his own GP2 team last decade, and now thinks the support field of 2014 could match for pace the new-generation, V6 turbo-powered F1 cars. As well as featuring smaller engines, next year's F1 cars will also be heavier, have less downforce due to the significant aerodynamic changes, and probably more conservatively-designed and selected Pirelli tyres. "I hate to be alarmist," Scalabroni is quoted by Spain's El Mundo Deportivo newspaper, "but I would not be surprised if a GP2 car is as fast as a F1 (car). "You only have to make simple calculations to see that this could occur, at least at the beginning of the development phase in F1. "Some (people) are concerned with this possibility," he added.
Cool we got the solution for vanishing F1 teams: fill up the grid with GP2 Nothing new really: they run F2 in the fifties one year to make the grid fuller
Gary Anderson expects the car to be around 4 seconds slower. Not 10-12. They'll have around 10-15% downforce loss (10% is roughly a second) and more or less the same power as we've had, or a bit more, for about 30 seconds a lap. When ERS runs out they'll still have around 620-640hp.
I can't see 10 seconds slower. They weigh about the same but will have much more power than GP2. However, 4 seconds slower is pretty pathetic. So that would make them what, 8 seconds per lap slower than 2004-2005 machines?
Give them a while, and the team engineers will pick up the pace by mid season. As i recall, the 2009 change was supposed to slow down the cars dramatically. So was the V8 engines. Those guys will find a way to claw back the power.
What is the purpose of narrowing the front wing, killing downforce, etc? Do they think it'll make it more competetive? I don't know. To me that's making in it less cutting edge. Set the cars free.
1. Reduce downforce 2. Reduce accidents caused by wide front wings on other cars 3. As a result of 1 and 2 improve the show, reduce costs, improve safety Personally I don't have a problem with it, but I would prefer to see cars get faster overall rather than being turned into GP2 plus cars.
The thing is, ERS usage will be calculated to a very fine degree with regards to where and on what part of the track it will be used, or at least I hope that's what is allowed. Most corners will not require the amount of power and torque that the engine and ERS combined would offer meaning it would not be beneficial to use ERS in many areas. The only tracks where I could possibly see ERS usage actually draining over a lap would be Spa and Monza. The real contest is going to be who will adapt their driving to this much torque and controlling their right foot? I think we're going to be surprised seeing who is quick and who relied on their rear downforce to plant their car so much in the past. I think it's a mistake Pirelli aren't begging for wider tires.
+1 Regarding Spa/Monza...they can regulate it giving x amount of power (bit less) but for longer for the straights. Lets say instead of the full 120hp for 30 seconds, maybe 80 for 40? You catch my drift. You sure you're not working for Mercedes?
I get what you're saying, I Believe the regs state a team is allowed to use a certain amount of millijoules per lap or something to that effect. I have not seen any regulation indicating ERS usage cannot be on a sliding scale ie. it doesn't have to be either 100% on or 100% off with no room in the middle. I haven't seen anything suggesting that at all which is great IMO.
+1 Maybe they are? As to the regs, I believe the whole ERS is 'what it is'. No more pushing a button to release it. It'll either be harvesting it or using it. The great unknown, for now at least, is how the MGU-K will overcome turbo lag - I think it's a great concept. They're also allowed to use direct injection for the first time. There's a few more HP right there. Cheers, Ian
I haven't seen anything in the regs indicating its use has to be 100%. As far as lag and harvesting is concerned, I believe the harvesting unit feeding from the turbo shaft will also be an electric motor thus a new map can be created to spool the turbo until it's sensed that the turbo can proceed on its own once a certain pressure is realized. Soaky possibilities.
That's a great point. Immediately out of slow corners where massive torque isn't necessarily needed is a great example. Or all around Monaco!
Err..................: BBC Sport - Pirelli pushing for wider tyres to be introduced for 2014 season (From 29 July 2013) : Formula 1 cars could use wider tyres next season because supplier Pirelli is concerned the current dimensions will be unsafe. Tyre will be under more stress next year because the new 1.6-litre turbo engines are expected to produce more power and torque than this year's 2.4-litre V8s. Pirelli believes this means it will have to supply tyres with a bigger 'contact patch' with the track, to reduce stress. The company is to decide later this week whether to demand the change. Pirelli has asked for further data from the teams on their projections for performance in 2014 and will make the decision after reviewing it. But it seems highly likely that it will insist on the bigger tyres because current data from the teams suggest the cars will be considerably faster next season than had initially been anticipated and that tyres of current dimensions may struggle to cope....... They may not get them, but they did ask for wider tyres!
I believe it was Mercedes who asked Pirelli, then the Fia were asked by Pirelli and were shot down. Hopefully that changes during the winter. These engines have much more torque and that's going to be even harder on these already ridiculous tires
Pirelli are also looking into trying to reduce the amount of marbles that come from the tyres for next season (From: Pirelli determined to reduce tyre debris marbles in 2014 F1 season - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com ) : Pirelli says it will try to reduce the marbles produced by its tyres in the 2014 Formula 1 season following suggestions from drivers. The Italian manufacturer's tyres, in particular the softer compounds, generated large amounts of marbles during 2013, making going off the racing line to overtake less viable for drivers. "The drivers certainly have commented on it and we can understand it," said Pirelli's motorsport boss Paul Hembery. "So it's something that we are trying to do. "It's one of those things, though. Once you are in a season you can't really do much about it then. "We know that it's clearly wear-related, it's basically tearing of the tyres in some cases, certainly the super-soft and to an extent the softer tyre have not had the strength that we needed. "You can see some races where we had almost no marbles when you are using the hard and medium, certain surfaces where it's low abrasion. So we are working to try and improve that. The general comment from the drivers is 'reduce marbles'." Hembery admitted the challenge of getting rid of marbles is not an easy one, however. "At the moment we're doing a lot of work on scaling and understanding where we are with the different compounds, we wanted to try and improve things like the tear resistance of the compounds, which has a direct impact on marbles which is something we are trying to reduce for next year," he said. "With the increased wheelspin, that has a chance of creating more marbles compared to where we are today, so we have to increase the mechanical strength of the compounds. "If you go too far, then you just end up with more wheelspin because you've got no grip. "That's the balance that will be hard to find because we don't know the real impact of the aero when we start racing. There's also the risk that there are big differences between teams."
