Melbourne (Oz) 2019 - Pre-Race news

Joe, great pics, as always!

 

Mercedes’ copy of Ferrari’s wing
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So, we know for sure Ferrari nailed the concept on the front wing, also it's probably no hard to change teh front wing concept without having to revise the whole car!

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/142097/mercedes-made-improvements-already-since-test

Valtteri Bottas believes Mercedes has already made improvements to its 2019 Formula 1 car after declaring Ferrari to be the pre-season favouriteduring testing.

Mercedes introduced a major aerodynamic upgrade for the second week of testing at Barcelona but Bottas and world champion Lewis Hamilton felt the team still lagged behind Ferrari.

Hamilton said there were "no upgrades" for Mercedes for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix but both drivers said progress has been made in other ways.

"After two weeks of testing, the amount of data you have to analyse, to try to learn and improve is a lot," said Bottas.

"So it's been a very useful two weeks.

"As a team we have learned a lot about the package we had in testing, and how we can optimise it better for the first race.

"We have made improvements already, even though we haven't driven a single lap since testing.

"I'm confident we can be in a better shape.

"I'm sure every team has learned since testing, but it's only guessing at the minute."

Bottas said Mercedes faced a "big development race" until the end of the season and Hamilton reiterated his belief in testing that Ferrari is ahead.

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/142096/how-australian-gp-will-be-run-after-whiting-death

The FIA has identified how it will fill three mandatory senior officiating roles in the Formula 1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, following the shock death of Charlie Whiting.

F1's sporting regulations require the FIA to nominate a race director and permanent starter for each grand prix, both of which must be present at the start of the event, and a safety delegate.

With Whiting due to hold all three positions prior to his passing on the eve of the grand prix weekend, the governing body has had to reorganise its set-up.

It has named Michael Masi, one of two deputy race directors, in all three positions.

Masi is a former Supercars official who worked as Whiting's deputy at several grands prix last year.

As well as continuing that arrangement for 2019, alongside fellow deputy Scot Elkins, Masi accepted the role of Formula 2 and Formula 3 race director for this season.

Masi's assumption of the race director duties places him in charge of the officials and the management of the Australian GP.

This includes deciding whether to suspend any of the sessions, controlling the use of the safety car, and referring incidents to the stewards.

As permanent starter, he will be responsible for controlling the lights that signal the start of the grand prix.

His safety delegate duties include having final say on all safety matters, from changing the pitlane speed limit to ensuring car, driver and circuit safety regulations are adhered to.

Whiting would have completed other elements of that role, including extensive pre-weekend circuit checks, before his death.

Shuffling Masi into the main race director role for the weekend means his responsibilities as deputy race director will need to be covered, but how this will be done has not been communicated by the FIA.

Those duties include being in charge of race control for the grid, formation lap, start and opening laps - including making calls on red flags and safety cars during this period - while the race director starts the grand prix.

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Haas team principal Gunther Steiner urged teams to make sure they help the FIA as much as possible with its interim measures.

He said they needed to "cause as little trouble as possible".

"We are here to make it happen for the people that need to step in, because these are big shoes that need to be filled," said Steiner.

 

It’s pretty similar. Remember you’re looking at Mercedes’ one from behind it
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Very different from their original one

 

Where's Wall...Grojean?

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Mercedes have two different wings in Melbourne, the one you described from the last week of testing and a new Ferrari style one they’re going to evaluate.

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-copiato-il-concetto-aerodinamico-ferrari-dell-ala-anteriore/4352255/

 

expect Merc to push all weekend to evaluate their new aero package, this should be interesting......

 

Saw the post earlier re Mercedes getting a second from new aero package. I don't doubt they were sandbagging in testing some, but a second from an update seems insane when a lot of them are barely with a tenth or two.

 

Testing that front wing on the Merc is going to be tough. I expect they will have a test rig on the car to see where that type of wing is moving the air. Many other changes will have to occur to optimize that wing design if they see tangible benefit in doing so, which in-turn gives Ferrari an even better advantage.

 

Great pics Joe!

 

Joe, thank you so much for sharing such detailed pictures.

Ferrari's and Alfa's wings are so much different from the rest of the field. Apparently it directions the air around the front tire instead of the usual above the tire?

Interesting that part of the field still doesn't use the new rim concept introduced by Mercedes (?) last year and already adopted by McLaren, Williams and Red Bull. Does it mean only these brands have rear tire heating problems?

Also, interesting Red Bull wing mirrors. I thought this kind of aerodynamic concept wasn't allowed?

Looking forward for this weekend!