Austrian (Spielberg) GP 2019 - Pre-Race news

Huh?

+1 Mclaren continues to improve despite its current "GP2" engine.

 

+1
All teams tested the tires in Yas Marina last year. Tires are not Ferrari issue. Symptom of flawed aero concept they have waited too long to fix or the fixes are not working it seems.

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/144387/f1-plans-more-bollard-lanes-at-tracks

The FIA is ready to roll out more bespoke bollard lanes in Formula 1 runoff areas this year in its push to clamp down harder on drivers abusing track limits.

Amid a growing debate about how to deter drivers from cutting corners, the FIA trialled more extensive use of lanes that directed cars around bollards at last weekend's French Grand Prix in a bid to slow down anyone who had gone off the circuit.

The layout of the bollard lane at the Turn 3/4/5 caused some controversy when Sergio Perez was handed a penalty for gaining an advantage there, despite having followed the lane when he ran off the track on the opening lap.

But F1 race director Michael Masi (pictured below) said that the plan now was to use the bollard solution at more tracks, following a request from the drivers.

Asked by Autosport if it was likely the FIA would roll out the use of bollard lanes at more venues, Masi said: "On a case by case basis absolutely. It is something, to be quite honest, that the drivers have asked for.

"Following a discussion that we had in Canada at the drivers' meeting, we got here [to France] and there was a lot of run off out there, so it was prime situation and prime set of circumstances to actually try it.

"The one at Turn 2 from what I saw in F2 and F3 for the race starts, it actually seemed to work quite effectively in actually achieving the goal.

"The one at Turn 5 was probably not as effective as we would like from a rejoining end, but it certainly worked quite well. Generally it is one of those that, for the hot stops, we will continue to try."

With Perez suggesting that it was unfair that he was not considered to have lost enough time even having used the bollard lane, Masi said the FIA will look at what lessons can be learned about specific layouts.

"It is not an exact science, it is trial and error," he added.

"I think it has certainly improved the rejoin from a safety perspective, and given the drivers some better vision following some feedback that we had from them here.

"It is certainly something that we will review and is part of the constant improvement."

 

Bollard bollocks. Thank goodness the FIA is focusing on the critical issues facing F1.

 

But testing them when the season is over and the concept for next years' car is fixed is like taking a leap of faith. Pirelli should have their **** together with enough time in advance.

Also, as Mario Isola himself admitted, they've failed in their target of broadening the range of working temperatures. That not only ****s the championship, as then the tyres will only work in a few cars (and unfortunately the Mercedes is one of them) but also prevents the drivers from pushing for the whole race.

Pirelli has done a lot of harm to F1 these years, more than Mercedes probably.

 

Yes. Next up is the new podium champagne contract lol

 

Limiting testing is the source of the problem?? New front wing concept also implemented enhanced tire issue??

 

Alright then, if it's no problem why not have the 2018 tyres back on?

 

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Feelings in the paddock.

 

That new champagne contract will fix it lol

 

For everything in life, with more practice the probability of getting it wrong is smaller.

But at this point and after so many cock ups, one should expect that Pirelli's incompetence should be smaller too.

 

The teams all complained about blister. Pirelli makes tire resistant to this and people are depressed lol. Must be F1

 

Another tire firm could make the same mistake

 

Bridgestone latest years were not great either. They meddled with the result of the championship bringing always the hardest tyres. The Ferraris were gentle on the tyres while Red Bull chewed them, so the harder tyres were a fix for their weak point. At some races Bridgestone were too far and the tyres were so hard that could last the whole race, triggering the problems that Pirelli had later when they were asked to make tyres that didn't last too much.

Anyway, I think that neither FIA nor Pirelli are paying enough attention to these issues: bad tyres can waste a full season, no matter what set of aero or engine rules you have.

 

I didn't see all teams complaining.

 

MB and Red Bull complained and changes were made to suit their blistering issues. Tires were changed for Spain 2018 resulting in a MB 1-2.

Pirelli can redeem itself by completely changing the tires ASAP and allowing teams a solid week of testing tires, engines etc. i still say that several test days and improvements that they generate will close the gap and liberty media better insist on it sooner rather than later. The sport is a joke now.

If it isn’t possibile to do it this year then do it next year and have 2 weeks of preseason testing instead of a useless 4 days. Computer simulations can’t replace real testing.

 

2 out of 10 teams then...


I don't think a handful of test days will solve this problem. Mercedes has been struggling with tyre temperature for a few years, using extreme measures to control temperature (drilling holes in the rims), Mercedes is the most organized team with the most staff (by a significant margin), if they can't do it, what hope do the rest have?

A solution to Mercedes problem was of course to trim out the downforce, but of course that makes the car on par with Ferrari/Red bull and they can't have that....

It was easier to get these Mercedes spec tyres approved instead, maintain their advantage and bag another couple of titles.

Last year the tyres where changed because 1 (maybe 2) teams insisted. Now that we have a lot more teams moaning, why can't the same be done?

PS isn't it funny now that there's more pressure on this tyre argument that Lewis suddenly is stressing how hard a time they're having on these tyres? i.e. if they return to the other tyres, Mercedes will really have a bad time, so better not eh?

 

Better not spell Nesh’s name wrong eh? Oooooh dear, bet he had a great time at school, ole ‘nesh ****ty trousers’ as we’d have teased him.

 

What's the weather forecast? Maybe we'll get lucky and see some knobby tires on the cars. Might add a little excitement.

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/144382/ferrari-to-bring-more-f1-developments-to-austria

Ferrari will bring more developments to the Austrian Grand Prix in a bid to get more answers about its Formula 1 car's performance, after previous upgrades under-delivered.

The team had a raft of updated parts at last weekend's French Grand Prix but the new floor was removed after practice.

It persevered with a new front and rear wing, and new brake ducts, as it continues to try to close the gap to dominant championship leader Mercedes, and Ferrari has more development work planned for this weekend at the Red Bull Ring.

Team principal Mattia Binotto admitted after the Paul Ricard race: "I don't think we got all the answers from this weekend.

"The floor not working properly is a lack of answers. We will work on that one.
"We'll have some test items again in Austria to try to understand, and we will only understand fully when all the parts work as expected."

Ferrari has "various" parts to evaluate although the focus is mainly on why its updates in France did not work as expected.

 

in addition to the new Bollard Lanes they plan to divide the track into 4 Procession Lanes..bit like Scalextric.

Lane 1 for Mercedes/Ferrari/Red Bull (Very fast) Speed Limit 320 KPH
Lane 2 for McLaren/Racing Point/Renault (Fastish) Speed Limit 300 KPH
Lane 3 for Hass/Toro Rosso/Alfa Romeo (Sloooooww) Speed Limit 280 KPH
Lane 4 for Williams (F2) Speed Limit 200 KPH

Rules
1 No overtaking
2 See rule 1
3 Drivers must finish in the order of starting
4 Drivers must stay in their lane
4 Any driver disobeying the Rules will be moved into Lane 4 for ever.