burn it to the ground!!!
Number of employee's per manufacturer for 2017. •Ferrari: 960+440 •McLaren: 690 •Haas: 225 Image Unavailable, Please Login
Shanghai Circuit 01-26-18......"Oh the weather outside is frightful....." Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Mercedes offers Wehrlein a role as F1 test driver Toto Wolff has confirmed that Pascal Wehrlein will be a Mercedes "test driver" in 2018. Having debuted at Manor, the young German has now lost his race seat after his second season in F1 with Sauber. But Wolff said recently that Wehrlein, 23, will continue to enjoy the backing of the Mercedes driver programme. And the Mercedes chief now tells Sport Bild: "We have supported Pascal since 2013 and he earned his chance in formula one after his DTM victory in 2015." "After that, he experienced two not so easy years in formula one with Manor and Sauber. But we will keep him in our racing family in 2018 and also offer him a role as F1 test driver at Mercedes, to keep his door open to formula one for 2019," Wolff added. (GMM) https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/235434/mercedes-offers-wehrlein-a-role-as-f1-test-driver
Dutch Grand Prix looming in the horizon Charlie Whiting visits Assen TT Circuit as the track chases the Grade 1 licence necessary to host #F1 grand prix.
@Ferrari and Williams, talk about resource mismanagement. Didn't realize Merc and RB had fewer chassis/aero employees than Ferrari or that the gap was proportionally so large. I wonder how many people Honda has for this program.
Surely there will be a % of potential ticket buyers who skip going to a GP simply because they were unable to follow the sport on free TV and lost interest. I doubt that not being able to see F1 on free TV drives more spectators to the face track. In a time where there are more and more sports and unique events fighting over a finite number of eyes, limiting its audience makes F1 a niche sport in decline, by definition. But, I don't know what ownership's true goals or motivation are.
Surely there will be a % of potential ticket buyers who skip going to a GP simply because they were unable to follow the sport on free TV and lost interest. I doubt that not being able to see F1 on free TV drives more spectators to the face track. In a time where there are more and more sports and unique events fighting over a finite number of eyes, limiting its audience makes F1 a niche sport in decline, by definition. As with most things, the more difficult you make it for people to partake, the fewer who will partake. Can F1 increase the fee folks will pay to watch without significantly upping the quality of the races? I doubt it. And when Mercedes drops out, as they surely will, the viewership will decline. And should Ferrari leave, along with restricted availability, F1 will be history. But, I don't know what ownership's true goals or motivation are.
Catalunya done with resurfacing...a couple of days ago. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
JANUARY 29, 2018 F1's Whiting gives thumbs up to Assen track The Netherlands has taken another step towards F1 with a visit to the Assen circuit by race director Charlie Whiting. De Telegraaf newspaper reports that Whiting gave the track a "positive assessment" during his visit, pointing out that new kerbs, barriers and layout tweaks are necessary. And Assen chief Arjan Bos predicted that the changes would cost EUR 2 million at most. "We are not there yet, but it is nice to hear that Whiting is so positive about the circuit, the modern facilities and the state of maintenance," Bos said. "We have always said that we hope to bring the grand prix back to The Netherlands within three years. At the moment I estimate the chance at 50-50," he added. De Telegraaf also reports that as for securing a race promoter for the Dutch grand prix, Assen has received "interest from home and abroad".
JANUARY 30, 2018 Calling Sirotkin pay-driver? Calling Sergey Sirotkin a pay-driver is a "pure lie", is the claim of Boris Rotenberg, the Russian billionaire who is widely credited for being the new Williams driver's financial backer. Rotenberg, the co-founder of SMP Bank, also runs SMP Racing, a driver programme he says is similar to Red Bull's. SMP also has its own sports car prototype, the BR1, and Rotenberg admitted entering a team in F1 one day is "a dream". "I've always said that we do not strive for formula one because it is a very political story and it doesn't work if support from various sides is lacking," he told the Russian publication Fontanka. For now, Rotenberg says he is happy to have got Sirotkin all the way to the F1 grid. He defends the 22-year-old amid revelations he brings a reported EUR 20 million to the Williams seat. "He was faster than Kubica," Rotenberg insisted. "That is for those people who say he (Sirotkin) bought a place for himself. That is a pure lie. "The boy has been working for this for five years since he joined the programme. Finance cannot play the decisive role." Rotenberg admits that SMP Racing is paying Williams, but he insists it will "go to the development of the car". "Naturally there are costs. Motor sport is not cheap. It is not a toy for me to amuse myself," he said. Sirotkin was Renault's reserve driver last year, and so one might think Rotenberg would prefer the rookie had been promoted to race driver with the French works team. "No," he insists. "Williams is a historically more important team. It is more focused on the result." Rotenberg also denied that the presence at Williams of Lance Stroll, whose billionaire father Lawrence is an influential figure, might complicate the task for Sirotkin. "I don't think so," he answered. "It is clear that although they are one team, on the track it is every man for himself. "I have told him (Sirotkin) that every race should be regarded as his last, even if we will be there helping to make the Williams car go faster," said Rotenberg.
Alonso's busy 2018 schedule....now that he will drive for Toyota at the 24 heurs du Mans Image Unavailable, Please Login
Not a good idea at all. From 4:00 PM onwards there is a low sun angle causing glare and lots of lengthening shadows play tricks on a Drivers eyes, as well as the risk of hiding track debris. JANUARY 30, 2018 Liberty wants to change GP start time The start time of Grands Prix could be set to change, according to France's Auto Hebdo. The report claims that, following a recent meeting between Liberty Media and the sport's broadcasters, "several ideas were tabled including a change to the race starting time". For years, European races have begun at 2pm, but now a postponement until 3.10 is proposed "in order to attract more viewers". Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport explains further that the later start time would "meet the commercial needs of TV and assist the American public who are disadvantaged by the (existing) start time". The report explained that practice and qualifying times would also be correspondingly moved. As for the odd 3.10pm proposed start time, Gazzetta explained: "This is to meet the demands of some broadcasters for commercial purposes and an American public accustomed to the transmission of commercials before the start". The report said the start time for night races like Singapore, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi would not be affected, while the French GP this year could take place at 4.10pm to avoid a clash with a key World Cup football match. Image Unavailable, Please Login
tech tip Via ECU control, the electro-magnetic moves proportionally to open the valve to send high pressure hydraulic fluid to the actuators on the car's; gear shift, clutch, reverse gear, differential, throttles, wastegate, DRS and steering via Craig Scarborough. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
JANUARY 30, 2018 Pirelli concerned about new Barcelona surface Pirelli is reportedly concerned that a new track surface in Barcelona could make pre-season F1 testing a challenge next month. Just a month before F1's only winter testing at the Spanish venue takes place, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week announced that a full resurfacing is "underway". Italy's Autosprint reports that sole F1 tyre supplier Pirelli has subsequently dispatched engineers to Barcelona to "re-examine the characteristics" of the new surface. The report claims Barcelona has informed Pirelli that the surface is similar to the old one, but that the bedding-in process of new bitumen can be problematic. Only Red Bull and Haas are now yet to announce officially that their cars will be launched prior to the start of Barcelona testing next month.
Latest BBC article on what Liberty face for this new season - https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/42862496 Formula 1 2018 season preview: How will new owners Liberty Media change F1?
JANUARY 31, 2018 Lowe defends Williams 2018 driver line up Paddy Lowe says Williams' 2018 driver line up is an "investment" rather than a "gamble". The British team has been criticised for choosing the well-sponsored Russian rookie Sergey Sirotkin instead of Robert Kubica. He will be paired with the regularly-criticised Lance Stroll, who is also often referred to as a 'pay driver'. Their combined age is 41, making it easiest the youngest driver line up on the F1 grid. Defending the decision to sign Sirotkin, who is backed by the Russian banking billionaire Boris Rotenberg, Williams technical boss and shareholder Paddy Lowe said: "We chose him as the best driver available to us. "We are sure that he will be very fast, consistent and calm in his work," Lowe told Russia's Sportbox. As for whether Sirotkin-Stroll really is the best possible Williams driver combination, Lowe responded: "I would not compare it to gambling. "We understand that there are some disadvantages, but at the same time we're making an investment. "A young driver is an investment in a long-term future and a long-term success that can come to the driver and the team. We prefer to see a rising star in Sergey and hope to work with him for long-term and joint success," he added.
Difficult to defend a financial move as anything else. Its not even smart. The team for all intents is broke. I expect not much from Stroll and who knows what to expect from the new driver. Either way Williams are not much of a team....
JANUARY 31, 2018 Barcelona working to finish resurfacing Operators of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya are rushing to get the track back up and running after a full re-surfacing. A report this week detailed that Pirelli is concerned that the new track surface could be problematic for F1's forthcoming winter test season at the Spanish venue. Now, Spain's Diario AS reports that the Barcelona track has vowed to finish the work by Friday, with cars to exit the pitlane in anger by the weekend. "The sooner you start to put rubber down, the more grip there will be for the start of F1 pre-season testing on February 26," the report said. Diario Sport said the "final touches are being made" now, ahead of a two-day GT race weekend. "Everything that affects the track has to be finished because we have to be operational," confirmed Carlos Fradera, who is responsible for circuit maintenance. The report said it is Barcelona's third full resurfacing since 1991.
In other F1 news not related to standing on the grid - something a touch more relevant - http://www.planetf1.com/news/the-key-drivers-under-pressure-in-2018/ Some folks who need to have a good year or else!
