First deliveries to arrive.....Alpha Tauri Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Various team updates recent - https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/experimental-mercedes-front-wing-hints-at-final-f1-update-push/6685997/?nrt=54 Formula 1 / Turkish GP Analysis Experimental Mercedes front wing hints at final F1 update push By: Giorgio Piola Co-author: Matt Somerfield Oct 13, 2021, 6:43 AM The fight between Mercedes and Red Bull in Formula 1 has been as much about car development this year as it has been about wheel-to-wheel battles on track. Image Unavailable, Please Login Early on in the season, Red Bull appeared to be throwing more weight behind aerodynamic upgrades in the opening half of the season than its rival. It was delivering smaller optimisation packages at almost every race, while Mercedes stuck to its usual development path of bring more occasional substantial upgrades. Image Unavailable, Please Login Red Bull RB16 front wing detail Photo by: Giorgio Piola This represented another layer within the tactical battle, not only from a development standpoint but from a psychological point of view too, with Lewis Hamilton making reference to his rival’s unrelenting progress on numerous occasions. Nonetheless, Mercedes stood firm and it appeared that the package of new parts that arrived at the British Grand Prix would be its last major push for 2021. However, eagle-eyed observers have noticed that maybe Mercedes is not settled completely on its 2021 car, with the team having tested a revised front wing at the last two grand prix. It’s not an entirely new front wing design concept, nor would you expect it to be given the challenges posed by the incoming all-new car design that the teams are working on for next season. But it does see the team move towards a direction seen elsewhere, with the inner and outer section of the upper wing elements revised in order to alter their ratio of importance between the two sections. Mercedes W12 front wing comparison Photo by: Giorgio Piola The new design (lower drawing) features a more loaded outer section (left red arrow), including a Gurney flap, whereas the trailing edge of the wing section has been trimmed near the adjuster. This is important when we consider set-up and will likely see the new specification used when Mercedes runs a lighter downforce configuration, given it takes away some of the available downforce, while also promoting more outwash from the static section of the wing. (The section of the wing that’s outboard of the adjuster remains immobile, even when the wing is adjusted). The new specification was tested on Friday during the last two race weekends but has yet to be raced. However, it will undoubtedly feature again when the team arrives at the United States Grand Prix and may be something that the team wants to race for some of the lower downforce events coming up. Wing comparison Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login The Mercedes drivers had to contemplate a different style of race come Sunday, as a consequence of Hamilton’s grid penalty for taking a new ICE into his power unit pool. And, as a result, it ran with different aerodynamic configurations, to help with the task at hand. Contrary to its usual choices, Bottas’ W12 was fitted with a lower downforce rear wing, with the front wing set to match that set-up, whilst Hamilton’s W12 featured a higher downforce arrangement. The larger upper flap size utilised on Hamilton’s car is offset by a much larger central V groove and a deeper taper on the extremities of the flap, reducing some of the drag that would otherwise be generated by the wing. Red Bull also evaluated taking a different aerodynamic configuration for its two drivers, with Sergio Perez tasked with testing a lower downforce version on Friday. The rear wing used by the Mexican was still a spoon-shaped rear wing design but featured less wing within the allowable box region and the more benign endplate design. It did, however, have a Gurney flap on the trailing edge of the upper flap to help balance the car. Having put both options through their paces on Friday, the team made the decision to have both drivers on the higher downforce arrangement for qualifying and the race, which was probably a welcome relief given the weather that followed. Image Unavailable, Please Login Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images Red Bull runs a novel solution when it comes to its cooling outlets beside the driver, with the outlet formed behind the headrest. The rest of the field have either an aperture that is formed further back as the leg of the halo trails into the bodywork, or they have an interchangeable panel with louvres in it. Each of these solutions are used in order to mitigate the aerodynamic impact that the hot air exiting in that region has on the general flow stream, with careful consideration made on the power unit's requirements too. Not for the first time, Red Bull opted to use the outlet on one side of the car, further mitigating the aerodynamic impact, with the left-hand side opened up in Turkey. Image Unavailable, Please Login Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B, on the grid Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images McLaren and Ferrari are also locked in a battle of their own, as just 7.5 points separates them in the hunt for third place in the constructors’ championship. McLaren’s recent 1-2 and overall form in the last few races had seemingly pulled them a little clear, but Ferrari's power unit upgrade will undoubtedly make the SF21 a more serious prospect as we enter the final stages of the season. Ferrari also had to prepare its cars differently in order that its drivers could maximise their performance, with Sainz starting from the back, due to his power unit penalties, whilst it was expected that Leclerc would start much further forward. Ferrari SF21 rear wing end plate detail Photo by: Giorgio Piola In a similar fashion to Mercedes, it opted to put a higher downforce configuration on the car starting further down the field, as Carlos Sainz Jr’s SF21 was fitted with a more conventional higher downforce rear wing. Meanwhile, Leclerc’s car had the lower downforce spoon-shaped rear wing attached, as the team looked to make the car more potent for the straights and sacrifice some performance in the corners. Interestingly, both drivers had also tried the higher downforce arrangement, complete with the double element T-Wing during free practice on Friday. Image Unavailable, Please Login McLaren MCL35M rear wing, Russian GP Photo by: Giorgio Piola McLaren opted to put both of its drivers on a higher downforce arrangement for the Turkish Grand Prix, having had success with it in Russia. However, it quickly concluded it would run without the double T-Wing arrangement, removing it from both cars having tested with it during FP1.
Mercedes explain Lewis Hamilton's engine concerns and won't rule out taking another F1 grid penalty Lewis Hamilton took a new element in his engine and dropped 10 places on the grid at the Turkish GP, Mercedes won't rule out a fifth Power Unit depending on points battle against Max Verstappen; six races to go in 2021, starting with United States GP https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12432324/mercedes-explain-lewis-hamiltons-engine-concerns-and-wont-rule-out-taking-another-f1-grid-penalty
Some of the bumpy areas are being smoothed out on track after MotoGP riders complained the track was too bumpy.
Found this -https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/cota-addressing-bumps-for-f1-race-in-wake-of-motogp-problems/6686144/ F1 race director Michael Masi says he kept in close touch with MotoGP governing body the FIM in order to gather exact information on the areas highlighted by the two-wheeled competitors, in order to ascertain how F1 might be impacted. The circuit was subsequently visited on behalf of the FIA by experienced US racing official Tony Cotman, who has overseen the design of several IndyCar circuits. "I was on the phone to my FIM colleagues all weekend, while they were in Austin, to get a true understanding of the entire situation,” said Masi. “And what we have actually done is that since the 2019 F1 event a large part of the circuit was resurfaced to counter some of the issues that we saw in 2019. “The areas that were raised by the bikes are different areas to those that were resurfaced. And Tony Cotman, who's one of the FIA platinum circuit inspectors, has been out to Austin already during the week, and done a report. "And the circuit doing some changes for us to sort of address some of the concerns." "They'll grind some bumps and so forth. But we've got some time to do it. So they'll do what they can within the timeframe." On F1’s last visit in 2019 drivers had mixed views of the bumps, with some insisting that they added to the challenge.
Just read that today.....good! Can someone post the full weekend schedule? A friend was saying the Race flagged off at 9AM on Sunday and THAT would certainly be a change??!!!! So, a Negative Test within WHAT time frame?? 24 Hours, for the Paddock Club?? Someone google up where that could even be done, in the Austin area.. There's a new CVS in Bastrop IIRC at Hwy 71 and SH21. Or maybe one light east at Tahitian Drive??
- All-New Village Experiences - F1 Fan Zone - New Food & Beverage Offerings - Rides & Attractions - Expanded Infield GA Area Image Unavailable, Please Login
I just know the "Bubba's Wild Game" hotties came thru Ducati Island, and told me to come look for them in Turn 3!!! They were a fixture at the Turn 1 Entry for years, with hot coffee and a sausage wrap, for breakfast! Thanks for the Map. That was my job, handing out the Maps!! I was also trained on the Credentials.....
Helicopters from Downtown?? Always interesting to see who pays that flight, t avoid Elroy Road Traffic!!!
I always used SH183 south from 71, to FM812, to Lot A But after my crash leaving MotoGP in '19, on FM812, I'm afraid I have migrated back to Hwy71 to Kellums, to Elroy Road at the "Back Side" of the Track. The Volunteers and Track Marshalls have to use Lot M, and the RV camping in Lot N is usually a lot of fun people!!! Reporting for work at 6:30AM, it's fairly light!! Heck the Taco Ladies at the Texaco on Del Valle Schools exit are not even going that early! That green exit sign is also missing, from Hwy71, with the Construction Zone up along there.
AMuS Michael Schmidt: "Red Bull has the impression since Silverstone that Mercedes has more power. Of course Red Bull ask the FIA, one request has already failed, now they have another request. Personally, I think they're wrong when they say it's only the engine." Michael Schmidt: "Since the Hungarian GP, I have the feeling that Mercedes has the better package. If you look at the last six races, Mercedes has been better five times. Except for Mexico, I would say all the other tracks are Mercedes tracks at the moment." Image Unavailable, Please Login Can Lewis finish the season with PU4? Schmidt: "If you look at the recent engine situation at Mercedes, it that can never be enough.The fourth engine has to last for seven races now. None of the Mercedes engines have done that so far this year." Image Unavailable, Please Login
There was some Jeep wreck on Hwy71 after MotoGP, the back up was huge! I could "lane split" on the bike but they never got that legalized and it DOES make people mad!! I'm going by The Landing Strip early as those VIP Cards are my "wow moment" for any guest that I cannot resolve their issues. And I have learned some COTA customer have unresolved issues........I send them see Candy Cane,
My brother and I stayed in San Antonio (Lexington Inn) off I-35 in 2012. We got up at 5am all 3 days and made it to the track by 630am. I took I-35 to San Marcos....exited E. Hopkins St (80)...took a right....then took a left on Camino Rd (21) and took it straight into the outer skirts on the East side of Austin. I turned left and came in on the east side of the track.
Hwy 21 is a wonderful "little secret" as It connects 290 (a nicer drive now, from Houston with IH10 torn up for construction from Brookshire all the way the Sealy and Columbus) down to SH71 in Bastrop, and then after a brief transition on SH71 to the west side of Bastrop, it takes off again going south and right in to New Bransfels....so you found a lightly travelled path! I did once get behind some Road Rage BS but other than that one instance, it's smooth sailing!!
Leclerc took the wrong flight and ended up in New York. I don't know how this happened. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
UPDATE: They didn‘t take the wrong flight. They wanted to visit New York first before heading to Texas.
