Link to live testing...Autosport

I had a feeling this would happen when they let go of Costa. He is one of the finest ever. I don't think this will be the year for Ferrari, and I have a feeling they just lost their third place slot to Mercedes.


F2012 was still slow in the corners today and Nando was having to fight the beast, a lot.


On another note, Vettel looked fantastic in the Bull today. Very very smooth through turns 4 and 5.

per Vettel:

"This morning was pretty chilly and quite slippery," he said. "It's been two months not inside the car and it takes a couple of laps just to get back in the rhythm. The car feels fine.

"Obviously it's more or less what we expected. There is quite a big loss in grip because of the change in regulations but you get used to it fairly quickly. So far I think we can be quite happy. We had a couple of issues that stopped us for a little while, but it's normal."

 

I heard he designed the diffuser and offered some ideas and that was really all.

 

I can't remember if it was Pat Fry or Newey who said "there are no ugly cars, just fast or slow ones..."

Maybe it was Nick who said that...

I thought that Rory's been scuba diving off the coast of Thailand for the last several years.

 

The roll center is completely determined by the angles on the suspension arms and have nothing to do with how spring and dampeners are attached to the hubs.

 

+1 on the F2012 observations. No fun to drive, can't build confidence that allows either Nando or FM to be truly committed, hence fast.

On Vettel, his comments are ominous...

 

Indeed.

I want to say it was Colin who said that first (?)

Apparently, he opened a complete dive store there. However, there were "consistent rumours" (BS?) that he was somehow involved with the design of this thing. Probably started by us in the peanut gallery of course.....

Cheers,
Ian

 

Right, but in this unconventional pullrod arrangement the shallow rod angle IMO is causing their roll center to 'feel' falsely high because it's not giving a lot of room for error in the setup. A pullrod arrangement may itself have a little lower CoG but pushrod allows for finer tuning. Minardi and Arrows were the last teams to do this on the front end.


At conventional pushrod angles vs very this unconventional pullrod angle when each is setup for maximum rocker rotation, the push rod version could produce over 3 times more rocker rotation. I believe this would made pull rod difficult to get right.

 

Pat's tone is not one of hopelessness. It is one of urgency. The Scuderia might do just do well this season. I do believe a true knowledge of the F2012's performance abilities will not be known until a few races into the season.

 

This is what I tried to post yesterday.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VHQ_E0DD7E[/ame]

 

And...
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt_EmJuF73o&feature=related[/ame]

 

great pic of the f-duct
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I call it the fear of being unemployed.....lol

 

F92 review:

In an attempt to become competitive again, Ferrari set out to design a completely new car for 1992. Dubbed F92 A, the new racer was quite a departure from the previous seasons' cars. With a unique double floor, designer Steve Nichols tried to create ground effects without breaking the flat bottom regulations. Like many ideas, it looked much better on the drawing board than on the track. Halfway through the season a transverse gearbox was introduced in the updated F92 AT. Like in the 1970s, the suffix referred to the gearbox, but this time it did not bring success like it had in the past. Two third place finishes were the best results in a hopeless season for the Italian team.

Completely new car-radical departure?? History repeats itself....this car doesn't have the looks and may not have the personality either...PLEASE LET ME BE WRONG...

 

LOL

I've been saying forever now that Ferrari needs to step off that paradigm of chopping heads once something goes awry with a new design. This may have taken Ferrari back to the stone age.... I hope for their sake not though.

 

There is conjecture about that Mclaren is trying to (or successfully) deflect exhuast to the floor to seal the diffuser. With this length of airfoil it is possible but I believe this type of arrangement would be more trouble than it's worth.
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Sounds like a couple of the teams are running last years car, is that right? I thought I heard EBD from more than just Mercedes.

 

I thought I heard it too, but as far as I know HRT and Benz are the only teams running last year's ride.

Ferraripilot what are you thoughts on Mercedes setting these quick lap times with last years car? Is this just because last years cars were simply faster or could it be that the "f duct" and mercury suspension are fitted and helping it immensely? Also, are you sure that is a f duct? I thought I've seen lots of holes in the car noses over the years.

Does anyone know what it costs to go to these test sessions or where to get tickets? Seems like I great opportunity to see the cars up close in many different spots and possibly run into a driver or two.

 

Just two teams. HRT and Mercedes have 2011 cars out.

Mercedes W02 is a very developed and understood car and that is the reason for their lap times. However, it has been confirmed that neither Nico nor Schu have gone out on empty qualifying tank runs yet they were still able to get into the mid 1:17s, so we know they are benefiting from at least one new system out there. It's been conjectured that the RB could make a mid to high 1:16 run out there in the last spec of '11.

Understand that Mercedes never got much benefit from the EBD, not even half what Red Bull and Mclaren yielded from the system which is primarily down to the very short wheelbase and fat sidepod design of W02. I believe Mercedes front wing f-duct has given them a couple tenths, and they are fooling with their mercury system as well.

My guess is W03 will be a slimmed down and slightly stretched version of W02. I know the wheelbase will be longer as Mercedes have confirmed it indeed is. WIth W02 sidepods being what they are (terrible), I can't imagine W03 would NOT be within similar lap times or very close laptimes to a W02 with the EBD. So in other words, W02 with the EBD is not a huge deal compared to W03.


What I'm very curious about now is if Mercedes are going to have a low Mclaren type nose yet very thin and wide to maintain cross section or if they will have the ugly nose we have all come to love and adore. Regardless, I believe the gloves have come off at Mercedes and if they're not the quickest car by the end of this year I'm sure W04 will be.

 

I'd love to see it. Have Michael get a car he can actually work with. Any idea when the teaser will be released?

 

I heard it will be after testing. Possibly tomorrow

 

Can't wait to see what it looks like. I actually think using last year's car to gather data was a pretty good idea, my only concern is reliability of the new car. I'm hoping the car is fast since it's probably Michael's last shot.

 

Reportedly Nico Hulkenberg has been quoted as saying the Lotus is a "rocket"

 

Red Bull has gained a new slot in the front of the car:

https://twitter.com/#!/Khan_F1/status/167704323424399361/photo/1