the TR team has developed a new tire change process that may save 20-30 secs per stop. they have perfected the technique of getting the old ones off but they still are working on the process of fitting the new ones. see china practice for example. check back later for updates
+1 Right now, I think it's a "concern" rather than a full on "panic" however. I reckon they'll all break at some point..... Cheers, Ian
Amazing close-ups of the damaged parts from Buemi's car. You can see in the first shot that the wheel tethers are still attached to the tub, but at the other end is a chunk of the upright they attach to. >8^) ER Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Interesting pics. Amazing the team didn't get the car and offending parts covered up before returning to the paddock. Should we be getting the impression somehow that we'll be seeing more of this type of incident happening due to the testing ban and teams putting their new untested bits on the cars on a race by race basis? Seems like a good enough excuse to overturn the ban. RM
On BBC they were quoted as saying that the parts that failed were zero mile parts, implying that it was a manufacturing or material defect. Since it is customary to install zero mile parts on the car prior to the race, I'm not sure that testing would have revealed the problem. That said, the testing ban is the most idiotic rule going in F1 (with the engine limit rule a close second, and no engine development third). How are teams supposed to change the status quo if there is no testing? Why would you waste your time trying to improve the car if all you can do is (effectively) test for 1 hour on Fridays only, while you let the 3rd driver have seat time, the same driver who NEVER drives the car in races?
Not to me. It seems like a component failure, which should have been caught in component testing, for which there is no ban AFAIK. uh, or a design defect. I'm sure that they understand the loads that go into the uprights and do component testing to verify strength. If not, I'm sure they will start.
