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[Rad-oh-yeah?]

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

The Mercedes Formula 1 team has been running a new rear light arrangement in the post-Spanish Grand Prix test, as per request from the FIA.

Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes W09 has carried a strip of red lights mounted in each rear wing endplate during the morning session of the opening test day.

The strips are being trialled as a possible solution for improving visibility in heavy spray conditions, although sunny weather in Spain meant that the test could only really prove the functionality of the device.

[/13/Ален Шмит/]

Ja o tim svetlima trubim još od kad je KERS/ERS postao sastavni deo bolida. Prosto je umobol koristiti jedno led svetlo za obe radnje (hranjenje KERS/ERS i kišno svetlo). Na više društvenih mreža pre par godina sam trubio i o korišćenju plavih LED dioda uz crvene ali to bi samo zakomplikovalo/zbunilo stvari.

 

Prosto me čudi da se Gutijerezov/Alonsov udes u Australiji 2016. nije dogodio u kišnim uslovima. Ili je to samo katastrofa koja čeka da se desi.

[/13/Ален Шмит/]

Bili Monger odvozio F1 bolid danas! U pitanju je Zauber C30 iz 2012

 

[alberto.ascari]

Navodno je Kime sam odlučio da završi karijeru na kraju sezone i zato Marchionne povlači Leclerca iz Saubera.

Piše italijanska štampa.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

2021 regulations in danger of being watered down - Horner


Image by Hone/LAT

By: RACER Staff | 4 hours ago


Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes the 2021 Formula 1 regulations are being watered down due to disagreements between the FIA and Liberty Media.

One of Liberty’s main focuses since completing its takeover of the sport at the start of 2017 has been a blueprint for 2021 onward, with the current bilateral agreements ending at the same time as the current power unit regulations. While new engine rules were outlined last October by both the FIA and F1 itself — and are set to be signed off imminently — Horner believes the general direction of the sport has become less clear as compromises between stakeholders are sought.

“I think what’s by far Liberty’s biggest challenge is how to address the future, how to address 2021,” Horner said. “I think the problem, and the risks that I see, is if the FIA and the promoter aren’t fully aligned, we end up with compromises and vanilla-type regulations.

“I think there needs to be a real clarity going forward as to what the sport is going to be, what are the regulations going to be, that both parties ultimately have to buy into? Liberty have paid $8 billion for this sport. They’ve got to turn it into something that’s even more attractive. That’s fantastic racing, obviously there are cost issues, there’s revenue issues that need dealing with.

“The FIA, obviously as the governing body, they’ve got to be fully-aligned with that, and what concerns us is discussions of where things are going with engines, where things are going with chassis regulations.

“Everything seems to be getting watered down somewhat from what the initial concept is. So, I think the next 500 days are going to be very telling for life, post-2020.”

Horner was responding to a question about Liberty’s tenure so far, and praised a number of the fan-focused changes that have been made. However, Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost did not share Horner’s concerns, saying he is backing what the sport’s owners are proposing.

“I can only see positive aspects from them,” Tost said. “And I’m also convinced that they are going in the right direction for the future of the sport, because it’s important that Formula 1 will be changed, from the cost side and what they want to do is absolutely the right thing, to come down with the costs.

“Whether it’s a cost cap or whether it’s regulated by the sporting and technical regulations is another question. Then, to distribute the money in a fair way, not that some teams get everything and others nearly nothing.

“They will come up with a new technical regulation for the chassis as well of from the engine side – I think from the engine side should be finished soon, and they will also change the sporting regulation and, so far, all the topics which are being discussed are going in the right direction.

“They brought in a new attitude for the media, they’re concentrating on the social medias are being preferred more and I think all of these aspects together are important, that Formula 1 will go in the right direction. Because what we need is not a two-class society like we have now: three teams and the rest of the world.

“No, it needs ten teams that are close together. Or at least four or five teams are fighting for the championship, fighting for race wins, and this must be the goal, otherwise Formula 1 is not interesting in the future. I think Liberty Media understood this and they are going in the right direction. I can only support them.”

–Chris Medland

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Organizers of the Formula 1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix have moved the date of the 2019 race up a week earlier to March 14-17 – pending approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

Should Fernando Alonso choose to remain in F1 in 2019, the move might create a conflict with the World Endurance Championship’s new Sebring event. He is still weighing whether to remain or lead the team’s expected IndyCar entry.

Even organizers point to a busy month of events in Melbourne, with their Moomba Festival, grand prix and Australian Football League season opener on three consecutive weekends.

“To announce the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2019 date more than eight months out from the event is fantastic news and we hope this will encourage overseas and interstate visitors to plan for a lengthy visit to Melbourne and Victoria,” said Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO, Andrew Westacott.

“We are immensely proud of the four-day spectacle Melbourne puts on and honored to raise the curtain on one of the world’s most prestigious annual championships.

“The start of an F1 season, our Aussie superstar Daniel Ricciardo, a Supercars Championship round and so much off-track action – it’s a must-attend event in 2019!”

The Australian Grand Prix has been held on the final weekend of March for the past two years, concurrent with the AFL opening event.

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Formula 1 could offer points to the top 20 finishers under new plans being considered by the Strategy Group.

Force India co-owner Vijay Mallya said the group’s meeting on Wednesday included a discussion on extending points to 15th or 20th position.

“They’re considering whether the points system should go all the way down to 20th place, [meaning] every car scores a point if they finished the race,” Mallya told media including RaceFans at Silverstone. “The bottom starts with one point and goes up.”

“Or whether 10th should be extended down to 15th.”

Formula One’s points system has been overhauled many times since the championship began in 1950. Originally, only the top five drivers scored points, a win was worth eight points, and a point was awarded for setting the fastest lap during a race.

Since the most recent change, introduced in 2010, points have been scored by the top 10 drivers in every race. A win is now worth 25 points, and the point for fastest lap was dropped decades ago.

Mallya pointed out that the teams have to pay a fee to the FIA based on how many points they score. “My comment was the fact that considering we have to pay for every point to the FIA that will have to be looked at in parallel.”

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

F1 manufacturers eye U-turn on 2021 engine rules



By: Adam Cooper, F1 Reporter
5 hours ago


Discussions over the 2021 Formula 1 engine regulations are in limbo after the current manufacturers questioned the package that has been championed by Liberty Media and the FIA.

The basic parameters of the simplified regulations, including dropping the MGU-H, were jointly announced by the two organisations as long ago as October.

Discussions have continued since, and after some initial reservations the manufacturers had indicated that they had accepted the loss of the MGU-H. The FIA hoped to produce a final set of regulations at the end of June.

However, at the last minute and following discussions at last week's Strategy Group meeting, the manufacturers have kicked back, and suggested that they want to keep the current hardware package after all, including the MGU-H.

The main impetus for their position is the fact that no new entrants have committed to coming into F1 in 2021, which was one of the main justifications for the proposed changes.

Porsche has been involved in all the discussions over shaping the 2021 rules – just as Volkswagen was when the current V6 hybrid regs were formulated.

However, it has not yet made a decision on launching an F1 programme, at least in part because of the ongoing emission scandal surrounding the wider VW Group.

Aston Martin, which has indicated an interest in an F1 project, is also sitting on the fence.

In addition, Red Bull's recently-announced works deal with Honda has changed the landscape, as it clearly puts one of the sport's biggest players in a stronger position with a potentially competitive engine, while also making Aston's involvement less likely.

The consensus among the manufacturers is that they see no reason to be forced into making a huge investment in revising their hardware when there are no newcomers on the horizon.

However, they are willing to discuss compromises in areas such as improving noise, adjusting fuel usage to generate more power, and introducing some standard parts.

"It's still very much out for discussion," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. "We had a presentation that would have meant a redesign of the engine.

"All four currently in F1 engaged OEMs would have given their preference, with an understanding from our side that we maybe need a bit more noise, and a discussion around fuel consumption that's important.

"But just for the benefit of redesigning an engine without anybody else entering doesn't make a lot of sense.

"So if somebody would commit to come into F1 in the way that we have committed ourselves, all four of us have committed ourselves, go through the lows and highs, the expenses and investment that it needs, then let's discuss engine regulations. But if nobody's inside, it's an academic discussion."

Christian Horner also indicated that the lack of new entrants had become an issue.

In addition, Honda is keen to keep the MGU-H, and thus Red Bull is backing that position.

"I think ultimately the governing body and the commercial rights holder have got to do what they believe is right for the sport," said Horner.

"It doesn't look like there's anybody new coming in, so really I think it's down to the FIA and Liberty to decide, what do they want?"

Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul made it clear that the French manufacturer does not want to be forced into an expensive new development race.

"I think we should always give priority to stability," he told Motorsport.com. "I think it's the baseline for everything, particularly in F1, which is such a competitive and expensive environment.

"That's true for the engines, that's true for everything else, for aerodynamic development, and so forth.

"I think we underestimate the benefit of stability for the cost for everyone, for the manufacturers, also for the teams, but also for the show, because we want close racing, close action."

 

Naravno da su ove predlozene promene pravila glupost jer ne postoje horde proizvodjaca koje samo cekaju da ulete u F1 cim se zabrani MGU-H.

 

A Horner je po n-ti put dokazao koliki je gmizavac, evo samo par postova iznad, nema ni dve nedelje kako je kukao da je predlog pravila za 2021 u opasnosti da bude "razvodnjen" a evo ga sada jedan od glavnih koji podrzava "razvodnjavanje". Koliku su stetu on i Berni naneli F1, jos se dugo nece popraviti - imamo apsolutno fascinantne bolide, najbrze u istoriji, sa neverovatnom maltene vanzemaljskom tehnologijom, ali eto zbog jebenog Red Bula i uz pomoc medijske masinerije matorog lihvara ceo svet je ubedjen kako je F1 golo sranje.

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

"Aggressive" GP reduction would "massively increase" F1 value



By: Scott Mitchell, Journalist
Co-author: Ben Anderson, Journalist
5 hours ago


Renault Sport Formula 1 boss Cyril Abiteboul believes grand prix racing would benefit from an "aggressive" cull of races that reduces the calendar to as few as 15 races.

F1's calendar matched its all-time high of 21 grands prix this season, including an unpopular maiden triple-header.

There have been suggestions the season could feature 22 or 23 in the near future, with new races targeted in the United States and Asia.

Abiteboul told Motorsport.com: "We need to be able to engage with fans but is has to remain something special. We are already way above what should be the figure for something special.

"We need to convey a message of pride, of motivation, of energy. With the calendar that we have now, the enthusiasm is not the same as when we were only traveling 15 times per year.

"If we don't have that energy, it is going to be very difficult to convey that externally.

"It is almost becoming routine. It should not be a day-to-day job. We've tipped that balance, so we need to be extremely careful.

"I appreciate the reason why, commercially we need to grow the calendar, but as far as I'm concerned, I would be for a massive contraction of the sport."

Abiteboul said "between 15 and 18" races would "massively increase the value".

"If you were to go very aggressive and say 15 races, you have to tell the 21 races you have right now, 'Look guys there are going to be six of you that will be dropped: compete'," he added.

"You completely reverse the pattern of the market. It would be very interesting to see the reaction.

"I understand it would be a gamble, that it is not something within the current set-up of Formula 1, that acquires more money every year, more people, more tracks, more prize-fund, more of everything.

"But at some point there will be a crunch time and maybe we will see if we can switch the balance."

Some of F1's smaller teams have suggested they would need proof of a commercial gain to support an expanded calendar.

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner said: "To go to races costs us and F1 a hell of a lot of money, so they need to make sure we have income as well, not just expenditure," he said.

"Just growing it for the sake of growing it, there is no point. The balance is between 20 and 22 races maximum. Going over, there is no return for it."

Force India owner Vijay Mallya said the well-being of staff was his "major concern".

"More races mean more revenue and if I can have one and a half or two race teams and I get paid by Formula 1, I'd certainly consider it," he said.

"But if things stay the same, then I think more than 21 races and these triple-headers are just too taxing for our engineers and mechanics and all those involved in the race team."

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Steiner: F1 has no midfield anymore



By: Chris Medland | 11 hours ago


Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Formula 1 no longer has a midfield, with all seven teams behind Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull capable of challenging for points.

In recent seasons there has been at least one team cut adrift at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, with Sauber scoring just five points last year and Manor and Sauber combining for a total of only three points in 2016. This season, Williams is currently at the bottom of the standings with four points but reached Q2 in Austria, while the next two teams above it — Sauber and Toro Rosso — have both scored top-six results.

“After testing, we were cautiously optimistic [fifth place] could be achieved, but it’s still a difficult task as all the other teams in Formula 1 are very good teams — there is nobody who is uncompetitive,” Steiner (pictured above) said. “There is not really a midfield anymore. It’s just ‘the rest.’ There’s the top three and then the rest.

“Everybody from fourth to 10th can be competing for points this year, as we’ve all seen. Now, being fifth, it’s nice to be there. After testing it was realistic to think we could be there, but we were very conscious that it would be hard work — and it is hard work, actually.”


Haas leads “the rest” at Silverstone. (Image by Glenn Dunbar/LAT)

Haas has had the fourth-quickest car at a number of races so far this season but failed to convert that performance into significant points on a number of occasions. Steiner says those missed opportunities are frustrating — despite a return of 32 points over the past three rounds — but also provide him with confidence that beating Renault to fourth in the standings is a realistic proposition.

“I would say it is satisfying, but it isn’t. We could have had a lot more points, and we missed out on them. We need to make sure that we are not keeping on missing points, because these are the points we will miss at the end to finish fourth.

“I think with the potential of the car we have shown over the last three races, it is possible to aim for fourth. If we achieve it or not, that’s a different question. I don’t want to be arrogant and say we will finish fourth, because by no means is it a given. We are competing with three very strong teams for this position. We will try, we will give it our best and, hopefully, we end up fourth.”

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Formula 1 will move to 18-inch wheels from the 2021 season and ban the use of tire blankets, according to the latest tire tender issued by the FIA.

Pirelli’s current contract runs until the end of 2019, with the next tender from the FIA now open to cover the following four seasons. As a result, the first year of the new contract will see the current tire and wheel dimensions retained, before a change to 18-inch wheels and narrower front tires from 2021 onward.

The front tires will reduce in width from the current 305mm to 270mm, while the rears will remain at the current 405mm. The diameter with wheels fitted is expected to be in the region of 700-720mm, which is slightly up from the current 670mm.

Tire blankets can continue to be used in 2020 but will not be allowed with the new specification of tire for the following three seasons. These changes are provisional in anticipation of the expected technical changes to the cars in 2021.

As part of the tender, the FIA states that it “will inform the provider of objectives that affect the sporting spectacle and are related to degradation, durability, temperature working range or wear characteristics. The FIA will reserve the right to amend these requirements once per calendar year.”

Aside from safety, the primary objectives (in descending order of priority) listed by the FIA are improvement of the show; drivability characteristics; absolute performance; and operating conditions.

The FIA also states it wants the hardest compound used at each venue to suffer two seconds of degradation at 22% race distance, compared to the same drop-off occurring at 18% race distance for the medium and 10% for the softest compound. In terms of performance, the medium is expected to be 1.2s per lap quicker and the softest compound 2.2s per lap faster than the hardest. The supplier is expected to hit these targets at 75% of circuits in 2020, with an improvement year-on-year.

Potential suppliers have to submit their interest via the tender by August 31 of this year, with the FIA then deciding if each applicant complies with the technical and safety requirements by September 14.

 

Dakle vece felne i tockovi, uze prednje gume, zabranjeni grejaci.

 

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

Meh.
 

Despite significant progress in negotiations, Formula 1 announced that a 2019 Miami race date wouldn’t offer the best possible racing product and the series will now work toward a 2020 event.

[Hertzog]

Steta, bas sam se radovao

[Rad-oh-yeah?]

https://www.racefans...-2018-revealed/