Five races before I’m fully comfortable in Red Bull F1 car - Perez F1 03/15/2021 - 14:57 Sergio Perez believes it will take him five races until he is fully accustomed to Red Bull’s 2021 F1 car.
[Autosport] Redbull hires one of Mercedes senior figures as it's new technical director for its F1 engine department Ben Hodgkinson. He joins at end of 2022.
That sounds eminently reasonable. Especially given the restrictions on seat time over the winter break. From what I've heard him say (reported, obviously) the RB drives very differently than the Pink Mercedes.
Could very well be -- and if it takes Checo that long, it'll put Gasly and Albon's struggles in a new light.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/honda-reveals-development-secrets-of-2021-f1-engine/6417548/ Honda reveals development secrets of 2021 F1 engine By: Adam Cooper Apr 23, 2021, 7:27 AM Honda has given a detailed insight into the development of its 2021 Formula 1 power unit, which scored its first victory in the hands of Max Verstappen at Imola. Image Unavailable, Please Login Honda's 2021 engine, the RA621H, is viewed by many in the F1 paddock as the strongest PU on the grid, with Pierre Gasly’s qualifying form for AlphaTauri backing up the pace advantage of Red Bull Racing. Verstappen took Red Bull and Honda's first victory of the season in last weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and the RB16B has proved to be the quickest car on the grid so far this year. A major package of changes to the Honda PU had originally been postponed to 2022, but following the Japanese company’s decision to end its official involvement in F1 at the end of 2021 it was decided to fast track the new project for this year. “The original plan was to implement this new structure PU this year in 2021,” said head of power unit development Yasuaki Asaki. “But then for a variety of reasons, it was decided not to proceed with a brand new PU. However, the thinking on this really changed when Honda announced that we would be leaving the sport. “I went to President [Takahiro] Hachigo, and said to him that we would really like to implement this new structure PU for our last year in the sport. And he kindly accepted that request.” Image Unavailable, Please Login Engine cylinders head covers Photo by: Honda Asaki stressed that the changes to the layout of the new PU were so significant that a huge amount of work was required, as well as input from Red Bull Technology. “That was never going to be an easy task, given the scope of the changes being made to the power unit’s architecture,” he said. “First of all we've changed the camshaft layout to be much more compact, and also brought its position lower down so it's closer to the ground. “The main point of what we've changed was to improve combustion efficiency. In order to do so we had to change the valve angle, and in order to do that we had to change the camshaft. "We've also had to make the head cover lower and more compact, which means that the way that air flows over it has become a lot better, and we've also lowered the centre of gravity of the ICE. "Another thing we changed is the bore pitch, by reducing the distance between one bore and the next, we've made the engine itself shorter, smaller. “In the old engine straddling the transmission we also had a bank offset whereby the left bank was slightly offset from the right bank. So what we've done is reverse this offset on the new engine so that the right bank is forward, and the left bank is back.” Image Unavailable, Please Login Red Bull Racing RB16B Photo by: Giorgio Piola Asaki said that Honda had to address all the key parameters in order to stay competitive with its main rivals. “Another point that we've had to think about is the fact that combustion efficiency has got better," he said. "And the camshaft output has got better. Due to the rules of physics the amount of energy that can be stored has changed, and it meant that the amount of exhaust energy has decreased. “So compared to the recovery that we were getting last year, what we're having to do is increase the amount of crankshaft output, and at the same time ensure that there's a good level of exhaust output, exhaust temperature as well. “So we've had a number of different development objectives, and we believe we have met them.”
Red Bull Powertrains has announced an expansion of its senior leadership team as preparations are put in place for the design of its inaugural power unit. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Horner: Verstappen doesn't need mind games in title battle with Hamilton https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/31437495/verstappen-need-mind-games-title-battle-hamilton
Interesting stats... Laps led so far in 2021: Max Verstappen - 144 (57.4%) Lewis Hamilton - 75 (29.9%) Valtteri Bottas - 19 (7.6%) Sergo Perez - 13 (5.1%) Red Bull - 157 (62.5%) Mercedes - 94 (37.5%) #F1 it’s a long season still...
Yes and RedBull have had this issue and costly lol Between the lines: In defence of Formula 1's track limits By: Haydn Cobb May 29, 2021, 6:25 AM Two words that strike fear into any Formula 1 driver in 2021: track limits. While many have grown frustrated by them, there’s simply no sensible alternative to suit all parties that doesn’t already stick to the key principle of staying within the white lines “We've lost the victory, fastest lap, and pole position. I hope that's the end of it. Something has to change.” That’s how Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko responded to TV reporters at the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix with post-race emotions still running high after a spate of high-profile track limit infringements. The problem is, track limits will always be a point of debate just as long as circuit officials remember to paint the thin white lines and put kerbs on the track. Track limit breaches, the scourge of Max Verstappen at key moments over the early rounds of the 2021 F1 season, feel like a modern conundrum but it has been a part of the rules since the formation of circuit racing. Stay within the track boundaries or face the consequences. But the issue has become magnified by a few factors; the increased use of tarmac over gravel or grass run-offs for safety purposes, the improvement in technology to detect and police track limits and the ever-closing margins in performance. When a couple of thousandths of a second can be the difference in securing pole position or taking the fastest lap bonus point, that equates to grabbing those few extra centimetres. PLUS: Why F1 must get rid of the point for fastest lap Gaining any advantage has to abide by the rules, which is why track limits continue to be such a hot topic. But doing away with them isn’t an option. The matter has become such a headache for F1 that it was a key discussion point during the Spanish GP weekend in a meeting between the team principals and series’ chief Stefano Domenicali, leading to added pressure on the FIA’s own long-running track limits working group which works on solutions to suit all motorsport categories – including MotoGP through input from the FIM. Image Unavailable, Please Login Maverick Vinales, Yamaha Factory Racing Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images “Something has to change. Either you make a boundary with kerbs or you make gravel or something. If you go out, there's an automatic penalty,” Marko added after the race in Portugal. Marko, like many others, have pleaded for a more natural deterrent for exceeding track limits – bigger kerbs, gravel or grass – which continually gets considered and applied wherever possible, but only if deemed safe. But for many circuits, in order to be a profitable and sustainable business, the highest safety standards must be upheld for car and bike racing which means run-offs and track limits must cater for both. Where Red Bull’s complaints can be supported is its call for consistency. But the rule makers must also be consistent to themselves. Whether it is a few centimetres or an entire car’s width, if you are off, you are off That’s not to say bike racing has it any easier, as Maverick Vinales also found out in Portugal two weeks before Verstappen’s heartache, when he lost two of his fastest laps in qualifying for fractionally dipping his tyres off a kerb, leaving him to drop from a front row start down to 12th. Even at car-only circuits, like at Monaco where the Armco barriers are essential to safety, multiple drivers were still falling foul of the same old frustration at last weekend’s grand prix. At the Nouvelle Chicane, where there is a tiny run-off to stop drivers hurtling nose first into walls at high speed, drivers were continually running off the track and duly picking up warnings from the FIA. It almost cost Lando Norris his podium finish having used up his two track limit allowances at that corner by lap seven. While any pragmatist can point to some kind of barrier to enforce track limits and provide a physical deterrent, in the most extreme cases it is impractical. Image Unavailable, Please Login Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02 Photo by: Erik Junius “When we look at everything from a safety perspective, we need to find the best balance of everything in each and every situation. Each corner is different, and each circuit is different,” FIA F1 race director Michael Masi summarised. Where Red Bull’s complaints can be supported is its call for consistency. But the rule makers must also be consistent to themselves. Whether it is a few centimetres or an entire car’s width, if you are off, you are off. More from Autosport's In defence of series F1 rule changes Short racing circuits Formula 3000 Drive to Survive fans Balance of Performance The debate draws parallels to football’s VAR grievances when offside calls are decided by a toe or a shirt sleeve. Much like motorsport’s frustrations, these are understandable as they can be pivotal to who wins and loses, but under the current rules referees are applying what is required with the technology available. It is curious to note that when goal line technology was introduced in football, no such arguments were voiced when a goal was decided by the width of a sticker on a ball. This brings the discussion back to the barest of margins that decide the closest of calls on track limits. In the moment, tiny track limit infringements are incredibly innocuous and hard to spot with the naked eye. But if it is the difference between pole position, the right and consistent rule is required. While the argument for more ‘natural’ track limits remains a valiant one, and agreeable when safely applied, it doesn’t ignore the fact track limits are here to stay. Just as they’ve always been. Image Unavailable, Please Login Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
They have white lines. Just stay in them. If not then add barrier as he suggests. The conflict is between Moto and F1 designs/capabilities that are different for each yet have the same track.
White lines? Hahaha White lines mean zilch to the present generation of drivers and riders. If there is not a physical barrier to delimit the track and stop them, they will use all the space available, and argue later. I blame the FIA and the FIM for having insisted on so many soft kerbs, track extensions, run-off areas, etc...
2 wheels over the line and you are off track. Easily laser monitored or with other tech. They have have to 'want' to do this. The FIA have as many excuses as the teams lol
I don't even see the need to allow 2 wheels over the line. Put a guardrail or a kerb high enough, and they won't go near it. End of story ! We have seen what going over track limit did for Leclerc: instant Karma !!!
Can they see walls ? The cars have to be redesigned then; that's a job for the FIA to impose different dimensions. What's the excuse for the bikers?
Drivers, you give them an inch, they will take a yard! Look at Monaco, where there are walls, they cannot cheat, but as soon as it's only a low kerb at the chicane, they start going off limits. The organisers should have kept the tyre wall there, and nobody would take liberties.
especially at Nouvelle and exit from the swimming pool. In the distant past drivers kept their OUTSIDE tires off the "white line" not due to sportsmanship or other gentlemanly affairs, but simply in order not to die! Now FIA is letting them get their inside tires 1.9 meters farther off the white line. Instead of those sausage curves, they should put nails on them then there is no way to avoid a self imposed penalty.
As leclerc said, just put a kerb there (or hell, even cats eyes) so that the driver can feel where is it at that moment. It's not rocket science.
