2018/2019 Silly season

Ferrari still pursuing Mercedes special rims after getting a letter from the FIA deeming them "limited illegality." (so it's legal with limited illegality???...man, that's a can of worms )

A letter of regulatory clarification was sent to the FIA technical department (regarding the Mercedes wheel design) by Ferrari.

Ferrari says that the holes are generating an aerodynamic effect and that is enough to eliminate the problem Mercedes had the whole season which was overheating the tyres. Therefore FIA‘s excuse of saying the holes are irrelevant to the performance are completely false....And Mercedes have paid around half a million € (without the research costs) for this new wheel rim design so it wouldn‘t be there if it didn‘t have a huge performance increase.

Since there is an airflow but only a little aerodynamic effect, the FIA have passed the strange principle of "limited illegality" to deem the Mercedes wheel design legal,



Caso Mercedes: per Arrivabene non è chiuso. L'illegalità limitata può produrre mostri (motorsport.it)

 

You must be kidding... "limited illegality" ???
They simply lost their mind... was there anything like this for any other team in history of F1? Are people stil denying preferred treatment for Mercedes and their drivers?

 

Renault also have eye out for Binotto's.

If there was a choice between Arrivabenne and Binotto, I would keep Binotto. If Binotto goes to MB or Renault (not a big deal for 2019), that's another employee lost to MB if it happens. (what's new )

 

F1 teams and FIA set to discuss Mercedes wheel rim controversy.

Formula 1 teams are set to be involved in talks with the FIA about the controversy over wheel rims, amid the recent focus surrounding what Mercedes has been up to.

Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Ferrari asked the FIA for clarification about why a Mercedes concept of holes in the wheel rims was not considered a moveable aerodynamic device - as it acted in a similar way to something Red Bull was banned from doing in 2012.

The FIA looked into exactly what Mercedes was doing with its wheel rim and hubs, and found it to fully comply with the regulations.

But with Ferrari clear at the United States Grand Prix that it did not agree with the FIA interpretation, Mercedes elected to modify its rims to avoid any potential risks of a protest from its rival on a weekend where there was a chance for Lewis Hamilton to seal the world championship.

With ongoing uncertainty about where things stand now, F1 race director Charlie Whiting has suggested it may be best to add the topic to the agenda of the new Technical Working Group.

"I don't think a clarification is needed because we've already done that, everyone's aware of what we feel," said Whiting, when asked by Autosport about the latest situation.

"I think there's still a difference of opinion and that probably needs to be sorted out in the technical working group."

Although the issue of the Mercedes wheel rims has mainly involved Mercedes and Ferrari so far, other teams think the issue could grow in significance if nothing is done.

Renault F1 technical director Nick Chester said teams were likely to be pushing ideas for blown rims even harder in 2019 because of the new aero rules.

"A lot of people blow through the spokes anyway, so it's not something that is totally new, but people tend to blow further outboard," he said.

"I think there will be a few interesting interpretations for next year.

"It is even more important with the 2019 rules because you are struggling to get the front wing to outwash the air as much as you would like.

"So if you can do more in the wheel it becomes even more important."

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139592/f1-set-to-discuss-wheel-rim-controversy

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Rich Energy to title sponsor HAAS F1 for 2019.

and here I thought Rich Energy will sponsor Williams???

maybe both???

Now this is silly.

 

Spa being demo'ed and making way for some grandstands in the Eau Rouge area and Raidillon area.

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https://www.planetf1.com/news/bosses-say-2019-aero-is-massive-step-backwards/

Several Formula 1 team bosses have described the aero regulations for next season as a “massive step backwards”.

The 2019 regulations are mainly focused on a simplified front wing, along with other minor changes to the car.

The changes are supposed to lead to an increase in overtaking by reducing the amount of dirty air coming from the car ahead.

However, the dramatic cut to downforce levels will reduce cornering speeds.

Sauber’s Frederic Vasseur said he was unsure as to whether it will work as planned.

“It’s difficult to have a clear picture today [of what 2019 will be like] but for sure I think we will improve on the engine,” Vasseur said.

“We have still some doubts about the tyres and on the aero package.”

“If you are speaking about the aero regulations, it’s a huge step back. I think everyone is focused on recovering [the lost performance].”

“I don’t know when we will recover and if we will be able to overshoot but it looks tricky.”

Force India were one of the teams to trial the new front-wing during a test in Hungary this year, with team boss Otmar Szafnauer not happy with it either.

“We did [a test] and it was a significant step backwards,” he said.

“We’ve got aggressive targets, I don’t know if we will be able to hit them.”

“We’re trying to predict the future as to what we can find, but yeah, it was a massive step back for us.”

Franz Tost, the Toro Rosso team boss, is also unsure as to whether there will be an increase in overtaking next season.

“I discussed it with the people in the wind tunnel and as it currently looks, they do not believe that overtaking will become much easier,” Tost admitted.

“Therefore I’m not sure that this regulation change will end up where we expect – that overtaking will become much easier.”

“I think that at the beginning of next season the teams will have reached a similar level on downforce as nowadays.”

 

Al last, those stands looked like some horrible Sovjet remain.

 

Efforts begin to raise Dutch GP funding

NOVEMBER 5, 2018


Efforts have begun to raise the money needed to organise a Dutch grand prix for 2020.

It is reported that Zandvoort has been selected by Liberty Media as the venue for the race, even though the MotoGP circuit at Assen is not giving up.

"If formula one goes to Zandvoort, it would be great for the Netherlands," said Assen boss Arjan Bos.

"But we have received no official comment from FOM and Liberty Media in regards to that," he added.

However, De Telegraaf newspaper reports that major Dutch corporate interests like Heineken, Shell, Randstad, Jumbo, Exact and Ziggo could band together to raise the money.

"We would certainly welcome a formula one race in the Netherlands," a Heineken spokesperson told Algemeen Dagblad.

And a Heineken insider added: "Heineken is a Dutch company, Zandvoort is the beach of Amsterdam and we already sponsor formula one.

"It is logical that we would also be in Zandvoort."

A spokesperson for Exact, a software company that sponsors Max Verstappen, said: "We are not a multinational like Heineken, but we want to see if there is something that we can do."

 

I hope it will happen.

 

Max has quite the following at other circuits. Zandvoort would be a success in my book. Now, they just have to upgrade the circuit to F1 standards and we're all good. Hope it makes it on the F1 calender before Vietnam (???).

 

Press release - Vietnam to host Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2020. Looks to be a long track with a long then curved straight.



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Zandvoort works to be ready for the F1 in six months

 

Monza gets F1 funding boost for 2020.

 

Seems things are coming up nicely for new and established circuits. No news on the Silverstone situation from what I have been reading....

 

Re: Silverstone, yeah nothing here either. I believe it's the club in Silverstone that's giving issues to the track. There was supposedly some hotel development like a month ago and an article about not wanting to lose the circuit but that's it.

 

Certainly we should have some passing in Hanoi!

 

Vietnam would be pho king good!

 

Jane Fonda can be the Grand Marshall.

 

Fantastic track. Will some version of Tarzan survive?

 

Monza gets F1 funding boost for 2020

NOVEMBER 7, 2018



Monza's chances of keeping the fabled Italian grand prix on the F1 calendar have received a boost.

According to Corriere dello Sport, the local Lombardy region has committed to allocating an extra EUR 25 million over the next five years to keep the event at Monza.

The current race contract with Liberty Media is set to expire after 2019.

"This is the first step because the priority is renewing the contract and keeping the most important international sporting event in our country at Monza until 2024," said Lombardy sport councillor Martina Cambiaghi.

Another councillor, Andrea Monti, added: "The news is that formula one is negotiating for a race in the Netherlands and has decided a date for Vietnam in 2020.

"And this is a step towards the renewal in Monza."

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139900/f1-hints-british-gp-could-leave-silverstone

Formula 1's commercial managing director Sean Bratches has hinted the British Grand Prix could move away from Silverstone to preserve the future of the race.

Last year Silverstone bosses activated a break clause in the race's contract, agreed under F1's previous ownership, and the 2019 event is the last one under the current deal.

There has not been any public progress on negotiating a new deal. Liberty Media, which has owned F1 since late-2016, has stated it wishes to preserve historic races like the British GP but has also moved to formally announce a bid for a race in Miami and confirmed Vietnam will join the calendar in '20.

In an interview issued by F1 ahead of this weekend's Brazilian GP, Bratches was asked if there was any likelihood of a historic race like Britain or Italy moving to a street track.

Bratches replied: "We're a 68-year-old entity and the nature of grand prix racing is that it is dynamic.

"Silverstone was the first grand prix, but we haven't raced at Silverstone all those 68 years.

"The race has been held at Brands Hatch and other venues. "Nothing is immutable in this sport in terms of where we race.

"We do value certain races highly and we do what we can to preserve racing there, but we are a business.

"We are a public company and we have a lot of stakeholders and shareholders and we're trying to marry what's best for fans with running a successful business."

 

The FIA recently finalised the new aerodynamic regulations for the 2019 Formula 1 season, featuring redefined simplified front and rear wings. Giorgio Piola and the Autosport team assess the changes.

With the new regulations aiming to improve the on-track action by reducing the front wing sensitivity in turbulent air, the hope is that the new ruleset will minimise the difficulty of following another car closely - which ought to yield closer racing.

In addition, the increasingly-complex brake ducts and bargeboards have been pared back, leaving the teams with aerodynamic performance to recoup over the winter.

With the help of a brand new video produced by Giorgio Piola, Glenn Freeman is joined by Ben Anderson and Jake Boxall-Legge to dissect the new rules, and to analyse whether the changes will have the effect desired by the FIA.

https://api.motorsport.tv/embed/p4E7eoPg-the-verdict-on-f1-s-definitive-2019-regulations?autoplay

 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139960/thinner-tyres-to-be-used-at-every-race-in-2019

Thinner-tread tyres as introduced by Pirelli at three grands prix this season will be used at every Formula 1 race in 2019.

Pirelli brought a thinner gauge tyre to the Spanish, French and British GPs in 2018 to combat overheating and blistering issues at three high-speed tracks with new surfaces.

Extreme tyre management has been a theme of several grands prix this year, with drivers forced to be "completely cruising" at times to keep temperatures under control.

Pirelli is optimistic that changes to the construction of its tyres, inspired by the thinner tread depth used this year, will help combat that.

The Italian company's F1 boss Mario Isola said the 2019 tyres would be "in line" with the spec used at the three aforementioned races this year.

"The new product is in the family with what we have done in Barcelona," said Isola.

"I cannot say it is the same because we have a new construction, some new geometries and so on but it is in that direction, yes.