So the F2 race announcer was right about Vettel clouting and breaking (!) a curb and damaging his car. Tub for sure, we now know, but probably even the engine. Hopefully Ferrari will bring some useful updates too along with Vettel's new chassis.
To me the whole tyre fiasco over the last few years just screams we need either of these things to happen: Another manufacturer to be entered or free choice of whichever tyre a team likes....and not forced to run x and y compounds. If Red Bull wants to have C4 and C5 tyre and Ferrari C1 and C2...let them! Letting Pirelli making the choices leads to too many races which can be decided before the weekend begins because team a or team b influences Pirelli to have a certain compound for everyone only...
I thought the same as well. My sister and I had a discussion about this today as she works in a doctor's office and they have patients getting Covid19 tests. The doc is holding off on re-tests as people will stay positive for a while. Perhaps they have some new test in Europe?
There’s a great Dan Brown novel featuring several notable Gaudi architecture sites in Spain. Great read but I forget the title! Lol Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Race Stewards - Tim Mayer - Mattero Perini - Emanuele Pirro [Driver Representative] Image Unavailable, Please Login - A new asphalt road has been installed in the run-off area of Turn 1 for the FIM long lap penalty. - The Turn 8 exit kerb has been extended by 9.6m and the gravel run off area has also increased in this area. - The T12 gravel run-off area has been extended and additional TecPro barrier has been added in the straight ahead part of the corner. - At the exit of T15 the metallic kerb has been extended until the start of the white line at pit lane entry. Image Unavailable, Please Login T8 exit kerb has been extended by 9.6m and the gravel run off area has also increased. Image Unavailable, Please Login At the exit of T15 the metallic kerb has been extended until the start of the white line at pit lane entry. Image Unavailable, Please Login Pirelli's notes to teams: - Minimum Starting Tyre Pressure. - Blistering Sensitivity. - Camber Limit. - Tyre Heating Strategy. - General Notes. - Tyre Notes. Image Unavailable, Please Login Use components prior to the SpanishGP Image Unavailable, Please Login
This should be interesting. Qualifying engine modes set for post-Spanish GP ban Image Unavailable, Please Login Formula 1 teams have been informed by the FIA of plans for new restrictions on engine modes for qualifying which will be put in place by the Belgian Grand Prix. The changes are set to rein in the Mercedes-powered teams that traditionally make the biggest performance gains in qualifying, and are likely to further ramp up tensions in a paddock where there is already conflict on the Racing Point copying case, and the final stages of Concorde Agreement negotiations. FIA secretary secretary general for motorsport Peter Bayer made the reference to modes in a letter to teams that covered various technical matters, under the heading "power unit ICE modes – reduction of the scope of adjustability between qualifying and the race". The letter clearly indicated that the FIA wants teams to run the same ICE modes in both qualifying and the race. While the letter itself carries no regulatory value, it said that a technical directive clarifying the new restrictions will follow, and will be applicable by the Belgian GP. The letter referenced two FIA rules. The first is Article 2.7 of the 2020 technical regulations, headed "Duty of Competitor," and which reads as follows: "It is the duty of each competitor to satisfy the FIA technical delegate and the stewards that his automobile complies with these regulations in their entirety at all times during an Event. "The design of the car, its components and systems shall, with the exception of safety features, demonstrate their compliance with these regulations by means of physical inspection of hardware or materials. No mechanical design may rely upon software inspection as a means of ensuring its compliance. "Due to their nature, the compliance of electronic systems may be assessed by means of inspection of hardware, software and data." The letter noted that the "multitude and complexity of modes being used make it extremely difficult for the FIA to monitor compliance with all the PU-related regulations and provisions in selected critical moments of the event". The other rule cited is Article 27.1 of the sporting regulations, the often-used reference to drivers being required to drive the car "alone and unaided." The letter noted that "the changes to ICE modes that are currently in force could potentially mean that the driver does not drive the car alone and unaided." The letter then makes it clear that "in order to address the above concerns in the future, we will be requiring that during the qualifying session and the race, the PU should operate in a single mode," before confirming that a technical directive will follow before Spa. Teams are still not sure exactly what the changes will mean in practical terms as they have yet to receive any details. A single mode will not only restrict performance in qualifying, but will also limit adjustments drivers make during races, including those when they "turn down" the engine for reliability purposes. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-rein-qualifying-engine-modes-belgian-gp/4855266/?ic_source=home-page-widget&ic_medium=widget&ic_campaign=widget-1
Am I the only one not fooled by this? Surely by using the quali map for 1 lap during the race the teams can cover their ass and say ''no no, see, it's a race map''?
He should dedicate his body and blood to scientific research. He is a miracle. I want some of that DNA. Something is fishy here.
Hmm, I support this but the cynic in me thinks: "maybe somebody else came up with a decent 'party mode' so the M(erc)aFIA decided to call it a day?"
So no Seb seat at Clone Point?? https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/151338/perez-matter-of-time-that-vettel-rumours-go-away Sergio Perez believes it is just "a matter of time" until rumours linking Sebastian Vettel with his Racing Point Formula 1 seat go away, feeling "quite secure" about his future. Four-time world champion Vettel is known to be in talks with Racing Point over a possible drive for the 2021 season, when it will rebrand as Aston Martin. Racing Point currently has two drivers under contract for next year in Perez and Lance Stroll, and has repeatedly stated that both are locked in to long-term agreements. Perez previously said it was "obvious" he would be the driver to leave the team if Vettel were signed - given Stroll's father, Lawrence, owns the team - and that he had already been contacted by another F1 team about his availability. Speaking on Thursday ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Perez said he felt confident about his future with Racing Point, believing the Vettel rumours would eventually die down. "With the rumours of Sebastian, I think there's nothing I can do," Perez said. "What I've heard from the team is that we all want to keep going, to continue. So I believe it's just a matter of time before those rumours can go away."
All happy in Vettel - Land https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/151343/vettel-no-growing-tension-at-ferrari-despite-struggles Sebastian Vettel says there is no growing tension with Ferrari despite two difficult Formula 1 race weekends at Silverstone that saw him publicly question the team's strategy calls. Vettel will leave Ferrari at the end of the season after the team opted against renewing his contract beyond 2020, with Carlos Sainz Jr. taking his place at Maranello. Vettel's final season with Ferrari has started with recurring on-track struggles due to a lack of performance with the SF1000 car, which Vettel has openly said he is not confident driving at times. The four-time world champion failed to qualify or finish any higher than 10th over the British and 70th Anniversary grands prix at Silverstone in the past two weeks. During last Sunday's race, Vettel called out Ferrari's strategy over team radio, telling the team it had "messed up" before later saying the decisions "made no sense". But Vettel said there was no added tension with the team either due to its struggles at Silverstone or a change in the environment ahead of his departure. "No, I don't agree with the statement," Vettel said. "I think we are trying to do everything we can, and it is never relaxed if things don't go your way or they go wrong. "Naturally, if you judge the emotions right after the race or during the race, I don't think that is a fair reflection of what is going on, hence why I tend to disagree. "I didn't have a great race and we tried to come back up, and could have opted for a different strategy, but we didn't, so we've talked about it, sorted it out and moved on. "There is not much different in terms of climate compared to the week before, or the week before that."
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-rein-qualifying-engine-modes-belgian-gp/4855266/?ic_source=home-page-widget&ic_medium=widget&ic_campaign=widget-6
I think all this will do is to have Qualifying mode all the time, and the driver will learn how not to use all the power or RPMs all the time during the race--just like 30 years ago. As to the "Alone and Unaided": who do you think changes tires in pit stops? who calls the driver in for a pit stop? who tells the driver when to push? who tells the driver to lift and coast? who tells the driver "brakes are critical"? who tells the driver "engine is too hot"? who tells the driver "Fuel is critical" ?
I don't see evidence of any other team having any mode that gets them any closer to Mercedes. In the last Q3, they were basically 1 second clear of 3rd place. This may help those engines that already have better reliability because their single mode will afford them the luxury of running their engines at a higher level than the less reliable engines. In the end, it's a wash and I doubt the pecking order will change.
Both Mercedes drivers do not at all seem affected based on their comments today. The PU in the Mercedes is very very strong. Tires will be more of an 'equalizer' with summer temp than anything else.
If Bottas is correct in this then our races could be less exciting?? https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12048660/lewis-hamilton-f1-engine-mode-possible-changes-obviously-to-slow-us-down --Sometimes when we are defending or attacking or managing we are using different engines modes, and that would just put everyone on the same line. So there could be less overtaking with that."---
Looks to be aimed at Merc to slow it down before Ferrari get demolished in the upcoming races in Italy.Kind of weird to introduce this mid season. Red Bull rumoured to also have a decent party mode, so lets see.They will still run qualy as high as they dare,so seems to have the potential for more engine failures.No way they will run qualy in in the previous lower 'Race mode'
