F1 World Championship 2010 Thread

[Dan~]

Couldn't see one of these already.

Who do you expect to win the constructors this year?

Who do you think will win the championship?

How many races will Michael Schumacher win??

What do you think of the new regulations?

I personally believe the new regulation of not being able to re-fuel during races is a bad idea.

Also I think the new regulation on having smaller cars is a bad idea too;

OK, that one is a little joke hehe

[ctebah]

Just bought two tickets for the Hungarian Grand Prix this year. I know it's not the best race but it's close to where i'm visiting and the tickets were on a crazy sale. I can't wait to hear the sounds of a F1 car.

[CrashG]

I have no predictions at the moment.

Not sure I like the idea of no refueling either. I can see it from both sides though: Sure it'll make pit stops safer (less chance of a fire), but it also takes some of the excitement and pressure of having to pit and take on x amout of fuel to get to the next stop or the end of the race.

lol at the pic. :laugh:

Valentino Rossi testing the new 2010 Moto GP bikes:

:p

[HSoft]

Who do you expect to win the constructors this year?

I'd say McLaren or Ferrari. Think they'll come back this year.

Who do you think will win the championship?

Hamilton

How many races will Michael Schumacher win??

2

What do you think of the new regulations?

I agree with the re-fueling. That added an element of tactics to the race, also gave teams with not so great cars a chance to get forward in the pack by running one stop strategies which sometimes worked.

As an aside. I just learned that USF1 has been given Barber Motorsport as their testing track. That's just outside of Birmingham, AL where I live so I'll hopefully be able to see the new USF1 team/car practising there soon :)

[simonlang]

Couldn't see one of these already.

Who do you expect to win the constructors this year?

mercedes or mclaren

Who do you think will win the championship?

felipe massa

How many races will Michael Schumacher win??

4 or 5

What do you think of the new regulations?

let them race first, and we will see.

[Fourjays Veteran]

but it also takes some of the excitement and pressure of having to pit and take on x amout of fuel to get to the next stop or the end of the race.

There should actually be much the same level, if not more, pressure. Previously the time a pit stop took was governed by fuel level and even a slow tyre change would be unnoticeable as the car sits there being fuelled. Without refueling the pit crews will be under pressure to do it quickly as as soon as the tyres are changed they are off. Also I'm hopeful we could see some odd strategies to get fresh tyres (particularly at the end), although I am doubtful it will happen while we have the idiotic "must use both tyres" rule.

[Antaris Veteran]

Mercedes rolls out new car at Valencia

Mercedes-Benz unveiled its W01 in the Valencia pit lane on Monday morning, ahead of the first pre-season Formula 1 test at the Spanish track.

The German car manufacturer had launched the colour scheme of the car in Stuttgart last week, but it waited until shortly before track action began on Monday to show the world the car that will carry the title hopes of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

The car features a radical version of the now typical Red Bull Racing RB5-type V-nose configuration, as well as a small fin on the engine cover.

Rosberg will give the car its first shakedown on Monday morning, with Schumacher due to make his return to the cockpit of a contemporary F1 car for the first time since confirming his F1 comeback.

The Valencia test features seven of the current teams - with Red Bull Racing and Force India all opting to skip this week's running to give themselves more preparation time for 2010.

Source: Autosport

[ahmz]

Are there any streams anywhere to see the testing?

[Buio]

Some pics from Twitter links;

McLaren middle area

http://twitpic.com/10u7g4/full

McLaren rear from front

http://twitpic.com/10u7cr/full

McLaren hidden diffuser

http://twitpic.com/10u3yn/full

Sauber hidden diffuser

http://twitpic.com/10u4iv/full

Williams diffuser

http://twitpic.com/10u7a4/full

Renault diffuser

http://twitpic.com/10u74q/full

[Buio]

A few more pics;

Toro Rosso diffuser

http://twitpic.com/10u4ud/full

Schumacher + Mercedes front (big)

http://twitpic.com/10twgj/full

Rosberg + Mercedes side (big)

http://twitpic.com/10twrt/full

Sauber side (sharkfin deluxe)

http://twitpic.com/10u4hh/full

Renault front wheel closeup

http://twitpic.com/10u4l2/full

[Martyn]

Without doubt, I have never looked forward to a Formula 1 season as much as this.

[ahmz]

First Morning Times:

[Buio]

Shot of McLaren diffuser

http://twitpic.com/10vgv8/full

[Subject Delta]

Theirs (from that angle at leest) doesn't actually look as radical as the Ferrari implementation

[Mike]

There were rumours of a triple diffuser for McLaren as well as rumours of air being channelled to the diffuser from various parts of the car too.

The annoying thing with the refueling ban is no one knows how much fuel anyone has and so the times are pretty meaningless. It won't even be the first race where things become clear as the Bahrain track is hardly one to test aero performance.

[Buio]

Not sure if it helps a lot more with multiple decks. Seems the big effect comes from a well designed diffuser. The Mercedes one is really wide, even though it doesn't look to have multiple decks.

Btw, Fisichella signed for Le Mans, now that he couldn't find a F1 seat for 2010.

[Subject Delta]

Not sure if it helps a lot more with multiple decks. Seems the big effect comes from a well designed diffuser. The Mercedes one is really wide, even though it doesn't look to have multiple decks.

Btw, Fisichella signed for Le Mans, now that he couldn't find a F1 seat for 2010.

It does make a massive difference, having multiple decks both allows more air to be channeled under the car, and the smaller the space the air goes through the faster it flows, and therefore the more downforce it generates.

I can only guess that McLaren may not have the new diffuser fitted yet, as it looks pretty similar from that photo to the diffuser that they had last year.

[Antaris Veteran]

Teams approve new tyre rules for 2010

Formula 1 teams have approved a rule change that will force the top ten starters to begin the race on the same tyres they set their best qualifying lap on.

As AUTOSPORT revealed last week, F1's think-tank, the Sporting Working Group, has pushed for the concept that will add a strategic element to qualifying and open up the potential for overtaking over the course of a race.

The matter was discussed at a meeting of the F1 Commission in Paris on Monday, and it was agreed that there should be a regulation change for all the Q3 drivers to start the race on their qualifying tyres.

A statement issued by the FIA on Tuesday said: "In order to introduce a further element of strategy, cars having participated in Q3 must start the race on the same set of tyres with which their grid time was set."

More @ Autosport

Also, teams approve of the new point system:

1 - 25

2 - 18

3 - 15

4 - 12

5 -10

6 - 8

7 - 6

8 - 4

9 - 2

10 - 1

[Subject Delta]

Element of stratergy my rear, to me it just stinks of another artificial and cheap attempt to spice up the racing, and I don't really see it making a great deal of difference, it just means that the guys who qualify in the top 10 will probably do shorter first stints.

[Buio]

Bunch of good drawings and pics from ScarbsF1 (Craig Scarborough)

http://twitpic.com/photos/ScarbsF1

Like McLaren diffuser

[Subject Delta]

Some pretty interesting stuff there.

[Antaris Veteran]

The Ferraris have been flying the last two days. Alonso fastest so far.

Also, ViginF1 Car:

[Buio]

Aha, black & red. I think it looks good. How fast it is is a different matter, but at least a few cars have very nice color schemes.

[Subject Delta]

Well its nicer than some of the other new cars.

And yep, the new Ferrari sure is quick, I do get the general impression that McLaren have been sandbagging somewhat as they seem to make a lot of references to fuel loads when their drivers and personnel talk to the press, but there are quiet a few other cars that also appear pretty fast so I don't really think the true pecking order will become immediately obvious until we arrive at the first race.

[Antaris Veteran]

^ Yeah, a lot of the drivers don't appear to be really pushing it, but its early days yet, Button for instance is probably still getting used to the car, as are other drivers who have switched teams. Great start for Ferrari though, bet they're bloody loving it. 2010 is gonna be an epic season.