official F1 World Championship 2011 Thread

[MightyJordan]

Petrov back in form :p

:p

[MightyJordan]

I just found a video of Mark Webber in an ad, and oh my...

Oh, and the Jenson Button "Specsavers" photoshops continue. :p

More here.

[ahmz]

Teams get reprieve over blown diffusers

Formula 1 teams have been given a reprieve to continue using blown diffusers freely from this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, AUTOSPORT can reveal, after the FIA had a rethink about going ahead with a major change to the regulations.

...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91481

Looks like RBR are gonna walk this one again.

[MightyJordan]

Looks like RBR are gonna walk this one again.

Oh damn. :( It's never fun when a single team continuously dominates the GPs week in, week out. OK, it's actually slightly more fun than when Ferrari were dominating. :p

[san.W10]

McLaren: Blown diffuser ban a setback

McLaren engineering director Tim Goss has admitted that the ban on off-throttle blown diffusers would hurt the performance of his team.

Goss is adamant, however, that it will also be a setback for McLaren's main rivals too.

After the Turkish GP, the FIA issued a rules clarification that would have banned off-throttle blown diffusers, which use engine mapping settings to keep gases pumping through the diffuser even when the driver is not pushing the throttle.

The governing body, however, said on Tuesday evening that it had decided not to go through with the change to the diffuser regulations for this weekend's Spanish GP.

However, the FIA is believed to be keen for the off-throttle usage to be stamped out as soon as possible.

Goss, speaking during a Vodafone phone-in teleconference on Wednesday, admitted that his team would be affected by the changes.

"It's difficult to know," said Goss about how big an effect the changes would have in the performance of McLaren's car.

"All the teams are up to the same tricks with regards engine mapping. Certainly we exploit them.

"The latest set of guidelines the FIA has given us regarding engine mapping would be a performance setback for us if and when they come in. I know it would almost certainly be a performance setback to our major competitors.

"Whether it affects us more than our major competitors is something I don't know. I know what we get out of it and it's a substantial benefit. But I imagine it will be just as sizeable a setback to our competitors.

"We're just working to the latest set of FIA guidelines. We can react to whatever they tell us reasonably promptly, and for the moment it would appear that the FIA considers it quite a complex matter and they have to go back and consider exactly how they police it.

"So as a result it looks like in Spain it will be business as usual."

Goss admitted he did not know the reasons why the FIA had decide to take the decision to change the rules now.

"I don't know the background. I don't know if they've taken it upon themselves to clamp down on this, or whether somebody's prompted them to.

"Since mid 2010 it's become apparent to journalists and then the rest of the public that teams have been changing engine maps to get more out of the exhaust momentum and the effects of that on the rear of the car. This been around for a while, but there's been nothing mentioned about clamping down."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91485

[ahmz]

Alonso extends Ferrari contract

By Pablo Elizalde

Thursday, May 19th 2011, 07:51 GMT

Fernando Alonso will stay at Ferrari at least until the 2016 season after extending his contract with the Italian squad.

The Spanish two-time world champion joined the Maranello outfit last year and admitted he would like to end his career at Ferrari.

Alonso had originially signed a deal to stay at the team until the end of the 2012 season.

The Spaniard finished in second place in the championship in his first season with the team last year.

"It is a great pleasure to have renewed our agreement with a driver who has always demonstrated a winning mentality even in the most difficult circumstances," said Ferrari `president Luca di Montezemolo.

"Fernando has all the required qualities, both technically and personally to play a leading role in the history of Ferrari and I hope he will be enriching it with further wins very soon."

Alonso added: "I am very happy to have reached this agreement. I immediately felt comfortable within Ferrari and now it feels to me like a second family.

"I have the utmost faith in the men and women who work in Maranello and in those who lead them: it is therefore natural for me to decide to extend my relationship in the long term like this, with a team at which I will no doubt end my Formula 1 career one day."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91491

:)

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Webber tops first Spanish GP practice

Red Bull Racing kicked off the Spanish Grand Prix weekend in perfect fashion, with Mark Webber topping the opening practice session ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

In a session taking place under very clear skies, Australian Webber set a time of 1m25.142s early on and stayed unchallenged for the remainder of the 90 minutes.

Webber was over a second quicker than Vettel, the championship leader having a low-key start to the weekend in the second Red Bull.

Mercedes GP's Nico Rosberg was third quickest, with local hero Fernando Alonso in fourth in the quickest of the Ferraris. Team-mate Felipe Massa finished down in 16th position.

Rookie Sergio Perez enjoyed a strong start to the weekend with the fifth fastest time in the Sauber, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren and Michael Schumacher in the second Mercedes.

Massa was the first driver to complete a timed lap early in the session, but was soon outpaced by Rosberg and Schumacher, although neither posted a significant time as teams carried out installation laps to check their newer upgrades.

Perez jumped to the top of the times some 20 minutes into the session, the Sauber driver's 1m27.512s staying as the benchmark for some time until Webber bettered that by around half a second with less than an hour to go.

On his following lap, however, the Australian went nearly two second quicker, becoming the first man to lap in the 1m25s, improving even more minutes later after going through the pits.

Pastor Maldonado was the protagonist of the first and only incident of the day when he went off the track at Turn 12, the Williams driver avoiding contact but having to get out of the car so his car could be recovered from the gravel.

The Venezuelan, however, was unable to return to action in the morning.

Pos  Driver                Team                  Time              Laps
 1.  Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault      1m25.142s    	     27 
 2.  Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault      1m26.149s  + 1.007  20
 3.  Nico Rosberg          Mercedes              1m26.379s  + 1.237  29
 4.  Fernando Alonso       Ferrari               1m26.480s  + 1.338  27
 5.  Sergio Perez          Sauber-Ferrari        1m26.738s  + 1.596  26
 6.  Lewis Hamilton        McLaren-Mercedes      1m26.988s  + 1.846  19
 7.  Michael Schumacher    Mercedes              1m27.016s  + 1.874  32
 8.  Nick Heidfeld         Renault               1m27.132s  + 1.990  21
 9.  Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes      1m27.138s  + 1.996  22
10.  Rubens Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth     1m27.212s  + 2.070  20
11.  Vitaly Petrov         Renault               1m27.241s  + 2.099  22
12.  Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m27.471s  + 2.329  23
13.  Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Cosworth     1m28.005s  + 2.863  11
14.  Nico Hulkenberg       Force India-Mercedes  1m28.027s  + 2.885  26
15.  Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes  1m28.163s  + 3.021  22
16.  Felipe Massa          Ferrari               1m28.654s  + 3.512  28
17.  Kamui Kobayashi       Sauber-Ferrari        1m28.819s  + 3.677  23
18.  Jaime Alguersuari     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m28.995s  + 3.853  9
19.  Heikki Kovalainen     Lotus-Renault         1m29.231s  + 4.089  21
20.  Jerome D'Ambrosio     Virgin-Cosworth       1m30.896s  + 5.754  18
21.  Timo Glock            Virgin-Cosworth       1m31.235s  + 6.093  24
22.  Tonio Liuzzi          HRT-Cosworth          1m31.268s  + 6.126  23
23.  Jarno Trulli          Lotus-Renault         1m31.418s  + 6.276  12
24.  Narain Karthikeyan    HRT-Cosworth          1m32.106s  + 6.964  25

All Timing Unofficial

Source: Autosport

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

[san.W10]

Hamilton slates 'disastrous' hard tyre

Lewis Hamilton has labelled Pirelli's new hard tyres as "a disaster" following Friday practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Pirelli's new, harder compound is making its racing debut this weekend after having been trialled during the Turkish Grand Prix weekend.

The Italian manufacturer is hoping the harder tyre will allow teams to choose from a wider variety of strategies, as the gap between that and the soft rubber is now bigger.

McLaren driver Hamilton, however, slated the tyres on Friday and is expecting most drivers to use the soft one a lot more.

"The super-hard tyre is a disaster, so that wasn't nice to drive," said Hamilton after practice.

When asked what he meant by a disaster, he added: "A disaster, to drive. A two-second difference, and they don't last that long.

"I don't know why they brought that tyre, because I thought the other one was pretty good. It looks pretty difficult to switch it on and then to last.

"I think we are about two and a half seconds off the pace with that tyre. Then we switch to the normal soft and it's fantastic. I think you will see most people with that tyre during the weekend."

Team-mate Jenson Button admitted the performance of the tyres came a shock to him.

"It's hard, seriously hard," he said. "It was the first time I've run it I think, at the other races we didn't run it because we tried to put mileage on the actual hard tyre we had. So it was a bit of a shock.

"I don't know if other people are struggling on it or not. We've all got to work with the same tyre so we've got to make the best out of it. At the moment we're struggling on it, so you've got to do your best. I don't think you'd want to run more than one stint on it."

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso said he did not expect anyone to be able to use only the harder tyres now in the first qualifying segment tomorrow, as he reckons the gap is just too big.

"Hopefully someone tries," he said. "I think it's a bit different. There was already a big difference in the first four races, and for whatever reason they decided to change the hard tyre and bring a slower tyre.

"And now it's difficult to think about going in Q1 with the hard tyre, so I think 95 per cent of the people will try to use one soft unfortunately in Q1. We'll see if anyone takes the risk. I don't know how much margin Red Bull had today."

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali conceded the situation was difficult, but he claimed there is nothing to do but to cope with it.

"I don't know what Lewis said - they are the tyres we have to race so that is the situation," Domenicali said. "For sure the lack of grip today was a problem but I was saying to our drivers and team, we need to maximise what we have.

"In this moment the situation is not great in that respect, that is the tyres we have here and we need to make sure the drivers and the team will use it in the best way.

"Nothing will change at least in the short term and we need to maximise it, because for sure for qualifying and the race it will be very difficult. It will be another challenge for the drivers and the teams."

Red Bull driver Mark Webber, quickest today, admitted it was hard to extract the best from the new rubber.

"It did go a little bit longer than the old hard would have done here. My first set was pretty decent and we had a pretty good run, but in the second set there was a bit of mystery. We didn't get the performance out of those that we would have liked.

"In the end I think Pirelli are still learning as we go along. The tyres are a huge factor, you can gain and lose a lot of time when you get them right and wrong, and Pirelli are still learning as well."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91529

Double DRS zone from Canadian GP

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Vettel grabs top spot in final practice

Sebastian Vettel set a sensational fastest time in final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix - despite only getting a single flying lap in the session due to a problem on his car.

The world champion had managed just three installation laps before an issue forced him to return to the Red Bull garage. Repairs were only completed with a few minutes to go, but his lack of running proved no impediment whatsoever as Vettel breezed straight to the top with a 1m21.707s on his only flying lap of the morning.

Until then, Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber had been in total command.

The Australian had been quickest in both sessions yesterday, and soon hit the front this morning as well, establishing a one-second margin over the field on hard tyres, and then doing the same when everyone switched to softs in the final minutes. But when Vettel emerged, Webber found himself deposed by just 0.084 seconds.

Mercedes' Michael Schumacher led the way for a while thanks to an early change to softs, and ended the session third - albeit a full 1.3s off Vettel's pace.

The McLarens were only fourth and fifth, ahead of Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes, Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi and Renault's Vitaly Petrov.

Nick Heidfeld's Renault catches fire at CatalunyaThe latter's team-mate Nick Heidfeld had the most dramatic incident of the morning when his Renault caught fire after 25 minutes. Heidfeld quickly parked the car as flames took hold around the right-hand sidepod and exhaust, and while he was unhurt, the team faces a huge job to get the car ready for qualifying.

Local hero Fernando Alonso was only ninth in the leading Ferrari, and had to park in the garage in the closing minutes after appearing to get stuck in sixth gear.

Pos  Driver              Team/Car              Time       Gap       Laps
 1.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault      1m21.707s            6
 2.  Mark Webber         Red Bull-Renault      1m21.791s  + 0.084s  17
 3.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes              1m23.057s  + 1.350s  16
 4.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      1m23.068s  + 1.361s  13
 5.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes      1m23.214s  + 1.507s  14
 6.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes              1m23.397s  + 1.690s  18
 7.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        1m23.669s  + 1.962s  17
 8.  Vitaly Petrov       Renault               1m24.043s  + 2.336s  18
 9.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               1m24.270s  + 2.563s  11
10.  Rubens Barrichello  Williams-Cosworth     1m24.318s  + 2.611s  18
11.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari               1m24.322s  + 2.615s  17
12.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        1m24.329s  + 2.622s  19
13.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Cosworth     1m24.399s  + 2.692s  17
14.  Sebastien Buemi     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m24.535s  + 2.828s  16
15.  Adrian Sutil        Force India-Mercedes  1m24.695s  + 2.988s  18
16.  Jaime Alguersuari   Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m24.722s  + 3.015s  14
17.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  1m25.223s  + 3.516s  19
18.  Heikki Kovalainen   Lotus-Renault         1m26.236s  + 4.529s  11
19.  Jarno Trulli        Lotus-Renault         1m27.000s  + 5.293s  20
20.  Timo Glock          Virgin-Cosworth       1m27.706s  + 5.999s  20
21.  Tonio Liuzzi        HRT-Cosworth          1m28.330s  + 6.623s  17
22.  Jerome D'Ambrosio   Virgin-Cosworth       1m29.057s  + 7.350s  18
23.  Nick Heidfeld       Renault               1m29.200s  + 7.493s  6
24.  Narain Karthikeyan  HRT-Cosworth          1m29.562s  + 7.855s  16

All timing unofficial

Source: Autosport

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

FIA bans Ferrari's new rear wing

Ferrari has been told by the FIA that it cannot continue to run with a new design of rear wing, after the governing body deemed it to be in breach of the technical regulations.

The Maranello-based team's cars featured a higher than normal flap extension on their rear wings in Friday practice in Spain - which the FIA had been looking at closely to work out whether it should be allowed under the rules.

Although the wing was theoretically too high, Ferrari had tried to exploit an area in the rules relating to slot-gap separators ? which are not taken into consideration when measuring the wings.

FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting had said in Spain on Friday: "It's a very clever interpretation of the rules and we have got to decide whether it's a good interpretation of the rules."

The FIA's decision means that Ferrari has had to take the new wing design off its car for the final free practice session in Spain, and it has reverted to the specification of rear wing that it used at the Turkish Grand Prix.

Source: Autosport

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

[ahmz]

It was a great lap by Alonso to put him up into 4th spot.

[san.W10]

KERS issue led to Schumacher strategy

Michael Schumacher revealed that a KERS problem in qualifying prompted him to run his unusual Q3 strategy at Barcelona today.

The former champion set out on hard tyres in the pole shoot-out, then aborted his lap once it became clear that everyone else was using softs and he was set for 10th place regardless. The plan allows him to start on the opposite tyre strategy to the rest of the frontrunners in the first stint of tomorrow's grand prix.

"Unfortunately in Q3, my KERS system did not work but we reacted in the best possible way," he said. "We took the decision to go out on prime tyres to be able to react if other cars did the same. As no one did, we came in without setting a time so we can now choose our strategy for tomorrow.

"I will certainly try to have another of the good starts that I have made recently, make up some positions right at the beginning, and take it from there. With DRS and KERS, overtaking is possible even in Barcelona, so it is important to use your tyres well, and I still have a set of fresh tyres left. I will definitely try to make the best out of it."

His Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg qualified seventh, four places lower than he had in Turkey a fortnight ago, but a consequence of a different approach from the team, according to the German.

"With our focus on the race pace this weekend, it was to be expected that we might suffer a little in qualifying," Rosberg said.

"However I am not too disappointed with seventh place as we should be stronger in the race tomorrow, and I believe we can aim to be better than in Istanbul. I have one set of new tyres left which is good for us, and I hope that we can move up with the right strategy."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91588

i really hope he finishes in top 6, its really sad to see him struggle so much coz of the car (reliabilty) :(

[what]

Schumacher won't be making up many places at the start. If the soft tyre is two seconds a lap faster and lasts 10 laps, he'll be ~20 seconds down before being overtaken by the people behind him (inevitable with KERS and DRS, especially if they're on softs). If he goes in to switch to softs quickly - which is unlikely seeing as he only has one set - he'll be last for being one of the first to pit.

He might get a good run off the line but it won't help him much after a couple of laps and DRS is enabled.

[Subject Delta]

Personally I believe that labelling the exaust blowing systems as being driver controlled is idiotic, they're controlled by the car's electronic engine maps.

I am also disappointed to see that RBR are still unchallenged, I have a feeling they are going to run away even more than they did during 2010, and with the car (apart from the KERS issues) far more reliable it's very ominous for the opposition, and disappointing as a viewing spectator.

[what]

Personally I believe that labelling the exaust blowing systems as being driver controlled is idiotic, they're controlled by the car's electronic engine maps.

I am also disappointed to see that RBR are still unchallenged, I have a feeling they are going to run away even more than they did during 2010, and with the car (apart from the KERS issues) far more reliable it's very ominous for the opposition, and disappointing as a viewing spectator.

I don't mind too much. McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault will be fighting it out pretty hard in the race, and the coverage will be on them. The RBRs will hardly get any screen time tomorrow unless something goes horribly wrong, so it'll still be an exciting race, even if it's only for third place.

[ahmz]

RBR are pretty much in the same position they were last year, maybe a tenth or 2 more, but not further. Circuit de Catalunya accentuates their superior aerodynamic performance, expect the gap to be smaller in the following races especially as Mclaren and Ferrari come back.

[Subject Delta]

RBR are pretty much in the same position they were last year, maybe a tenth or 2 more, but not further. Circuit de Catalunya accentuates their superior aerodynamic performance, expect the gap to be smaller in the following races especially as Mclaren and Ferrari come back.

Red Bull were on pole by 0.8s in Australia, and by 0.7s in China as well, neither of which are as aerodynamically critical as Barcelona. They just have superior pace.

[san.W10]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=135088&pid=5034336&st=1200entry5034336

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Brilliant race again. Real shame Hamilton wasn't able to catch Vettel at the end of the race though. Also, holy **** at the first four lapping everybody else...

[Subject Delta]

Disappointed that Lewis wasn't able to pass, but McLaren will take heart from how much closer they are to Red Bull in race trim. Also the most entertaining Spanish GP I have ever watched. Ferrari will be scratching their heads, Alonso's pace dropped off very quickly in the last 2 stints.

[ahmz]

Absolutely AMAZING start by Alonso, the crowd when wild, and he did well to lead the first 2 stints but there's only so far he can drag that dog of a Ferrari around the track. Ferrari really need to get their act together, and quick.

Great races by both Vettel and Hamilton, really good to watch, great drives by both of them. It bodes well for Mclaren to be so close to RBR on this track.

Definitely the best Spanish GP I can remember but I would like the tyres to have a smaller gap between them.

[MightyJordan]

Oh f**k. They just said that Hamilton, Button, Webber, and Alguersuari are all being investigated for not slowing down during the yellow flags.

[ahmz]

If they all get 20sec penalties, I don't see any points changing positions.