The Beyond 2009 F1 Season Thread

[buh_buh]

Just wanted to post up another pic of the slicks. This is Loeb with the '08 bodywork.



I don't know if its just BMW, but these new squarish front wings look strange to me.

[rage2]

Yea, that does look awful strange. But it's BMW, they always seem to be able to produce an ugly looking car regardless of regulations.

I'm glad slicks are back tho, looks so much more proper instead of those stupid grooves in the tires!

[rage2]

From some angles, it looks not too bad...



But from other angles...



Snow plow ftw.

[buh_buh]

I dont mind this view, although the car looks so basic. Kind of like a Formula BMW car, except formula bmw cars have nicer noses.

[ryanallan]

Interesting day today . Senna was faster than I thought he would have been for his fist ever F1 drive.
One second quicker then Lucas di Grassi !
The next two days should show whos more comfortable with the car though.

I found this interesting aswel. Looks like ballast or something.

[buh_buh]

First day of first test. Senna ran in the afternoon and di Grassi ran in the morning. Difficult to compare times since the track is much more green in the morning, but still impressive considering di Grassi's had some time in a f1 car before.

[DJ Lazy]

S. Loeb = Sebatian Loeb (aka Rally Driver???) is this correct?

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by DJ Lazy
S. Loeb = Sebatian Loeb (aka Rally Driver???) is this correct?

correct

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by rage2
Yea, that does look awful strange. But it's BMW, they always seem to be able to produce an ugly looking car regardless of regulations.

I'm glad slicks are back tho, looks so much more proper instead of those stupid grooves in the tires!

Interesting how the cars evolve.

http://formulaoneseasons.blogspot.co...in-photos.html

[buh_buh]

Barcelona day 2 test times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:19.751 70
2. Sato Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:20.017 79
3. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:20.034 48
4. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:20.223 99
5. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:21.340 31
6. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) 1:21.521 76
7. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:21.525 113
8. Button Honda (B) 1:21.770 110
9. Sutil Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:22.073 58
10. di Grassi Honda (B) 1:22.283 110
11. Piquet Renault (B) 1:22.348 85
12. Badoer Ferrari (B) 1:22.425 127
13. Gene Ferrari (B) 1:22.772 31
14. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:22.945 81
15. van der Garde Renault (B) 1:23.250 37
16. de la Rosa Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:23.499 86

Sato impressive again. Looks like he may be back in F1 in '09.

[Team_Mclaren]

Martin Brundle is going to BBC to continue commentating! woohoo

[ryanallan]

Ferrari KERS system
I wonder whats under the hump that needs cooling and has high voltage stickers ?

[DJ Lazy]

Those right side mirrors look like they would be completely useless with that huge hump there... (not that they are all that useful to begin with)

Looks like the F2008 wing too...

[buh_buh]

1. S. Vettel Red Bull Racing RB4 1:19.295 75 pit
2. S. Bourdais Toro Rosso STR3 1:19.839 +0.544 122 pit
3. S. Buemi Toro Rosso STR3 1:20.154 +0.859 115 pit
4. G. Paffett McLaren MP4-23K 1:21.140 +1.845 81 pit
5. J. Button Honda RA108 1:21.387 +2.092 94 pit
6. C. Klien BMW Sauber F1.08 1:21.534 +2.239 88 pit
7. N. Heidfeld BMW Sauber F1.08 1:21.592 +2.297 105 pit
8. B. Senna Honda RA108 1:21.676 +2.381 106 pit
9. N. Piquet Jr. Renault R28 1:22.148 +2.853 94 pit
10. N. Hülkenberg Williams FW30 1:22.410 +3.115 51 pit
11. L. Badoer Ferrari F2008K 1:22.866 +3.571 120 pit
12. G. Fisichella Force India VJM-01 1:23.068 +3.773 92 pit
13. P. de la Rosa Force India VJM-01 1:23.103 +3.808 88 pit

Senna's getting quicker for just his first test. Track conditions probably better today than yesterday, hence the quicker times overall by about half a second, but only 3/10ths off Button, while Di Grassi half a second off Button. Too bad Rubens isn't doing any head to head testing with Di Grassi and Senna, although he and Button have been pretty close all year.

Toro Rosso not looking bad either. I'm hoping for a Sato-Bourdais team this year, but I think Buemi might get it over Bourdais. Sato's been quick.

[rage2]

Originally posted by buh_buh
Senna's getting quicker for just his first test. Track conditions probably better today than yesterday, hence the quicker times overall by about half a second, but only 3/10ths off Button, while Di Grassi half a second off Button.

Originally posted by rage2
Also, most first time testers take at least a few days to get used to the level of downforce and grip in F1 cars. When Hamilton first tested, he was way off the pace too, which is why McLaren was debating between him, Paffett and De La Rosa for '07. We all know how that turned out .

hehe

[buh_buh]

Well I knew he'd improve as the test went on. His times were dropping throughout the day, and he'll probably continue to improve if he starts doing more testing. I'm just surprised he was 2/10ths quicker than Di Grassi. I wonder if they were driving the same spec car was Button.

[Roaring G60]

Originally posted by DJ Lazy
Those right side mirrors look like they would be completely useless with that huge hump there... (not that they are all that useful to begin with)

Looks like the F2008 wing too...

Being as it is a F2008 car which is being used as a test mule for the KERS (mostly likely a capacitor based system)


On another note the front wing's are massively more efficient(lower and wider) and should allow a following driver to close the gap. But i agree that they will be scattered in turn one, for the first couple races at least.

Also I wonder when the manufacturers are gonna stand up to Berni and tell him they want a race in there largest/larger markets??

[rage2]

Honestly, if the manufacturers REALLY wanted a North American round that badly, they would've sponsored the Canadian event and bridged the 30m gap between what Quebec wants to pay and what Bernie wants to charge. $30m for a few years is cheap.

The reason why Bernie wants to charge Canada that much more is because it's a huge yearly expense for 1 flyaway race. Something like $10m in shipping costs just for the weekend.

[A2VR6]

Originally posted by buh_buh
Well I knew he'd improve as the test went on. His times were dropping throughout the day, and he'll probably continue to improve if he starts doing more testing. I'm just surprised he was 2/10ths quicker than Di Grassi. I wonder if they were driving the same spec car was Button.

Based on the pictures i've seen, Senna's and Di Grassi's car looks very close to Button's aerodynamics wise... They both have the 2009 spec front wing.

Senna


Button


De Grassi

[rage2]

Loads of pics from the Barcelona test:

















Comparison:

BMW:


Williams:


Honda:


WTF is this in the Honda wheel?



McLaren KERS setup. The only one without a hump.