News of the week

[WickerBill]

Rossi didn't get a Manor seat: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-motor-f1-haryanto-idUSKCN0VR0YG

Red Bull release is in another thread...

Ferrari unveiling: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122865

Toro Rosso running last year's Ferrari engines (welcome back to the back half of the grid, boys): http://planetf1.com/news/toro-rosso-to-run-late-2015-spec-engine/

(and Haas gets the 2016 model? At least that's what I understood)

And Williams: http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2016/02/williams-martini-racing-first-to-unveil-their-2016-challenger/

[Insomniac]

Qualifying changes on the horizon:


Q1

16 minutes duration;
After 7 minutes, the slowest driver is eliminated;
Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag;
7 drivers eliminated, 15 progress to Q2.


Q2

15 minutes duration;
After 6 minutes, slowest driver eliminated;
Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag;
7 drivers eliminated, 8 progress to Q3.


Q3

14 minutes;
After 5 minutes, slowest driver eliminated;
Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag;
2 drivers left in final 1 minute 30 seconds.



Other stuff discussed: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/02/23/f1-teams-agree-elimination-style-qualifying/

[WickerBill]

I guess it gets everyone out on the track... but man that's complex.

[Don Quixote]

Who dreams this stuff up????

[cameraman]

I guess it gets everyone out on the track... but man that's complex.

It doesn't. The Mercs can bank 1 lap at the start of Q1 and park it just like now. And at the end of Q3 there will only be two on the track not ten on a flying lap.

The way it is now the end of every session has a group of cars pushing hard, with this system it will only be one or two pushing.

[opinionated ow]

I've got a crazy idea...how about you have 45 minutes. And you can do as many laps as you like. And you can run a super sticky tyre. And you can run a legal but short life engine.

[gjc2]

Some people just love rules; the more rules the better.

[Insomniac]

More downforce, 3s per lap faster, halo cockpit in 2017 among changes to expect: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/02/24/f1-halo-concept-cockpit-approval-motorsports/

[WickerBill]

In testing, there's good and bad news for McLaren.

Good: they did more laps in the first morning than they did for the entire first week last year.
Bad: they had to stop running today because of a 2015-ish gremlin - hydraulic leak.
Worse: Jenson says the engine needs "big improvement still" and they're a good 2.5 seconds off the pace, even when they are running softs and everyone else is running mediums. Oh boy.



I know... testing is just testing. I sure hope they have something better to show soon.

[Insomniac]

In testing, there's good and bad news for McLaren.

Good: they did more laps in the first morning than they did for the entire first week last year.
Bad: they had to stop running today because of a 2015-ish gremlin - hydraulic leak.
Worse: Jenson says the engine needs "big improvement still" and they're a good 2.5 seconds off the pace, even when they are running softs and everyone else is running mediums. Oh boy.



I know... testing is just testing. I sure hope they have something better to show soon.

I just don't see how Honda, after having an extra year to begin with, will be able to close the gap unless there is just nothing else Mercedes can improve. The rules just won't let them invest and improve it across the board. The piecemeal/token approach would work only if they had a specific deficiency. In McLaren's case, that's Honda.

[WickerBill]

I agree. The chassis, by all accounts, is working extremely well in testing; they're fastest through the slowest parts of the track, and both Jenson and Fred have said it's neutral and "easy".

Would have been interesting if they were still McLaren-Mercedes.

[WickerBill]

Putting this picture here, because we won't see much of this for the remainder of 2016, I'm afraid.

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