[ecenandu]

Autosport understands the design to be revealed next Wednesday will feature a matt gold/yellow for the main body of the car, with the front and rear wings in matt black.

The colour is similar to that used on the Renault RS01 sportscar for its launch (pictured below).

It is believed the matt finish across the entire car means a weight-saving of almost half a kilogram compared to the use of gloss.

Will other teams follow this path. I knew there will be some gain how ever marginal, which convinced RedBull to go for it, they will never do it just for the aesthetics.

Source

[ecenandu]

Amidst the whole Vijay Mallya saga, I sincerely hope Force India pulls through this year.

You guys can see the interview of Bob, Force India by Ted Kravis from skysports F1.

Interview

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Looks like we are going to get a dramatic qualifying session.

All F1 bosses agreed to the new elimination style of qualifying. The rule change idea still needs approval by World Motor Sport Council next month, but it is understood that the plan is to have it come in as early as this year.

The new elimination qualifying has been unanimously approved and we will see the new format starting next Saturday. Yes, it's here.

F1 elimination qualifying clears final hurdle

[shibujp]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

The new elimination qualifying has been unanimously approved and we will see the new format starting next Saturday. Yes, it's here.

F1 elimination qualifying clears final hurdle

The new format does set the cat among the pigeons. I daresay there are gonna be a lot of blocking allegations up and down the grid. Interesting to see how overtaking moves if allowed are going to pan out during qualifying.

However there is nothing in the regulations that prevents a driver from going out and putting a banker lap in each session that is so good that it sees him through the eliminations without having to drive through the entire session right?

Drive on,
Shibu.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by shibujp

However there is nothing in the regulations that prevents a driver from going out and putting a banker lap in each session that is so good that it sees him through the eliminations without having to drive through the entire session right?

Nothing in the regulations I have seen till now.

But its easier said than done. Traffic, improving track conditions, lower fuel load etc. makes a car faster as the session goes on. And it's not easy to calculate what will the knockout time be for each session. Sometimes it's a big risk to sit out with a banker lap after you have destroyed a set of tyres.

Maybe, the Mercs will be able to pull it off on select tracks. But we will have to wait and see. Race Control might go mad at tracks like Monaco or Baku during qualifying.

[StarrySky]

I did not see anything in the regulations about extra tires being allocated for the new format qualifying. Given that the tires have 1 good qualifying lap in them (maybe 2 if mediums are used) before they are past their best for qualifying, how much sense does it make to have the eliminations after some time? Unless drivers keep on using new tires, it will be impossible for them to improve.

Most drivers make 2 runs in Q2 and I cannot see how this new format will change that. But it's quite possible that the faster teams may use the softer tires in Q1 itself instead of saving them for the race, to be on the safer side.

I think this new format may throw up some surprises in changeable conditions (which the current format also does). I guess that the teams will work out the format within 2-3 weekends and in the end it will boil down to the same as we have now.

[jfxavier]

AMUS has published data on dimensions of all F1 cars for 2016 season.
Interesting to see the directions especially with regards to wheel base changes that the teams have taken and the rake being run.

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/f...-10641310.html

[fz_rider]

Renault has revealed the livery for 2016 car. Pictures courtesy Renault F1 twitter

[MadiMaama]

One more team that has used matte paint. RBR has also used matte for their livery. But the new Renault looks really great though.. Just hope they put up a decent performance this year.

[r.K]

Saw this pretty cool ad of the '240cm' of Mobil 1 with JB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyV_NeeSVIQ

Mods kindly move to appropriate thread if required.

[mayankk]

There used to be a motorsport app on play which imported all dates for Motogp and f1 into Google calender. The guy did it just for kicks then got pissed from people screaming at him so he pulled it.
Anybody know of any equivalent one currently?

[mattyf1]

I found the new quali system to be a bit boring instead of making it more exciting. There was no cars on track for the last minute of Q3. The previous system was more fun and drivers could push until the last second of the session

Mercs will have to earn their way up this year unlike last one. Roseberg seems to be a little in favor of a luck this time around and I'm hoping he deserves a championship this season.

By The time of European season I'm expecting Mclaren to be in the further midfield. The pace shown by Alonso on the super soft tires before his crash is really impressive.

[Fullrevs]

While most teams had agreed to go back to the 2015 style qualifying shoot-out for the next race in Bahrain. News is that they are going back to the elimination style qualifying that was introduced this year and was implemented during the last race in Melbourne.

Formula 1's new-for-2016 elimination qualifying format will remain in place for the next round of the season in Bahrain, despite the sport agreeing to scrap it straight after its debut at the Australian Grand Prix.

Under the new system, drivers are eliminated from Q1, Q2 and Q3 at 90 second intervals after seven, six and five minutes respectively in each knockout session, with a view to shaking up the grid for race day.

But it was heavily criticised on its debut in Melbourne as most drivers returned to the pits following early runs, leaving an empty track, including for Q3, when pole position was settled with over three minutes to spare.

Formula 1 team bosses met with FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting ahead of the race, during which they tentatively agreed to switch back to the old format, used from 2006-2015, for the second round.

However, this still had to be ratified and, during a crunch vote on Thursday, the required unanimous agreement was not reached, and the system will stay in place for further evaluation at next weekend's Sakhir event.

It will then be decided if the format stays for the rest of the season, is tweaked or scrapped altogether.

"The outcome I think is that we are going to stay as we are," Ecclestone explained to news agency Reuters following Thursday's vote. "After Bahrain, we're going to have a look at it."

Formula 1's inability to push through change follows on from the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) describing the current rule-making process as "obsolete and ill-structured".

Ecclestone has since responded with a letter of his own, commenting that he agreed with the drivers' general standpoint, while also asking for them to put forward potential solutions.

Source:GPupdate.net

Frankly this shows the disarray that F1 is in. The season is underway and the ruling bodies cant agree on one format of qualifying.

[Hatari]

Sauber in trouble, and reports suggest they might not make the grid in China.

[ecenandu]

Payment for 2016 F1 season has been revealed by Autosport.



Source