[anachronix]

Originally Posted by Samir Taheer

Thanks anachronix.... so this means ferrari will have to change their tailpipes... or just shorten them to be in line with the body work... wouldnt think it will affect the team much..

They have already tested with the modified exhaust at Mugello last week.

Its just that the drawings in the F1 website is misleading w.r.t the side pod body work.

Originally Posted by raj.barcode

I have observed some images of mclaren testing by Pedro it seems to have last years rear wing and not the 2009 spec, is it because it may generate more down force or their 2009 spec rear wing is not performing as required

They were used to generate more downforce since the grip levels on the wet track was pathetic!

[raj.barcode]

Ferrari apparently worked on an innovative solution for its 2009 KERS system.
The Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell reports that, parallel to a more conventional in-house project, engineers at Maranello devised a system whereby the KERS batteries were located in the front nose of the F60 single seater.
The solution would have negated one of the teams’ main concerns about deploying KERS in 2009: that the location of unwanted ballast in the centre of the car disrupts the ideal weight distribution towards the front.

During initial testing of the new Ferrari, reports indicated that one of the problems encountered was in the area of the front wing.

The front nose solution for KERS would also have resulted in the need for high-voltage cables to run through the cockpit.

This was ( or is ) discontinued for now and accommodated more conventional way, near the side pods

P.S. But isn't this the same team which said they are behind in KERS development, but they seem to have tried quite a few possibilities for innovative working methodologies

[anachronix]

Originally Posted by raj.barcode

Ferrari apparently worked on an innovative solution for its 2009 KERS system.
The Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell reports that, parallel to a more conventional in-house project, engineers at Maranello devised a system whereby the KERS batteries were located in the front nose of the F60 single seater.
The solution would have negated one of the teams’ main concerns about deploying KERS in 2009: that the location of unwanted ballast in the centre of the car disrupts the ideal weight distribution towards the front.

During initial testing of the new Ferrari, reports indicated that one of the problems encountered was in the area of the front wing.

The front nose solution for KERS would also have resulted in the need for high-voltage cables to run through the cockpit.

This was ( or is ) discontinued for now and accommodated more conventional way, near the side pods

P.S. But isn't this the same team which said they are behind in KERS development, but they seem to have tried quite a few possibilities for innovative working methodologies

They did all this in a short span of time. Also Ferrari spent the highest budget on the KERS!

The KERS batteries placed on the front nose of the F60 and being tested in Mugello was only a speculation by the media. Ferrari defenitely has this plan on the cards but their only concern being the high voltage cables that would be running through the cockpit.

The current KERS which was tested by Ferrari was built by Ferrari engineers in collaboration with engineers from Magneti Marelli. The KERS which was tested was placed in the sidepods.

Ferrari is also working on two different KERS built completely by Magneti Marelli and the other one from a company which supplies power equipments for NASA in the US. The later being the ones which would be placed on the front wing. But there is no confirmation on whether Ferrari would test/use the same this season.

Ferrari would have 3 different KERS systems to work! The effeciency or the performance advangtage of the KERS is still a big question among the teams since the KERS would weigh around 30 to 40 Kilos.

[raj.barcode]

Regulations for testing as per FIA rules at the World motor sport council met with FOTA on 12 December at Monaco and agreed upon the following measures:

• Testing has been severely reduced from 30,000 to 15,000 km/year. All this testing will have to happen between 1 January and 7 days before the first Grand Prix of the season, as in-season and post-season testing are now banned completely. It is already widely known that this measure will reduce the workforce for most teams. Williams for instance is said to be investigating who it deems most necessary in its team as it aims to cut away the testing crew as a whole, since the race team can now do the early season testing.
• Wind tunnel testing was limited to 40 hours/week. This used to be an unlimited parameter and resulting in several teams running its wind tunnel 24 hours, 7 days a week in 3 shifts of 8 working hours. Some teams did however protest against this idea as they had just invested in a secondary wind tunnel. Max Mosley meanwhile stated that these costs are in the past, cannot be undone and cannot be a reason to keep spending at the same rate.
• No wind tunnel exceeding 60% scale and 50 m/s or 180 km/h to be used after 1 January 2009.
• Factory closures for six weeks per year, to accord with local laws.
• Manpower to be reduced by means of a number of measures, including sharing information on tyres and fuel to eliminate the need for “spotters”.

[raj.barcode]

Since the rules dictate that a driver should use both kinds of compound for racing in a grand prix the FIA has asked bridge stone engineers to exaggerate the difference between the offered compounds in 2009. and FIA is expecting a difference in racing by 1/2 second between different compounds tyres unlike last year of 1/10th second

[vikram_d]

I wonder how they wil indicate the soft option tyre this year. Lst year they had a white groove. But what will they do for slicks?

[raj.barcode]

Hybrid Power in Formula One

The importance of developing hybrid technology has been recognised by the FIA and from the start of the 2009 season, Formula One cars will be permitted by regulation to collect, retain and re-use kinetic energy that would otherwise have been dissipated as heat under braking. Regulations permit the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) fitted to a Formula One car to collect and store energy during braking at a rate of 60kW - the equivalent of a thousand 60W light bulbs switched on simultaneously. Up to 400kJ of this stored energy can then be re-introduced into the drivetrain each lap at a rate of up to 60kW; an increase in overall power of about 10%. Drivers will have a 'boost' button allowing them to deploy this extra energy tactically during a race, for instance in order to overtake. Therefore on the track KERS will not only increase the efficiency of Formula One cars but could contribute to more exciting racing. Once these technologies have been validated in the highly demanding environment of Formula One, wider application beyond the race track will advance the progress of mainstream hybrid vehicles.



SOURCE : Williams Hybrid Power | F1 System
( Also check out the video, it is really neat)

[raj.barcode]

Radio conversations between team and driver have been available for a few years, but the team had a button it needed to press to make the channel open to the TV director. Renault were always very good and open about this, even though it used to irritate them that the director kept playing clips of them telling Fisi to push harder. Ferrari and McLaren were useless at opening the line, and would simply open it at the end, after a victory. This season the radios will be open all the time from every team, so you should hear some much more insightful stuff

[RacingForIndia]

Originally Posted by raj.barcode

Since the rules dictate that a driver should use both kinds of compound for racing in a grand prix the FIA has asked bridge stone engineers to exaggerate the difference between the offered compounds in 2009. and FIA is expecting a difference in racing by 1/2 second between different compounds tyres unlike last year of 1/10th second

Thats the Gotcha Moment. Expect the reds to run with the super soft compound for 2 stints while the rest of the gird struggles to do a proper qualifying round with the softies.
Back to 02 and 04 eh?

[raj.barcode]

Ferrari has now modified the rear exhaust outlets of its new F60 single seater, after rivals expressed concern about the launch design’s legality.
Numerous teams, including McLaren-Mercedes, BMW-Sauber and Toyota, had questioned the design of the exposed exhaust pipes.
It was reported that the 2009 Ferrari contravened the new bodywork regulations cracking down on aerodynamic appendages like winglets and other accessories. It now emerges that Ferrari has modified the design so that the pipes do not protrude beyond the allowed tolerance above the surface of the bodywork

[raj.barcode]

Nico Rosberg has hit out at F1’s current minimum weight rule.
The Williams racer suggests that, combined with the addition of heavy KERS systems in 2009, the tendency is to unfairly penalise the heavier or taller drivers.
The minimum weight in F1 is 605kg including car and driver.
But with KERS systems weighing between 25 and 40kg, heavy drivers now have even less scope to distribute ballast around the car, to achieve an ideal weight distribution.
So far, it has emerged that, in preparation for 2009, Rubens Barrichello, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have deliberately lost weight.
“I have lost weight and even at Christmas was counting calories,” Nico Rosberg now reveals.
“I think the weight rule is unfair because bigger drivers are disadvantaged even before they start (the season),” the 23-year-old German told Speedweek magazine.
“I think it should be urgently talked about in the (drivers’ association) GPDA,” he said.
Rosberg argues that a variable weight limit, based on the weight of individual drivers, should be installed so that the heavier drivers are not disadvantaged.
BMW’s Robert Kubica, standing at about 6 feet or 185cm, shed several kilograms before last season and now weighs sub-70kg, but vows to lose no more for fear of losing strength or fitness, the Cologne newspaper Express said.
Rosberg is 178cm and weighs about 70kg. The diminutive Nick Heidfeld and Felipe Massa are both believed to weigh less than 60kg.

SOURCE: F1 : F1 weight rules 'unfair' - Rosberg - F1-Live.com

[raj.barcode]

Barclays Seven Sporting Wonders of the World

1. Monaco F1 Circuit (18 per cent)
2. Nou Camp Stadium, Barcelona (15 per cent)
3. Bird's Nest, Bejing (14 per cent)
4. Bernabeu, Madrid (5 per cent)
5. San Siro, Milan (4 per cent)
6. Maracana, Rio de Janeiro (4 per cent)
7. Melbourne Cricket ground, Australia (4 per cent)


HOPE INDIAN GP VENUE WILL FEATURE SOON WELL HOPING. It was nice to see GP venue beating all those gigantic structures of football and athletics

[raj.barcode]

Its been told that the teams and the FIA are seriously planning to publish the weights of the cars after qualifying. If this is true I think it is mad as all teams will be inclined to do more or less the same thing on fuel strategy as each other, which will create more of a procession.

Some good news for F1 TV viewers

What do you guys think about this? Personally it will be bad as there will no surprise factor associated to qualifying.

[speedzak]

Originally Posted by raj.barcode

This season the radios will be open all the time from every team, so you should hear some much more insightful stuff

This is good news. Will give us more interest in watching all the races. Even the repeat telecasts will have some added value.
Teams will have to be more careful on their language. What say?

[rolling on DUB]

Originally Posted by raj.barcode

Nico Rosberg has hit out at F1’s current minimum weight rule.
The Williams racer suggests that, combined with the addition of heavy KERS systems in 2009, the tendency is to unfairly penalise the heavier or taller drivers.
The minimum weight in F1 is 605kg including car and driver.
But with KERS systems weighing between 25 and 40kg, heavy drivers now have even less scope to distribute ballast around the car, to achieve an ideal weight distribution.
So far, it has emerged that, in preparation for 2009, Rubens Barrichello, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have deliberately lost weight.
“I have lost weight and even at Christmas was counting calories,” Nico Rosberg now reveals.
“I think the weight rule is unfair because bigger drivers are disadvantaged even before they start (the season),” the 23-year-old German told Speedweek magazine.
“I think it should be urgently talked about in the (drivers’ association) GPDA,” he said.
Rosberg argues that a variable weight limit, based on the weight of individual drivers, should be installed so that the heavier drivers are not disadvantaged.
BMW’s Robert Kubica, standing at about 6 feet or 185cm, shed several kilograms before last season and now weighs sub-70kg, but vows to lose no more for fear of losing strength or fitness, the Cologne newspaper Express said.
Rosberg is 178cm and weighs about 70kg. The diminutive Nick Heidfeld and Felipe Massa are both believed to weigh less than 60kg.

SOURCE: F1 : F1 weight rules 'unfair' - Rosberg - F1-Live.com

I think in the end the driver may fly out of the cockpit at high speeds..they are weightless

KERS