[changaez]

are there any regulation changes expected in the year 2011 ? I have not heard of any but in the last few years ever year FIA has been changing some rule or the other... any news on this front.

[Newpunter]

Originally Posted by changaez

are there any regulation changes expected in the year 2011 ? I have not heard of any but in the last few years ever year FIA has been changing some rule or the other... any news on this front.

I think the main changes for this year will be the return of KERS and the switch to Pirelli tyres. The other changes would be the ban on the Double Diffusers and the F-ducts and the movable front wints ( which didn't bring anything actually ). Instead, we will have the movable rear wings which can be controlled by the driver and will be activated only when he is less than 1 sec behind a driver. Wonder how this will work out.

Also, the latest list on the FIA site has Lewis ahead of Button in the list and Glock as a confirmed driver in the Virgin team.

Edit: Not to forget the 107% rule which will be back after a few years without it.

[changaez]

thanks Newpunter,

movable rear wing . thats interesting.. and i would love to see how the less than 1 sec behind a driver actually gets implemented.. i guess it means its only for overtaking moves.. hope to see a power packed 2011 rather than one car which is ahead of the game in terms of the machine...

cheers

[raj.barcode]

First team to announce launch dates for new car is Sauber; logically they have named it a c30 and will be on Jan 31th of 2011

Source : Formula 1? - The Official F1? Website

and renault might actually have proton branding!!

[Zensi]

Originally Posted by changaez

thanks Newpunter,

movable rear wing . thats interesting.. and i would love to see how the less than 1 sec behind a driver actually gets implemented.. i guess it means its only for overtaking moves..

cheers

Originally Posted by Newpunter

I think the main changes for this year will be the return of KERS and the switch to Pirelli tyres. The other changes would be the ban on the Double Diffusers and the F-ducts and the movable front wints ( which didn't bring anything actually ). Instead, we will have the movable rear wings which can be controlled by the driver and will be activated only when he is less than 1 sec behind a driver. Wonder how this will work out.


Edit: Not to forget the 107% rule which will be back after a few years without it.

the movable rear wing will be controlled electronically centrally and will only be active a few seconds a lap when you are < 1 sec behind another car. More importantly this will not be in use in the opening laps when everyone is usually cluttered together more often than not in the first corner.

107% qualy time is great - the slower cars - HRT and the likes will have to dig deep to race on Sunday!

Also another rule is that the minimum car weight has been raised by 20kgs so that larger drivers are not penalised with Kers.

Im trying to find out if they did something about not using Kers defensively like we saw Kimi defending from FI at Spa in 2009 - but cant find a definitive official resource - anyone heard anything?

[Cesc]

Alonso was voted the best driver of 2010 by team principals.

autosport.com - F1 News: F1 bosses vote Alonso the best of 2010

The list is as follows:

1. Alonso 229
2. Vettel 220
3. Hamilton 196
4. Webber 146
5. Kubica 129
6. Button 86
7. Rosberg 68
8. Hulkenberg 17
9. Massa 17
10. Barrichello 11

Points are mentioned against each driver's name (the ranks assigned bu team principals were converted to points using the current F1 points system).

With the equipment and brains (which exploded in Abu Dhabi) he had at his disposal I guess that is a fair assessment.

[anachronix]

Mercedes pit crew fastest in 2010 - analysis

Atleast their pitstops were faster if not their cars

[Newpunter]

And it's official now. F1 will have 2 Lotus teams ( both running Renault engines and both having same JPS inspired livery ) next year. Group Lotus ( the Road car division owned by Proton ) have just announced that they have made a deal with Genii Capital ( who currently own the Renault team ) . Starting next year, Renault will be known as the Lotus Renault GP team and they will have the same JPS inspired livery that Team Lotus ( the team owned by Tony Fernandes ) is planning to have.

[indivic]

Originally Posted by Zensi

Im trying to find out if they did something about not using Kers defensively like we saw Kimi defending from FI at Spa in 2009 - but cant find a definitive official resource - anyone heard anything?

I dont think the regulations would make any limitation on which part of the racetrack or how KERS should be used. If it is allowed by FIA to be on the car, it is upto the driver to decide when to use it.

Having said that usage of KERS defensively did make for better viewing than using it just to overtake, but that's my view.

Plus read my signature

[Hatari]

Its official. Lotus is the title sponsor of the Renault team in 2011.
Team will be called Lotus Renault!

Lotus will also have ownership stake in the team.

Tony fernandes will have to blink now.

[raj.barcode]

Originally Posted by Cesc

Alonso was voted the best driver of 2010 by team principals.

autosport.com - F1 News: F1 bosses vote Alonso the best of 2010

The list is as follows:

1. Alonso 229
2. Vettel 220
3. Hamilton 196
4. Webber 146
5. Kubica 129
6. Button 86
7. Rosberg 68
8. Hulkenberg 17
9. Massa 17
10. Barrichello 11

.

I really do not believe this is right because 3 of the wins Alonso had was inherited due to other problems (Bahrain and Korea cause of vettel failure to win due to faulty equipment) or Massa moving over
so if you view 2 wins through the season and most importantly he was unable to overtake a rookie in a inferior car makes it more contentious (petrov in last race). Above all his pretty sad gesture at the end made him look like an idiot.

[anachronix]

Originally Posted by indivic

Plus read my signature

The good old times of ICEMAN! I still wish & pray that I see him on the F1 grid soon.

The KERS has not been mandated, but the minimum weight increase in regulations and also the unladen weight bias towards the rear proposed by FOTA will not play advantage for any team running a non-KERS car like the way it happened in 2009.

[Newpunter]

Originally Posted by Hatari

Its official. Lotus is the title sponsor of the Renault team in 2011.
Team will be called Lotus Renault!

Lotus will also have ownership stake in the team.

Tony fernandes will have to blink now.

The case is already in the court, so I dont think Tony will back down till the court gives a decision. And Group Lotus ( the Proton owned one which is behind the Lotus Renault GP team now ) had already tried to stop Team Lotus from using the Lotus name some time back in 1999 and they lost. So I think Tony still has a good chance of winning. Colin Chapman had always kept the racing and roadcar divisions separate. This is just Proton and Group Lotus trying to appropriate the Lotus racing heritage.

[good.car-ma]

Whether Lotus win or lose the case they can only stop Tony's team from using the name. My question is why should they?? Its free advertising. 2 lotus teams does a huge bit for a sport where the toyotas and hondas are fleeing.

On a lighter note: Who are you backing? I know Renault are on the up and will probably blow away Team Lotus but I salute their spirit and bravery so its the Team Lotus from Norfolk that I will be hoping do the better of the two

[indivic]

Originally Posted by anachronix

The good old times of ICEMAN! I still wish & pray that I see him on the F1 grid soon.

The problem with him which causes most heartburn for people like us is that F1 is just one avenue for him to explore, I just wish we have more WRC coverage in India. Plus modern day contracts mean that we will never know why ever he was asked to take a paid vacation at Ferrari.

They could have kept Massa as reserve/test driver, make Kimi see out the contract and who knows maybe the championship would have been different. If he could eke out a win out of the dog the F60 was, I am sure Ferraris would have seen more podiums.

I am not a fan of the Scuderia, for me Iceman + Silver Arrows was still the dream team for the 5 years they were together

I guess we have to make do with re-runs on Youtube atleast till 2012 season and hope Webber makes way next year end.