Picking up from the 2013 Formula 1 discussion thread.
Let the tire swaps, aero swaps, engine swaps and driver swaps commence...
Let the tire swaps, aero swaps, engine swaps and driver swaps commence...
Anyone else expecting more failures? Turbos are pretty hot (ok very hot) and we've been seeing alternator and KERS failures caused by heat without them. And KERS is more powerful so more critical if it fails...
Turbo technology has come a long way since it made its last appearance in F1. Even with road going cars, you no longer have to baby them like you used to when they were oil cooled (my last two cars have been new turbos). Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how the season goes with all the new tech.
My current car is a turbo. But it's not installed in such a tight and constrained environment and is not being stressed by the sort of engine revs that F1 engines produce. Turbo road cars get turbo failures. I expect that the turbos for the F1 engines will have lifespans only slightly longer than they are expected to last. So some will fail. Quite possibly in a spectacular fashion.
And non-turbo road cars fail also. I've never heard that [modern] turbo road cars fail with higher incidence. We shall see. I have been watching turbos race in sports car racing (ALMS, LMS, World Challenge, etc) for years. They fail and so do their naturally-aspirated competitors. Actually, what has been likely the most reliable car in sports car racing (Audi TDI R10, R15, R18, etc) are turbos.
We shall see how it all pans out, but I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss turbo technology. If Audi and Peugeot can get it right for LMP1 cars (which also have very constrained environments), I think F1 can get it right. Those LMP1 cars are a lot like F1 cars, but with fenders.
I'm with you there. This season was very boring, reminiscent of the Schumi/Ferrari snoozefest years. I am hoping the new formula throws a wrench in the Finger Boy works. I am looking forward to the Alonso/Kimi dynamics at Ferrari, whatever that turns out to be (should be interesting in any case).I'm not dismissing it. I'm hoping it brings slightly less predictable outcomes to the races. I've stopped watching most of the race as it's often over after lap 1!
Nice! I didn't know we had an F1 thread!...
Welcome to the thread. We've been at it for years. Last year's thread had over 400 posts, so it's reasonably active during the season, silly and otherwise.
I won't actually mind if Red Bull/The Finger win again. I will mind if they manage to do it easily. I want to see a race to finish, not just to the first corner.
I won't actually mind if Red Bull/The Finger win again. I will mind if they manage to do it easily. I want to see a race to finish, not just to the first corner.
Anyone else expecting more failures? Turbos are pretty hot (ok very hot) and we've been seeing alternator and KERS failures caused by heat without them. And KERS is more powerful so more critical if it fails...
Nice! I didn't know we had an F1 thread!
Lots of continued rumblings that Mercedes have something special for next year. I hope so as it's about time Red Bull suffer a fall from grace. It'll be fun to see Horner with a 'bulldog chewing a wasp' type face.
Hopefully this will mean McLaren, Force India and Williams have a good season also.
I'm still very concerned about the noise the V6 'Power Unit' will make, it makes my heart bleed going back and hearing a V10 at stupid-amount-of-revs scream around a track.
Less than 2 months before testing starts, even sooner for the car launches. And I'm expecting to see a few ridiculous looking nose jobs!
Anyone else expecting more failures? Turbos are pretty hot (ok very hot) and we've been seeing alternator and KERS failures caused by heat without them. And KERS is more powerful so more critical if it fails...
Instead of double points on the last race (which depending on the venue will suit some teams more than others), how about a joker where the team can elect one race per year to earn double points?
Not sure if this is good or bad news. FIA have opened the Expression Of Interest process for 2015 or 2016..
Via FIA.com
So either a new team (VW/AUDI group?) or we may be about lose a team (or teams?).
I was a big supporter of the new teams joining. But let's be honest here. They've had long enough to bridge the gap to the back of the older teams. They have not. Time for an ultimatum from the FIA: score at least one point or lose your place.
I don't think it's in the FIA's interest to lose more F1 teams. I'd imagine Bernie would be pretty upset too (despite his current situation). Regardless of where they finish in the championship, they still get to go racing, keep a lot of bright minds employed and let's be honest, who wouldn't enjoy being part of that?
Hopefully the 2014 changes will allow them teams to bridge that gap. F1 needs more Q1 upsets!
In other news, Perez confirmed at Force India (finally). Where does that leave Sutil/Di Resta?