35 replies to this topic

[siztenboots]

First race is March 20th Australia Car launch dates Feb 21 McLaren MP4-31 , Haas ??? Thread will be updated with further dates and links

[LY_Scott]

Ferrari - 18/19 February (unconfirmed)

Haas - 21 February

Force India - TBC

Renault - TBC

McLaren - 21 February

Mercedes - TBC

Red Bull - TBC

Sauber - 1 March

Toro Rosso - TBC

Williams - 22 February

Manor - TBC

[techieboy]

Ferrari - 18/19 February (unconfirmed)
Ferrari Test Bed Car Haas - 21 February
Force India - TBC
Renault - TBC
McLaren - 21 February
Mercedes - TBC
Red Bull - TBC
Sauber - 1 March
Toro Rosso - TBC
Williams - 22 February
Manor - TBC

[casino]

Can't wait for first lights out. Longest winter ever.

[siztenboots]

Renault RS16

 

[casino]

Send Maldonado a poster sized copy for his bedroom

[siztenboots]

Team / Engine / Driver Mercedes / Mercedes Lewis Hamilton / Nico Rosberg TBA Ferrari / Ferrari Sebastian Vettel / Kimi Raikkonen February 19 Williams / Mercedes Valtteri Bottas / Felipe Massa TBA Red Bull / Renault Daniil Kvyat / Daniel Ricciardo February 17 (livery) Force India / Mercedes Sergio Perez / Nico Hulkenberg February 22 Renault / Renault Kevin Magnussen / Jolyon Palmer February 3 (team launch) Toro Rosso / Ferrari Max Verstappen / Carlos Sainz Jr. February 29 (livery) Sauber / Ferrari Felipe Nasr / Marcus Ericsson March 1 McLaren / Honda Jenson Button / Fernando Alonso February 21 Manor / Mercedes Pascal Wehrlein / TBA February 22 Haas / Ferrari Romain Grosjean / Esteban Gutierrez February 22

[the outsider]

Im amazed that buttons gone with honda again , in fact I cant believe that mclaren have gone with honda, , they might as well admit the engine or electrics are not going to do the job and start the design process again, button and alonso deserve better, they would be better off cutting a hole in the bottom of the car and fred flintstoning it, unless honda really was using last year as a test, like ALL year

[fezzasus]

Im amazed that buttons gone with honda again , in fact I cant believe that mclaren have gone with honda, , they might as well admit the engine or electrics are not going to do the job and start the design process again, button and alonso deserve better, they would be better off cutting a hole in the bottom of the car and fred flintstoning it, unless honda really was using last year as a test, like ALL year

 

I really don't know where to start with this.

 

1. It's a multi-year deal. The Red Bull engine sourcing issues have shown how hard it is to get a different engine supplier involved. Mclaren (and RB) realise the only way to beat Mecedes and Ferrari is to have any engine supplier dedicated to their chassis design.

 

2. Engine units are homologated and major components cannot be changed within a season. Therefore defects with last years engine couldn't be addressed until now.

 

3. It's not unusual for manufacturers to treat entire seasons as development seasons - see the Toyota TF101 and the BMW E41/1 - http://sd-2.archive-...eurs_BMW_F1.pdf

Edited by fezzasus, 17 February 2016 - 12:48 PM.

[casino]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]Manor / Mercedes[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]Pascal Wehrlein / Haryanto [/color]
[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]February 22[/color]

 

 

 

[siztenboots]

http://www.williamsf...g-launches-fw38

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

I'm hoping Renault turn there form around

[fezzasus]

I'm hoping Renault turn there form around

 

Not this year. It's basically a lower power engine bolted into last years car. Renault bought the team too late to do anything with the chassis for this year.

[siztenboots]

2009 brawn shows that it can be done

[siztenboots]

[fezzasus]

2009 brawn shows that it can be done

 

Not a fair comparison.

 

1) Power train integration is much more complex now

 

2) Power trains are not mature and clearly have power differences (in contrast to 2009 where they were approximately comparable), Renault engine being one of the worst now.

 

3) Honda sunk a lot of money into the 2009 development which gave a good foundation for Brawn. Lotus didn't spend any money, and even had to extend the life of parts beyond normal working life to keep racing.

[D-DAWG83]

As Tom says. Honda spent millions in 2008, to develop the 09 car, as well as all of 08 along with staff from Super Aguri, hence the double diffuser concept etc. They got a late deal with Merc, which was the most powerful engine at the time, and the rest is history. Brawn gets all the credit because it was his name on the door. But if you take a chassis that was developed for a whole year more than most others, probably had the most money spent on its development, and had it bolted to the best engine on the grid, you would be mildly frustrated if you didnt win. Why do you think that Brawn was so keen to carry the team on? Lotus/Renault have had very little money spent on it, and finished the year with the same car they started the year with, coupled with having the 3rd best engine on the grid, it will be a tough year for them. They are recruiting 200+ staff, which shows how many went over the past few years, and that takes time, and money to build up.

[CocoPops]

Either way I'd like to see Renault hand it to RedBull after all the acrimonious bitching

[fezzasus]

Either way I'd like to see Renault hand it to RedBull after all the acrimonious bitching

 

To be honest, I think the media were very unfair when reporting on that.

 

Renault were instrumental in the new engine regulations. They threatened to leave if Formula 1 didn't switch away from V8s to an engine more representative of road technology. At that point, Renault felt like a safe bet. Mercedes clearly did the better job, and Ferrari clearly understood their engine well enough to know how to improve. Both spent money to get to a good product. Renault didn't spend enough money, didn't have enough people, and don't understand how to improve their engine.

 

With all of that, Red Bull are paying the same price as people receiving Ferrari and Mercedes engines, and getting a worse product. I would be frustrated too, and after a season and a half of it without any improvement, perhaps becoming vocal in the media was their only resort?

[D-DAWG83]

From what i can gather, Renault basically didnt want any help from anyone, including Illien. They thought they knew where the gains were, and thought they had it under control, they were so cery wrong. Red Bull got lucky in 2014, because the car and engine improved enough to get 2nd in the constructors. However, when you turn up at the first test in 2015, with an engine that is less poweful, and worse when it comes to driveability, what else do you expect? The 'new' spec engine in Brazil last year proved they didnt know what they were doing and what direction to go. Hopefully now they are a 'works' team, they will have pumped some serious money and man power into getting it sorted. Its no secret that Illien is now working with Renault to help them, so hopefully things will improve. Rumour has it Mercedes has found another 50hp, which is not good news.