F1 2008

[David Morton]

F1 : FiA - World Motor Sport Council meeting in Monaco Written by FiA Friday, 07 December 2007

The following decisions were taken : -

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

In its decision of 13 September 2007, the WMSC instructed the FIA Technical Department to conduct an investigation of the preparatory work by McLaren on its 2008 car to determine whether that car incorporates any confidential Ferrari information. This investigation has been concluded and a detailed report submitted to the WMSC. The WMSC considers that McLaren, Ferrari and the other competitors in the FIA Formula One World Championship should be afforded the opportunity to make considered representations on the report at an extraordinary general meeting of the WMSC to be held on Thursday 14 February 2008 in Paris.

As part of the total 10-year freeze on engine development, only engines which have been homologated by the FIA and delivered no later than 31 March 2008* may be used at an Event during the 2008-2017 Championships. Any such engine must include all the parts described in the 2008 F1 Technical Regulations and be identical to one which has completed two race Events during the 2007 Championship season.

* Or at the first opportunity in the event that a competitor has no engine available which has completed two race Events in the 2008 Championship season.

A number of principles for cost reduction were agreed for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

The following aerodynamic testing restrictions will be applied from 2008:

• Teams to use no more than one wind tunnel.
• Test fluid to be air at atmospheric pressure.
• Maximum test section wind speed 50m/sec.
• Maximum model scale 60%.
• No more than one model to be tested during a run.
• Maximum usage to be equivalent to 15 runs per 8 hour day on 5 days per week for team F1 purposes. Tunnel may be contracted out at other times.
• Aerodynamic testing may only take place in wind tunnels if at reduced scale or at FIA approved test tracks if full scale. Full size testing to be subject to the F1 testing agreement.
• Full scale specific aerodynamic testing is to be reduced to 5 days/year.
• Restrictions will be imposed to stop shift of resource from wind tunnel testing to CFD.
• The number of people involved in CFD development will be limited to a number to be agreed.
• CFD computer systems will be characterised in order to set hardware performance limits but growth will be allowed year-on-year to allow for hardware / software development.

Other restrictions will be placed on Rig Testing, Design and Manufacturing, Suspension and Brakes, Hydraulic Systems, Bodywork, Weight Distribution, Circuit Testing and the number of personnel at races.

Further details of these restrictions will be given to the teams at a meeting on 11 January 2008 and detailed regulations based on these principles will be put forward at the spring meeting of the WMSC.

The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), to be introduced in 2009, will continue to be an entirely open technology. As such, the use of any type of KERS storage/transmission technology will be permitted.

The WMSC has authorised the FIA to issue libel proceedings against English newspaper The Sunday Times, which ran an article claiming that the FIA was engaged in a witch-hunt against the McLaren-Mercedes team.

 

[David Morton]

Schumacher Ralf has admitted that he has sat in a Formula one car for the very last time in the recent test last week for his 'big mate' Vijay Mallya who owns Team India, also nicknamed Team Bhaji.
How sad. What a pity. Too bad.
He must get so, so pissed off with his elder brother.

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

wasn't Ralf considered by too many the really worst and unuseful forumla one driver around?

 

[Pat Buckley]

"Test fluid to be air at atmospheric pressure".......

5000 feet or 125 feet below sea level?

 

[David Morton]

The only defined standard I know is also known as the ICAN Standard Day although there are more parameters such as weight per cubic metre and so on. For test purposes these parameters have not changed in umpteen years.

• temperature at sea level is 15° Celsius
• Temperature drops at a rate of 1.98 C° per thousand feet until the height where it reaches -56.5°C and then remains constant
• Barometric pressure at sea level is 29.92 inHg OR 1013.2 Mb.
• The air is a perfectly dry gas

 

[chris parker]

dave yes the glasses can be rose tinted at times old habits of always trying to see the best in people die hard and your right they should come off as far as F1 is concerned the wmsc ruleing on renault haveing the imformation but not being able to understand it, to be able to make use of it sucks. As pete said rob a bank but if you dont spend it your free has a ring of truth to it, so i'm off to my local branch of barclays to test it out see you in ten years lol i think the only reason i may watch F1 next year will be for the pit dollies then turn over and watch eastenders

 

[David Morton]

OK - The other 10% has been put in place now and FA is back with Renault. It should be announced this afternoon.

 

[David Morton]

Written by Renault F1 Monday, 10 December 2007

The ING Renault F1 Team is pleased to announce a competitive driver duo for the 2008 Formula 1 season : -

Next year, double world champion Fernando Alonso will drive alongside Brazilian rookie Nelson Piquet Jr. They will be supported by Frenchman Romain Grosjean, reigning 2007 F3 Euroseries Champion and a product of Renault's driver development scheme, in the role of test driver.

"Fernando and Nelsinho will form one of the most exciting driver line up of 2008," commented Renault F1 Team Managing Director Flavio Briatore. "We are delighted to be welcoming Fernando back home to the team where he enjoyed his greatest success. His abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known, and we look forward to forging another strong partnership. What's more, he knows the team well and how we operate; he will feel comfortable straight away in this environment. Nelsinho is one of the most promising young talents in motorsport. After his success in GP2, he has spent a year learning the ropes as our test driver and getting to know the team ; he is now ready to step up to the next level."

ING Renault F1 Team President Bernard Rey commented: "The entire team has been working flat out over the past months to return to the front of the field, and a top-line driver line-up is essential to achieving our targets. Our recent technology investments, the return of Fernando Alonso to the team, and the promotion of Nelsinho Piquet, all signal our intent to return to winning ways next year. Renault is also delighted to welcome a talented, young Frenchman to the team as test driver."

Fernando Alonso rejoins the Renault F1 Team after spending the 2007 season at McLaren-Mercedes. Alonso drove for the Renault F1 Team between 2003 and 2006, during which time he scored 15 Grand Prix victories and won two world championships, in 2005 and 2006. He will play a key role in the team's efforts to return to the front of the field in 2008.

"I am delighted to be returning to Renault," commented the 26 year-old Spaniard. "This is the team where I grew up as a driver in Formula 1. Now it is time for us to begin a new chapter together. I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and confident that together we can move back to the front of the field. Renault had a difficult year in 2007, but I know that the team has real strength in depth. I am confident they can produce a fast and competitive car and be back at the top in 2008."

Nelson Piquet Jr will complete the team's race driver line-up. The 22 year-old Brazilian spent 2007 as the Renault F1 Team's test and reserve driver, after finishing runner-up in the 2006 GP2 series championship. He will make his F1 debut at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix.

"First of all, I want to thank Flavio and Renault for putting their confidence in me for 2008," commented Nelsinho. "It is a fantastic opportunity to make my Formula 1 debut with one of the top teams on the grid, and alongside one of the very best drivers in the sport. This drive is something I have been working towards since the end of 2006, and I am proud that my performances as test driver have earned me this position. I am looking forward to teaming up with Fernando, and learning from him. As a rookie, there is no better way to start your career than to have a double world champion as your reference point."

The team's 2008 challenger, the Renault R28, will run for the first time at a three-day teams test in Valencia, Spain from 22 – 24 January. The car will be officially launched at Renault's corporate communications headquarters in Paris, France on Thursday 31 January 2008.

 

[Pat Buckley]

Interesting!

Now all I could ask is for Nelsinho to be consistently quicker than Astronzo - thereby repeating 2007.


Doesn't Nelsinho have a nickname? 'ho?

 

[John Lowe]

Nelsinho was as quick as Lewis (if a little less consistent)..............should be interesting...............

John

 

[Bill Hara]

and Heiki to McLaren?

 

[David Morton]

Yes Bill - that's the story at the moment. But it seems Team Jordan-Midland-Spyker-Team Popadom don't have any renta- drivers firmed up at the moment.

 

[David Morton]

From F1.live:




The media is split over the uncertain length of Fernando Alonso's new Renault contract.

The French team on Monday did not reveal the crucial detail in its announcement of the Spaniard's 2008 return, following weeks of speculation that Alonso was desperate to commit himself only for one season.

The German news agency DPA, however, cites the information of a Renault spokesman in claiming that Alonso will stay at the Enstone based through to the end of 2009. The Spanish sports daily Marca reported a similar finding.

But Auto Motor und Sport does not agree, saying the contract is for three years and a record $147 million retainer.

The British newspapers The Times and The Independent also said Alonso's deal is for three years.



The Daily Mail, another English newspaper, said Alonso has signed a multi-year contract, but with exit clauses that will make it possible for the former McLaren driver to leave for Ferrari after just one season.

Spain's El Mundo Deportivo says the deal is for one year only, while Diario AS reports that Alonso and Renault will have the option to automatically renew for 2009.

Meanwhile, following initial reports that Nico Rosberg has penned a new contract with Williams through to 2010, it is now clear that the German's more lucrative deal is actually only valid for 2008 and 2009.

 

[David Morton]

Spains F1 press - El Mundo Deportivo seems to have it about right and Diario AS, who I find normally has quite good editorial states Alonso and Renault will have the option to extend/renew for 2009. I think that will be performance related - In fact I'm sure it is.
It would seem to me the rest of the press are talking out of their fundamental orifice.

 

[Chris Simpson]

Do F1 contracts mean anything at all these days? The only thing that seems to matter is money.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

I think most of the world's press work on the principal of "never screw up a good story with the truth".

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Schumacher turns taxi driver


Michael Schumacher can add the unofficial title of Germany's fastest taxi driver to his other achievements after taking over behind the wheel to get his family to the airport on time.
The retired Formula One champion drove the cab back to the airport himself after a trip out to the village of Gehuelz, near Coburg in southern Germany, left the family short of time to make their flight home, the Muenchner Abendzeitung newspaper reported.
"It was crazy having Schumi driving, with me in the passenger seat," the taxi driver was quoted as saying.
The seven-time world champion, who stopped racing last year but is still involved in the sport as an occasional tester for Ferrari, gave the driver a 100 euro ($146.6) tip on top of the 60 euro fare, the newspaper said.

 

[David Morton]

Cheap Tyre warmers
There will be loads of tyre warming sets available towards the end of the 2008 season after which they are no longer in use. Apparently David Coulthard has been complaining that they are being banned for 2009.
I think thats a bit of wishful thinking on his part.
That he will be driving in 2009..........

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

What is the reason for banning them anyway? I would think in the overall scheme of things tyre warmers would be a fairly low budget Item.

BTW, I agree, very very optimistic complaint by D.C. Maybe he thinks he will be managing a team in 2009.

 

[David Morton]

F1 : McLaren statement and letter to Max Mosley and WMSC members Written by McLaren Racing Thursday, 13 December 2007

McLaren statement : -

As a result of the investigations carried out by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile it has become clear that Ferrari information was more widely disseminated within McLaren than was previously communicated. McLaren greatly regrets that its own investigations did not identify this material and has written to the World Motor Sport Council to apologise for this.

McLaren has written a letter to the FiA which in the interests of transparency it is publishing with this press statement.

That letter speaks for itself and the sentiments expressed in it are sincerely held by McLaren. McLaren has also written to the World Motor Sport Council to apologise that it has taken an FiA investigation to find this information and have expressed our deep regret that our understanding of the facts was improved as a result of the FiA inspection rather than our own investigations. McLaren has recognised that this entire situation could have been avoided if we had informed Ferrari and the FiA about Nigel Stepney's first communication when it came to our attention. We are, of course, embarrassed by the successive disclosures and have apologised unreservedly to the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

To avoid even the possibility of Ferrari information influencing our performance during 2008, McLaren has offered a set of detailed undertakings to the FIA which will impose a moratorium on development in relation to three separate systems. During the course of these incidents, McLaren has conducted a thorough review of its policies and procedures regarding the recruitment and management of staff. The proposals arising from this thorough review have been disclosed to the FIA and McLaren has agreed to demonstrate that all of these policies and procedures have been fully implemented.

McLaren wish to make a public apology to the FiA, Ferrari, the Formula 1 community and to Formula 1 fans throughout the world and offer their assurance that changes are now being made which will ensure that nothing comparable to what has taken place will ever happen again. McLaren have also agreed to pay the costs incurred by the FiA for their investigation.

McLaren now wishes to put these matters behind it and to move forward focusing on the 2008 season.