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01-29-2011, 04:12 AM
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Formula 1 2011 launch thread
I'll do my best to update this with pictures from the upcoming scheduled launches.
Ferrari unveiled their new chassis yesterday. Two weeks ago Lotus Renault unveiled their 2011 livery. See below for both. Formula One 2011 Testing Schedule Valencia 1-3 February Jerez 10-13 February Barcelona 18-21 February Bahrain 3-6 March Team Launch Schedule 28 January Ferrari 31 January Lotus 31 January Renault 31 January Sauber 1 February Mercedes 1 February Red Bull 1 February Toro Rosso 1 February Williams 4 February McLaren 7 February Virgin No date Force India No date HRT For the upcoming season, KERS will be back using the same formula as in 2009 (+82 HP for 6.6 secs per lap) Other notable changes are:
Ferrari launches 2011 F1 car At its Maranello base Friday, January 28, 2011  Alonso and Massa uncover the Ferrari F150 Ferrari has become the first F1 team to reveal its 2011 car, with the covers having come off the F150 at its Maranello base on Friday morning. Notable visible changes are the squad’s new logo on the engine cover plus Italian flags on the rear wing and turning vanes to commemorate the 150th anniversary since the unification of Italy. After narrowly losing out on the 2010 title in Abu Dhabi last November, determination to succeed is high ahead of the upcoming campaign. As well as the obvious optical differences, this year’s F150 also carries a number of significant technical and aerodynamic modifications: - Front of car raised to improve airflow, driver sitting slightly higher up as a result - A stronger indention of the sidepods - Pirelli tires - Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) returns - New moveable rear wing  Ferrari F150 F150 Description The F150 is the fifty-seventh single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship. The Maranello marque chose the name as a tribute and celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Unification of Italy. The project, which goes by the internal code name of 662, represents the Scuderia’s interpretation of the technical and sporting regulations that apply this year. Various factors influenced the design of the car, especially on the aerodynamic front, to the extent that the F150 can be seen as severing ties with the recent past. The innovative aspects are in part dictated by changes to the regulations and partly down to original thinking from our designers. As far as the rule changes from 2010 are concerned, the double diffuser and the blown rear wing are banned, as is the use of apertures in the front part of the floor, while the use of an hydraulically controlled adjustable rear wing has been introduced. After an unofficial agreement saw its use banned for 2010, KERS is back this year, thanks partly to the increase in the car’s minimum weight and stricter controls on weight distribution figures. The Scuderia has decided to incorporate this technology on the F150 and this has had a significant impact on the design, also taking into account that the dimensions of the fuel cell are very different to what they were in 2009. Also significant are changes dictated by the introduction of stricter safety requirements in terms of crash-tests, cockpit area protection and wheel-retaining cables for use in accidents.  Ferrari F150 At first glance, the front part of the F150 monocoque appears to be higher than that of the F10. The openings for the side air intakes are reduced in size, while the layout of the dynamic one above the driver’s head has been modified. The rear suspension features a new design, while that at the front has been modified, following changes to the front part of the chassis. The exhaust system layout is similar to that adopted for the second half of last season and the cooling system has had to take into account the return of KERS and the new air exit ducts. The braking system has been completely redesigned in collaboration with Brembo.  Ferrari F150 However, the aerodynamic package sported by the car at the presentation is very different to the one which will be seen for the first race in Bahrain: for the early stages of testing, the decision was taken to concentrate on development aspects linked to the mechanical components and on developing an understanding of the Pirelli tires, while continuing to push on the development of aerodynamic performance in the wind tunnel. Indeed, the tires will be another significant new element this season: after a thirteen year relationship with Bridgestone, this year it is Pirelli who take up the baton as sole supplier to Formula 1 for the next three years and thus provide the tires for the cars from Maranello. Given that the teams have so far only managed two days of testing with the new tires back in November, clearly the fifteen days of testing prior to the start of the season will be very important when it comes to adapting the handling of the car to the tires. As the freeze on engine performance development is still ongoing, there have been no actual modifications to the 056 engine, but that does not mean Ferrari’s engine specialists have been idle. Work has gone into improving reliability, working especially on the pneumatic front, as well as on reducing costs. Furthermore, the reintroduction of KERS has led to a substantial change in the architecture of the front end of the engine, with modifications to the drive shaft system of the KERS itself and the crankshaft and this has led to changes to the cooling and lubrication systems. The kinetic energy recovery system, designed by Ferrari, has been produced in conjunction with MTS and Magneti Marelli and was fine tuned based on experience acquired in 2009, with the aim of reducing its size and weight, while maintaining, in accordance with the regulations, the maximum useable power and its usage cycle over one lap. This is another area where great attention has been paid to cost reduction, both in terms of its development and the way it is run, so as to make the system equally viable for our customer teams, Sauber and Toro Rosso. The positioning of the KERS within the fuel cell was a further impetus to look at solutions aimed at reducing fuel consumption: in this area, the contribution from a key partner in the form of Shell was vital and will continue to be so throughout the season. The number of testing days available to the teams remains the same, with 15 prior to the start of the season, therefore preparatory work on the test beds, prior to taking to the track has been ever more important, both on the chassis side and for areas such as the gearbox, engine and KERS. As is always the case at Ferrari, great attention has been paid to the performance and optimization of all materials used, in the design stages and when going through quality control, striving to maximize performance levels and reliability, while delivering the highest possible safety standards. Chassis — Carbon-fiber and honeycomb composite structure — Ferrari longitudinal gearbox — Limited-slip differential — Semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox – quick shift — Number of gears: 7 +Reverse — Brembo ventilated carbon-fiber disc brakes — Independent suspension, push-rod activated torsion springs front and rear — Weight with water, lubricant and driver: 640 kg — BBS Wheels (front and rear): 13”  Ferrari F150 engine Engine — Type: 056 — Number of cylinders: 8 — Cylinder block in sand cast aluminum V 90° — Number of valves: 32 — Pneumatic distribution — Total displacement: 2398 cm3 — Piston bore: 98 mm — Weight > 95 kg — Electronic injection and ignition — Fuel: Shell V-Power — Lubricant: Shell Helix Ultra Interview with Ferrari Chief designer Nikolas Tombazis When did you start thinking about the project of the F150? Tombazis: We started when the previous car touched the ground. That was in late January last year. We put some basic ideas together, started talking about the new regulations and how they would influence the main parts and we set up a program in the wind tunnel to examine the new regulations. Which were the most important parts in this challenge? Tombazis: This project had several important challenges, because the regulations are quite different from last year’s. We had to reintroduce the KERS in the car. We’ve learned a lot about the KERS two years ago. But now we’ve got a new package, so the installation wasn’t the same. We had to think about that a lot. Another challenge was the mobile rear wing. This is one of the novelties in Formula 1 this year. So we had to plan a wing, which doesn’t influence the performance when it’s shut in its normal configuration, but which gives us the highest possible reduction regarding CD, which means highest possible speed on the straights during the qualifying or while overtaking. This was a very important project. A third challenge war the introduction of new tires. When you change tires you also have to change several aspects of the car, regarding weight distribution, suspension between front and rear, but also some aerodynamic aspects. Because the Pirelli tires are new, we’ve got lots of work. This is almost less important thinking about the aerodynamic aspect: this year we can’t use a double diffuser. So we had to set a very ambitious goal: gaining the performance we lost without the double diffuser. Which are the most innovative characteristics of the F150? Tombazis: We’ve been working on different innovations for the car: some of ours and some new for Formula 1 in general. The rear suspension is really innovative, so is the rear wing system. But there are more novelties coming up regarding the configuration for the first race, which aren’t in the car yet, for example something for the rear wing and the exhausts. Personally, as the planner, would you like to have more freedom during the planning phase? Tombazis: Yes. It would be nice having some more freedom and more time. The regulations are more and more restrictive, but there is a reason for that. Otherwise the cars’ performances would be too high and maybe even the costs for Formula 1 would be higher than they are today. It would be very nice having more technical freedom to create even more sophisticated systems for the car. It would also be nice to have more time available between one season and the next, to work not in such a rush on some aspects of the car. Do you think you reached the target, which has been set for this project? Tombazis: We think we did. We set targets we think are very ambitious regarding the development in the wind tunnel, the car’s weight and the performance of some sub-systems. We think, based on our analysis, that we’ve reached these targets. Especially for the car for the first race. Having said that, the regulations are new and it’s impossible to know exactly where our competitors stand. I’m convinced that also they set themselves some ambitious targets. I’m confident in what we’ve done, but as long as we don’t see the cars on the grid for the first race, it’s a little bit difficult to answer this question. A last question: do you feel obliged to win this year? Tombazis: At Ferrari this is almost an obligation we have every year. And every year is the same. This is a stimulating pressure, but it never gives you a moment of rest in the work we have to do. Interview with Stefano Domenicali Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali is adopting a somewhat cautious approach ahead of the 2011 season, with no comparisons between cars being possible before pre-season testing begins in Valencia next week. He shared his views at the launch of Ferrari’s brand-new F150 in Maranello on Friday. Let’s talk about the name: F150. Where does it come from? F150, because we want to celebrate the 150 years of Italy’s unity. I think that our team represents ‘Italianity’ in the world, although we are an international team, with members from all over the world. An obvious question: is victory this year’s goal? A very simple answer: I think it is. There are some novelties as far as the team is concerned. Would you like to tell us about it? I think the main organizational change is that we’ve restructured the team of the track engineers. There are the vice Technical Director, Pat Fry, who coordinates Alonso’s and Massa’s engineers, Andrea Stella and Robert Smedley respectively, and Technical Director Aldo Costa, who remains the Head Coordinator regarding all technical aspects. We had a further improvement regarding strategies, introducing a new person with several different experiences, Neil Martin. Alonso and Massa: how did you see them over the first weeks in 2011? They are very motivated and ‘charged’. I’ve seen them in the last weeks and we spent some time together in Madonna di Campiglio during the ‘Wrooom’ week. I have to say that they understand that this is, for many reasons, a very important year for them and they know that we all have to give it our all. Competitors: who do you think will be Ferrari’s main competitors? I think that we have to consider everybody before we start; the big teams, which all will be very, very strong - Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren – and there will also be some other teams, who could be some dangerous outsiders. And let’s not forget the great drivers – there are many World Champions. This will be a very hot championship. There are many technical novelties, many of them introduced to make it more exciting - do you think that there will be more overtaking maneuvers? I want to be a little bit careful regarding overtaking; it’s obvious that everything that has been done, especially regarding the mobile rear wing, was introduced to improve the possibilities of overtaking. To make sure that this system will reach the goal we all want, I think we need some Grands Prix to fine-tune the system. This remains one of the main goals to improve the races’ excitement. In 2010 the season was very uncertain. Do you think that it will be the same in 2011? I think so. It will be a very intense season, just like last year. I expect many teams to be able to win. The competition will be even harder and the uncertainty even higher. From a personal point of view: do you feel obliged to win this year? It’s not about obligations, but it’s about objectives. I’d say that this is and remains my and the whole team’s objective. Interview with Aldo Costa A significant rethink was required ahead of designing this year’s Ferrari, with a selection of modified rules to deal with. Following the launch of the F150 at the team’s Maranello headquarters, Technical Director Aldo Costa expressed his opinions. There are many changes regarding the regulations for 2011. Which ones had a major impact on the F150 project? The major aspects with the most impact on the project were connected to the aerodynamic development. The car will change a lot. The double diffuser and the f-duct are gone. The driver can’t change the car’s aerodynamic setup anymore. The underbody won’t have any ‘holes’ in the central part anymore. This is a fundamental change. The rear wing will be movable, so that the driver can overtake the car in front of him and use it in the qualifying according to his needs. KERS is back. Although we’ve improved its size, it’s still quite big. Therefore the technicians had to redesign the car’s layout. There are also new safety rules. We participated in the changes the Federation made to improve safety on the track, which is always extremely important. Would you say that this car is more of an evolution or a revolution compared to last year’s single-seater? Due to the new rules the car should be a proper cut compared to the previous one, with new concepts and lines of development. As far as the looks are concerned the rules keep them quite unaltered. The cars look like the ones from last year, but from a technical point of view they will be really different. How will the F150, in comparison to what is here today, evolve over the next weeks? The car’s evolution has been planned with two big stages: one during the winter tests, where we will mainly develop the area of the mechanics, which means that the car’s structure, the chassis, the gearbox and the suspension will remain the same for the first couple of races. The aerodynamics is simplified and temporary for the first tests, waiting for the real aerodynamic development for the first race. According to you, what have been the most demanding challenges regarding this project? Starting from scratch with the car’s rear, because the double diffuser and the F-duct are gone and there have been some clarifications regarding the car’s underbody: these were the main challenges and why we had to start from scratch rethinking the whole project. This year there is a new provider regarding the tires; to what extent are the Pirelli tires still a question mark? The project and the evolution of these tires happened in a very short time frame: Pirelli had only a couple of months to develop the tires. I think they’ve done some really good work, but there’s still a lot to do. We have to test several compounds, while we are already in a good and reliable condition as far as the tires’ construction is concerned. There’s still a lot to do and it’s a very important issue. We have to use the winter tests as good as we can to set up the Pirelli tires. How do you get ready for the on-track debut? The structure and the method have progressively changed over the last years at Ferrari: we were used to many miles on the track. But now we only have 4 days in February. There is no time to resolve fundamental problems as far as the car’s reliability is concerned. Therefore this work has to be done on the test stand. That’s why at the moment we’re testing the car’s substructure on the test stand, checking its functionality and weariness, so that we can go on the track with a reliable car. Personally, do you feel obliged to win? A short question needs a short answer. A one word is enough: Yes. Interview with Ferrari's Luca Marmorini Although the 056 V8 engine in the new F150 has not changed much since it was "frozen", Engine Chief Luca Marmorini and his department have continued to develop within the permissible ways. And with KERS back in the mix, it was necessary to make internal changes to meet it's demands. Which are the interventions, which were possible on the 056 engine for 2011? The engines are still “frozen”, so direct interventions regarding the engine performance are impossible, but we’ve been working a lot, especially as far as the reliability is concerned and to reduce costs. Regarding the reliability we were also working on the engine’s pneumatic concept, which caused some problems in 2010. This year we’ve reinstalled the KERS, which lead to a substantial change of the engine’s front. There’s a new dragging system for the KERS, a new crankshaft, and we had to change the cooling and lubricating systems a bit. Did you remember the KERS, which is back after two year: what’s new here? The KERS 2011 has to follow exactly the same specifications like in 2009. So there are the same performance and energy levels. Based on the experience in 2009 we redesigned it more efficiently, reducing its dimension and weight. At Ferrari the KERS has been planned with an eye on budget control. All costs regarding development have been reduced and the operative costs have been analyzed and reduced to make the KERS manageable also for the small teams. The client teams can use the KERS provided by Ferrari. Is this an advantage for us? Increasing the number of tests on the track is always an advantage. Using the partners and teams in a constructive way to drive with the KERS is a positive aspect, considering that we’re talking only about a few units per year and only a few tests before the start of the season. So it’s definitely an advantage regarding performance and reliability that there is a second team to develop the KERS. From an operative point of view, how did you prepare yourself for this new season? The technique is always the same, it’s been consolidated. Lots of work and many activities. We’ve done many long runs, but this year it’s even more difficult, because we have to do the long runs with the engine, the KERS and the gearbox of the new car, so we have been preparing ourselves very well and we think that we can reach a very good reliability until the start of the season. As far as the consumption is concerned, what has been done? The consumption remains one of the most important aspects regarding the performance. This year we also have to consider that the KERS is positioned inside the fuel tank. If you don’t want to create a much longer and much wider car, keeping the consumption under control is one of the most important issues during the development in winter. Here it is an advantage that Ferrari has such a long-serving partner like Shell in the area of fuels. Do you think that the combination of KERS and mobile rear wing can really facilitate overtaking maneuvers? On paper and in our simulations it does. In 2009 we could already see that the KERS provided some advantage, although not systematic, during overtaking maneuvers. The possibility to reduce aerodynamic resistance, combined with the extra horsepower provided by the KERS, could definitely make a change in terms of speed, which, if the car in front can’t use the same, will facilitate overtaking. A last question: Personally, do you feel obliged to win this year? Certainly. Obliged and inspired. On Jan. 13 Lotus Renault unveiled their livery (last year's chassis painted in this year's livery) at Autosport International .jpg) Petrov unveils the new Lotus Renault GP livery Crowds gathered on the first day of the world’s greatest motorsport show, Autosport International, to see the high-profile unveiling of Lotus Renault GP’s black and gold Formula One livery. The team’s driver Vitaly Petrov and F1 legend Jean Alesi took the covers off at the show to reveal the 2011 Lotus Renault GP colors. “I didn’t know much about F1 and Lotus when I was young,” said Russian driver Vitaly Petrov. “But when I came to Europe I felt a sense of the Lotus history and the team left a big impression on me. Being part of this squad makes me very happy and also proud. My ambitions for 2011 are clear: I will do my best and fight for poles and podium finishes.” Eric Bouiller, Team Principal at Lotus Renault GP added: “Our line up with Lotus gives us a sense of stability. This commitment is a great achievement for us and through this we have a long-term vision. This is obviously very exciting for us and we are all thrilled at the opportunities ahead. I strongly believe that with Vitaly and Robert Kubica we have the best drivers for our F1 team.” The Lotus Renault GP unveiling was just one of the many launches that took place at Autosport International today. Also revealed was the first ever sports prototype racing car from British sportscar manufacturer Caterham Cars, the Caterham-Lola SP/300.R. Designed for the trackday market, both in the UK and overseas, only 25 models will be manufactured each year. “The motorsport market is growing rapidly domestically and abroad. This provided the opportunity for us to look at a race and trackday product particularly for our customers abroad,” said Ansar Ali, Managing Director at Caterham Cars. “However, we felt that it was important that the car is true to the DNA of Caterham: it has to be thrilling and engaging, and it has to be value for money.” “We are very successful with the Seven, but the market is at a stage where the customers are demanding something more,” added James Drake, Marketing Manager at Caterham Cars. “With the SP/300.R we are hoping to sell a product that they are looking for: a demanding and fast racing car with bigger downforce.” Autosport International Show Director Ian France said: “The 2011 Lotus Renault GP livery and the brand new Caterham are just two of the exciting new cars fans can discover at the show. We’ve also seen the launch of the Ginetta G55, the Ariel Atom 500 V8 and three new models from Radical Sportscars. All will be on show until Sunday, providing some great sights for weekend show visitors.”  Last edited by Craven Morehead; 01-29-2011 at 04:15 AM.. |
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01-31-2011, 06:26 AM
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#2 (permalink) |
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2011 car revealed by Team Lotus
Formula 1 Monday, January 31, 2011   Team Lotus on Monday revealed its 2011 car. In an edition of its online magazine Team Lotus Notes, the team published the first photographs of the new green and gold TL11 featuring a Mercedes-style unconventional airbox shape. The new livery features more yellow and prominent Renault signage, reflecting its new engine partnership with the French marque. The car itself, with a rear end supplied by Red Bull, has a high and straight nose similar to the other designs seen so far including the Ferrari and Mercedes. "It is a much more contemporary design. The car really will be a midfield runner. It's a modern F1 car," technical boss Mike Gascoyne is quoted as saying. "There's been almost no carry-over of parts for the 2011 car -- it looks substantially different from last year's car. It's the basis of our cars for the future," he added. "I think that basically this car looks like a front running car in every area," he said. "We said very clearly that we want to start challenging the established teams and I think that's very achievable." This year's Team Lotus car is called T128, not TL11 as was previously announced. "Why the change of name?" wrote team boss Tony Fernandes on Twitter. "Because we are continuing with history. We are a new dynasty but tradition continues." Last year, the team - then called Lotus Racing under official license from the Proton-owned carmaker Group Lotus - raced its 2010 car with the T127 designation. T127 was the continuation of the original Lotus team's traditional vehicle designation system, and it was thought that the reversion to TL11 for this year was to avoid yet another clash with Group Lotus amid the naming dispute. Indicating that the designation of the 2011 car was an issue right until the T128's reveal very early on Monday morning, the launch magazine made no mention of the two variations. Kobayashi and Pérez unveil the Sauber C30-Ferrari Formula 1 Monday, January 31, 2011    Today, the day before the start of the official Formula One testing, the Sauber F1 Team presented the Sauber C30-Ferrari at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Cheste near Valencia, Spain. Two thousand and eleven sees the Sauber F1 Team embark on its 19th Formula One season. Leaving behind the upheavals of 2010 that followed the metamorphosis from a works to a private team, the aim is to present itself in 2011 with renewed stability. Team Principal Peter Sauber outlines the targets: “We want to finish in the points regularly and clearly improve our position in the FIA Formula One Constructors’ World Championship.” He goes on to elaborate: “Two thousand and ten marked the 41st year of our company history and one of the most difficult. But we managed to overcome these difficulties in the second half of the season. We implemented some well-considered structural changes. The appointment of James Key as Technical Director already bore fruit last season, and he is now in charge of development of the Sauber C30-Ferrari. At the same time, we have managed to secure our business foundation for the 2011 season. In these economically straitened times that is something we can be proud of too.” Young drivers As for the drivers, the team looks forward with keen anticipation to continuing to work with Kamui Kobayashi, and with eager curiosity to Sergio Pérez. The Japanese driver, who turns 25 in September 2011, is embarking on his second full Formula One season. In 2010 he drew attention to himself with his high speed on track, stunning overtaking maneuvers and reliable implementation of race strategies. He made very few mistakes and earned 32 of the team’s 44 World Championship points. “My rookie season is now behind me,” says Kobayashi. “I learned a lot, gained a lot of self-confidence, and my target for 2011 is not to make any mistakes.” The team’s new rookie is Sergio Pérez. He hails from Mexico and celebrated his 21st birthday in January 2011. He took his first Formula One test with Sauber in Abu Dhabi in November 2010, having finished as runner-up in the GP2 Championship. “I’m aware how challenging Formula One is from both a driver’s point of view and technically,” says Pérez. “I’ve got a lot to learn, and in Kamui I have an excellent yardstick. My personal goal is to make steady progress. The support I’m getting back in my home country is huge, and I don’t want to disappoint anyone over there either.” Pérez isn’t the only Mexican in the Sauber F1 Team: Esteban Gutierrez is standing by as test and reserve driver. Born in August 1991, he is a good one-and-a-half years younger than his compatriot. Sauber had already taken Gutierrez under its wing in 2010 as an affiliated driver. The youngest member of the team swept up a commanding GP3 Championship win last year and will be competing in GP2 in 2011. “I’ve still got a long way to go,” Gutierrez is only too aware, “but ever since the two days of testing with Sauber, at the end of 2009 and the end of 2010, Formula One has been my goal.” New car The aim is for the Sauber C30-Ferrari not just to prove more reliable than its predecessor; there were a number of other weaknesses to be banished as well. One of the overriding targets is to improve aerodynamic efficiency, low-speed cornering, mechanical grip and to gain more flexibility in suspension tuning. The new technical regulations certainly presented the engineers with a tricky assignment, since the ban on double diffusers fundamentally alters the car’s aerodynamic concept. Another tough challenge was the switch to Pirelli tires, which meant the engineers had to make decisions during the concept phase before the teams had a chance to test the tires out on track. Further changes stipulate a ban on the F-duct and the adjustable front wing. Instead, the rear wing may now be adjusted by the driver, and the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) is once again available to run. The striking visual features of the Sauber C30 are a raised front, slender waist, compact rear, new roll hoop and downward-sloping engine cover. Propelling the car as before is the Ferrari 056 engine, while power delivery is courtesy of a new Ferrari transmission. The KERS also comes from the Maranello factory. Technical Director, James Key, summarizes: “In order to take a step forward in 2011, we were already systematically tackling the C29’s weaknesses over the last season – and we’ve made progress. The insights we gleaned were taken into account when the concept for the new C30 was being drawn up. Since some of the changes decreed by the regulations – particularly regarding the tires – can only be analyzed out on track, it was important for us to build, firstly, a fundamentally predictable car and, secondly, one that would provide sufficient flexibility to respond to ongoing findings at the track and during further development stages.” One thing is clear: the status of the car at the rollout in Valencia on 31st January 2011 is only the start. As part of the development program, the team will be fitting the C30 with a new aerodynamic package before the curtain raiser in Bahrain. New partner New on the car are the logos of Telmex, Claro and Telcel – all three brands belong to America Movil, the Central and Latin American telecommunication group. Interproteccion is an insurance group from Mexico. Also a new partner from Mexico is the Tequila brand Jose Cuervo. Familiar, as they have appeared on the team’s cars for a long time, are the Swiss names of sport watch manufacturer Certina and automotive group Emil Frey AG. Also known from last season is the logo of Mad-Croc (Energy Gum, Chews and Drinks). Lotus Renault GP launch R31 for 2011 Formula 1 Monday, January 31, 2011   The newly-named Lotus Renault GP team has become the fourth F1 team to reveal its new car for the 2011 F1 season. The covers came off the R31 during a launch event at the Valencia circuit ahead of the three day test which will begin on Tuesday. After an impressive return to form with the R30 last year, Renault will now hope to challenge for victory again this season with team chairman Gerard Lopez saying he was confident that the team can hit its target of improving in both the drivers' and constructors' championship. “For Genii Capital and Lotus Renault GP, the 2011 season will be the one in which we achieve our aims,” said Gerard Lopez. “We now have 100 per cent ownership of the team, and we're tackling the coming championship with the intention of continuing to do things our way – but always with humility. “I would like to welcome Lotus Cars, a new ambitious title sponsor with us for the long term. Renault and Total have also chosen to accompany us again in this adventure and we thank them for their valuable contribution. Our aim for 2011 is to continue our march towards the front of the grid, seize the slightest opportunity and do better than last season in both the drivers' and constructors' championships. We feel we are well prepared for the challenge ahead.” The R31 features a new suspension layout on the rear end as part of a raft of changes compared to the R30, with technical director James Allison insisting it was difficult to compare the two cars. “2011 is a different year with a new set of regulations and that's why the R31 is a very different car,” he said. “For example, KERS is back this year and the car has been completely re-engineered to accommodate that system in an efficient way. We've also chosen to change the layout of our rear suspension by opting for a pull rod system for the first time in decades. As I said before, anyone can see that the treatment we have given to some specific areas is completely new compared with anything we have done previously. All of those things are aimed at trying to maximize the R31 under the 2011 rules. “There are many teams that know how to produce a good car and we're under no illusion about the scale of the challenge facing us in 2011. I think that last year we perhaps exceeded the expectations of some people in the pit lane, but we certainly didn't outperform our own expectations. While we were happy to be moving back in the right direction, we would be frustrated if we started 2011 operating at the same performance level we showed last year. That means we want the R31 to be competitive right from the off and in with a chance of scoring podiums or better from the first race. Considering the tremendous effort that has gone in at all levels to produce this car, that would be a fitting reward for all concerned.” |
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02-01-2011, 06:12 AM
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#3 (permalink) |
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Four more 2011 F1 cars break cover as testing starts
Formula 1 at Valencia Tuesday, February 01, 2011 Red Bull on Tuesday revealed its new car for the 2011 season featuring the number 1 for reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel. Photographs of the RB7, which is an evolution of the dominant title-winning car of 2010, were published on the team's official website shortly before a blue sheet was pulled off in the Valencia pitlane by Vettel - who will drive the car on Tuesday - and Mark Webber. Three more new cars broke cover on Tuesday ahead of the opening day of pre-season testing at Valencia. Williams' FW33, featuring a KERS system designed by the famous team, is painted in interim navy-blue colors ahead of a livery launch at a later date. It was debuted by Rubens Barrichello shortly after the pitlane opened at 10am. Pastor Maldonado, whose sponsor PDVSA is one of only a few decals on the pre-launch car, will follow on Wednesday. "We're optimistic. We think this is a good car," said technical director Sam Michael. Also launched early on Tuesday was the new Mercedes W02, painted in a striking new shinier silver and visibly very different to last year's car. "The new Silver Arrow has little in common with its immediate predecessor," confirmed Norbert Haug, referring to the 2011 machine that will be debuted by Nico Rosberg. Another car launched on Tuesday was Toro Rosso's STR6, but it was Fernando Alonso in Ferrari's new F150 with the fastest installation lap so far. No rain and mild temperatures are forecast for the first day of pre-season testing in Cheste, which is 25 kilometers from the Spanish port city Valencia. RED BULL   New Red Bull Red Bull Racing launched its 2011 challenger – the RB7 – today at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit near Valencia, Spain. The car, which the team hopes will successfully defend its two Formula One titles, was unveiled in the pit lane at 0830hrs by 2010 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Mark Webber. This was followed by a press conference in the Team’s Energy Station with the two drivers, team principal Christian Horner and chief technical officer Adrian Newey. The RB7 completed its first lap of the circuit when testing began at 1000hrs. It's just 11 weeks since Sebastian Vettel drove to victory in Abu Dhabi and less than six weeks before the car will contest the Bahrain Grand Prix. This morning was the culmination of months of hard work in Milton Keynes, where every department has been focused on increasing the silverware in the Red Bull Racing trophy cabinets. Christian Horner commented: ” It’s a great feeling to arrive here and roll out the car with the number one on it as the reigning World Champions, but now the challenge is to keep it. The team’s been very focused on RB7 over the last few months; Adrian didn’t release his drawings any earlier than normal, so the whole design group and production team have done a remarkable job to produce this car in the shortest possible time. It’s a long season, the longest in F1 history, and we have some great opponents, but we are very motivated and will be working hard to hold on to the two world titles. I’m sure it’s going to be a fascinating battle.” Adrian Newey said: “It’s always a special moment when a car runs for the first time. The big challenge for us this year was the reintroduction of the KERS system. It’s always a challenge to find solutions, which don’t compromise the aerodynamics of the car. This season, with McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all having KERS, we need to get it to work, simply for performance off the line.” On the day it launched its all-new RB7, Red Bull Racing is pleased to welcome several new partners for 2011, as well as reconfirming continuing and enhanced agreements with many of its existing partners. Red Bull Racing’s Partner portfolio now includes: Total, Rauch, Pepe Jeans, Casio, Singha Beer, FXDD, Geox, Pirelli, Alpinestars, Platform Computing and Siemens. NEW SILVER ARROW DEBUTED AT VALENCIA   New Mercedes W02 The debut of the MGP W02, the new Silver Arrow for the 2011 Formula One World Championship, took place this morning at the Valencia Circuit in Spain with the new challenger unveiled in front of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team garage by Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. The result of twelve months intense design and development work, the MGP W02 is the second Silver Arrows car to be launched by MERCEDES GP PETRONAS since the team became the first Mercedes-Benz works outfit since 1955. The car’s livery is an evolution from its predecessor with a striking high-gloss airbrush effect highlighting the shape of the car. The interaction between the Silver Arrows heritage and the green shading representing the team’s title partner PETRONAS evokes memories of the first Silver Arrow car of 1934 with a modern touch added by 3D partner logos. The technical specification of the MGP W02 includes the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery) system which returns to the sport after a one-year absence. The Mercedes KERS system was the first to win a Grand Prix during the 2009 season when KERS made its debut in Formula One. Also new on the car for this season is the adjustable rear wing, operated by the driver to aid overtaking, and Pirelli tires as the Italian manufacturer becomes the sport’s official tire supplier. The team’s driver line-up remains unchanged with seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, who achieved the team’s three podiums in 2010, forming one of the most exciting and talented pairings on the grid. Michael Schumacher “Finally the waiting is over and things get started. For us drivers, the break every year is hard to take because the gap between the last race and the first time out on track seems to be never-ending. Even if I have been involved and updated all winter on the developments, and even if I know the improvements are significant, it is still different to see the new car literally for the first time in front of you. You automatically build up this nice pre-start tension. I very much look forward to the new season. We have said it several times already but again, we are really to building up something big together. I am very confident that this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly; ideally in the middle!” Nico Rosberg “It is always a very exciting time of year to drive the new car for the first time and feel how it performs out on track. This year we have the added challenge of not having an immediate reference due to the change in tire manufacturer to the new Pirelli tires, which felt good during our first try-out at the Abu Dhabi test last year. I am very much looking forward to having a much stronger season than last year and as always, our targets are aggressive. We want to be competing at the front and challenging for race wins. Everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth has worked extremely hard on the new Silver Arrow and we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs.” Ross Brawn, Team Principal “It is always a thrill to see a new car ready to take the track for the first time and this year is no exception. After our first year as the Mercedes-Benz works team, we are now seeing the benefits of our chassis group and our engine group working well together. With a good technical structure and a strengthened race engineering organization, both at the factory and the race track, I am confident that we have done and will continue to do a better job this year in all key areas. “The concept development for the MGP W02 started early and we have set challenging targets for the design, combined with a robust plan to ensure that the pace of development can continue throughout the long 2011 season. We have two excellent drivers in Michael and Nico, both of whom capable of winning races in a good car, and we look forward to seeing them push each other and the development of the new Silver Arrow during the season. We want to be setting the standard right from the start but if we are not, we will respond very strongly to get ourselves into the game. Everyone is excitedly waiting to see what the new season will reveal.” Norbert Haug, Vice-President - Mercedes-Benz Motorsport “The new Silver Arrow for the 2011 season has little in common with its immediate predecessor. Our chassis engineers have taken a fairly ruthless approach and were determined to shave off every superfluous gram and millimeter. What emerged from this process is a compact and exquisitely shaped vehicle that introduces a host of sophisticated solutions and truly reflects the enormous dedication of its constructors. We have given it a brand new coat of paint, and we aim to see a smile on the faces of our hard-working drivers and team members that is as bright as our new silver livery. “Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are top drivers who can win races for us, provided we build them the right car. At the same time, our team, like all the other teams, has to deal with complex new tasks. The new generation of tires from Pirelli, and the extent to which the cars and drivers adapt to them, will play a vital role in deciding wins and defeats. “The rear wing flap, which can be adjusted under specified conditions, will boost top speed and facilitate overtaking which should open up a new and interesting chapter for Formula One. And there is the return of KERS following a one-year absence at the end of the 2009 season when our Mercedes system recorded a historic first race win. This will play a massive role amongst all of the performance-related components, both for the additional power and for the strategic options it makes available. As in 2009, it is our ambition that Mercedes-Benz builds and runs the best hybrid system and that all three teams which use it benefit significantly from this. “After I have spoken at length here on the many new issues, our target can be described in one short sentence: The new Silver Arrow should not only look first class, but should also be developed to be at the top step-by-step.” TORO ROSSO   New Toro Rosso Shortly after 9 o’clock this morning, in the pit lane at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit, Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi pulled the wraps off the STR 6, the car with which Scuderia Toro Rosso will tackle the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship. While the livery featuring the famous red bull remains pretty much the same, underneath the paintwork, the STR6 is radically different to its predecessor. This year’s design is possibly less conservative than in 2010 and naturally takes into account the requirements set out in the technical regulation changes, such as the banning of double diffusers, blown rear wings and adjustable front wings, to be replaced with the arrival of adjustable rear wings and the return, after a one year break, of KERS. The Joy of Six Six years down the road, that is very much the team’s raison d’etre, with Sebastien Buemi still among the youngest men on the grid, while his team-mate, Jaime Alguersuari only turns 21 a few days before the second Grand Prix of this season. Still on the school front, the team will be squeezing a third driver into the cockpit at most of the races, as Red Bull junior, Daniel Ricciardo will be taking on the role of “Friday driver,” standing in for one of our drivers in turn for Free Practice 1. Why are we so keen on this teaching role? Maybe the words Sebastian Vettel, World Champion are explanation enough. On the commercial front, we can look forward to a second year of support from Money Service Group, while on the technical front, 2011 is the second year that Scuderia Toro Rosso will have designed its car totally in-house, in Faenza and in our Bicester (UK) wind tunnel facility. This year’s design is possibly less conservative than in 2010 and naturally takes into account the requirements set out in the technical regulation changes, such as the banning of double diffusers, blown rear wings and adjustable front wings, to be replaced with the arrival of adjustable rear wings and the return, after a one year break, of KERS. Toro Rosso did not use the Kinetic Energy Recovery System in 2009 and this year we hope to enjoy the advantage of using the one evolved by our engine supplier Ferrari, who made good use of the power boosting system two years ago. It will of course be linked to the very same specification 056 V8 engine as used by the other F1 entrant that calls itself a “Scuderia,” albeit with a prancing horse in its livery, rather than a toro. So there are plenty of unknown factors going into 2011, including a new tire supplier, Pirelli. So that’s an Italian tire supplier, a car designed and built in Italy, under the supervision of an Italian technical director, running an Italian engine with three drivers who can speak Italian. “Non puň che essere un buon segno, che ne dici,” as they say in Faenza. Specifications Official car name: STR6 Engine: Ferrari V8 Type 056 + KERS Chassis material: Composite monocoque structure Bodywork material: Carbon fiber composite Front suspension: Upper and lower carbon wishbones, torsion bar springs and anti- roll bars, Sachs dampers Rear suspension: Upper and lower carbon wishbones, torsion bar springs and anti- roll bars, Sachs dampers Steering: Scuderia Toro Rosso Gearbox: Seven-speed hydraulic Clutch: Sachs pull-type Calipers: Brembo Pads and discs: Brembo Cooling system (radiators, heat exchangers): Scuderia Toro Rosso Cockpit instrumentation: Scuderia Toro Rosso Seat belts: OMP . Steering wheel: Scuderia Toro Rosso Driver's seat: Carbon fiber construction, Molded to driver’s shape Extinguisher system: Scuderia Toro Rosso/FEV Wheels: Advanti Racing Fuel cell: ATL Overall weight: 640 kg (including driver and camera) WILLIAMS   New Williams In a recent interview, Rubens Barrichello described this year’s Williams-Cosworth FW33 as “aggressive”. It’s a sentiment shared by technical director Sam Michael, who talks today about the team’s 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship entry, the Williams Cosworth FW33, as it makes its track debut in Valencia this morning. “Until you start testing,” says Sam, “you’re never sure how you’re going to stack up against the opposition, but we’re optimistic. We think this is a good car, but we’ll have a better overall picture in a few weeks time.” New rules, which were only confirmed by the FIA’s World Motorsport Council in June 2010, compelled Williams F1’s technical team to take an innovative approach to its new car. The ban on double diffusers and the F-duct forced the aerodynamicists to seek new downforce solutions; KERS had to be incorporated into the layout and the team had to prepare for the arrival of a new tire supplier, Pirelli, for the first time in five years. “The design of this year’s car has been pretty smooth,” continues Sam. “We’ve improved our way of working by increasing the communication between the mechanical and aerodynamic departments, and that improved our decision making processes. It allowed us to increase the optimization time spent on each part of the car.” The car seen at today’s Valencia test is the first iteration of the FW33. This ‘launch spec’ will be replaced by an aero upgrade at the first race in Bahrain and there will be many others during the course of the year. Sam Michael and his technical team expect aerodynamic performance to reach the same levels as 2010, despite there being less aero freedom in the rules. What follows is a breakdown of the challenges that had to be overcome during the design of the FW33. Chronology of the FW33’s design Aerodynamic work started in December 2009, with the mechanical aspects of the FW33 beginning in March 2010. The major layout decisions were finalized in June, following the World Motorsport Council’s confirmation of the 2011 rule changes, and the new gearbox was on the dyno by September. The launch spec aerodynamic package was completed in November, since when the aero team has focused on the first-race upgrade. Gearbox The seven-speed ’box is the smallest ever produced by Williams F1 and works in conjunction with the new pull-rod rear suspension. “With gearbox usage increasing from four to five races this year,” says Sam, “reliability is vital. But I’m not expecting it to be a problem because the new gearbox has the same stiffness characteristics as the old one and the rulebook forces us to be conservative with the internals. For the last few seasons the ratios have to be 12mm wide and 600g per pair, whereas in the past we were down to 8-9mm gears.” Double diffuser ban Williams F1 was one of only three teams to introduce a double diffuser at the beginning of 2009. The team optimized the design on last year’s FW32, but it has now been banned. “The double diffuser ban is pretty significant,” says Sam. “Not only can you not open any holes between the reference and step planes, you must have continuous material through all lateral and longitudinal sections. The scope for developing anything on the diffuser is limited, so we’re looking at the centre, rear and front of the floor, as well as the sides of the floor and the little area around the tire spat, all of which are still free. “The ban on double diffusers should tighten up the field. It will probably happen straight away, but even if it doesn’t and someone comes to the first or second test with something you hadn’t thought of elsewhere on the car, it’ll be easy to replicate it and get it onto the car quickly because it shouldn’t affect the underlying car structure such as the gearbox.” KERS Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) were permitted in 2009, before being outlawed in 2010. Now they’re back to stay. The system recovers the kinetic energy present in the waste heat created by the brakes and the exhausts. The energy is then stored in a battery, converted into power and a maximum of 60kw can be called upon by the driver to boost acceleration for up to 6.6s per lap. Williams Hybrid Power (WHP) is developing a flywheel KERS for use in industry. The system was tested in an F1 car in ’09, but the current regulations favor the use of the battery system, which Williams F1 assembles and builds in-house. “The rules have changed since KERS was last used in F1,” says Sam. “Re-fuelling is no longer permitted, so the packaging is different now. We have packaged our KERS system entirely inside the car’s survival cell, below the fuel tank, because we didn’t want to compromise any of the sidepod area for aerodynamics. The car is longer than last year as a result, but the advantages of doing that outweigh the negatives. Assuming you’re on the weight limit, there is no downside to KERS; it’s worth 0.3s and it gives you a better start.” Moveable rear wing One of the most controversial rule changes for 2011 is the introduction of a moveable rear wing. The top element of the wing has to be able to lift at the front until the slot gap is 50mm and it’s hoped that the resultant reduction in drag will increase speeds by up to 15kph. The wing’s sole purpose is to make overtaking easier, but not everyone is convinced. “I don’t think the advantage gained by the rear wing is going to change overtaking dramatically,” says Sam, “because there isn’t going to be a big enough drag reduction. You only get help from the wing when you’re one second from the car in front, which might not be until halfway down a straight, depending on where the FIA places the timing loop that activates it. That will take a few races to fine tune. “It’s another thing for the drivers to think about. Our system is powered by a hydraulic actuator, which is activated by a button on the steering wheel. By regulation there is no intermediate position control; it’s either on or off.” Pirelli After 14 years at the top echelon, Bridgestone pulled out of F1 at the end of 2010. Replacing the Japanese company as the sport’s sole tire supplier for the next three years is Pirelli, who were last involved in F1 in 1991. The dimensions of the tires will be the same as last year, but the performance characteristics are very different, as Williams F1 discovered during a two-day evaluation of the tires in Abu Dhabi last November. “The Abu Dhabi test was quite useful,” says Sam. “There is a change to the aerodynamics; lots of little details make a difference to the wake of the tire and we learnt a lot about that in Abu Dhabi. The Pirelli rubber deflects and deforms in a different way to that of Bridgestone and it has different mould lines, all of which can affect the tire wake. “Overall, though, the arrival of Pirelli is not an intimidating change. We didn’t change a lot on the mechanical side of the new car after the Abu Dhabi test; the main changes we’ve made since then have been aero.” Weight / weight distribution The minimum weight of the cars has gone up from 620kg to 640kg this year. KERS has added mass to the car, as has the addition of more anti-penetration zylon panels to the sides of the chassis (they now go all the way to the drivers’ feet) and the need for double wheel tethers. The weight distribution is fixed at 46 percent on the front axle, plus or minus 0.5 percent. That’s more rigid than in the past, but Sam doesn’t believe it’s a game changer. “The weight distribution is pretty close to where we were running on Bridgestones,” he says. “It wasn’t a big issue when it came to designing this car. However, the extra weight has forced us to increase our brake cooling. The cars will be doing higher top speeds due to KERS and the moveable rear wing, and in the slow corners the extra mass will have an influence, so the brakes will have to work harder.” Conclusions Unprecedented levels of R&D have gone into this year’s FW33 and a development program is in place to ensure that upgrades are introduced at each grand prix of the 20-race campaign. “Our ambition is get back to the front of the grid,” says Frank Williams. “We know that won’t be easy, but we hope this car will take us closer to the leaders than we were in 2010. As a team, we’re as ambitious now as we’ve ever been.” The team now has 15 days of testing at four different racetracks ahead of the opening race of the season. Valencia, Jerez, Barcelona and Bahrain offer different challenges and varying climates, after which it’ll be time to go racing; time to stand up and be counted. Rubens Barrichello will commence AT&T Williams’ three day Valencia test on Tuesday 1 February. Pastor Maldonado will assume testing from Wednesday afternoon. Graphics of the Williams Cosworth FW33, as well as Barrichello and Maldonado helmet visuals, are currently available at Williams F1 - Photography An initial selection of imagery of the FW33 in its interim livery will be available by midday, UK time, at the same URL while a comprehensive selection will go online at the end of the day’s running and be updated over the course of the test. Team imagery is to be used for editorial purposes only |
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02-04-2011, 06:51 AM
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McLaren unveils 2011 car in Berlin
MP4-26 different from other cars Friday, February 04, 2011 The new 2011 McLaren MP4-26 F1 car was revealed in Berlin today. McLaren opted to wait until after the first pre-season Formula 1 test to unveil its new car, having used an interim MP4-25 to focus on tire development and understanding in Valencia this week. The new car features a long flat high nose, innovative L-shaped sidepods, and a different airbox. "I hope the car proves just as innovative once we take to the track next week," said Hamilton. He and Button will drive the car for the first time at Jerez starting next Thursday, after Gary Paffett gives it a private shakedown at the Idiada Proving Ground two days earlier. McLarens technical team say that the major focus of aero work this winter was to optimize airflow to rear wing in order to help make up for the double diffuser ban. The sidepods and cooling arrangement of the new car are the most intriguing features. It remains to be seen whether the front of the sidepods reflects an intention to add a Renault-style exhaust exit in the coming weeks. I think there are some novel features on the car the long wheelbase and U-shaped sidepods are probably the most obvious examples, says engineering director Tim Goss. The thinking behind that is to feed as much good-quality air as possible to the rear-lower mainplane and the floor of the car. We want to get the rear-end working as well as possible following the loss of performance caused by the banning of the double-diffuser. For 2011, KERS is now a single integrated unit that sits within the survival cell, beneath the fuel-tank. In 2009, it was housed in the sidepods. The hybrids cooling intake sits directly below the main roll hoop intake. And, once again, weve really pushed the cars cooling configuration: weve got a second air intake on the engine cover for gearbox and hydraulic cooling. Regarding the biggest challenges of 2011, Goss says: For me, there have been two: recovering the rear downforce we lost following the banning of the double-diffuser, and fully exploiting the Pirelli tires. The tires only last for around 10 laps, and making them last longer is quite a challenge. So we need to look closely at how we configure the set-up and suspension to make the tires last. We set ourselves a very ambitious aerodynamic target for 2011. We always want to do more and were always very critical about performance, but we feel weve done a good job. Weve identified some areas where we can add performance to the car over the next weeks, the task will be to get them on to the car and reliable by the first race. Thats the big challenge. Technical director Paddy Lowe says that the team has worked with Mercedes GP to get the ideal KERS packaging. Getting KERS back on the car was a big task, says Lowe. Collaborating with Mercedes GP to define the specification for Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines was very satisfying: there was great collaboration and co-operation between us. There can be lots of difficulties finding alignment between two teams, but Im pleased with how we made it happen and very happy with the outcome. The system was also more difficult to package because youve got to carry more fuel, said Goss. That was the first challenge, but we got through that. There were a few difficult decisions concerning architecture around different aerodynamic concepts, but I think we ended up with a design layout were happy with. Driver Jenson Button had this to say: "Now I really feel I know how Vodafone McLaren Mercedes goes racing, and Ill be driving a car thats been fully developed around Lewis and myself thats a very empowering feeling. Im really looking forward to getting to drive the new car for the first time. Our pre-season simulations suggests that the new Pirelli tires should be well-suited to my particular driving style, so Im hopeful of being able to derive a good advantage from the tires during the races. "Today really marks the beginning of our 2011 season after what seems a very long time away from the track. Its been a really exciting event for all the fans who attended, and now I cant wait to get behind the wheel of MP4-26 for the first time next week." McLaren Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh is looking ahead to the 2011 season with optimism, following the outfits launch of its new MP4-26 challenger in Berlin on Friday. After failing to capture both of the titles on offer last year, Whitmarsh was positive of a better campaign this year. After the launch at midday German time, the 52-year-old explained how important it was for the team to open the world of Formula 1 up to supporters around the globe. "I think todays innovative launch demonstrates the enthusiasm within Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to engage the general public; to show them that our sport is intense and exciting, and that were very keen to showcase Formula 1 to the wider world," Whitmarsh commented. "With Lewis and Jenson, we have two of the most exciting, charismatic and high-profile personalities in the sport, and the whole team feels a powerful sense of responsibility to provide them with the very best machinery with which to showcase their very evident talents to the world. Whitmarsh went on to talk about the MP4-26 in detail, with the new car featuring some unique design changes. The teams 2011 contender was presented at Berlins Potsdamer Platz, with radical aspects being unveiled to the public, most notably the uniquely shaped sidepod inlets, amongst further developments over its 2010 predecessor. "The MP4-26 is the result of an incredible amount of hard work, innovative thinking and dynamic teamwork," The McLaren man stated. "Under the leadership of Paddy Lowe [technical director], Tim Goss [engineering director] and Neil Oatley [director of design and development programs], our design department is more integrated than ever: in fact, Im particularly proud of the contributions made by our project engineers, many of whom have taken on leadership roles for the very first time and who had worked so well together to create this very striking and individual-looking car. "While were all hopeful of once more adding to our tremendous record in Formula 1, this sport is so unpredictable and finely pitched at the moment that its impossible accurately to forecast the state of play until the season starts next month. Thats a tantalizing prospect for Formula 1s many millions of existing fans and, I hope, something that will attract many millions more by the end of what looks set to be an absolutely fantastic year."       |
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02-07-2011, 11:27 AM
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Virgin launch 2011 car in London
Formula 1 Monday, February 07, 2011  Virgin on Monday became the tenth F1 team to reveal its 2011 car. The now partially Marussia-owned team launched the MVR-02 at the BBC television centre in London. The car, with a notably lower nose than many of the other single seaters unveiled already this year, has once again been designed solely and uniquely with the aid of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) rather than a wind tunnel. But rumors the MVR-02's exhaust outlets might be similar to Renault's radical front-exiting solution proved wide of the mark. Press Release The Marussia Virgin Racing Formula One team has unveiled its 2011 season challenger – the MVR-02 – at the BBC’s Television Centre in London, where the team also took the opportunity to outline its vision for 2011 and beyond following last week’s management restructure. The MVR-02, the team’s second car to be designed entirely using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), will contend the 20 Grands Prix on the 2011 Formula One World Championship calendar, with the team’s new driver line-up, Germany’s Timo Glock and Belgium’s Jérôme d'Ambrosio, who makes his Formula One debut with the team this season. The car is the first to bear the MVR chassis designation, following Russian performance car manufacturer Marussia’s acquisition of a significant stake in the team at the end of last season. Marussia Virgin Racing bucked the trend of a trackside roll-out and instead opted to reveal the MVR-02 during a recorded television production - ‘An Audience with Marussia Virgin Racing’ – which took place in front of a packed audience of Media and Team Partners at the famous television studios. True to the team’s commitment to its burgeoning fan base, Marussia Virgin Racing also welcomed a large contingent of its social media followers to the event and they were at the heart of the action as the wraps came off the new car in Studio 1. The television production will be broadcast later today via the team’s website Virgin Racing, with programming schedules available via @marussiavirgin on Twitter. As the team embarks on its second season of Formula One competition, Marussia Virgin Racing Team Principal John Booth, commented: “We had a tough but incredibly rewarding baptism into Formula One last season and I am extremely proud that we proved ourselves to be more than equal to the challenge. We are also very proud to be competing as Marussia Virgin Racing in 2011 and we look forward to rewarding the faith that Marussia demonstrated in the team when it made such a significant investment at the end of last year. “2011 is all about moving forward and starting to achieve solid results. We have a very exciting driver line-up in Timo Glock and Jérôme d'Ambrosio. Timo did an exceptional job in difficult circumstances last season and contributed a great deal to the car’s development and that of our racing team. We will certainly benefit from the continuity that Timo brings. He has been working very hard over the winter and is in top physical and mental shape for our second season together. We are also delighted to welcome Jerome in his debut season of Formula One competition. He did an excellent job during his evaluation period towards the end of last season and he demonstrated in testing last week that he clearly has the bit between his teeth. He is a very exciting young talent and we are enjoying seeing his clear potential unfold with each outing in the car.” “The MVR-02 is a clear step forward in every area and a credit to all the hard work that has gone into our car development program over the past 12 months. We are delighted to be working with our engine supplier Cosworth for a second season of collaboration. Despite the freeze on engine development they have been working hard on reliability and performance optimization over the winter and we fully expect a continuation of the success they enjoyed in their return to the sport in 2010. The sport has the added challenge of a new tire supplier in Pirelli but we have made good progress with tailoring our mechanical package to suit the new Pzero tires in the group tests in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2010 and in Valencia last week. “Generally, we have every reason to believe that 2011 will be a very exciting and positive experience for our team.” Providing the technical perspective on the new MVR-02, Technical Director Nick Wirth, commented: “We were extremely pleased to have proved our digital design process in Formula One last season and to have demonstrated that it is possible to compete at the highest level of motor sport with a car designed wholly in computer simulation. Having said that, we faced a very steep learning curve and experienced some tough lessons, which we have applied to our design program for 2011. “We have addressed every single issue that troubled us last year, but in our own unique digital way. For example, the hydraulics and gearbox oil problems of last year have resulted in us doing more CFD in these areas alone than we used in the entire aero design program our first digital race-winning sportscar in 2008. In Abu Dhabi we took the opportunity to prove out these digital improvements by successfully track-testing a number of systems for the MVR-02. So we start 2011 as we mean to go on – rather more ahead of the game – by going testing in Jerez this week with many parts already proven on the race track, or by an upgraded and more comprehensive rig-test program. "In terms of sheer CFD throughput, the number of configurations that our new processes have allowed us to test for the MVR-02 is a giant step forward from the VR-01, and we are looking forward to further improvements here as we finally begin to benefit from the new Supercomputer that our partners CSC have provided for 2011. "I am confident that we have made real progress with the MVR-02, producing a car with considerably more aerodynamic efficiency than the VR-01 despite the regulation changes, and having made significant gains in terms of overall quality. It provides a good basis for development over the course of the season, and I'm very sure we'll be able to keep up the impressive rate of aero development that we've had since the beginning of the MVR-02 project. “We also have the added challenge of a new tire supplier in Pirelli and this helps level the playing field as the teams’ experience of the PZero tires will be limited to only two days of testing in Abu Dhabi and 2011 pre-season testing in Spain and Bahrain. Wirth Research has nearly four years of real-time driver simulator development experience now, and our ability to produce very realistic thermal tire models in-house has been of great benefit. We were very encouraged by the positive feedback both drivers have given our simulator group on their recent developments in this crucial area. “As ever, the competitive level of this first iteration of the MVR-02 will only be revealed in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix next month, but in the meantime we look forward to what we hope will be a positive track debut for the MVR-02 in Jerez this week.” Marussia Virgin Racing’s new CEO, Andy Webb, revealed the philosophy behind the team’s 2011 challenge: “First of all I am delighted to be joining the team at such an exciting stage in its development. The changes we announced last week represent only good news for Marussia Virgin Racing as we bring the strength in depth required to move us forward. “The watchwords of our 2011 challenge are Ambition, Progress, and Distinctive. Firstly, this team has serious ambitions and we have a clear plan towards being able to compete at the front of the grid. The team’s racing aspirations are underpinned by Marussia’s ambitious plans to position itself firmly on the worldwide automotive radar and we look forward to a great deal of exciting collaboration between the two programs. “Secondly, the team has made enormous progress over the past 12 months. It shouldn’t be forgotten that this time last year it was still establishing its operational base and putting into place some of the logistical building blocks that other teams have enjoyed for many seasons. We now have a robust racing operation and we have made the necessary further investments required to help move us further up the grid, whilst adhering to the responsible business philosophy under which the team was founded and the spirit of the Resource Restriction Agreement. With the help of CSC we have doubled the computing power of the CFD design program and we have of course the strengthened management team to steer us towards a successful future. That is a great deal of progress in such a short space of time. “Last but far from least, we want to be distinctive, to forge our own path. Marussia Virgin Racing has its own operational style and team culture and this is how we will go racing and engage with our Partners and our fans. To underpin this we have created a very exciting new look and feel for the team in terms of our brand design, elements of which have been revealed at today’s launch through our car livery and the Tavis Coburn visual identity. As the representative for Marussia during its partnership with the team in its debut season, I am ideally placed to comment on the benefits that an association with the team can bring – the team is now, after all, called Marussia Virgin Racing. We look forward to rewarding the faith of our existing partners and to welcoming new brands who can share in the commercial possibilities that Marussia now enjoys.” Commenting on behalf of Marussia, Nikolay Fomenko, President of Marussia Motors and Marussia Virgin Racing’s new Engineering Director, commented: “Last season the Marussia brand featured on the VR-01; this year we are extremely proud that Marussia is not only integrated into the livery but also the name of the car and the team. I’m particularly pleased that we will be operating under a Russian license in 2011, which means that we can look forward to seeing our national flag being raised on the occasion of our first podium finish! In 2011 our objective is to finish every race and regularly compete in Q2. We need to continually make small but significant steps this season to move us up the field. I am excited about the potential in the future to benefit from exchanging ideas on technology between the F1 team and the road car program.” |
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02-08-2011, 06:45 PM
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#6 (permalink) |
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Custom User Title
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2011 Force India F1 Team challenger: the VJM04
Formula 1 Tuesday, February 08, 2011   The Force India VJM04 is the first car created by the team under its new technical director Andrew Green, who exactly 20 years ago was one of the men behind the original Jordan 191. Green and rest of the Silverstone-based team faced major challenges created by the changes in the 2011 FIA Technical Regulations, with a cut in downforce and the movable rear wing chief among them. In addition Pirelli has become the new tire supplier, and the teams have agreed to allow the use of KERS again. The result is a car that is very different from its predecessor. 'Everything is different, but visually a lot of it is subtle,' says Green, who re-joined the team in July 2010. 'The most obvious visual change is that we've gone away from a conventional roll-hoop to a blade. This gives us a small packaging improvement compared to a more conventional style. The engine cover is different, in-line with the abolition of the F-duct system. But there are a lot of differences under the skin that people won't necessarily notice.' The ban on double diffusers and other changes in the rules created a drastic cut in downforce at the rear of the car. Getting it back has been one of the major challenges of the winter. 'We've recovered a lot of the aerodynamic performance, we believe. We still have a little bit to go, but we are still in the process of the realignment after the end of last season, because it does take a long time to move aerodynamically from one position to another. The movable wing is a whole new game, and we'll be trying to exploit its performance to the max. 'We've also put in a lot of work trying to maximize the potential performance of the new Pirelli tire compounds. To this end we've recruited a new senior tire engineer, Jun Matsusaki, to guide us through the development process. The test we recently conducted in Valencia was a good learning exercise. 'Exhaust management will also be a big area of development this year. There will be an upgrade for the first race, so there are some changes that will come into effect at the Bahrain test. Further down the line there are some big updates for the front of the car coming in for the first European race.' Significantly the team has done far more than simply address the new rules. It has also gone back to basics by taking a close look at the fundamentals of last year's package, and attempted to address key areas of concern. 'Towards the end of last season there was a drop-off in our relative performance,' says Green. 'In theory we were adding performance to the car, but it wasn't getting translated to the track. We decided to have a very close look at what was happening on the car, and what could be causing this. The bottom line is we didn't extract the most from the blown diffuser, thus over the winter we've taken a reasonable philosophy chance on the aerodynamics of the car in order to try and prevent the sort of drop-off in performance that we saw at the end of last year.' In addition the team has focused on improving its performance in high downforce spec. 'Looking back over the years the cars we have produced here have always struggled at the high downforce tracks - they always been 'slippery' cars. We've identified a problem, and now we have to fix it, and it means that potentially there's another strategic aero change coming as well.' Underlining the team's renewed focus on aerodynamic development, there will extra emphasis on gathering data on the Fridays of race weekends. 'We are going to be using the real car at the track as a validation tool for the aerodynamics, which is something that we haven't done effectively before. There's a lot more focus on what's actually happening on the car aerodynamically. To measure it at the fidelity that we need to measure it at is a huge task. 'We understand how important it is, and we're in that game now as well. That will start to feed back into the aerodynamic development of the car. When we get positive results it backs up our development tools, and when we don't, we'll investigate why. Fridays will be a lot more about understanding the car we have as well as understanding the track at the time and the tires you're running.' The change requires more accurate sensors and different procedures for gathering data, better analysis tools, and dedicated people at the trackside focusing on the aerodynamic performance. Force India is not entirely new to KERS. The 2009 car was designed to utilize the Mercedes system and the team ran it in testing, although it was never raced. 'The Mercedes KERS system looks very strong, and we're really happy with it. We've done a lot of running in the simulator, so the drivers are well up to speed with how to use it. We're well developed with what we have to do for harvesting and deployment. It's smaller and lighter than in 2009, and packaging required very few vehicle compromises.' Summing up, Green says the intention is to build momentum over the course of the year as developments come on stream, and the aero work pays dividends. 'There are some big developments in the pipeline, probably bigger than this team has seen for quite a while. I think we're looking for a much stronger finish to the season, and we do recognize the fact that there's an Indian GP on the calendar, and we are an Indian team. The plan is to be putting stronger performance on the car through the year that will lift us up the ranks.' ---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 PM ---------- HRT reveals pictures of 2011 car, livery Formula 1 Tuesday, February 08, 2011      HRT F111 for 2011 HRT on Tuesday revealed the first computer-generated photos of its new car and livery for the 2011 season. The F111 looks similar to the Dallara-built chassis of last season, but the Spanish team said it has been designed by Geoff Willis and Paul White. "We are very pleased to introduce the first spec of the F111," said team owner Jose Ramon Carabante. "This is only a first step as we are planning several updates during the season." Added team boss Colin Kolles: "We have made a big improvement for our second season and what you see confirms our commitment to F1." The new Daniel Simon-designed livery is also apparently only a first specification, given that the only on-car sponsor is Tata and several spaces include logos such as 'This could be you'. Press Release Hispania Racing is shaping up the F111, the new Spanish Team’s car, which will be hitting the tracks of the 2011 F1 season. Hispania Racing is pleased to show the pictures of the new car developed by its own group of engineers and designers under the technical leadership of Geoff Willis and Chief Designer Paul White. Jose Ramon Carabante, Hispania Racing President, stated: “We feel really proud of the car our drivers will run this forthcoming season. Despite a challenging first year, we managed to finish on the eleventh position in the World Constructors Championship. Now, we are very pleased to introduce the first spec of the F111, which means a huge design-effort from our side. This is only a first step as we are planning several updates during the season.” Colin Kolles, Team Principal of Hispania Racing, “The F111 represents a significant step forward for Hispania Racing. We have made a big improvement for starting our second season in Formula 1 and what you see in our new car confirms Hispania Racing’s commitment to F1.” Colin Kolles also reveals that “the F111 will incorporate the adjustable rear wing.” Daniel Simon who was responsible for the livery of the car, has perfectly expressed the combination of his personal ideas and those of Hispania Racing. Colin Kolles: “Daniel has created a wonderfully confident look for our new car which really captures the effort the whole team has put into developing the F111. The car design and the graphic design perfectly complement one another and mark the real beginnings of our ambitions.” Daniel is today one of the most imaginative and adventurous designers in both Hollywood and the motor industry. Although he and his label Cosmic Motor live mostly in the future, he also has a strong passion for motor racings bold iconic liveries from the past, and he has drawn inspiration of them in creating Hispania Racing’s new livery. “I miss fearless visual statements and large beautiful numbers on today’s racing cars.” That distinct Cosmic Motors look brings together racing spirit and commercial reality, blending the dual requirements in a seamless, but attractive manner, which reflects the motivated vibe of the Hispania Racing team as it enters its second Formula 1 season. Working within the defined Hispania Racing shape was enjoyable for Daniel, “Playing with the restrictions of what you can do to a complex F1 body is fun. There are many don’ts, but I found a way to lay courageous racing essence on the car.” |
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02-08-2011, 08:24 PM
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#7 (permalink) |
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Junkie
Location: Detroit, MI
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Im confused, are there 2 Lotus cars or just one? Its good to see a black and gold Lotus (Renault?) back in F1 again, brings back good memories. Hear what happened to Kubica? Looks like theyre going to have an open seat available at Lotus (Renault?) for a while at least, the guy hurt himself pretty badly from what Ive read.
The McLaren looks fantastic. Mercedes should adopt the shiny-silver instead of matte-silver look, I think they should fire their graphics design group. The car body itself looks beautiful. |
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02-19-2011, 05:59 AM
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#9 (permalink) |
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Addict
Location: Liverpool, UK
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Let's hope Bahrain gets the go ahead.
Really looking forward to this season. Do you think it will be as close a finish as last year? *fingers crossed* Great work on this thread so far. Keep up the comprehensive work.
__________________
"never mind that shit........here comes Mongo!" 
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03-05-2011, 12:56 AM
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#10 (permalink) |
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Upright
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Yea, this is a really cool thread!
Maybe everyone knows, but there are two teams with a claim to the Lotus name. Short version as I understand it, last year Group Lotus sponsored Team Lotus (the one making the green car), but this year they decided that team couldn't build a fast enough car, so they went over to another team and those guys are building the gold car. Maybe cause of a pre-existing contract, the original Team Lotus from last year also is using the name Lotus. There was some legal wrangling going on, but it has not seemed to resolve the situation, at least not yet. Meanwhile I believe Nick Heidfeld is taking advantage of Kubica's absence and taking that seat. |
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03-05-2011, 06:11 AM
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#11 (permalink) |
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Custom User Title
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from last week....
02/24/11 Williams reveals new livery for 2011 (GMM) Williams on Thursday revealed the livery for its 2011 car, the FW33. In all navy blue, the car has already been extensively tested this winter in Spain. The race livery, featuring more white than usual, was shown for the first time from the British team's Oxfordshire headquarters. The design, particularly from the side where the familiar shapes and familiar red line is visible, strongly reminded nostalgic observers of the team's famous Rothmans liveries of the 90s. Rubens Barrichello did not attend the launch after receiving permission to stay in Brazil for his wedding anniversary.    |
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| Tags |
| 2011, formula, launch, thread |
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