FileSoup's (un)Official Formula One Team!

Ok folks, it is now less than a week until the first race of the 2009 season. By the vote of our great FileSoup members we have choosen McLaren Mercedes as the team we will be following with particular interest. This thread will be for that purpose. So pop in and check up on our team and let us know about stories you have found or your thoughts from recent testing and/or races. Thanks for being involved!


Here's a little bit of information to kick things off...








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Click image for wallpapers...



INTRODUCING THE MP4-24

While still retaining the distinctive family look established with both the MP4-22 and MP4-23, this year’s car is visually very different from its predecessors as a result of two main factors:


Aerodynamics

This year’s aerodynamic regulations were framed by the FIA and the Overtaking Working Group (helmed by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes engineering director Paddy Lowe, Ferrari’s Rory Byrne and Renault’s Pat Symonds) which met throughout 2007 in order to address the issues affecting passing in Formula 1.

The OWG’s influence can be most clearly seen around the front wing, which has been widened, and the rear wing – which is now more compact. Other factors affecting aerodynamics include the banning of ancillary appendages, the addition of driver-adjustable front-wing flaps and a heavily revised diffuser.


KERS

The MP4-24’s KERS device has been developed in collaboration with McLaren and Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, which has been developing and refining the system for almost two years. The device enables the car to recover energy under braking, store the energy for a lap and release it when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel.

With a fully optimised KERS device’s output capped at 400kJ (discharging 80bhp boost for 6.7s per lap), the development team’s primary focus has already shifted to further improving the unit’s integration within the chassis in order to minimise performance loss elsewhere within the package.

An optimised KERS package can be expected to deliver a 0.3-0.5s gain per lap.


Winter test programme

With in-season track testing now prohibited, the MP4-24 will undergo an intensive winter programme at the following venues prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 29:

Jan 19-22 Portimao Group test one
Feb 10-13 Jerez Group test two
Mar 1-4 Jerez Group test three
Mar 9-12 Barcelona Group test four
Week 12 Private test ahead of transportation to Melbourne


VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES MP4-24 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Chassis McLaren moulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures. Contains integral safety fuel cell
Front suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Rear suspension Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Suspension dampers Koni
Electronics McLaren Electronic Systems control units incorporating electronics for chassis, engine and data acquisition. McLaren Electronic Systems also supplies the electronic dashboard, alternator voltage control, sensors, data analysis and telemetry systems
Bodywork One-piece engine cover and sidepod covers. Separate floor section, structural nose with integral front wing
Tyres Bridgestone Potenza
Radio Kenwood
Race wheels Enkei
Brake calipers Akebono
Brake master cylinders Akebono
Batteries GS Yuasa Corporation
Steering McLaren power-assisted
Instruments McLaren Electronic Systems

Engine
Type Mercedes-Benz FO 108W
Capacity 2.4 litres
Cylinders 8
Maximum rpm 18,000 (FIA regulatory limit for 2009)
Bank angle 90°
Piston bore maximum 98mm (FIA regulation)
Number of valves 32
Fuel Mobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)
Lubricants Mobil 1 – for higher performance, lower friction and better wear resistance
Weight 95kg (minimum FIA regulation weight)

Transmission
Gearbox Seven forward and one reverse
Semi-auto Yes
Driveshafts McLaren
Clutch Hand-operated


THE DRIVERS


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LEWIS HAMILTON - CAR NO 1
Personal

Born January 7 1985; place of birth Stevenage, UK; website www.lewishamilton.com

Formula 1

2008 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (world champion, 98pts, five wins); 2007 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (2nd, 109pts, four wins)

Career highlights

2006 GP2 (champion, five wins); 2005 F3 Euroseries (champion, 15 wins); 2004 F3 Euroseries (5th, one win); 2003 British Formula Renault (champion, 10 wins); 2002 British Formula Renault (3rd, three wins); 2000 Formula A (European champion, World Cup champion); 1999 Intercontinental A Italian champion (ICA); 1998 Junior ICA (Champions of the Future, 2nd); 1997 Junior Yamaha British champion; 1996 Cadets British champion; 1995 Cadets British champion

Has winning the world championship changed you?

“The whole experience has definitely made me feel more rounded. The whole experience of 2008 has helped me to grow as an individual – and not just at the races; how I’ve dealt with my surroundings, my family and my life. I know I have a huge responsibility and I have to set a good example – and it takes maturity to manage those things and so I’m still learning and doing the best I can.”

How have you spent the winter?

“The winter months have been all about recharging my batteries. Last season was very tough both mentally and physically and the test and race schedule never gives you enough time to get back to peak fitness. Over the winter, I’ve taken a break from the car and really focused on my preparations for 2009 and getting myself back to the peak of physical fitness. In both respects, I feel really well prepared ahead of the winter test programme and the year ahead.”

What do you think of the new car?

“Well, obviously, I haven’t driven it yet. But there’s an old saying in motor racing that says a beautiful car often turns out to be a quick car. And all I can say is that I hope that’s right, because I reckon the MP4-24 looks simply sensational. Really beautiful, in fact.”

What aspects of the 2009 season are you particularly looking forward to?

“The huge rule changes are really exciting for a driver. The winter months are already quite busy because you’re very heavily involved in developing the new car, but this year it will be even more intense. And the whole experience will also feel quite fresh because so much is new. I hope the racing is as close and as exciting as has been predicted because that’s always more fun for a driver and fantastic for Formula 1’s fans.”


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HEIKKI KOVALAINEN - CAR NO 2
Personal

Born October 19 1981; place of birth Suomussalmi, Finland; website www.heikkikovalainen.net (fansite)

Formula 1

2008 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (7th, one win); 2007 Renault (7th, 30pts); 2006 Renault test driver

Career highlights

2005 GP2 (2nd, 105pts, five wins); 2004 World Series by Nissan (champion, 184pts, six wins), Race of Champions (winner); 2003 World Series by Nissan (2nd, 131pts, one win); 2002 British F3 (3rd, 256pts, five wins); 2001 British Formula Renault (4th, 243pts, two wins)

With a season at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes already under your belt, do you feel better prepared than you did a year ago?

“For sure. It’s easy to forget, but I only joined Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in December 2007 so my preparations for the ’08 season happened very quickly. Of course, I felt comfortable straight away but it still takes time to understand exactly how each member of the team is able to help you. For this year, I feel much more integrated into the whole operation and know we can really hit the ground running when we start testing next week.”

When did you start your preparations for 2009?

“After Brazil, I took a short break but was soon back at the McLaren Technology Centre preparing with my engineers for the new season. I tested a hybrid car before Christmas and it gave me a good idea of what to expect. I think the new breed of cars will suit me very well. I’ve also been training in the snow of northern Finland – it’s the best place in the world for me to relax and prepare for the year ahead.”

What are your targets for the season ahead?

“I feel much better prepared ahead of the new season. I think you can extract a lot of performance simply from good mental preparation, and I really want to look at the positives ahead of me this year rather than becoming too focused on any difficulties. Racing alongside Lewis is the ultimate benchmark and I’d like to think we’ll both be challenging for the drivers’ championship and helping the team to win the constructors’ championship.”


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PEDRO DE LA ROSA
Personal

Born February 24 1971; place of birth Barcelona, Spain; website www.pedrodelarosa.com

Formula 1

2008 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver; 2007 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver; 2006 Team McLaren Mercedes (eight races, one podium, 11th, 19pts); 2005 Team McLaren Mercedes test driver (one race, fastest lap, 20th, 4pts); 2004-2003 Team McLaren Mercedes test driver; 2002 Jaguar Racing (19th, 0pts); 2001 Jaguar Racing (16th, 3pts); 2000 Arrows (17th, 2pts); 1999 Arrows (17th, 1pt); 1998 Jordan test driver

Career highlights

1997 Japanese F3000 (champion, 82pts, six wins), Super GTs (champion, 67pts, two wins); 1995 Japanese F3 (champion, eight wins), Macau F3 (third); 1992 British Formula Renault (champion), European Formula Renault (champion); 1990 Spanish Formula Ford (champion); 1989 Spanish Formula FIAT (champion)

With greater restrictions on testing, will your role change significantly this year?

“Of course, the new regulations will significantly affect the way the team is able to test, effectively ending in-season track testing. But it is important to remember that the role of a test driver isn’t solely confined to the test track – I regularly visit the McLaren Technology Centre, meet with the engineers and try new developments on the simulator. None of that will change.”

Will you be less busy than in 2008?

“I will still be heavily involved with the winter test programme until the end of March. And you mustn’t forget that I still retain my role as the team’s reserve driver, which means I will travel to every race and am ready to jump into the car in an instant if either Lewis or Heikki is unable to compete. That role will still take up an enormous amount of my time.”

How will you assist with the development of MP4-24?

“Away from the cockpit, the team will still rely on all the drivers’ feedback to develop the car. My role, as always, will be to use my experience to provide the engineers with consistent feedback. The absence of in-season testing simply means that the test drivers will be integrated even further into the simulation development team and will be an invaluable asset to the whole team.”


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GARY PAFFETT
Personal

Born March 24 1981; place of birth Bromley, UK; website www.garypaffett.com

Formula 1

2008-2007 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver; 2006 Team McLaren Mercedes test driver

Career highlights

2008-2007 DTM with Mercedes-Benz; 2005 DTM (champion, 84pts, five wins); 2002 German F3 (champion, seven wins); 2001 German F3 (6th, one win); 2000 British F3 Scholarship class (champion, 13 class wins); 1999 Formula Vauxhall Junior (champion, 129pts, four wins), McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year

How will your role develop with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes during 2009?

“The regulations restricting in-season testing will have a knock-on effect on every test driver within the sport – and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is no exception. My contribution to the team will be smaller than it has been in recent years – but this gives me the opportunity to focus on my racing commitments with Mercedes-Benz in the DTM.”

What are your aims for the year ahead?

“Like any racing driver, I want to prove myself in a competitive environment. At the moment, I am very optimistic that I will be able to race at the front in the DTM with Mercedes-Benz but it’s still important that I keep my options open in Formula 1. Given the present financial situation within the sport, who knows what could happen around the corner?”

Are you keen to remain part of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team?

“Absolutely. Both McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have played instrumental roles in my career and have supported me for a very long time – both organisations are like family to me. Even though I will be racing in DTM, I will be heavily involved in the engineering development programme throughout the year.”

Thanks mate, A lotta work gone into that post.

Very detailed Jeremy.
I don't like the looks of our drivers so can we can some other people? Ive heard that Jackie Stewart is pretty good so how about him.
You may find this hard to believe but I know nothing about formula one but am going to try and learn as we go along.

Also can we get the car painted purple?

Hi F1 Fans and welcome newer folks (ie Fuzz ),
This is some recent news on the McLaren Mercedes F1 Team from the past couple days. You'll find an article about what happens at the start of the race at the end and the complexities that result from that crucial part of the race.

@ Fuzz, I'm pretty sure that unless we make a sizable contribution to the team we won't have much say in the choice of drivers or the color scheme used on the cars, but if you want to start putting something together, it would be great to have a FileSoup - Fuggazi "Souper GMod" sticker plastered on the side of the car. Jackie Stewart is getting a little long in tooth for this type of driving but you are right, he could probably drive any of use under the table even at, what, 70 plus years old.





Whitmarsh plays down McLaren threat

20 March 2009


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The McLaren team starts the 2009 season following a difficult winter of frustrations and uncertainties, as the team's new MP4-24 has so far looked distinctively off the pace at all circuits visited, with the exception of a particularly quick lap from Heikki Kovalainen at Jerez last week.

"We go into the start of the 2009 season fully aware that we do not yet have the technical package that will allow our drivers to fight at the front," Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh admitted. "In Formula 1, there is nowhere to hide - that's what makes our sport so demanding and yet so endlessly fascinating. And as a team that goes Grand Prix racing with the expectation of winning races and challenging for World Championships, we therefore go to Melbourne with realistic expectations."

McLaren can, however, boast the strength of consistency as it begins its thirteenth season with Mercedes-Benz engines, and retains the same driver line-up as in 2008. "We begin our season with huge determination to re-assert ourselves at the front," Whitmarsh continued. "We will not rest for a moment until we have done that and, most importantly, we haven't forgotten how to win."


Source: GPUpdate.net







Kovalainen ready to get 'back to school'

21 March 2009


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McLaren F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen is looking forward to travel to Melbourne for next week's Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the 2009 Formula One season. The Finn says it gives him the 'back to school' feeling after the long winter break.


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"I had a great race in Melbourne last year on my debut for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes," Kovalainen said. "It's a track I love - a circuit that you really have to attack with a lot of enthusiasm if you are to get the best from the car. The fast esses at the back of the circuit are probably the most demanding corners - getting it just right is a hugely satisfying feeling.

"Elsewhere, I enjoy the 'back to school' feeling of the new season - you meet up with everybody, share your stories from the winter and look forward to another good season. Everybody in our team is really motivated and, while we probably won't start the season as favourites, we will work around the clock to get back there."


Source: GPUpdate.net







Changes made to Australian circuit

22 March 2009


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Organisers of next weekend's Australian Grand Prix have confirmed that a number of small changes have been made to the circuit; all modifications made are under safety grounds following the large accident suffered by Timo Glock in 2008.

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The German's Toyota was launched into the air last year as the car ran wide at the high-speed exit of the Turn 12 chicane, as a result of uneven ground where the safety road connects with the grass.

"The verge on the exit of Turn 12 has been flattened," a statement from the event organisers read. The corner now includes extended kerbs and added astro turf, as does Turn 6 - scene last year of an off for local hero Mark Webber in second qualifying.


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Source: GPUpdate.net







Hamilton ready to defend the title

23 March 2009


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Lewis Hamilton has confidence in his team and is ready to defend his crown this year; the McLarens have looked generally slow in comparison to their rivals over the winter but the World Champion is sure that, with the experience and expertise available, significant progress can be made.

"I have complete faith in my team - everyone at Woking, Stuttgart and Brixworth," Hamilton told The Independent. "They are working so hard at the moment, putting in incredible hours and massive effort, and I'll do my bit too. Both Heikki and I will work together to improve the car's pace. We're totally committed to working with the team to develop the best car possible."

A boost for the English team came on the penultimate day of last week's Jerez test when Finn Kovalainen, team-mate to Hamilton since the beginning of last year, set the third fastest lap seen in the southern Spanish track so far this winter.

"We had a good period where we had time off: no training, just enjoying good food and sleeping well so coming into the season we just started from there," Lewis added. "I've just had a huge lift, even from the positive stuff journalists have written, positive stuff that's come from fans, positive letters that I get from kids from three years old and upwards."

Having progressed up the motorsport ladder since starting in racing at the age of eight in karts, Hamilton has the new challenge of defending a title for the first time in 2009 following his dramatic clinching of the Formula 1 crown for the first time in Brazil last year. This year's Australian Grand Prix takes place this Sunday at 5pm local time (7am GMT).


Source: GPUpdate.net







Getting to know Formula One






The race start

The start of a Grand Prix is among the most exciting of all sporting moments. A desperate struggle for immediate advantage as a grid full of vastly powerful cars, and vastly skilled drivers, all try to arrive first at the first corner.

This is entirely rational, of course, as the start of any race is one of the best opportunities to gain position. Indeed at races like Monaco, it's one of the very few opportunities to overtake. A good start can make a driver's race; a bad one can all too often finish it.

Drivers try to prepare for the beginning of a race by creating a mental image of the start that they want to make, taking into account different factors of position and track condition. The team will normally try to protect its drivers from intrusive media attention on the grid if they fear this could interfere with his concentration. During this period before a race, as cars are formed up and the final alterations allowed by the regulations are carried out, the grid will often look like a scene of chaos, although all the mechanics, team members and even media will be working to very precise plans.

Once a Formula One car's engine is started its need to move becomes very urgent. As they are designed to operate at high speed (where there is a good supply of cooling air flowing over surfaces) modern Formula One cars have very little in the way of cooling - and the heat created by running engines while stationary puts enormous strain on the mechanical parts of the car, especially at hot races. Once the mechanics have cleared the grid, the cars will be waved away for a single formation lap.

For the driver in pole position, this is quite a challenging test, as he has to carefully control the pace of the formation lap to ensure both that he has the best opportunity to work some heat into his car's tyres (through hard acceleration, braking and cornering), while also making sure that he does not complete the lap so quickly as to be left sitting on the grid for a long period as other cars take their places behind him - as this could damage the car.

Once all the cars have come to a halt on the grid, and the course car and medical cars are also in position further back, the start sequence is initiated by the race controller. Green lights are no longer used to indicate the start of a race, instead once the red lights are extinguished (there is a pre-determined random time delay of between 4 and 14 seconds - over which the race controller has no control - between the lights coming on and the last one going out) the race is underway.

As he accelerates towards the first corner, a driver will adapt his strategy to be either offensive or defensive depending on how good a start he has made. The conflicting demands are those of gaining position on one hand, and defending your current one on the other. Extremely close racing is usual at the start of a race, with the sight of cars four or even five abreast across the width of the track being far from unusual. The situation is made more challenging for drivers as many of them will be approaching the first corner off line, and possibly in areas of relatively low adhesion.

It is fortunate that the extremely high standards of professionalism among modern drivers, in combination with a willingness by the FIA to take stern disciplinary measures when warranted, have dramatically reduced the tendency for first-corner accidents of a few seasons ago.


Source: Formula1.com

End of the Phoney War
25/03/2009


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The phoney war of the Formula 1 winter testing season is nearly over and while certainties are few and far between the one thing it does seem we can bet on is that 2009 is going to be the most open season most of us will have seen.

The first thing that strikes me is that the mighty McLaren organisation appears to have comprehensively got the aerodynamics of its 2009 car wrong. Nothing highlights the scale of their problems more than last week when they ran an aerodynamic test using dye to show airflow at an open test event. That was tantamount to giving their rivals access to their wind tunnel. No team has a divine right to success and this is not the first time that McLaren's resources have not helped them master a technical revolution.

In 1992 and 1993, the years of active suspension and every possible driver aid, the engineers at Williams stole a march on their rivals. In fact I would go so far as to say that the 1992 Williams is one of the best cars ever to grace Formula 1. The power advantage conferred on them by the Renault engine does not explain Nigel Mansell finishing the season with more than twice as many points as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. Now, Nigel certainly possesses the biggest cojones ever squeezed into Nomex, or as my friend puts it, he was clinically brave, but he was never twice as good as Ayrton Senna. We knew that 1993 was going to be much the same when Senna offered his services to Williams for free. Even if Prost hadn't had an "anyone but Senna" clause in his contract Sir Frank would have been mad to put the two of them together again.

What appears to be unique this year is that unlike 1992 and '93, when McLaren were at least best of the rest with Benetton, this year they seem to be slower than most of their competitors. This year's star performers appear to be Brawn GP (nee Honda). This should be no surprise to us for three reasons. Firstly, Ross Brawn has been there for the full design cycle of this car. Secondly, when it became apparent that the 2008 car was a pig truck word is that they abandoned it to its fate and focussed everything on 2009. Thirdly, Honda and Toyota have hybrid cars in their showrooms today so ever since KERS was announced I have been expecting them to get at least that part of the rule changes right, although Brawn seem to be fast without using KERS at this stage."

Adrian Newey also appears to have produced a tidy little number for Red Bull, and Vettel's times in testing have had the bookies shortening the odds on him winning the title from 33:1 before testing started to as short as 14:1 as I write. There's a reason you don't see too many poor bookies, they don't have a history of getting many calls wrong. When all the pundits and pollsters were predicting an Al Gore win in the 2000 USA presidential race, the bookies predicted Bush.

Now consider this. Today you can get odds as long as 53:1 on Heikki Kovalainen. In a McLaren! The odds on Hamilton are still surprisingly short but then that may be a British effect, as evidenced by the inexplicable 13% of visitors to these august pages who have voted the McLaren as "most impressive so far". Patriotic punters who were wide awake in the gap between the Brawn deal being announced and the car turning a wheel for the first time could have picked up Button at 100:1 before the odds rapidly shortened to 5:1. That's potentially a lot of clamshells.

The proposed change to have most wins and not most points decide the driver's title would have been a significant boost for Lewis and Heikki. It would have meant that they could have afforded a string of finishes outside the points and sill been in contention as long as the bright minds at McLaren got a race-winning car under them before midseason. Retaining the status quo means that Lewis now has nearly zero chance of defending his title unless McLaren make the car capable of at least scoring decent points within 3 races. The upside for Hamilton and Kovalainen is that, with as many potential race winners in the field as winter testing suggests, it seems unlikely that anyone will come out of the first 3 races with 30 points to their name.

Either way, this could be the season where Hamilton demonstrates genuine greatness by driving above the equipment at his disposal. This is uncharted territory for Hamilton as many summers have passed since he last had anything other than the best equipment available at his disposal. Kovalainen by contrast has more recent experience of having to eke performances out of his kit when at Renault in 2007. He also demonstrated remarkable maturity last season, accepting that Hamilton will always be the favourite son at McLaren and not visibly letting his poor performances get him down in public. Both of these factors could serve Heikki very well this year because if he demonstrates such good grace and persistence he will score many brownie points with the engineers and mechanics. Football reporters often refer to a doomed manager "losing the dressing room". Similarly, no racing driver can afford to lose the garage. Hamilton may hold a special place in Ron Dennis's affections but it isn't Ron who will be putting in an all-nighter when the car has been smeared against an Armco barrier in qualifying.

The press made much of the fact that Hamilton would not have been champion in 2008 had the proposed revision to the rules been in place but the fact is that deciding the championship on the basis of greatest number of victories would have suited his "go huge or go home" approach to racing perfectly. As it is, a season where every point will be precious will require a whole new approach to his racing from Lewis. Robert Kubica, who also has a ruthless streak to his racing but who demonstrated in 2008 that he knows when to play the percentages would do well under both championship systems. The fact that BMW have met their planned targets like a Swiss watch, to the point that they seemed to pull back from diverting resources from the focus on 2009 to helping Kubica's run at the title because that wasn't the plan. But then the plan has served them well in meeting their targets so far so you wouldn't bet against Kubica being in the running again this year. In 2008 Massa showed that he is in a similar mould to Kubica but in Japan he joined Hamilton in moves on opponents, which were as dangerous as they were ill advised. Neither will be able to afford that sort of petulance this season.

The percentage drivers, Alonso and Raikkonen, will definitely benefit from the retention of the status quo. They do seem to have quick cars under them and Alonso is still arguably the most complete driver on the grid. Given a car with better prospects than last year's Renault he is capable of stringing together as many wins as anyone else as well as scoring vital points on those days when the Renault just isn't the fastest car out there.

Raikkonen is more perplexing. Past performance suggests that he is fabulously talented but last year things didn't click and he failed to string together the sort of season that we have come to expect. If that happens again this year then I wouldn't be surprised to see Kubica or Vettel in scarlet before too many more seasons are out.

At Brawn, Button and Barrichello seem to have a spring in their step now that they find themselves in a competitive looking car after facing the end of their time in Formula 1. This could be the season where they deliver on all the promise shown in their early careers.

So at least 7 drivers, Alonso, Raikkonen, Massa, Kubica, Vettel, Button and Barrichello, appear to have the equipment and talent necessary to mount a title charge and if McLaren can overcome their car's deficiencies then that could be 8 and maybe 9. The 2009 season looks to be a vintage one. Let battle commence!

Dr Anton Zimmermann


Source: Pit Pass







McLaren to race with KERS in Melbourne

25 March 2009


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The McLaren team is the third to confirm that it will use the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) at the opening race in Melbourne this weekend. The device, which should give drivers an extra 80 horsepower for 6.6 seconds per lap, has also been confirmed by the Renault and Ferrari teams.

"We have taken a final decision on KERS, and we will use the system in Melbourne," Mercedes Motorsport boss Norbert Haug told German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, "we will fit it to both of our cars."

McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen is likely to be pleased with his team's decision; "It's certainly going to be an advantage to begin with," the FInn was quoted as saying earlier this month. "It potentially gives you a big benefit from the start to the first corner, and then obviously for overtaking."


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Source: GPUpdate.net







Super licence fees set to be lowered

24 March 2009


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Super licence fees should be reduced next year following a meeting between drivers and F1's governing body. Representatives of the Grand Prix Drivers Associations (GPDA) met with the FIA's Max Mosley to discuss the issue, which has been ongoing since the week of last year's French Grand Prix in June.

An official FIA statement read that both Mosley and the drivers have reached an agreement which is to be proposed to the FIA's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) in an attempt to revise the costs of the licences needed by competitors to take part in Formula 1.

It read that the reduced fee would reflect the major cost reductions that will feature in the sport next year. The meeting yielded more positive results as 'a number of other issues were discussed and the FIA has agreed to meet representatives of the GPDA on a regular basis to maintain what promises to be a constructive dialogue'.


Source: GPUpdate.net







McLaren and Renault boycott avoided

24 March 2009


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A reported boycott of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix by the McLaren and Renault teams has been resolved. Formula 1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone apparently leaked the news, which involved the two teams threatening not to attend the event had money not been transferred to them.

The disagreement, also involving Toyota Team Principal John Howett, was described by Ecclestone: "Flavio (Briatore, Team Principal of Renault) said, we're not going to put our cars on the plane to Melbourne. He started it, aided and abetted by Ron Dennis (McLaren Chairman and CEO)," the F1 supremo told The Times, "And poor John was sitting there a bit confused about life in general."


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Bernie Ecclestone

The situation seemingly involves money due to be paid to the teams, but only after the latest Concorde agreement - regulations by which the teams take part in the sport - has been signed. It is believed that Briatore and Dennis threatened that other teams would also pull out of the first race had the money not been paid, although Ecclestone stressed that the Concorde must first by signed by the individual parties before any money changes hands.

"I picked up the phone to our people that handle all the freight to ask them to cancel the aeroplanes," Ecclestone continued. "There were saying all the FOTA-schmota would not go so I said what I'd better do is cancel the aircraft obviously - it costs a fortune to charter those things and almost as much to cancel them."

The issue appears to have been resolved, or at least suspended, as the Renault and McLaren cars have reportedly arrived at the Albert Park circuit this week. Ecclestone continued to say how the delivery and failure to carry out a threat such as this one infuriates him more than if they had done so: "If they come here with a gun and hold it to my head, they had better be sure they can pull the trigger - and they should make sure it's got bullets in it because if they miss, they better watch out."


Source: GPUpdate.net




Getting to know Formula One



Pit stops


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Drivers get most of the attention, but Formula One racing remains a team sport even during the race itself. The precisely timed, millimetre perfect choreography of a modern pit stop is vital to help teams to turn their race strategy into success - refuelling and changing a car’s tyres in a matter of seconds.

It was not always so. Pit stops tended to be disorganised, long and often chaotic as late as the 1970s - especially when (in the absence of car-to-pit communication) a driver came in to make an unscheduled stop. The age of the modern pit stop arrived when changes were made to the sporting regulations to allow fuelling during the race itself, simultaneously limiting the tank size of cars.

The car is guided into its pit by the ‘lollypop man’, named for the distinctive shape of the long ‘stop/ first gear’ sign he holds in front of the car. The car stops in a precise position and, if a tyre change is required, is immediately jacked up front and rear. Three mechanics are involved in changing a wheel, one removing and refitting the nut with a high-speed airgun, one removing the old wheel and one fitting the new one. At the same time two mechanics operate the heavy fuelling rig, which must be precisely slotted into the car before fuelling can start.


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Other mechanics may make other adjustments during the stop. Some changes can be carried out very quickly - such as altering the angle of the wings front and rear, to increase or decrease downforce levels. Other tasks, such as the replacement of damaged bodywork, will typically take longer - although front nose cones, the most frequently broken components, are designed with quick changes in mind.

On tracks with debris or rubbish you often see mechanics removing this from the car’s air intakes during a stop, ensuring radiator efficiency is not compromised. And there is always a mechanic on stand-by at the back of the car with a power-operated engine starter, ready for instant use if the car stalls.

When they have finished their work the mechanics step back and raise their hands. It is the responsibility of the ‘lollypop man’ to control the car’s departure from the pit, ensuring no other cars are passing in the pit lane, though some teams now use semi-automated traffic light systems instead of the lollipop. Such is the skill of mechanics that routine stops can be over in under seven seconds, longer halts tending to be determined by the time it takes to transfer bigger fuel loads.


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Source: Formula1.com

Damn, that is a lot of information. Full credit for putting so much time and energy into this post.
Okay so I'm counting my pennies right now to see if we can get enough to put that sticker on the side of the cars.
That looks like a beautiful course in Australia. Not very happy that our team was threatening to pull out of the very first race.
So now I have to see if any television channels I receive is even carrying the race. Or is there a web site that carries a live feed?
I want to be the lollypop man, it sounds so naughty.

Now I have to try and not upset the hardcore race fans with my mindless posts. Which is very difficult since I like to have a little fun with everything I'm participating in.

*ahem*

No women drivers? All we get to do is hold the lap sign?

I dunno about this.

There have been a few female drivers over the years. And maybe there will be some in the years to come (Danica Patrick, Natacha Gachnang,...).

But you can still hold the sign (which is not a lap sign but a sign showing the car numbers on the starting grid).

Looked like a lap sign to me...

Sorry!

Origionally I had hoped we (filesoup) would back one of the struggling teams i.e not Ferrari or mcLaren (just to view the sport from a different perspective).... However as any of you who have read Jezzas posts will see McLaren could just be one of those teams as pre testing hasn't really set the stars alight compared to other teams... I think J has covered a lot (and all very well done and informative)., however this leaves little for me to post about at this early stage...

I would like to add something so I thought you might like to read about the history of our team McLaren racing...

McLaren is a Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, UK. Founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren, McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and Canadian-American Challenge Cup. The team is one of the most successful teams in Formula One, having won 162 races, 12 Drivers' Championships and 8 Constructors' Championships. The team were the first to design a car using a carbon fibre monocoque, which is now ubiquitous in its use by all teams.

The current team was formed by the merger of Bruce McLaren Motor Racing with Ron Dennis's Project Four Racing in 1981. Shortly after the merger, Dennis organised a buyout of the original McLaren shareholders to take full control of the team. McLaren is part of McLaren Racing, a member of the McLaren Group. Engines are supplied by McLaren shareholder Mercedes-Benz through Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. Dennis was team principal from the 1981 merger until March 2009, when he agreed to transfer his position to longtime McLaren employee Martin Whitmarsh. Dennis will continue to work within the McLaren Group.

ron dennis on left with Lewis Hamilton his prodigy
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A McLaren M1A sports car of 1964, the first McLaren racing car.Bruce McLaren Motor Racing was founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren,[3] initially as a builder of sports cars. The team built and raced a series of cars powered by American V8s in various races in Canada and the US. The team was transformed in 1967 when they introduced the Mk6, the first cars in McLaren orange, and completely dominated the 1967 Can-Am season.

The Kiwi made the team’s Grand Prix debut at the 1966 Monaco race.[3] However, Bruce’s race was rather short-lived due to a terminal oil leak on the car. The 1966 programme was hampered by a poor choice of engines—Bruce had selected a short-stroke version of the 4.2 litre Ford Indy engine, which generated a lot of noise but very little power and was big and bulky. Ironically, Jack Brabham had adopted a Repco-developed engine based on a similar Oldsmobile block to the one Bruce was using in his early sports cars and his team took the 1966 and 1967 world championships.


Bruce McLaren driving the McLaren M7C at the Nürburgring in 1969.Bruce abandoned the Ford in favour of a woefully underpowered but at least reliable Serenissima V8 (a descendant of the old ATS V8) to score the team's first point. In 1967 he initially turned to a slightly enlarged M4 Formula Two car powered by a 2.0 litre BRM V8 before building a similar but slightly larger car called the M5 for the BRM V12. This was quick but had reliability problems and Bruce soon decided that the team had to adopt the Cosworth DFV engine.

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German GP Nurburgring August 3, 1969
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The man himself Bruce McLaren August 30, 1937 – June 2, 1970)RIP


Original McLaren kiwi logo; a New Zealand icon.In 1966 and 1967 the team raced only one car in the Championship with Bruce behind the wheel. In addition to his Grand Prix duties, Bruce contested the Can-Am Championship that year and, alongside team mate Denny Hulme, the pair won five out of the season’s six races.


Bruce McLaren in 1966. Team principal from 1966 to 1970In 1968 with the Cosworth powered M7 the team consisted of two drivers including reigning Formula One World Champion Denny Hulme who also drove for McLaren in Can-Am that year. Bruce won the non-championship Race of Champions, at the Brands Hatch circuit, then the Belgian Grand Prix was the scene of the team's first Championship win. Hulme won the Italian Grand Prix and Canadian Grand Prix later in the year.

A further three podium finishes followed for Bruce in 1969, but the team's fifth win had to wait until the last race of the 1969 championship when Hulme won the Mexican Grand Prix. In Can-Am the McLaren team won all eleven races. Bruce McLaren won six races, Hulme five, and Bruce won the driver's championship.


1970s

The McLaren M19C, with its distinctive Yardley sponsorship.
Emerson Fittipaldi in a M23 at the 1974 British Grand Prix.
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The M26 was used from 1977 to 1979, but was not as successful as its predecessor.As a team, McLaren had a disastrous beginning to the decade. The team entered the Indianapolis 500 for the first time but Hulme was severely burned on the hands in an incident in practice. Peter Revson replaced Hulme but retired from the race. Bruce's business partner Teddy Mayer took over effective control of the team.

On 2 June 1970 Bruce McLaren was killed in a crash at Goodwood while testing the new M8D Can-Am car. While travelling at 170 mph (270 km/h), a fastener for the rear bodywork failed and the entire rear piece detached from the car. The car spun into a concrete marshal post and McLaren was killed instantly. Twelve days after Bruce McLaren's death Dan Gurney won the opening Can-Am race of 1970 at Mosport for McLaren. The McLaren M8D won nine of the ten races in 1970 and Hulme won the championship. In 1971 the team saw off the challenge of 1969 World Champion Jackie Stewart in the Lola T260, winning eight races, with Peter Revson taking the title.

McLaren went winless in Formula 1 in 1970 and 1971, years dominated by Jochen Rindt and Jackie Stewart respectively. Hulme took the team's first F1 win since Bruce's death in the 1972 South African Grand Prix with the M19C. Hulme also won three Can-Am races in 1972 but the McLaren M20 was defeated by the Porsche 917/10s of Mark Donohue and George Follmer. McLaren decided to abandon the Can-Am series at the end of 1972, focussing solely on Formula One and USAC. The original Can-Am series itself ceased at the end of 1974, with McLaren by far the most successful constructor with 43 wins.

In USAC competition Peter Revson had won pole position for the 1971 Indianapolis 500 in a McLaren M16. The M16 introduced to USAC competition the concept of mounting the car's engine entirely ahead of the rear axle, rather than partly over it, as was the standard at the time. The car also wore prominent front and rear wings, another practice not common in American racing. Revson finished second in 1971, and Mark Donohue won the '500' in 1972 driving a McLaren-Offenhauser run by Roger Penske.
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The McLaren M23, designed by Gordon Coppuck, was the team's new car for the 1973 Formula One season. It was described by Coppuck as being essentially the front of an M16 and the back of an M19. It was a wedge-shaped car following the same concept as the Lotus 72 but with more conventional suspension and up to date aerodynamics. Hulme won with it in Sweden and Revson took the only Grand Prix wins of his career in Britain and Canada. At Indianapolis, Johnny Rutherford took pole position in the "works" M16C.

In 1974 Emerson Fittipaldi joined McLaren, now under the direction of Teddy Mayer, from Lotus to become their lead driver. The team achieved their first Formula One World Constructors' and World Drivers' Championship (with Fittipaldi) and their first Indianapolis 500 win (with Johnny Rutherford). The year also saw Yardley cosmetics replaced as Formula One sponsor by Marlboro cigarettes (although one Yardley car was run by an ostensibly separate team for the year alongside the two Marlboro entries), a deal that was to last until 1997. 1975 was a less successful year for the team. Fittipaldi was second in the championship behind Niki Lauda. Jochen Mass took his sole GP win in Spain, and Rutherford was second at Indianapolis. At the end of 1975 Fittipaldi left McLaren to join his brother's Fittipaldi/Copersucar team.

The Drivers' Championship would come McLaren's way again in 1976 with Fittipaldi's replacement, James Hunt beating Niki Lauda by a single point. Meanwhile Johnny Rutherford scored McLaren's second Indianapolis 500 victory, with the team becoming the first team to twice accomplish both feats in the same year. Hunt won three times in F1 in 1977, but these would prove to be McLaren's last GP wins of the decade. The M23's replacement, the M26 was a troublesome car, and subsequent models were even less successful. McLaren ended their American involvement at the end of the 1979 CART season after increasingly poor returns from the series.
James Hunt
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[1980s and early 1990s dominance

Alain Prost in his McLaren MP4/2B at the 1985 German Grand Prix.
Equipped with Honda power and the driving strength of Prost and Ayrton Senna for 1988, McLaren dominated the season, winning all but one race. Senna won his first world championship after a season-long battle with Prost.
Senna won his third and final world championship for McLaren in 1991.The current McLaren F1 team resulted from a merger of the McLaren team and Ron Dennis' personal Formula 2 team, called Project Four Racing, in 1980. Project Four was also backed by Marlboro, and had designer John Barnard and an innovative carbon-fibre F1 chassis design but no money and inadequate facilities for F1; McLaren had the facilities but were at the end of a long losing streak. John Hogan, a Philip Morris executive, forced McLaren chairman Teddy Mayer to accept the merger with Dennis' team. This was in effect a reverse takeover with the Formula One constructor becoming McLaren International.[4]

Prost-Senna
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The 1988 marlboro Mclaren
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In 1981 Dennis and his business partners bought out the other McLaren shareholders, Mayer and Tyler Alexander. In 1983 Dennis persuaded then Williams backer, Mansour Ojjeh to become a partner in McLaren International. Ojjeh invested in Porsche built turbocharged engines which carried the name of his company, Techniques d'Avant Garde (TAG).[5]

The nomenclature for McLaren's F1 cars since the merger has caused some confusion among fans of the sport, as all McLaren cars since 1981 have carried designations of the form "MP4/x", or since 2001 "MP4-x"[6], where x is the generation of the chassis (e.g. MP4/1, MP4-22). In fact, "MP4" stood initially for "Marlboro Project 4"[7], so that the full title of the cars (McLaren MP4/x) reflected not only the historical name of the team, but also the names of the team's major sponsor and its new component part. The team's cars still use the same nomenclature, but since the change of title sponsor for the 1997 season, MP4 is now, rather conveniently, said to stand for McLaren-Project 4.[8] At no time has the "MP4" prefix reflected the particular generation of the chassis.

The most successful period in McLaren's history came under the early leadership of Ron Dennis. John Barnard designed the revolutionary McLaren MP4/2 chassis, the first F1 chassis made entirely of carbon-fibre composites, which proved very strong when mated to the TAG/Porsche turbo engine, designed and built to Barnard's specifications. A succession of strong drivers helped, with Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Keke Rosberg, and Stefan Johansson driving for the team in this period. McLaren-Porsche won the Constructors' title in 1984 (with Lauda taking the Drivers' crown), and 1985 (with Prost winning his first world title). McLaren did not win the Constructors' Championship in 1986, although Prost took the drivers' title again.

After losing the previous two Constructors titles to Williams in 1986 and 1987, McLaren was able to convince Honda to switch its backing from Williams starting in 1988. The McLaren-Honda MP4/4 won an amazing 15 of 16 races that year and leading all but 27 laps, achieving a staggering and unbeaten record to this date. (Senna had been leading comfortably at Monza, but collided with back-marker Jean-Louis Schlesser's Williams.) Ayrton Senna took the driver's title that season, his first with the Woking marque.

The next year, using a new 3.5 L naturally-aspirated engine designed by Honda, McLaren again won both titles with the McLaren MP4/5, with Alain Prost clinching it at the Japanese Grand Prix after a highly controversial collision with his teammate Senna. This was the culmination of a vitriolic feud between the two men. Believing that Honda and Ron Dennis viewed Senna as the future of the team, Prost announced on July 1989 that he would not remain with the team. By Suzuka, the Brazilian had two cars and 20 people around him, while the Frenchman had one car with maybe four or five mechanics.[9] In support of Senna, who had finished the race first but was subsequently disqualified, McLaren appealed unsuccessfully.

Alain Prost left to join the Ferrari team in 1990. Nevertheless, McLaren continued to top Formula One for the next two seasons. Despite stiff challenges from Prost's Ferrari and Nigel Mansell's Williams, Senna won the World Drivers' Championship in 1990 and 1991, respectively, using the MP4/6 V12. McLaren also won the constructors title in both of those years. New teammate Gerhard Berger helped to ensure this double success and the McLaren drivers often played pranks on each other to lighten the atmosphere.


[edit] Mid-1990s decline

By 1993, Honda had withdrawn from F1 and the team used underpowered Ford V8 engines to power the MP4/8. Although Ayrton Senna (pictured at the German GP) won five races, McLaren was not a match for the dominant Williams team. After the 1993 Australian Grand Prix, the team failed to win a race until 1997.Beginning in 1992, McLaren's dominance began to be eroded by the ascendant Renault-powered Williams, a drop in form that was compounded by the departure of Honda from Formula One at the end of that season.

McLaren switched to customer Ford engines for the 1993 season. While these proved competitive in the hands of Senna, American Michael Andretti's season was a disaster, scoring only a handful of points. He was replaced before the end of the year by Finnish youngster Mika Häkkinen. Senna had played a game of brinkmanship with Dennis over his contract at the start of the season, but as it became obvious that the MP4/8 was competitive he agreed to complete the season. During 1993 McLaren experimented with a Lamborghini V12 which Senna reckoned was worth racing; Dennis chose a works deal with Peugeot instead, Lamborghini's owners Chrysler pulled the plug on the F1 programme and Senna departed for Williams at the end of the season after winning the final two races of the year. Concluding the season on a high, McLaren announced they were to begin a challenge for the land speed record. However, as results began to decline in the following seasons the plan was quietly shelved.

For 1994 Martin Brundle joined Häkkinen in new Peugeot-powered cars. The results and the engine were unimpressive, and Peugeot was dropped after a single year in favour of the promising new Mercedes-Benz (Ilmor) engine. But 1995 was even worse, with the radical MP4/10 proving to be too heavy and slow. Former world-champion Nigel Mansell came to the team, but had a torrid time — he was unable to fit into the car at first—and retired after just two races with Mark Blundell taking his place.

1996 was the end of an era for McLaren, as they parted company with long-term sponsors Marlboro, and the famous red and white McLaren livery disappeared from Formula One to be replaced with Reemtsma's West branding and a silver Mercedes livery in 1997 MP4/12 .
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driven by Häkkinen nicknamed the flying Fin (he's from Finland)
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and Martin Brundel (now a F1 pundit)
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[edit] Late 1990s return to form
While Williams dominated F1 in 1996 and 1997, McLaren made slow, careful strides with its Mercedes-Ilmor engine and drivers Häkkinen and David Coulthard. Coulthard made a promising start to the 1997 season by winning the Australian Grand Prix. The car was not good enough to consistently win grands prix, although Coulthard was successful late at the Italian Grand Prix.

David Coulthard
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Mika Häkkinen won the 1998 and 1999 world drivers' championships for McLaren, with the team also taking the constructors' crown in 1998. He is shown here at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix, an event which he won.At the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix, Darren Heath, an F1 Racing photographer, noticed in some of his shots that one of the rear brakes of the McLarens were glowing red in an acceleration zone of the track. The magazine discovered through investigation that McLaren had installed a second brake pedal, selectable by the driver, to act on one of the rear wheels depending on the direction of the corner. This allowed the driver to reduce wheelspin when exiting slow corners and more usefully eliminate understeer by turning the car into the corner while entering it, giving him the ability to brake later into the apex of the turn. Though the car passed scrutineering this system was not entirely legal, but was an innovation, and hence gave McLaren an advantage. As the system allowed one side of the car to be retarded compared to the other the system was considered a type of four-wheel steering which was banned in F1. One notable backer of this complaint was Jackie Stewart; on the grid at Brazil in 1998 he aired this view in an interview with ITV. While F1 Racing suspected what McLaren were doing, they required proof to publish the story. At the Luxembourg Grand Prix the two McLarens retired from the race. This allowed Heath to take a picture of the footwell of Häkkinen's car and the second brake pedal. The story was run in the November issue of F1 Racing and led to the system being dubbed the "fiddle brake". Ferrari's protestations to the FIA lead to the system being banned at the 1998 Brazilian Grand Prix.[10]

During 1997 McLaren poached Williams' talented designer, Adrian Newey. Then Mika Häkkinen offered a taste of things to come with his victory in the final race of the 1997 season, the European Grand Prix.

The fact that McLaren now had Adrian Newey on board, coupled with the withdrawal of Renault at the end of 1997 allowed McLaren to mount a strong challenge in 1998, with one source[11] even stating that McLaren had built such a strong team that the only way to increase their championship hopes was to hire double world champion Michael Schumacher. In 1998 the McLaren was once again able to regularly challenge for Grand Prix victories, winning nine grands prix that year. Häkkinen won the Drivers' Championship in 1998, scoring 100 points, and McLaren took the Constructors' Championship in 1998. Häkkinen took the title again in 1999, but the season was more difficult for the team who lost the Constructors' Championship to Ferrari despite an injured Schumacher.


[edit] 2000s

Members of the McLaren Formula One team push driver Kimi Räikkönen's MP4-19 into the garage during qualifying for the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis in 2004.2000 was another closely-fought season, but ultimately Ferrari's Michael Schumacher prevailed.


Ron Dennis, team principal 1980-2009, at the 2000 Monaco Grand PrixIn 2001, Mika Häkkinen dropped off the pace in comparison with Coulthard, although neither driver could compete with the now dominant combination of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. In 2002 Häkkinen took a sabbatical (which turned into retirement), opening the way for promising compatriot Kimi Räikkönen to take his place. McLaren only captured four wins over the following three seasons. 2002 saw just a single win at Monaco for Coulthard while rivals Ferrari won all but two races.

2003 started very promisingly, with wins at the two first grands prix of the year, one each for Coulthard and Räikkönen. However, rival teams soon caught up as McLaren was severely hampered in by the development of the MP4-18, a radical new design which due to reliability problems never raced. This forced the team to use the year-old MP4-17D, a very severe handicap in modern Formula One racing. However, despite this, Räikkönen finished in the points consistently and challenged Michael Schumacher for the championship all the way up to the very last race, eventually losing the title by only two points.

The team began the 2004 Formula One season with the MP4-19, which technical director Adrian Newey described as a "debugged version of the MP4-18." This proved to be anything but the case, and a new car was required by mid-season. The MP4-19B was basically an all new car with a radically redesigned aerodynamic package. The fact that Coulthard qualified third for its first race, the French Grand Prix, gave the team hope of a better end to the season. This was realised when Räikkönen won the 2004 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of the seemingly unstoppable Ferrari of Michael Schumacher, who won 13 of the 18 races that year, currently the record for most wins in a single season.


Kimi Räikkönen nearly won the Drivers' Championship in 2005.Colombian driver and former CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya was named as Coulthard's replacement for the 2005 season, partnering Räikkönen. Montoya had to be replaced for two races by test drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Alexander Wurz after sustaining a shoulder injury while playing tennis. The general unreliability of the car cost McLaren a number of race victories when Räikkönen had been leading or in contention to win. Renault (and Fernando Alonso in particular) were able to capitalise on the McLarens' breakdowns and win both titles. Reflecting on an competitive but ultimately unsuccessful season for the team, Ron Dennis remarked that "We feel our championship efforts were thwarted by our conservative approach to the first four races."[12]
Kimi Raikkonen
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Juan Pablo Montoya
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the 2006 car with jpm driving
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On 19 December 2005, the team announced the signing of the 2005 World Drivers' Champion Fernando Alonso to drive for the team from the 2007 Formula One season.[13]


[edit] 2006

The 2006 McLaren-Mercedes car, the MP4-21, proved to be less successful than its predecessor.The 2006 season saw McLaren introduce a new, chrome livery for their MP4-21. The team was positive about its chances in the upcoming championship after the performances in the latter half of 2005. However, in winter testing it became clear that the Mercedes engine was lacking in power. Mercedes responded by introducing a new spec engine which offered far improved performance.

Juan Pablo Montoya parted company acrimoniously with the team after the United States Grand Prix, in which he ended both his and team mate Räikkönen's hopes for the race by crashing into him at the start. He announced he was departing to race NASCAR for Chip Ganassi Racing, and was replaced by test driver Pedro de la Rosa for the remainder of the season.

Following the 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari confirmed that they had signed Räikkönen as a replacement for the retiring Michael Schumacher. The season continued with the McLarens being near the top of the field, but the superior reliability and speed of the Ferraris and Renaults prevented the team from gaining any race victories from 2006, something not seen for a decade at McLaren.

In 2007, Steve Matchett argued that the poor reliability of McLaren in 2006 and recent previous years was due to a lack of team continuity and stability.[14] His cited examples of instability are logistical challenges related to the move to the McLaren Technology Centre, Adrian Newey's aborted move to Jaguar and later move to Red Bull and the subsequent move of Newey's deputy to Red Bull. He also cites major upheavals at Ilmor which may have contributed to the "lamentable string of engine failures"; the piecemeal buyout by Mercedes-Benz, the resultant departure of co-founder Mario Illien, the appointment of Mercedes-Benz engineer Markus Deusmann to head the renamed Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines and the departure of Deusmann a year later to BMW.[14]


[edit] 2007

In Malaysia, Fernando Alonso scored his first victory for McLaren.
MP4 22 DetailThe 2007 season saw Fernando Alonso join the team alongside F1 rookie Lewis Hamilton. Vodafone became the new title sponsor. Alonso and Hamilton scored four race wins each over the course of the season. The team were also involved in a number of controversies during the season. Alonso was judged to have deliberately impeded his team-mate during qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and the FIA ruled that the team should not be allowed to score constructors points at the event. More seriously, the team were found guilty of obtaining a rival team's technical information and after two hearings by the governing body, the team were disqualified from the constructors championship.

The drivers were allowed to continue without penalty, and Hamilton led the Drivers' Championship heading into the final race, with Alonso also still in contention but neither driver was able to clinch it, both finishing a single point behind Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen. On November 2, Alonso and McLaren agreed to terminate the contract of the Spaniard by mutual consent with neither party paying a financial penalty.[15]

Alonso left Hamilton right (an unhappy alliance)
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2008

Hamilton won the 2008 Australian Grand Prix for McLaren, before winning the title.On 14 December 2007, it was confirmed that Heikki Kovalainen would drive the second car for McLaren Mercedes for the 2008 Formula One season[16] alongside Lewis Hamilton.

Heikki Kovalainen
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Vodafone McLaren Mercedes started the year with both drivers scoring in the points at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton started from pole and ended up winning the Grand Prix, while Kovalainen started 3rd and dropped two spots by the finish. McLaren's 14 points saw them lead the Formula One Constructors' World Championship standings after the first race, as well as the driver's championship with Hamilton. After a mixed continuation to the season post-Melbourne, Hamilton then recorded victories at Monaco, Britain (his first on home soil) and Germany.

At the inaugural 2008 European Grand Prix, McLaren ran a relatively low key race, with Hamilton taking 2nd place and Kovalainen taking 4th. Hamilton stated after the race that he was happy to play the long game, picking up as many points as possible in order to boost his championship lead [17]. Following the European Grand Prix, Hamilton led the championship by 6 points from Felipe Massa, and McLaren held 113 points, which put them in second place behind Ferrari (121 points).

At the following race, the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton crossed the finish line in first position but was deemed to have gained an illegal advantage cutting a chicane during an overtake, and a 25 second penalty was given to him at the end of the race, demoted him to third in the classification.


Hamilton re-passes Räikkönen in the closing stages of the Belgian Grand Prix, having cut the previous corner.The next race at Monza saw Kovalainen qualify second, and Hamilton 15th after a poor tyre choice during the second qualifying session, choosing to stay out on intermediate tyres rather than the full extreme-wets. The race saw Kovalainen finish second, while Hamilton managed to recover to 7th place.

At the inaugural Singapore night race, Hamilton qualified second with Kovalainen in fifth. During the race, both of Hamilton's main championship rivals Massa and Räikkönen failed to finish in the points. Hamilton managed to finish third, with Kovalainen tenth.

After qualifying in pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton could only finish 12th. Kovalainen qualified third, but retired in the race with engine problems. After a miserable weekend the previous year, Hamilton won from pole in the Chinese Grand Prix. Kovalainen qualified fifth, but again retired with a hydraulics/engine failure.

Going into the final round of the season in Brazil, Hamilton had a seven point lead over Massa. As long as he finished in the top five, he would win the championship regardless of where Massa finished. With Massa taking pole, Hamilton could only qualify 4th and Kovalainen 5th. By the final lap of the race, Hamilton had been overtaken by Sebastian Vettel and with Massa having already won the race, his sixth position would mean that Hamilton would finish runner-up. However Toyota's Timo Glock, who had stayed out on dry tyres despite the falling rain, was driving slowly enough for Hamilton to overtake him at the final few corners. Crossing the line in the required fifth, Hamilton became the youngest ever, first black man and first McLaren driver in 9 years to win the Formula One Driver's Championship.
the 2008 car
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[edit] 2009
At McLaren's team launch for the 2009 Formula One season Ron Dennis announced that he will retire from his position as team principal for McLaren.[18] Martin Whitmarsh succeeded Dennis in this position.

McLaren's new car, the MP4-24 was unveiled at the McLaren Technical Centre, Woking, England, on Friday 16 January 2009. McLaren test driver, Pedro de la Rosa was surprised at the initial pace of the MP4-24, given the lack of aerodynamic grip available under the new regulations.

Surprisingly recent results from testing reveal that Mclaren are struggling slightly with the MP4-24's new rear wing. Problems stem with inability to achieve traction in a smooth and consistent manner, resulting in a tendency for the car to spin when driving out of slow speed corners. An interim solution has been tried with a modified version of the 2008 wing. Mclaren are confident that the issue can be resolved to a large extent before the season's start on March 29, and resolved completely by the time the season arrives in Europe for the Spanish Grand Prix.


[edit] Sponsorship
The team has had title sponsorship from four brands in its history: Yardley (1971-1973), Marlboro (1974-1996), West (1997-2005) and Vodafone (2007-present).

It was originally called Bruce McLaren Motor Racing, although it had early title sponsorship from Yardley cosmetics. McLaren had one of the longest standing title sponsorship arrangements in sport with Philip Morris through their Marlboro brand. The relationship dated back to 1974 and was continuous from 1981 to 1996, after which (from the 1997 season on) Marlboro chose to exclusively sponsor Ferrari.

Reemtsma (through its West brand) was the title sponsor of McLaren from 1997 until 29 July 2005, after which McLaren were obliged to seek a new principal sponsor due to a European Union directive banning tobacco advertising. The team was therefore known as Team McLaren Mercedes until the end of 2006.

The current title sponsor is Vodafone, with the official team name for the 2007 season being Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, as announced in December 2005.[19]

Aside from title sponsors, other current sponsors and suppliers include Diageo plc (Johnnie Walker whisky brand), aigo, FedEx, Hugo Boss, H&R, Hilton Hotels, Mobil 1 (fuel and lubricants), Santander,and Lenovo.[20][21] [2]


source

This post has been edited by bigbaldybloke: Mar 26 2009, 10:42 PM

Practice session today..... It's not looking good for Lewis and the team (our team news highlighted in red)

Rosberg commands Friday practice
Australian GP - Second practice
27/03/09 08:15
Rosberg setting the pace in Friday practice

Nico Rosberg set the Friday pace for the Williams Toyota team topping both the lunchtime and evening sessions. While the diffuser dispute has not gone away, it is notable that the three teams under the spotlight, ended the second practice session of the Australian Grand Prix at the head of the timesheets.

The 90 minute session was largely uneventful as cooler evening conditions made it difficult for the 20 runners to make late gains, despite opting to run the super-soft Bridgestone Potenza ‘option’ tyre.

Rosberg set the pace with a best lap of 1:26.053s, a tenth clear of Brawn Mercedes' Rubens Barrichello, who was one of the few to find time just ahead of the chequered flag. Rosberg’s time was less than a second off the fastest time in qualifying last year. Jarno Trulli was third fastest for Toyota and put in the most laps in this session. Team-mate Timo Glock was sixth fastest with Mark Webber and Jenson Button splitting the duo for Red Bull Renault and Brawn GP.

Webber lost much of the first session due to a mechanical problem, but had no such problems in the second as he lapped just three-tenths off the ultimate pace in his RB5.



Kazuki Nakajima, second fastest in first practice, was again showing well in the second Williams as he posted the seventh fastest time ahead of Sebastian Vettel who looked very ragged and ultimately spun his Red Bull out of the session with 30 minutes remaining.

Adrian Sutil continued to show well for the Mercedes-powered Force India team with the ninth fastest time while Giancarlo Fisichella was two-tenths adrift in 13th position.

There wasn't much for Ferrari to smile about on the opening day of the new season. Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen were just tenth and 11th fastest respectively. Renault will also be disappointed to see Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet 12th and 18th, but they are in good company as both BMW Sauber and McLaren Mercedes also struggled mightily.

Nick Heidfeld was 14th ahead of Robert Kubica, Sebastien Bourdais in the leading Toro Rosso Ferrari, Heikki Kovalainen and Piquet. Rookie Sebastien Buemi brought up the rear in the second Toro Rosso, two seconds off the pace.

There is a very different look to not just the cars, but also the timesheets in 2009...

source

This post has been edited by bigbaldybloke: Mar 27 2009, 08:07 PM

Sure hope there isn't a test on all this information later!

Am I missing something? Why would it not look good?
This is only a practice session like you said.

@ fuzz

Well mate it's quite simple the practice secession is the first time the drivers get to try out the cars on the actual circuit... With so many tiny adjustments 1000's in fact that are possible to be made, each team makes its "best guess" on the set up of the car for each circuit.... These are based on tons of data from previous years and usually a lot taken from testing "off season".. This year testing was banned to reduce costs so this is the first real chance to see how the car operates under race conditions... With so little time before the race drivers don't have enough time to work with the engineers to get the best set up... therefore the way the car handles in the practice session is usually a very good indicator as to how they will perform in the race..

hope this helps...


This post has been edited by bigbaldybloke: Mar 27 2009, 08:50 PM

Thanks. Let's hope they learn something then and set everything up proper to perform better tomorrow.

yeah mate that's exactly right.... Unfortunately some of the changes may mean actual changes to the shape of the body work, or major engine rebuild which will have to wait until next week...

Hamilton satisfied with result


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29 March 2009 / Results / Photos

The McLaren team was happy enough at the end of the Australian Grand Prix, following a dramatic race duing which Lewis Hamilton climb up the order by fifteen places. The World Champion was relegated to 18th position on the grid following a gearbox change on Saturday, but was both surprised and happy to put six points towards his title defense.


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Hamilton, who was up to 11th after just two laps, continued to progress despite struggling to keep tyres temperatures up. He found himself fourth when the final safety car was deployed, which quickly became third when Jarno Trulli ran off the circuit. The Italian repassed the McLaren before receiving a 25-second penalty, meaning both British drivers in the field finished in the top three.

"We did the best job we could," Hamilton told the BBC. "It was an incredible job by the team, all weekend - they've all kept their spirits up even though they are off the pace. We stick together, we keep our heads up and we keep going; that result just shows the true spirit of the team so I am very, very proud. I am very happy with those points."


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Source: GPUpdate.net






'Dramatic improvement needed' - Haug

29 March 2009 / Results / Photos


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Norbert Haug has confirmed that the McLaren team still has a lot of work to do if it is going to be competitive this season. The two drivers were fourteenth and fifteenth on the grid after qualifying, which soon became fourteenth and twentieth as Lewis Hamilton was dropped five places for a gearbox change.


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"Heikki (Kovalainen) did a solid job and made best use of the pace offered by the car," Haug said after the session. "It's a shame that Lewis suffered a gearbox problem when he was on his best lap so far; it should not have happened, and there was no such problem over more than 7,000 km of testing. Our speed was obviously not great, although Kimi (Räikkönen) and Nick (Heidfeld) - who were also both running KERS - were 0.35s and 0.25s ahead of us, and Fernando (Alonso) is no more than 0.15s away.

"But of course, we have to continue to improve dramatically. Congratulations to Brawn GP for a superb debut - we are especially happy that our Mercedes-Benz engine powers the whole front row." The German manufacturer is also powering the Force India cars, which line up alongside each other on row eight.


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Source: GPUpdate.net







This post has been edited by Jeremy221: Mar 29 2009, 11:57 AM

Another search for pace awaits
Malaysian GP - McLaren Mercedes - Preview
31/03/09 00:47


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It may not be any easier next week-end

It wasn't the best of races for the McLaren Mercedes team in Australia, with 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton starting from the rear following bad qualifying pace and a gearbox change penalty.

Come race time on Sunday, Heikki Kovalainen was hit by Mark Webber's spinning Red Bull at the first corner; a punctured tyre and broken suspension sent the Finn back into the pitlane as he retired from the race.

Despite struggling with an off-pace MP4-24, Hamilton was aiming for points and pushed his way from beginning to end as he embarked on an aggressive strategy, reaching a remarkable fourth position at the finish line.

However, the stewards considered that Toyota's third-placed Jarno Trulli committed a mistake while the Safety Car was on track late in the race and called a 25-second penalty. The Toyota team intends to appeal the decision, but in the meantime Hamilton is promoted to the final step of the podium.

With the eventful Australian race behind them, the McLaren Mercedes team members now head for the fearsome heat and humidity of Malaysia, where the second round of the 2009 season will take place this upcoming week-end at the Sepang circuit.

Lewis Hamilton:
"Firstly, we shouldn't get carried away by our podium in Australia. Yes, we had a fantastic race but we're all aware that our car isn't capable of repeating that sort of performance on sheer pace alone.

And Sepang is one of the tougher tracks on the calendar, one where we will probably be further from the frontrunners than we were in Albert Park. The track is both fast and technical so requires good mechanical and aero grip. It's much more aero-dependent and rear-limited than Melbourne so it may highlight some of the shortcomings in MP4-24. Nevertheless, we're all really encouraged by the progress we've made and I know we'll be pushing as hard as ever to put more points on the board in Sepang."

Heikki Kovalainen:
"The Sepang track is a challenge because it requires several compromises to get the best set-up. There are plenty of long straights, where you ideally need lower downforce, but that gives the car a tendency to slide too much through the high-speed corners. The best corners are Turns Six and Seven – the fast left-right esses behind the pits. In the car, you've not only got to find the optimum balance, but also make sure the brakes and cooling are efficient, otherwise you'll be in trouble before you get to the end of the race. The only difficulty for me is the heat; coming from Finland, we often see the same temperature-readings – but with a minus in front!"

Martin Whitmarsh, Team Principal:
"Despite a good result in the race, our performance in the Australian Grand Prix was not what we would like it to be, and the reality is that this weekend's race in Malaysia is unlikely to offer a significant improvement in fortunes. Nevertheless, we are still pushing to introduce performance to the car – the close proximity to the opening race means there won't be many large changes to the car but there will be several upgrades to existing components. For us, the mission is clear: we must introduce laptime to our car faster than our rivals to enable us to, firstly, catch the leading runners and then to be able to compete against them. It's a task we take incredibly seriously and are confident that progress will be made sooner rather than later."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
"With Lewis in third place, the season opener in Melbourne ended much better for us than we had expected after his 18th grid position. Compared to our test results in Barcelona two and a half weeks ago, we made a good step. This result was mainly due to Lewis' perfect drive and a good strategy by our team. Moreover, some of the incidents in the race went in our favour. However, we cannot expect the same again this coming weekend in Malaysia. We all will work flat out to improve our technical package further – that's a promise."


Source: F1-Live







Minor upgrades to boost McLaren

31 March 2009


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The McLaren team will be introducing a small number of component updates in the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix. The Woking-based squad came away from Australia on Sunday with an unexpected six points for third position, after Lewis Hamilton's commanding drive from 18th on the grid.

With the two 'flyaway' races limiting development activity during the week, the 'silver arrows' will be equipped with extra parts at Sepang in an attempt to enhance the MP4-24 for what they once again predict to be a difficult weekend. "Despite a good result in the race, our performance in the Australian Grand Prix was not what we would like it to be," admitted team principal Martin Whitmarsh. "The reality is that this weekend's race in Malaysia is unlikely to offer a significant improvement in fortunes. Nevertheless, we are still pushing to introduce performance to the car; the close proximity of the opening races means there won't be many large changes, but there will be several upgrades to existing components."

With Hamilton finishing third in Australia, team-mate Heikki Kovalainen's race was run after a first-corner collision with Rubens Barrichello and Mark Webber. "For us, the mission is clear," Whitmarsh concluded. "We must decrease lap times for our car, faster than our rivals do. This will enable us to, firstly, catch the leading runners and then to be able to compete against them. It's a task we take incredibly seriously, and we are confident that progress will be made sooner rather than later."


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Source: GPUpdate.net





Lewis Hamilton Q&A
''We'll get back to the front soon''
31/03/09 14:40


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Hamilton confident for wins this season

Lewis Hamilton delivered a superb drive at the Australian Grand Prix, taking the start from 18th on the grid and pushing all the way to fourth position. The result, accomplished at the wheel of an admittedly off-pace McLaren Mercedes MP4-24, showed just how much the reigning World Champion worked hard on the Albert Park track.

Pending Jarno Trulli's penalty appeal, Hamilton's fourth position was changed to a third-place result, giving the Briton an extra reward for his efforts.

Next Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix offers a very different venue however, as the demanding nature of the Sepang circuit will put the MP4-24 to a harsher test than was the case in Melbourne.

Within this Q&A appearing on his website, Hamilton looks back at his Australian race, considers the upcoming challenge in Malaysia, and reiterates his full confidence in the McLaren team's abilities in returning to the forefront.

Given all that's been said about the pace of the car, what were your thoughts ahead of the race on Sunday?

"I was sat on the grid thinking, 'Shall I take it a bit easy into the first corner, knowing it's a long race, and be patient... or shall I just go for it and try to overtake as many cars as I can before Turn One?' In the end, I decided to be cautious: I knew there was likely to be trouble going into the first corner and I didn't want to be part of it. Then, after that, I just put my foot down, and I didn't back off for the entire race."

We could see your commitment via the onboard footage - there were some hairy moments, particularly exiting Turn Nine.

"Yeah, actually Turn Nine was one of my best corners. The car was quite planted through there so I felt reasonably confident in getting the throttle down hard and being able to deal with the rear-end. In other places, it wasn't so easy. It felt like there were four or five times through each corner where the car could snap away from you. And I was pushing so hard, and you knew it was coming, you were waiting for it, worrying about it, knowing that the car was going to break away and you were going to have to wrestle it back under control. That happened in every corner for 58 laps - it was an exhausting race for me."

Do you think this was one of your best drives in Formula 1?

"It was one of the most unexpected results of my Formula 1 career and, yeah, I think it was one of my best drives too. I'm a fighter, I've never given up at any stage of my motorsport career - both on and off the track - and last weekend was the same. I pushed like crazy on every single lap of the race, always looked for the gap and worked with the team over the radio to find every possible way of making us go quicker."

"This was a fantastic result for me, but also a brilliant team effort - our strategy was perfect, the input from the pitwall was superb and everything came together really well. On paper, the result may not look as strong as our victories, but to come from 18th on the grid to finish third, in a car that we admit is not as good as it should be, is a mega achievement."

What did you learn from this race?

"I learnt to never, ever, ever, give up. We showed in Brazil last year that we would always fight until the very end, and we showed it again in Melbourne yesterday (Sunday). I'll never give up when I'm in the cockpit - I want to race as hard as I can and I'm looking forward to getting closer to the front and mixing it with the leaders again. Also, Melbourne gave us a clearer idea of which teams have done the best job over the winter."

"I've got to say again how much respect and admiration I've got for Ross Brawn and all the men and women at Brawn GP. They've done an awesome job over the winter, worked so hard in such difficult circumstances, that it must have been a dream come true for them to finish one-two with Jenson (Button) and Rubens (Barrichello). He must have had a very worrying winter, and he certainly had a few tough years before that, so he really deserves this success. It must have been a brilliant feeling for him to be able to stand on the podium yesterday (Sunday), waving to his team. I saw a photo of the podium on the internet this morning - he looked really, really happy. They've shown just what an incredible sport we have and just how unpredictable F1 can be - I just wish I could have been on the podium to share his celebrations on Sunday."

Why are you so confident that McLaren Mercedes can bounce back?

"Because we haven't forgotten how to win. We're a world-class team, in fact, and while we're not yet at the front, everything within the McLaren Technology Centre is equipped to help us get back there as quickly as possible. From the strategists, the manufacturing capacity, the management, the mechanics - everybody has what it takes to win Grand Prix and World Championships. That's why I'm so confident that we'll get back to the front soon. I think Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is the strongest team in Formula 1 - and I know just how hard we are focusing on improving MP4-24. That's why I feel so confident that our performance will improve."

Is that something we'll see in Malaysia this weekend?

"The Malaysian Grand Prix is the second of two back-to-back flyaway races, and it's difficult for any team to make big changes to the car when it's so far away from the factory and there's so little time. Also, technically speaking, Sepang is a harder test of a Formula 1 car than Albert Park, so we can't realistically expect a repeat of the result we saw in Melbourne. But we're targeting upgrades and improvements at every race, so I hope they'll have a benefit. I know people are hoping for a night-and-day change in our car's pace, but that's not going to happen this coming weekend."

So when will it happen?

"The aerodynamicists and engineers are working round the clock back at Woking to make us competitive. We're taking huge steps forward and I'm confident we'll show definite signs of progress sooner rather than later."


Source: F1-Live







VIDEO: TAG Heuer pits Lewis Hamilton against Steve McQueen
by Noah Joseph on Mar 31st 2009 at 2:59PM

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Click above to jump to the video

Pass by the local schoolyard and you're likely to hear a couple of kids arguing over which superhero would win in a fight, but continue down the street to the corner pub and the debate won't sound much different: Could __XX__ modern athlete beat ___XX___ legend. Of course, for both child and adult, the debate is entirely pointless, but imagination knows no bound... and modern technology can at least heighten the fantasy.

In this case, watchmaker TAG Heuer has taken two of its most famous brand ambassadors, the late, great Steve McQueen and reigning F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, and put them together on screen in a fictitious face-off around Le Mans. The race results haven't yet been determined - there's a contest you can enter at the link below for a chance to win a new Monaco Gulf Chrono Limited Edition, one of Hamiltion's F1 helmets, or a chance to participate in an "F1 driving day." But even if you're not interested in the contest, you can watch the Robbie Williams-esque video after the jump for a good minute-forty's worth of entertainment.

[Source: TAG Heuer]




Source: AutoBlog







Nico Rosberg and Christian Danner show us the Sepang International Circuit


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Source: GPUpdate.net







Renault answer 10 questions about KERS


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The introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, or KERS, is one of the biggest technical challenges of the 2009 Formula One season - and also one of the biggest unknowns. While the basic principles will be shared by all teams’ systems, the specifics could be very different. Understandably, those specifics are closely-guarded secrets, but Renault have been kind enough to reveal just a little more of how the R29’s KERS will work…

1. What is KERS?
It’s a system whereby the goal is to store the energy produced under braking in a reservoir (either batteries or flywheel) in order to release it under acceleration. The 2009 technical regulations state that KERS should not deliver power in excess of 60kW, which is equivalent to around 80 horsepower, when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel. He cannot use more than 400kJ per lap.

2. Is there only one way to recover the energy and reuse it?
When the 2009 KERS system was being conceived, the engineers had a choice between two different approaches. The first consisted of using a carbon flywheel in a vacuum linked via a CVT transmission to the differential. This system stores the mechanical energy, offers a big storage capacity and has the advantage of being independent from the gearbox. However, to be driven precisely, it requires some powerful and bulky actuators, and lots of space. The second option was to rely on an electrical motor, which works by charging the batteries under braking and releasing the power on acceleration.

3. Which choice did Renault go with and how does the system work?
Renault chose to go with the electrical solution, as did most other teams. The system consists of three important parts:
• An electric motor (MGU: Motor Generator Unit) situated between the fuel tank and the engine, linked directly to the crankshaft of the V8 to deliver additional power.
• Some latest generation ion-lithium batteries (HVB: High Voltage Battery Pack) capable of storing and delivering energy rapidly.
• A control box (KCU: KERS Control Unit), which manages the behaviour of the MGU when charging and releasing energy. It is linked to the car’s standard electronic control unit.

4. What were the main challenges encountered during the development of the system?
Firstly, it was necessary to deal with the weight and volume of the system, which adds considerable weight in comparison with the 2008 car. This means there is less ballast available for the engineers to redistribute in order to balance the chassis. Also, the cooling of the batteries is of great importance and it was necessary to develop a specific system for them.

5. Where are the batteries situated?
They are positioned under the fuel tank. Some teams have chosen to place them under the driver’s legs or in the sidepods, but Renault opted against this as it felt these solutions presented more problems.

6. Does the MGU have to be positioned between the engine and the fuel tank?
No. It’s possible to situate it parallel to the gearbox in the rear of the car. So it’s connected straight to the rear wheels and releases its power through the differential.


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7. Will Renault be the only team to use this system with this set-up?
No, the team will provide its KERS system to another team this season.

8. Why are most teams behind schedule in the development of their systems?
The development timescale was very tight: the system had to be developed in just 18 months and so the number of advanced projects and preliminary studies has been limited. Some teams have suffered from this and may have chosen solutions that are difficult to develop. There has also been the safety of the drivers and mechanics to consider which has required extensive safety training. Finally, the factories have had to install special testing rigs and implement further personnel training

9. Will KERS produce more competitive racing?
Not necessarily. If all the teams use KERS, they will use it in the same way, in the same places, at the same times, and so there will be no advantage. On the other hand, not having the system will be an enormous handicap.

10. Has F1 already helped this technology progress in terms of its relevance to the wider world?
The development of electrical motors capable of delivering 80 horsepower for minimum space and weight while operating in a very harsh environment represents a significant step forward in the world of energy recovery.


Source: Formula1.com






Getting to Know Formula One



Tyres


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A modern Formula One car is a technical masterpiece. But considering the development effort invested in aerodynamics, composite construction and engines it is easy to forget that tyres are still a race car’s biggest single performance variable.

Traditionally, an average car with good tyres could do well, even very well, but with bad tyres even the very best car did not stand a chance. The move to a single tyre supplier in 2007 altered that equation somewhat, but, even now, optimizing the car-tyre balance is something of a black art.


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Despite some genuine technical crossover, race tyres and road tyres are - at best - distant cousins. An ordinary car tyre is made with heavy steel-belted radial plies and designed for durability - typically a life of 16,000 kilometres or more (10,000 miles). A Formula One tyre is designed to last for, at most, 200 kilometres and - like everything else on a the car - is constructed to be as light and strong as possible. That means an underlying nylon and polyester structure in a complicated weave pattern designed to withstand far larger forces than road car tyres. In Formula One racing that means anything up to a tonne of downforce, 4g lateral loadings and 5g longitudinal loadings.

The racing tyre is constructed from very soft rubber compounds which offer the best possible grip against the texture of the racetrack, but wear very quickly in the process. If you look at a typical track you will see that, just off the racing line, a large amount of rubber debris gathers (known to the drivers as 'marbles'). All racing tyres work best at relatively high temperatures. For example, the dry 'grooved' tyres used up until very recently were typically designed to function at between 90 degrees Celsius and 110 degrees Celsius.


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The development of the racing tyre came of age with the appearance of 'slick' tyres in the 1960s. Teams and tyre makers realised that, by omitting a tread pattern on dry weather tyres, the surface area of rubber in contact with the road could be maximised. Formula One cars ran with slicks until the 1998 rule changes came into effect, and new tyre standards were introduced in an attempt to improve the spectacle of Formula One racing by reducing cornering speeds.

This led to the familiar sight of 'grooved' tyres, the regulations specifying that all tyres had to have four continuous longitudinal grooves at least 2.5 mm deep and spaced 50mm apart. These changes created several new challenges for the tyre manufacturers - most notably ensuring the grooves' integrity, which in turn limited the softness of rubber compounds that could be used.

Coming up to date, the 2009 season brings a much-welcomed return to slick tyres, following the FIA’s decision to limit aerodynamics rather than rubber as a way of keeping cornering speeds under control.


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The 'softness' or 'hardness' of rubber compounds is varied for each race according to the known characteristics of the track. Two different compounds are available to each team at every Grand Prix weekend, and every driver must make use of both specifications during the race. The actual softness of the tyre rubber is varied by changes in the proportions of ingredients added to the rubber, of which the three main ones are carbon, sulphur and oil. Generally speaking, the more oil in a tyre, the softer it will be.

Intermediate and wet-weather tyres have full tread patterns, necessary to expel standing water when racing in the wet. One of the worst possible situations for a race driver remains 'aquaplaning' - the condition when a film of water builds up between the tyre and the road, meaning that the car is effectively floating. This leads to vastly reduced levels of grip. The tread patterns of modern racing tyres are mathematically designed to scrub the maximum amount of water possible from the track surface to ensure the best possible contact between the rubber and the track.

Formula One tyres are normally filled with a special, nitrogen-rich air mixture, designed to minimise variations in tyre pressure with temperature. The mixture also retains the pressure longer than normal air would.


Source: Formula1.com

This post has been edited by Jeremy221: Apr 1 2009, 04:18 AM

Anyone who's just read Lennys post in F1 gossip will see that our team have just lost all their points for "giving misleading info to the stewards at the end of the race." Is it just me or do McLaren always seem to get the sh*tty end of the stick with stewards decisions....

I agree, I think that for a team their size the powers that be feel they are too good and innovative. From the stand point of a fan everything looks kosher but if you involved in what happens in the paddock and behind the scenes, our opinion may be very different. I do think however, that there is probably a lot of good honest people on the team. Looking back to the 2007 season that the only reason McLaren did not win the championship is because Ron Dennis gave a team order of some sort that kept Lewis Hamilton either out too long or just back by enough places to change the result. There are too many political fights going on in the sport, more than likely due to all the cash involved in the sport. It would be good to have the video clip that the stewards used to make the judgement made public for the viewers to make their own decision.

From FIA Website (http://fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2009/Pages/f1_stewards_decision.aspx)
At the first hearing following the Australian Grand Prix the Stewards did not have the benefit of the radio exchanges between driver No 1 Lewis Hamilton and his Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes nor did they have access to the comments to the Media given by Lewis Hamilton immediately after the end of the race.

From the video recordings available to the Stewards during the hearing it appeared that Jarno Trulli’s car left the track and car No 1 moved into third place. It then appeared that Trulli overtook Hamilton to regain third place, which at the time was prohibited as it was during the Safety Car period.

During the hearing, held approximately one hour after the end of the race, the Stewards and the Race Director questioned Lewis Hamilton and his Team Manager David Ryan specifically about whether there had been an instruction given to Hamilton to allow Trulli to overtake. Both the driver and the Team Manager stated that no such instruction had been given. The Race Director specifically asked Hamilton whether he had consciously allowed Trulli to overtake. Hamilton insisted that he had not done so.

The new elements presented to the Stewards several days after the 2009 Australian Grand Prix which led to the reconvened Stewards Meeting clearly show that:

a. Immediately after the race and before Lewis Hamilton attended the Stewards Meeting he gave an interview to the Media where he clearly stated that the Team had told him to let Trulli pass.

b. Furthermore, the radio exchanges between the driver and the Team contain two explicit orders from the Team to let the Toyota pass.

The Stewards, having learned about the radio exchanges and the Media interview, felt strongly that they had been misled by the driver and his Team Manager which led to Jarno Trulli being unfairly penalised and Lewis Hamilton gaining third place.

Note from IR: There are also audios of the radio transmission between Hamilton and the team on the FIA Website, see link above.

This post has been edited by InterRaptor: Apr 3 2009, 09:53 AM