The 2012 F1 Countdown Thread

[n0rdicalex.]

not looking good for Lotus (Kimi):

Lotus has pulled out of the Barcelona test with immediate effect as a result of the problems it encountered with its chassis this morning.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97616

and from what i've gathered from several reputable sources on twitter, there are some VERY serious issues with the chassis. and from that, Lotus boss Eric Boullier is hoping to get a three-day private test. we'll see what happens, but judging by the past when teams have asked for extra days, the chances are slim.

[AHFlynn]

not looking good for Lotus (Kimi):



http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97616

and from what i've gathered from several reputable sources on twitter, there are some VERY serious issues with the chassis. and from that, Lotus boss Eric Boullier is hoping to get a three-day private test. we'll see what happens, but judging by the past when teams have asked for extra days, the chances are slim.

yeesh. i saw that a couple days ago and was hoping it was something minor. any idea of specifics?

[veedub87]

Perhaps Kimi is indulging in too many ice cream bars and the carbon tub's structural integrity is being compromised under stress of the added weight.

[n0rdicalex.]

from what i've gathered, it really presented itself on the high-speed nature of Catalunya, as opposed to Jerez. but as far as actual issues, i don't anything yet. i think it will be probably covered up fairly well, and combined with lots of inevitable rumors, it won't be until the beginning of the season until we hear something solid about it.

but who knows. definitely not good news either way.

[n0rdicalex.]

turns out Lotus will be granted one extra day of private testing.

Lotus is set to add an extra day of private running to the final pre-season test after abandoning this week's Barcelona test with a chassis problem.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97640

good news though.

[Lucian1988]

this is awesome news! anything to get good ol Kimi back on the track. I can't wait to see him

[hushypushy]

Glad they got the extra day granted.

They limited in-season testing to stop the huge teams like Ferrari from gaining an advantage...but it has always seemed to me like it gave the smaller teams a disadvantage.

[Air-over-water]

268 days until the Austin GP.
Still just a dirt track but the buildings are going up quickly it seems.

[n0rdicalex.]

i'll keep my opinions on the Austin GP short, but until i see cars on the grid, i have my doubts.

as far as Lotus, Racecar-Engineering has some insight:

The exact nature of the issue is not clear but it is thought to relate to the hard points at the front of the tub.

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...-quit-f1-test/

[AHFlynn]

less than 10 days till the first practice at melbourne.



drive's resident nerdo gives his assessment of season 2012, starts at 5:30. if you havent subscribed to this channel you totally should.

some sexy redbull testing

[Hawk]

Man that guy's annoying to listen too. Couldn't stand him.

[AHFlynn]

Man that guy's annoying to listen too. Couldn't stand him.

dudes smart as **** though, ive watched a couple of his other episodes and the guy knows his stuff.

[mx5er]

Last of the new car intro.

HRT:



Marussia:

[venom600]

dudes smart as **** though, ive watched a couple of his other episodes and the guy knows his stuff.

There's a reason why Speed and ESPN pay people to talk and other people to do the numbers. This guy was clearly reading a script, pausing in all the wrong places and ruining the flow of what he was trying to get across.

[AHFlynn]

There's a reason why Speed and ESPN pay people to talk and other people to do the numbers. This guy was clearly reading a script, pausing in all the wrong places and ruining the flow of what he was trying to get across.

ugghh. speed.

do you guys watch f1 on speed? i usually wait to download the bbc edit lol. i cant stand the commentary, its retarded.

[nickthaskater]

ugghh. speed.

do you guys watch f1 on speed? i usually wait to download the bbc edit lol. i cant stand the commentary, its retarded.

I feel the same way about the BBC/ITV commentary. I hate it when Speed is blacked out and I have to watch the UK feed.

[Oliver@triplezoom]

Does anyone know if the Sky F1 coverage will be available online everywhere? Last year I watched the BBC feeds on my Boxee Box. I lose out on picture quality (vs TSN HD) but at least there aren't commercials interrupting the action every 15 minutes.

[AHFlynn]

I feel the same way about the BBC/ITV commentary. I hate it when Speed is blacked out and I have to watch the UK feed.

haha no way, i dont believe you

[Lucian1988]

i just Tivo the race, and start watching 45 minutes after it started or something. i can skip commercials and i dont miss out on the action.

[Hawk]

I worry if I Tivo'd an F1 race it would be too tempting to just fast forward through the boring stuff.

[Ben.Reilly]

Hoping to see Vettel earn another drivers championship

[AHFlynn]

RB8 aero changes



Like Sauber, Red Bull have seemingly been inspired by the 2008-spec Ferrari, which featured a vent on its chassis to improve aero balance. In line with current FIA regulations (holes in the nose's lower section were outlawed after 2008), Sauber's solution appears on the top of the C31's chassis, behind the car's stepped nose. Red Bull, however, have opted for a different solution with their chassis duct positioned at the step itself (yellow highlight). This opening allows air to flow into the chassis (blue arrows). The official line is that this has been designed to help cool the driver in the cockpit, but it's possible there could be an aerodynamic advantage, or that it could help cool the front suspension's inerter damper.



Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey has seemingly designed the RB8's rear suspension so it can be aerodynamically influenced by the air flowing from the newly-positioned exhaust exits (see yellow arrows). All the suspension's components (red arrows) - even the driveshaft - feature wing-section profiles with a thickness to width ratio of 3:5. It's interesting to remember that Newey was the first engineer to introduce a large wing section on the wishbone and driveshaft of the Williams FW16 back in 1994. At the end of the '94 season, however, the FIA banned the solution by introducing the aforementioned 3:5 ratio rule.

[AHFlynn]

ferrari f2012 changes



The new Ferrari is so radically different to its predecessor that it represents a completely fresh start for the Scuderia in terms of the fundamental parameters of the car's layout. The wheelbase is at least 8cm longer and there is now pull-rod suspension at the rear. Introduced by Red Bull back in 2009, the pull-rod system had been copied by every team by the end of 2011, except Ferrari and Sauber (who run Ferrari gearboxes). Interestingly, the Italian team have also introduced the pull-rod concept at the front of the F2012, the first time this has been attempted since the Gabriele Tredozi-designed Minardi back in 2001. Viewed from above, the changes are clear to see. The nose (1) is positioned higher, is flatter and squarer in shape and much shorter in length than that of 2011's 150° Italia. The front (2) and rear wings were evaluated at last season's final races, but the stepped nose (3), which now drops from the maximum chassis height of 625mm to the newly-regulated 550mm, is new. You can tell that the wheelbase has been extended from the revised angle of the front suspension wishbones (4), but because of the large loads placed on the almost horizontal pull-rod link at the front, its dimensions are very similar to a more traditional push-rod link. At the request of Fernando Alonso, the driver's seat is much more upright (5). The crash structures at the front of the sidepods have been integrated within a wing section (6) and attached to the boomerang winglet. The undercut at the floor is much wider (7) and there is a much bigger footstep beneath (see yellow dotted line) as a result of the more pronounced 'cola bottle'-shaped bodywork (8). The radiators are much smaller (9) and have been installed differently. At the back, to allow the rear to be as low as possible, there's a longer and less tall gearbox to compliment the new pull-rod suspension (10). The exit of any hot air is concentrated in a central hole around the gearbox, whilst the gearbox radiator is on top of the gearbox casing.



In order to optimise airflow under the car, Ferrari are now exploiting the maximum permitted chassis height of 625mm (10), hence the F2012's nose (1) is actually higher than that of its predecessor, the 150° Italia, even with the much-talked-about step. The wing pillars (2) are very wide and similar to those on the 2011 car, but the camera's positioning (3) has been changed slightly to improve the airflow under the car. It's also worth noting the near-horizontal angle of the front suspension's pull-rod link (4) compared to 2011's push-rod link angle (see black arrows), a change that should bring aero benefits as well as a lower centre of gravity. The F2012's sidepods have a large undercut (5) and are higher on their outside edge (9). The openings to cool the radiators (6) are smaller, taller and more triangular relative to the 150° Italia's, whilst the sidepods' deformable crash structures (7) are linked to large vertical turning vanes designed to optimise airflow around the sidepod. A new smaller fin (8) has also appeared. Another interesting feature is the revised airbox (11), which boasts a second smaller inlet like the McLaren, designed to cool the oil radiator on top of the gearbox.



It's been 11 years since pull-rod front suspension has been used in Formula One racing. Back then it was the Gabriele Tredozi-designed 2001 Minardi. This season it's the 2012-spec Ferrari. Interestingly, both then and now one of the drivers at the wheel is Fernando Alonso. This drawing compares the traditional push-rod suspension (left) with Ferrari's pull-rod layout (right). With the pull-rod layout the springs and dampers are positioned lower in the chassis, which reduces the front suspension's centre of gravity. Also, in the case of the F2012 the pull-rod link (right-hand black arrow) is angled almost horizontally, which may help aerodynamically. But there are drawbacks to this arrangement. Even though in theory the pull-rod link can be thinner than a push rod, its extreme angle here neutralises any potential weight gain. Furthermore, because the pull rod is mounted to the top wishbone, greater loads are applied to the wishbone, which hence has to be stronger - and heavier - than it would have been.

[McBanagon]

i just Tivo the race, and start watching 45 minutes after it started or something. i can skip commercials and i dont miss out on the action.

I'm a live timing nerd - I watch it live whenever I can.

[AHFlynn]

2012 rule changes

http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/

lower nose



In order to increase safety, for 2012 the FIA has decided to lower the height of the car's front section, primarily to lessen the chance of one's car's nose intruding into the cockpit of another in the event of a side-on collision. As can be seen in this diagram, the height of the chassis immediately ahead of the cockpit can still be up to 625mm above the reference plane (PR), but then in the space of 150mm it must fall to 550mm. This is expected to lead to some rather awkward-looking, stepped-nose designs on the 2012 cars, including Ferrari's new machine.

revised exhaust designs



For 2012 the FIA has effectively banned blown diffusers by placing new restrictions on the positioning of exhaust exits. These can no longer be on the floor immediately ahead of the diffuser (red cross), but must instead be further forward and higher (black arrow). Furthermore, as seen here the final section of the exhaust pipe (one each side of the car) must be straight and completely round in section, with no internal divisions.



As part of moves to outlaw blown diffusers, the FIA has imposed new restrictions on the positioning of exhaust exits for 2012. There can only be one exit on each side of the car and it must fall within the yellow dotted line shown here. In practice this is a box 700mm long (between 500mm and 1200mm from the rear axle), 350mm high (between 250mm and 600mm above the reference plane, RP) and 300mm wide (see separate article for overhead view). On top of that, the last 100mm of the pipe (red arrow) must be straight and round in section, and must be angled between 10° and 30° longitudinally.



As part of moves to outlaw blown diffusers, the FIA has imposed new restrictions on the positioning of exhaust exits for 2012. There can only be one exit on each side of the car and from an overhead perspective it must fall within the yellow dotted line shown here. In practice this is a box 700mm long, 350mm high (see separate article for side view) and 300mm wide (between 200mm and 500mm from the car's centre line). On top of that, the last 100mm of the pipe (red arrow) must be completely straight and round in section, and must be angled by no more than 10° transversely, relative to the centre line.



The new restrictions on exhaust exit positioning for 2012 are likely to lead to much simpler exhaust systems relative to 2011, as highlighted here. The lower exits positioned on the floor are no longer allowed (lower half of drawing). Instead the exits must be located within a smaller, strictly defined area. The result should be shorter, less intricate designs, with less variation between teams - though never underestimate the ability of F1 engineers to innovate...

[AHFlynn]

one more...

ferrari nose vs mclaren



McLaren is the only team thus far not to choose a stepped nose for their 2012 car, with the British squad opting to keep the whole front end of their chassis lower to comply with the new regulations on nose height. In contrast, Ferrari have increased the height of the F2012's chassis to 625mm above the reference plane (RP), the maximum height permitted in the rules. The Ferrari's nose then drops quite brutally, via a step and within the required 150mm, to a height of 550mm, also specified in the regulations.

[Hawk]

It must be frustrating being an F1 designer. You spend all year trying to design something that saves a fraction of a second and when you finally figure it out the FIA goes, "Nice work, banned!"

[AHFlynn]

It must be frustrating being an F1 designer. You spend all year trying to design something that saves a fraction of a second and when you finally figure it out the FIA goes, "Nice work, banned!"

and then youve got to engineer around that.

thats gotta be fun for an engineer though, probably one of the most fun engineering jobs that exists.

[hushypushy]

haha no way, i dont believe you

You know what man, I believe him ONLY because one of my coworkers actually feels the same way

I can't STAND the Speed coverage of F1!! They're so ignorant and annoying. It also seems like they just showed up and are covering the race from afar, whereas it seems like BBC is actually integrated into the whole circus. Also, BBC = no commercials, and a far better/longer pre-race show.

[cockerpunk]

It must be frustrating being an F1 designer. You spend all year trying to design something that saves a fraction of a second and when you finally figure it out the FIA goes, "Nice work, banned!"

thats actually the most fun part of car design ...

engineers often work better with rules, constraints, and sometime when left to there own devices and too much freedom, come up with some really bizarre stuff that isnt very useful.

i find the writing of the rules to be the most interesting. because a fine line must be made, to allow for the creative teams to keep pushing the boundaries, but still keep things reasonably fair, and still a drivers sport ... its a fine line.

[Oliver@triplezoom]

I worry if I Tivo'd an F1 race it would be too tempting to just fast forward through the boring stuff.

I only watch a handful of races live each year, and I've never fast forwarded the "boring" parts.

[G0to60]

RB8 aero changes & F2012 changes

I love going over all the big and little changes that pop up with the new season. Thanks for posting all of these.

Being an engineer on one of these teams must be the best and worst job around. Best because you need to find that little bit extra within the rules but worst when you see that the other team does it better. Well, that may be a best also since you then need to go back and find the little bit extra.

[AHFlynn]

I love going over all the big and little changes that pop up with the new season. Thanks for posting all of these.

Being an engineer on one of these teams must be the best and worst job around. Best because you need to find that little bit extra within the rules but worst when you see that the other team does it better. Well, that may be a best also since you then need to go back and find the little bit extra.

theres some more where those came from, although i posted most of them

http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/

[RacingManiac]

You know what man, I believe him ONLY because one of my coworkers actually feels the same way

I can't STAND the Speed coverage of F1!! They're so ignorant and annoying. It also seems like they just showed up and are covering the race from afar, whereas it seems like BBC is actually integrated into the whole circus. Also, BBC = no commercials, and a far better/longer pre-race show.

I also don't like the fact that they put Matchett on such a high pedestal when he was basically a mechanic at Bennetton. He wasn't an engineer or designer.....Yes he has interesting insight as much as someone who has actually worked in F1 can have, but not much substance in much of what he said....

[ErikGTI]

I enjoy the SPEED commentators but they really should be sent to all the races as opposed to just sending one guy to go hang out in the pits.

Looking forward to Austrailia, I really hope Ferrari is trolling everyone and they're actually better than their testing form suggests. I would love to cheer for a winning Ferrari team again but if I can't there's always Red Bull, at least I know they'll be winning.



Erik