"Official" Formula 1 Thread

[Tim25]

Great spread showing the new cars here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/16872627

Interesting that McLaren is the ONLY team without the "platypus" nose so far.

     TIM

[Alpinewhite6]

Well the first of the testing sessions has ended in Jerez and it seems things are going to be good this season. Of course, these are not representative of what will happen in the season, they are numbers.

Session 1
Unofficial Tuesday test times from Jerez:
1. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, 1:19.670, 73 Laps
2. Paul di Resta, Force India, 1:19.772, 101 Laps
3. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes*, 1:20.219, 56 Laps
4. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:20.496, 53 Laps
5. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, 1:20.694, 57 Laps
6. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes*, 1:20.794, 41 Laps
7. Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber, 1:21.353, 106 Laps
8. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:21.530, 60 Laps
9. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:22.815, 69 Laps
10. Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham, 1:23.178, 28 Laps
11. Pastor Maldonado, Williams, 1:23.371, 25 Laps
12. Pedro de la Rosa, HRT*, 1:23.676, 44 Laps

Session 2
Unofficial Wednesday test times from Jerez:
1. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes*, 1:18.561, 132 Laps
2. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:19.184, 97 Laps
3. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, 1:19.587, 100 Laps
4. Jules Bianchi, Force India, 1:20.221, 46 Laps
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, 1:20.239, 117 Laps
6. Paul di Resta, Force India, 1:20.272, 69 Laps
7. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:20.454, 95 Laps
8. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:20.688, 85 Laps
9. Sergio Perez, Sauber, 1:20.711, 106 Laps
10. Pastor Maldonado, Williams, 1:21.197, 97 Laps
11. Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham, 1:21.518, 139 Laps
12. Pedro de la Rosa, HRT*, 1:22.128, 64 Laps

Session 3
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes*, 1:17.613, 118 Laps
2. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1:18.419, 117 Laps
3. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 1:19.297, 96 Laps
4. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 1:19.464, 80 Laps
5. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:19.734, 79 Laps
6. Sergio Perez, Sauber, 1:19.770, 48 Laps
7. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1:20.412, 67 Laps
8. Bruno Senna, Williams, 1:21.293, 125 Laps
9. Giedo van der Garde, Caterham, 1:23.324, 74 Laps
10. Jules Bianchi, Force India, no time, 2 Laps

Session 4
Unofficial Friday test times from Jerez:
1. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1:18.877, 39 Laps
2. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:19.597, 80 Laps
3. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 1:19.606, 50 Laps
4. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 1:19.640, 86 Laps
5. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1:19.729, 95 Laps
6. Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber, 1:19.834, 76 Laps
7. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1:19.977, 90 Laps
8. Bruno Senna, Williams, 1:20.132, 125 Laps
9. Jarno Trulli, Caterham, 1:22.198, 117 Laps

and of course, some pictures

[Spunnel]

It might just be me... but I like the platypus nose.

[Alpinewhite6]

it's just you lol. mind you, i will say the RB did make it look good...but ferrari - yikes!

[Spunnel]

Is it only RedBull that has the intake face-cooling thingy on the nose?

[Alpinewhite6]

as far as i know, ya. I want to see an x-ray of it to see where it leads the air. Very innovative idea though.

Then there is Mclaren who just says screw it and dropped the whole car to avoid it.

[Great68]

It's starting to look like the rule changes are going to mix up the competition substantially this year.

[Alpinewhite6]

Ya, testing is showing that but the real answers come next month! Can't wait!

[Alpinewhite6]

an intersting blurb comparing the mclaren and ferrari noses.

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.

-Formula1.com

[zoomerboomer]

Very curious!

[Alpinewhite6]

indeed.

This one is interesting as well...I am actually surprised though because i was under the impression that the exhaust could not provide any form of down force...

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.

-Formula1.com

[zoomerboomer]

It's only being "aerodynamically influenced" additionally by the exhaust which happens to be in that area.   

[Alpinewhite6]

lol sneaky sneaky. The one rod seems to be right up against the exhaust outlet..that is the one i see being an issue.

[zoomerboomer]

There's only so much room for all those components!     Who knew?

[Alpinewhite6]

lmao.

[Tim25]

Whoooo Hoooo! Race 1 next Saturday!

Also, Kimi Raikkonen was on Top Gear UK driving the old Suzuki Liana today. I imagine it will be on BBC Canada in about 6 weeks. I've also heard rumours that you can do something called "downloading", but I don't know anything about that. 

      TIM

[Alpinewhite6]

lol I will make sure to watch that this week sometime.

I will be glued to the TV this weekend though. Practice and real numbers start Thursday!

[Alpinewhite6]

Australia practice 1 starts in 34 mins! Im at work but i have to 2012 timing app so im all set for a session.

[Great68]

I got the online stream waiting

[Alpinewhite6]

i have my app open, and i have the mclaren pit wall open. I'm all set.