2013 Formula One Discussion

[donald29]

It's interesting to see Mercedes looking good, as it's after Brawn put people in place and made changes last season. I wonder if Lauda and Wolff will take note, or continue trying to do their own thing.

[phil1993]

Well Brawn always said in 2011 that when he made changes, they wouldn't be felt until 2013.

The W03 was a fundamentally good car - especially in qualifying, less so in the race - but it was the DDRS that flawed them.

[kals]

So it wasn't fundamentally a good car then?

[phil1993]

So it wasn't fundamentally a good car then?

Well I mean the basis of the car was good. It's just that as the season progressed they went down the wrong development path. It wasn't until Silverstone when things started to turn sour.

I mean that it wasn't like they started with a c**p car and ended with one. They started with a good car and ended with a c**p one.

[kals]

I still disagree Phil, and their collective performances show that.

The team took many many races to understand the car and how to react to the car continuously eatings it's tyres through the races. Only China was the change from the norm.

[Ether]

I think Merc's last year car is not fast enough and problematic. Reliable issues and tyres degradation issues. But they seems to resolve them this year. How about this year? I think they are a good contender for a WCC..

[phil1993]

It doesn't really matter how quick the W04 is if it eats tyres like the W03 did. The W03 had a very narrow window and it fell into it perfectly in China. But when it was too cold the tyres couldn't heat up, the car slid around and destroyed the tyres while if it was too hot, the same thing happened.

[mikhailv]

Im still taking a pinch of salt with Mercedes. Infact, with all teams.

Testing IMO, doesnt mean asmuch as it used to. yeah, it gives a semi-good basis to what cars are fast, but aside from set up, fuel load, DRS use, KERS use, driver pushing or tyres, the thing is, each race will be vastly different.

Its not the days where the tyres were the same for everyone, they were lasting full or half races, they were known quantities and it was a cast of fastest pit stop + strategy and the top two battling it out getting it right results in the win.

The tyres have such a finicky window, we dont know how each car reacts to the tyres, we dont know how cars are affected by set up to preserve tyres, each race will have a different temperature resulting in different and/or drastic tyre problems, track surfaces affecting tyre wear.

its such an unknown.

[tderias]

I wonder if it's possible to keep a record of every timed lap a driver makes and then get each one's average. Since teams are usually running different fuel loads at any given point, tyre compounds and conditions differ etc., the only constant thing is that all teams sooner or later get more or less the same program done by the end of the testing period.

Thus, an average might give us some sort of idea. It's not very accurate as some drivers might have gotten held up, or might have slowed down in preparation for a hot lap. Mistakes like going off-track will add to the average time, but this might indicate that the car is hard to drive for example.

[Ether]

Awgh... I wish Melbourne race start on this weekend... I'm just too overexcited to see the 1st race.. It's still 10 days to go :-(

[phil1993]

5 rookies will start the season in Melbourne. Here they are:
http://www.f1zone.net/news/who-are-the-rookies/17961/

[kals]

Nice review of each of the contenders.

[Deovann07]

Lotus changed their rear wings along with the fitting of the DRD, and reverts to the previous rear wing when continuing to run without the DRD. They were so very prepared for the Melbourne Prix.

[mikhailv]

The engine map malarky is causing a stir with renault isn't it? Theyve asked for 'reliability upgrades'. I disagree.

[phil1993]

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has reportedly died. May not seem relevant but that could be crucial for Maldonado...