Fernando Alonso delivered the perfect response to Red Bull Racing's early pace-setting form in the final pre-season test, when he dominated the second morning's running at Barcelona on Friday.
After a frustrating opening day to the test, where he had lost track time through an electrical problem, Alonso spent the second morning working on qualifying simulations to better Webber's time by a considerable margin.
With his F10 fitted with a raft of aerodynamic upgrades for this week's test, Alonso made good use of a more-rubbered in track to pull off a sequence of quick laps early on - despite one brief trip across a gravel trap at Turn 10.
His best effort of 1m20.637s came on the first lap of his fifth short run, before his programme switched to a longer stint before the lunch break. He is expected to focus on a race simulation in the afternoon.
Alonso's fastest time compares with Webber's best effort from the opening day of 1m21.487 - when the track was still very dirty – although it is not clear how the fuel loads of the Ferrari or Red Bull Racing car compare.
Behind Alonso, several other drivers worked through qualifying simulations as they make their final preparations for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
And it was BMW Sauber's Pedro de la Rosa who emerged as Alonso's nearest challenger, with the C29 maintaining the impressive form it has shown in early testing.
The Spaniard set his best effort of 1m20.973s shortly before the lunch break, to just edge out Vitantonio Liuzzi in the Force India.
Sebastian Vettel managed to better team-mate Webber's best time from the first day of the test with a lap of 1m21.258s as his morning's programme seemed to mirror what Red Bull Racing did on Thursday.
He completed a series of short qualifying-type runs, with his best lap coming in the final effort before the lunch break.
Jaime Alguersuari was fifth fastest, with Toro Rosso completing a series of short runs in the morning – prior to a bit of pitstop practice before the lunch break. The Spaniard is set for a race simulation run in the afternoon.
Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton ended the morning session in sixth and seventh place on the timesheets, as they worked through various programmes – which included pitstop work and some long runs.
The busiest man of the morning was Nico Hulkenberg, who completed a total of 82 laps in his Williams. The German did some short runs early on before moving on to a race simulation run. He ran a 19 lap stint before a pit-stop for new tyres, and then added a further 27 laps before the chequered flag brought a halt to proceedings.
Hulkenberg's fastest lap of 1m23.513 came right at the end of that second long stint.
Behind ninth fastest Robert Kubica, Timo Glock completed 14 laps for Virgin Racing as the team returned to the track for the first time since Lucas di Grassi's crash on Thursday.
Jarno Trulli was the slowest driver, having lost time in the morning with a seat problem before completing 35 laps for Lotus.
Morning times:
News from Formula One in the Formation Lap.
Showing posts with label F1 Ferrari. Show all posts
Showing posts with label F1 Ferrari. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Ferrari slams FIA's new team 'holy war'
Ferrari has attacked the FIA's push to bring new teams into Formula 1, in the wake of the problems currently surrounding Team US F1 and Campos Meta.
With neither outfit yet having a car ready to run, and US F1 hoping to miss the first few races of the season, the sport is facing up to the fact that it will probably not have as full a grid as it had hoped to have for 2010.
And in a column published on Ferrari's official website on Tuesday, the team has openly attacked the FIA's policy of encouraging new teams - labelling it as a 'holy war' - and suggests the sport may have been better off looking after manufacturers like Toyota and BMW, who walked away.
"Of the thirteen teams who signed up, or were induced to sign up, for this year's Championship, to date only eleven of them have heeded the call, turning up on track, some later than others, and while some have managed just a few hundred kilometres, others have done more, but at a much reduced pace," the Ferrari column titled 'the Horse Whisperer' claimed.
"As for the twelfth team, Campos Meta, its shareholder and management structure has been transformed, according to rumours which have reached the Horse Whisperer through the paddock telegraph, with a sudden cash injection from a munificent white knight, well used to this sort of last minute rescue deal.
"However, the beneficiaries of this generosity might find the knight in question expects them to fulfil the role of loyal vassal. All this means, it is hard to imagine the Dallara-designed car showing its face at the Catalunya Circuit, with Sakhir a more likely venue to witness the return of the Senna name to a Formula 1 session.
"The thirteenth team, US F1, appears to have gone into hiding in Charlotte, North Carolina, to the dismay of those like the Argentinian, Lopez, who thought he had found his way into the Formula 1 paddock, (albeit with help from chairwoman Kirchner, according to the rumours) and now has to start all over again.
"Amazingly, they still have the impudence to claim that everything is hunky-dory under the starry stripy sky."
Ferrari also makes it clear it is unimpressed by the situation surrounding Stefan Grand Prix, which is still hoping to secure an entry for this year's championship.
"Next, we have the Serbian vultures," continued the column. "Firstly, they launched themselves into a quixotic legal battle with the FIA, then they picked the bones of Toyota on its death bed.
"Having got some people on board, around whom there was still a whiff of past scandals, they are now hovering around waiting to replace whoever is first to drop out of the game, possibly with backing from that very same knight in shining armour whom we mentioned earlier."
And Ferrari clearly lays the blame for the situation at the door of former FIA president Max Mosley, who clashed with the manufacturers last year in his bid to encourage new teams in.
"This [situation] is the legacy of the holy war waged by the former FIA president," he explained. "The cause in question was to allow smaller teams to get into Formula 1.
"This is the outcome: two teams will limp into the start of the championship, a third is being pushed into the ring by an invisible hand – you can be sure it is not the hand of Adam Smith – and, as for the fourth, well, you would do better to call on Missing Persons to locate it.
"In the meantime, we have lost two constructors along the way, in the shape of BMW and Toyota, while at Renault, there's not much left other than the name. Was it all worth it?"
Ferrari's criticism of the new teams situation is not new, with the Italian outfit having claimed back in May last year that F1 would perhaps be better off rebranding itself as 'Formula GP3' if the grid became full of the new outfits who had originally lodged entries early last year.
With neither outfit yet having a car ready to run, and US F1 hoping to miss the first few races of the season, the sport is facing up to the fact that it will probably not have as full a grid as it had hoped to have for 2010.
And in a column published on Ferrari's official website on Tuesday, the team has openly attacked the FIA's policy of encouraging new teams - labelling it as a 'holy war' - and suggests the sport may have been better off looking after manufacturers like Toyota and BMW, who walked away.
"Of the thirteen teams who signed up, or were induced to sign up, for this year's Championship, to date only eleven of them have heeded the call, turning up on track, some later than others, and while some have managed just a few hundred kilometres, others have done more, but at a much reduced pace," the Ferrari column titled 'the Horse Whisperer' claimed.
"As for the twelfth team, Campos Meta, its shareholder and management structure has been transformed, according to rumours which have reached the Horse Whisperer through the paddock telegraph, with a sudden cash injection from a munificent white knight, well used to this sort of last minute rescue deal.
"However, the beneficiaries of this generosity might find the knight in question expects them to fulfil the role of loyal vassal. All this means, it is hard to imagine the Dallara-designed car showing its face at the Catalunya Circuit, with Sakhir a more likely venue to witness the return of the Senna name to a Formula 1 session.
"The thirteenth team, US F1, appears to have gone into hiding in Charlotte, North Carolina, to the dismay of those like the Argentinian, Lopez, who thought he had found his way into the Formula 1 paddock, (albeit with help from chairwoman Kirchner, according to the rumours) and now has to start all over again.
"Amazingly, they still have the impudence to claim that everything is hunky-dory under the starry stripy sky."
Ferrari also makes it clear it is unimpressed by the situation surrounding Stefan Grand Prix, which is still hoping to secure an entry for this year's championship.
"Next, we have the Serbian vultures," continued the column. "Firstly, they launched themselves into a quixotic legal battle with the FIA, then they picked the bones of Toyota on its death bed.
"Having got some people on board, around whom there was still a whiff of past scandals, they are now hovering around waiting to replace whoever is first to drop out of the game, possibly with backing from that very same knight in shining armour whom we mentioned earlier."
And Ferrari clearly lays the blame for the situation at the door of former FIA president Max Mosley, who clashed with the manufacturers last year in his bid to encourage new teams in.
"This [situation] is the legacy of the holy war waged by the former FIA president," he explained. "The cause in question was to allow smaller teams to get into Formula 1.
"This is the outcome: two teams will limp into the start of the championship, a third is being pushed into the ring by an invisible hand – you can be sure it is not the hand of Adam Smith – and, as for the fourth, well, you would do better to call on Missing Persons to locate it.
"In the meantime, we have lost two constructors along the way, in the shape of BMW and Toyota, while at Renault, there's not much left other than the name. Was it all worth it?"
Ferrari's criticism of the new teams situation is not new, with the Italian outfit having claimed back in May last year that F1 would perhaps be better off rebranding itself as 'Formula GP3' if the grid became full of the new outfits who had originally lodged entries early last year.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
New chassis for Massa in Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera, 17 February 2010 – At 9am the third test session with the Formula 1 Championship in sight, with the first GP held on 14 March in Bahrain, was started this morning in Jerez.
The seven teams, which took part in the tests in Valencia turned into ten last week, while today there are eleven, including also Lotus. Now there are only two teams missing: Campos Meta and USF1 – while there are pessimistic rumours about their near future.
Felipe Massa is the driver on the track today for the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. The Brazilian driver went out for the installation lap at 9:02am, while the track was still wet from the rain last night.
The bad weather might stay the main protagonist here during the tests in Jerez and also today’s forecast is not really encouraging. Therefore Felipe’s programme for today has to be adjusted to the track conditions. For this third test session the team set up the F10’s second chassis with the number 282. The car doesn’t sport any major updates compared to last week: just some minor aerodynamic and mechanical updates for these days, while the main novelties will be used next week during the tests in Barcelona.
The seven teams, which took part in the tests in Valencia turned into ten last week, while today there are eleven, including also Lotus. Now there are only two teams missing: Campos Meta and USF1 – while there are pessimistic rumours about their near future.
Felipe Massa is the driver on the track today for the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. The Brazilian driver went out for the installation lap at 9:02am, while the track was still wet from the rain last night.
The bad weather might stay the main protagonist here during the tests in Jerez and also today’s forecast is not really encouraging. Therefore Felipe’s programme for today has to be adjusted to the track conditions. For this third test session the team set up the F10’s second chassis with the number 282. The car doesn’t sport any major updates compared to last week: just some minor aerodynamic and mechanical updates for these days, while the main novelties will be used next week during the tests in Barcelona.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Ferrari in the dark about F10's pace
Ferrari says it does not have a clue how quick its new F10 is compared to the opposition - and thinks it may take a few more tests to fully find out.
Despite Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso leading the way in this week's first pre-season F1 test in Valencia, Ferrari is remaining cautious about what the early indications are of the 2010 cars.
And with the team vowing to wait for one more further test before adding aerodynamic improvements to its car, the clear picture of form may not become clear for a while.
Technical director Aldo Costa told the official Ferrari website: "We see that we are fast but we don't know how much we are fast compared to the others.
"The good thing is that...all the calculations and all the evaluations during the design and production of the new car are seeing a good result on the track."
Costa said there had been no unexpected problems with the F10, and that the team, plus Massa and Alonso, were pleased with the situation it was in.
"The feedback in general was good," he said. "It is a good baseline to develop the car for the next test and the first few races, so positive."
Ferrari will bring some mechanical developments to next week's Jerez test, before new aero parts arrive for the second run out at the Spanish track the following week.
Costa also confirmed that Ferrari was running a 'highly' tapered gearbox on the F10 to try and maximise the effectiveness of the car's double diffuser.
And he also expressed some hope that a fresh double diffuser controversy marring the start of the season could be averted.
"The FIA is keeping things in check and is answering every team with regards to the doubts and the realization of the double diffuser," he was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "Unfortunately, this rule book is open to many interpretations."
Despite Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso leading the way in this week's first pre-season F1 test in Valencia, Ferrari is remaining cautious about what the early indications are of the 2010 cars.
And with the team vowing to wait for one more further test before adding aerodynamic improvements to its car, the clear picture of form may not become clear for a while.
Technical director Aldo Costa told the official Ferrari website: "We see that we are fast but we don't know how much we are fast compared to the others.
"The good thing is that...all the calculations and all the evaluations during the design and production of the new car are seeing a good result on the track."
Costa said there had been no unexpected problems with the F10, and that the team, plus Massa and Alonso, were pleased with the situation it was in.
"The feedback in general was good," he said. "It is a good baseline to develop the car for the next test and the first few races, so positive."
Ferrari will bring some mechanical developments to next week's Jerez test, before new aero parts arrive for the second run out at the Spanish track the following week.
Costa also confirmed that Ferrari was running a 'highly' tapered gearbox on the F10 to try and maximise the effectiveness of the car's double diffuser.
And he also expressed some hope that a fresh double diffuser controversy marring the start of the season could be averted.
"The FIA is keeping things in check and is answering every team with regards to the doubts and the realization of the double diffuser," he was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "Unfortunately, this rule book is open to many interpretations."
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Ferrari news
Four kilometres of traffic jam for Alonso
Valencia, 3 February 2010 – Great enthusiasm at Cheste’s "Ricardo Tormo" circuit for the official debut of Fernando Alonso behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 single-seater. 30,000 fans came to see Fernando on the track, creating a traffic jam at the exit of the Valencia-Madrid highway. This is quite unusual for a Formula 1 test, but it shows how much Fernando is adored in Spain and the great expectations the fans have regarding his arrival in Ferrari.
From a technical point of view the day went very well, confirming what could be seen before. Fernando drove 75 laps, the fastest in a time of 1.11.470, the fastest time in this session.
The Spanish driver’s first impressions were positive, although it is still too early to draw any conclusions regarding its competitiveness on an absolute level. What is important is that
Fernando could drive without interruptions to gain confidence with the car and getting closer to the team and the working methods, which are, let’s not forget, completely new for him.
“Ferrari makes me turn into a child again”
Maranello, 3 February 2010 – On the day of his official debut behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 single-seater the Italian daily “La Stampa” published the first exclusive interview by Alberto Mattioli with Fernando Alonso as an official driver for the Scuderia for Maranello. Here is the entire interview:
Mr. Alonso let’s start from scratch: when did you first sit behind a wheel?
«When I was two years old. In a small kart my father built with a lawn mower engine.»
Your first race?
«Still in a kart, at age three.»
Obviously you won.
«Last and lapped. But I received a trophy anyway.»
The time you went the fastest ever?
«Once in Monza: 372 km/h».
Fear?
«Respect, because speed has to be respected. Fear, never.»
Not even when, one month ago, when you had a plane crash with Briatore in Kenya?
«But that wasn’t a crash. We hit a building with one of the wings. I hear a thud, but that the plane crashed and burst into flames was made up later by the newspapers »
Do you believe in God?
«No.»
Superstitious?
«Yes.»
Spells? Always the same socks or anything like that?
«No, I’m playing with numbers. Well, like the number of the helmet as the hotel’s room number, divided by the cars on the starting grid. It’s important that the result is 14.»
Why?
«Because with the number 14 I won my first kart World Championship.»
A driver’s most important gift?
«Managing pressure, no: the pressures.»
Which pressures?
«First of all the media.»
Second?
«The team. Because you’re just a little cog in a big wheel of hundreds of people, when you get into the car and the lights turn green you push the accelerator.»
In percentage, how much do the car and the driver count?
«Let’s say the car is 70 percent and the driver 30? But if the cars are the same it’s the opposite.»
Why does a F1 driver attract the masses?
«Because he’s a sportsman, risking every time. Like a torero.»
Is it true that you’re a great poker player?
«Not great. But I like it.»
With whom are you playing?
«In Spain with my friends and when I’m away on the internet.»
And at the paddock?
«With Kubica and Fisichella.»
Who’s the fourth player?
«We’re looking for one. Possibly a chicken.»
Who wins most?
«Robert [Kubica]. »
Who’s bluffing the best?
«Also Robert.»
So he wins all the time!
«No, because also Fisico is really good.»
Another passion of yours is imitations. Is it true that you can imitate Aznar? «Pretty well. But I’m actually imitating everyone.»
The next one? «You, after the interview.»
Are you also imitating Montezemolo?
«I’m studying him.»
I want to give you some names and you give me a definition. King Juan Carlos? «Fanatic.»
Fanatic?
«For the sport. I don’t have a more enthusiastic fan.»
Zapatero?
«Sharp.»
Berlusconi?
«Likeable.»
Felipe Massa?
«Fast.»
Kimi Raikkonen?
«Talented».
Bernie Ecclestone?
«Smart.»
Michael Schumacher?
«Worker».
Briatore?
«For me, my father in sports.»
Barack Obama?
«I’m passing to nouns: hope.»
Enzo Ferrari?
«The legend.»
Well, and why is Ferrari a legend?
«Because Ferrari has always been racing. Everybody wants to drive one. And excuse me, you when you where little, didn’t you play with cars?»
Sometimes.
«And what colour were they?»
Red.
«See?»
You have lived almost all over Europe: on ‘normal’ roads, who are the best drivers?
«The Swiss: very respectful.»
And the worst?
«Spaniards and Italians: undisciplined».
The last film you’ve seen?
«’Up in the Air’ with George Clooney: beautiful.»
The last book you read?
«I’m not a great reader. Maybe the handbook when I was getting my pilot’s license.»
Out of the five books published about you, four in Spanish and one in French, which one do you suggest?
«Not one of them. They’ve been all written in a hurry to make money when I became famous. I haven’t even read them.»
The most beautiful day of your life?
«…has still to arrive, I’m living in the future.»
And in the past?
«I think maybe the feeling when you unpack your Christmas presents when you’re seven years old won’t come back. Not even when you win the World Championship.»
Why did you announce your wedding with the singer Raquel del Rosario only two months later?
«Well, should I have issued a press release? I told my friends and they were all there. Then it was out there and I said: yes, I’m married. But my private life is off the records.»
Did you enjoy dubbing the film ‘Cars’?
«Yes, also because I only had one sentence in it.»
Would you like to do a film?
«I really enjoy doing promotional films. Tomorrow, who knows.»
Which nickname do you prefer: Magic Alonso or El Nano?
«El Nano. In Spain I was always the youngest and the shortest. And then obviously Fernando, Nando, Nano.»
In Italian this means something else …
«Well, now I’m grown up and beautiful, but not really tall. But now at least I’ve got a shorter teammate.»
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
«At home in my armchair.»
Dying your hair like Schumacher, reproached by Briatore?
«Oh my God, I don’t think that’s really important, is it? But when I look at my father, he’s all white and it really fits him. So what...»
Today Schumacher isn’t exactly popular amongst the Ferraristi.
«He’s a great champ. He left Ferrari before I arrived. And let me say it again, I like to talk about the future.»
Please say something to the Ferrari fans.
«I can’t guarantee any results. We know that I’ll always give it everything. There won’t be a day when I’m not thinking of the team.»
Promised?
«Promised!»
Valencia, 3 February 2010 – Great enthusiasm at Cheste’s "Ricardo Tormo" circuit for the official debut of Fernando Alonso behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 single-seater. 30,000 fans came to see Fernando on the track, creating a traffic jam at the exit of the Valencia-Madrid highway. This is quite unusual for a Formula 1 test, but it shows how much Fernando is adored in Spain and the great expectations the fans have regarding his arrival in Ferrari.
From a technical point of view the day went very well, confirming what could be seen before. Fernando drove 75 laps, the fastest in a time of 1.11.470, the fastest time in this session.
The Spanish driver’s first impressions were positive, although it is still too early to draw any conclusions regarding its competitiveness on an absolute level. What is important is that
Fernando could drive without interruptions to gain confidence with the car and getting closer to the team and the working methods, which are, let’s not forget, completely new for him.
“Ferrari makes me turn into a child again”
Maranello, 3 February 2010 – On the day of his official debut behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 single-seater the Italian daily “La Stampa” published the first exclusive interview by Alberto Mattioli with Fernando Alonso as an official driver for the Scuderia for Maranello. Here is the entire interview:
Mr. Alonso let’s start from scratch: when did you first sit behind a wheel?
«When I was two years old. In a small kart my father built with a lawn mower engine.»
Your first race?
«Still in a kart, at age three.»
Obviously you won.
«Last and lapped. But I received a trophy anyway.»
The time you went the fastest ever?
«Once in Monza: 372 km/h».
Fear?
«Respect, because speed has to be respected. Fear, never.»
Not even when, one month ago, when you had a plane crash with Briatore in Kenya?
«But that wasn’t a crash. We hit a building with one of the wings. I hear a thud, but that the plane crashed and burst into flames was made up later by the newspapers »
Do you believe in God?
«No.»
Superstitious?
«Yes.»
Spells? Always the same socks or anything like that?
«No, I’m playing with numbers. Well, like the number of the helmet as the hotel’s room number, divided by the cars on the starting grid. It’s important that the result is 14.»
Why?
«Because with the number 14 I won my first kart World Championship.»
A driver’s most important gift?
«Managing pressure, no: the pressures.»
Which pressures?
«First of all the media.»
Second?
«The team. Because you’re just a little cog in a big wheel of hundreds of people, when you get into the car and the lights turn green you push the accelerator.»
In percentage, how much do the car and the driver count?
«Let’s say the car is 70 percent and the driver 30? But if the cars are the same it’s the opposite.»
Why does a F1 driver attract the masses?
«Because he’s a sportsman, risking every time. Like a torero.»
Is it true that you’re a great poker player?
«Not great. But I like it.»
With whom are you playing?
«In Spain with my friends and when I’m away on the internet.»
And at the paddock?
«With Kubica and Fisichella.»
Who’s the fourth player?
«We’re looking for one. Possibly a chicken.»
Who wins most?
«Robert [Kubica]. »
Who’s bluffing the best?
«Also Robert.»
So he wins all the time!
«No, because also Fisico is really good.»
Another passion of yours is imitations. Is it true that you can imitate Aznar? «Pretty well. But I’m actually imitating everyone.»
The next one? «You, after the interview.»
Are you also imitating Montezemolo?
«I’m studying him.»
I want to give you some names and you give me a definition. King Juan Carlos? «Fanatic.»
Fanatic?
«For the sport. I don’t have a more enthusiastic fan.»
Zapatero?
«Sharp.»
Berlusconi?
«Likeable.»
Felipe Massa?
«Fast.»
Kimi Raikkonen?
«Talented».
Bernie Ecclestone?
«Smart.»
Michael Schumacher?
«Worker».
Briatore?
«For me, my father in sports.»
Barack Obama?
«I’m passing to nouns: hope.»
Enzo Ferrari?
«The legend.»
Well, and why is Ferrari a legend?
«Because Ferrari has always been racing. Everybody wants to drive one. And excuse me, you when you where little, didn’t you play with cars?»
Sometimes.
«And what colour were they?»
Red.
«See?»
You have lived almost all over Europe: on ‘normal’ roads, who are the best drivers?
«The Swiss: very respectful.»
And the worst?
«Spaniards and Italians: undisciplined».
The last film you’ve seen?
«’Up in the Air’ with George Clooney: beautiful.»
The last book you read?
«I’m not a great reader. Maybe the handbook when I was getting my pilot’s license.»
Out of the five books published about you, four in Spanish and one in French, which one do you suggest?
«Not one of them. They’ve been all written in a hurry to make money when I became famous. I haven’t even read them.»
The most beautiful day of your life?
«…has still to arrive, I’m living in the future.»
And in the past?
«I think maybe the feeling when you unpack your Christmas presents when you’re seven years old won’t come back. Not even when you win the World Championship.»
Why did you announce your wedding with the singer Raquel del Rosario only two months later?
«Well, should I have issued a press release? I told my friends and they were all there. Then it was out there and I said: yes, I’m married. But my private life is off the records.»
Did you enjoy dubbing the film ‘Cars’?
«Yes, also because I only had one sentence in it.»
Would you like to do a film?
«I really enjoy doing promotional films. Tomorrow, who knows.»
Which nickname do you prefer: Magic Alonso or El Nano?
«El Nano. In Spain I was always the youngest and the shortest. And then obviously Fernando, Nando, Nano.»
In Italian this means something else …
«Well, now I’m grown up and beautiful, but not really tall. But now at least I’ve got a shorter teammate.»
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
«At home in my armchair.»
Dying your hair like Schumacher, reproached by Briatore?
«Oh my God, I don’t think that’s really important, is it? But when I look at my father, he’s all white and it really fits him. So what...»
Today Schumacher isn’t exactly popular amongst the Ferraristi.
«He’s a great champ. He left Ferrari before I arrived. And let me say it again, I like to talk about the future.»
Please say something to the Ferrari fans.
«I can’t guarantee any results. We know that I’ll always give it everything. There won’t be a day when I’m not thinking of the team.»
Promised?
«Promised!»
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Ferrari’s Marmorini and Tombazis on the F10’s design
Although the regulation changes for this season are a lot less extensive than they were for 2009, Ferrari’s technical team have had their work cut out over the winter months. Charged with not only fine-tuning their engine and chassis to fit the new rules, they have also strived to overcome the performance shortfall that saw the Italian team clinch just one race win last year.
With these twin aims, it’s no wonder that the F10 looks a very different beast to its F60 predecessor. The ban on refuelling has necessitated a wider and longer chassis to accommodate the larger fuel tank, while Ferrari have entirely redesigned the car’s rear - including a new, smaller gearbox - to better exploit the double diffuser, which other teams had championed in 2009.
For designer Nikolas Tombazis, the F10 project has been a long slog, but one that he hopes will eventually prove fruitful.
“For the F10 we had to review the whole project from the nose to the rear wing because of the new rules and also because we had to recover the obvious performance deficit we had last year,” he told Ferrari’s official website, as he explained the car’s main changes.
“Because of the bigger fuel tank we had to deal with a longer and wider chassis. We have worked a lot in the aero department to try to exploit and widen the diffuser, making it more efficient, improving the airflow under the car, and therefore the downforce. We completely reviewed the gearbox and made it smaller so there’s more space for the diffuser and we also worked on the rear suspension. To improve the airflow to the car’s main body and more efficient diffuser, we’ve raised its nose and modified the lower part of the chassis. The front wing has also been improved.”
2010’s ban on refuelling - as well as the grid-wide agreement to stop using KERS - has also imposed new demands on the Ferrari engine. And while the freeze on development, in place since 2006, restricts their freedom to make changes, engine department boss Luca Marmorini is pleased with the revisions they have made, especially in terms of reducing the engine’s fuel consumption.
“Naturally we tried to improve performance but this only led to limited advantages because the engine development is frozen,” he explained. “From a technical point of view, reducing consumption was one of the most interesting things this year. We worked to find new and unusual fields of application for the engine, and we obtained some really interesting results.
“Consumption equals performance. Consuming less fuel means less petrol on board, and so whoever consumes less fuel will be faster on the track. Naturally, constructing an engine that consumes less brings about higher risks in terms of reliability. We worked very hard over the winter with our simulations and we are confident that at the start of the year we should be reliable.”
Weather permitting, the F10 will get its first shakedown run at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit in Italy on Friday, before it’s transported to Spain for next week’s multi-team test at Valencia, which begins on Monday.
With these twin aims, it’s no wonder that the F10 looks a very different beast to its F60 predecessor. The ban on refuelling has necessitated a wider and longer chassis to accommodate the larger fuel tank, while Ferrari have entirely redesigned the car’s rear - including a new, smaller gearbox - to better exploit the double diffuser, which other teams had championed in 2009.
For designer Nikolas Tombazis, the F10 project has been a long slog, but one that he hopes will eventually prove fruitful.
“For the F10 we had to review the whole project from the nose to the rear wing because of the new rules and also because we had to recover the obvious performance deficit we had last year,” he told Ferrari’s official website, as he explained the car’s main changes.
“Because of the bigger fuel tank we had to deal with a longer and wider chassis. We have worked a lot in the aero department to try to exploit and widen the diffuser, making it more efficient, improving the airflow under the car, and therefore the downforce. We completely reviewed the gearbox and made it smaller so there’s more space for the diffuser and we also worked on the rear suspension. To improve the airflow to the car’s main body and more efficient diffuser, we’ve raised its nose and modified the lower part of the chassis. The front wing has also been improved.”
2010’s ban on refuelling - as well as the grid-wide agreement to stop using KERS - has also imposed new demands on the Ferrari engine. And while the freeze on development, in place since 2006, restricts their freedom to make changes, engine department boss Luca Marmorini is pleased with the revisions they have made, especially in terms of reducing the engine’s fuel consumption.
“Naturally we tried to improve performance but this only led to limited advantages because the engine development is frozen,” he explained. “From a technical point of view, reducing consumption was one of the most interesting things this year. We worked to find new and unusual fields of application for the engine, and we obtained some really interesting results.
“Consumption equals performance. Consuming less fuel means less petrol on board, and so whoever consumes less fuel will be faster on the track. Naturally, constructing an engine that consumes less brings about higher risks in terms of reliability. We worked very hard over the winter with our simulations and we are confident that at the start of the year we should be reliable.”
Weather permitting, the F10 will get its first shakedown run at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit in Italy on Friday, before it’s transported to Spain for next week’s multi-team test at Valencia, which begins on Monday.
Monday, 5 October 2009
Ferrari results of Japanese Grand prix
K. Raikkonen: 4th 1:28.28.383 + 7.940 53 laps chassis 279
G. Fisichella: 12th 1:28.35.039 +14.596 53 laps chassis 280
Weather: air temperature 28/27 °C, track temperature 43/41°C, sunny.
Five points in the bag for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro in the Japanese Grand Prix, where Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth and Giancarlo Fisichella brought the car home in twelfth place. With two more races to go, the Scuderia is still third in the Constructors’ classification, even though the gap to our closest rival has come down to just two points.
Stefano Domenicali: “All things considered, this is a positive result: I don’t think we could have done any more than this fourth place. We got the most out of the F60 as it stands today and, thanks to yet another great drive from Kimi, we also managed to stay third in the Constructors’ classification. Giancarlo also drove a good race, driving competitively in terms of pace and performance, as can be seen from the fact he set the eighth best lap time. In the middle stint, on the soft tyre, both our drivers were very quick, their lap times matching those of the best. The team worked well and we must continue to do so for the final two races left to run in this strange season, fighting tooth and nail to reach the target we set ourselves from the mid-season onwards.”
Giancarlo Fisichella: “I had a better feel for the car this weekend and I think the effect from that could be seen, although maybe not in terms of the results. Today, I could run at a good pace, especially in the middle part of the race. It’s a shame I lost a place in my battle with Kovalainen. We managed to get ahead of him in the pit stop, but then he swerved across to the inside at the only point where I left the door slightly open and he leaned on me, managing to get by. Towards the end, I had to fight off Sutil who was very quick and was on the soft tyre, while I was on the hard: at this point the KERS came in handy. Now I am looking forward to Interlagos in a more confident mood: it will be important to get a slightly better start position to try and finally make it into the points.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Today the car wasn’t bad, but it was not quick enough to fight for the podium. This fourth place is useful in terms of keeping the team in third place in the Constructors’ championship, but it will be hard to hang onto it over the final two races. I will definitely do everything I can though. I was unable to make up places at the start, especially as the first corner is not that far from the start line and so I was unable to make the most of the KERS. In the first stint, when I was on hard tyres, the situation was a bit difficult, but then, once on the softs, things improved considerably. I managed to close on Heidfeld and pass him at the pit stop, even though, coming away from my stop, I found myself in traffic behind Button. Then there was not much to fight for to the end of the race.”
Chris Dyer: “After the disappointment of Singapore, it’s nice to see Kimi again finish a race in a good position. With hindsight, there’s some disappointment with a result that could have been even better: we opted to start on the hard tyres on Kimi’s car, because we weren’t entirely sure about how the soft ones would work over a distance. In fact, their performance stayed consistent, as we saw in the second part of the race, when both our drivers were very competitive. On top of that, we failed to make up places at the start, which is what we usually manage. We played about a bit with the stops to try and pass Heidfeld and we managed it. In the final stint, it seemed at one point that Hamilton had a problem and then the Safety Car closed everyone up. Kimi tried to see if there was room to attack him at the re-start but there was not. Giancarlo drove a good race and it was important for him and for the team to see him fighting with Kovalainen and Alonso for a place just outside the points. It’s a shame that, coming out of pit lane after his second stop, he lost a place in his battle with the McLaren driver.”
G. Fisichella: 12th 1:28.35.039 +14.596 53 laps chassis 280
Weather: air temperature 28/27 °C, track temperature 43/41°C, sunny.
Five points in the bag for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro in the Japanese Grand Prix, where Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth and Giancarlo Fisichella brought the car home in twelfth place. With two more races to go, the Scuderia is still third in the Constructors’ classification, even though the gap to our closest rival has come down to just two points.
Stefano Domenicali: “All things considered, this is a positive result: I don’t think we could have done any more than this fourth place. We got the most out of the F60 as it stands today and, thanks to yet another great drive from Kimi, we also managed to stay third in the Constructors’ classification. Giancarlo also drove a good race, driving competitively in terms of pace and performance, as can be seen from the fact he set the eighth best lap time. In the middle stint, on the soft tyre, both our drivers were very quick, their lap times matching those of the best. The team worked well and we must continue to do so for the final two races left to run in this strange season, fighting tooth and nail to reach the target we set ourselves from the mid-season onwards.”
Giancarlo Fisichella: “I had a better feel for the car this weekend and I think the effect from that could be seen, although maybe not in terms of the results. Today, I could run at a good pace, especially in the middle part of the race. It’s a shame I lost a place in my battle with Kovalainen. We managed to get ahead of him in the pit stop, but then he swerved across to the inside at the only point where I left the door slightly open and he leaned on me, managing to get by. Towards the end, I had to fight off Sutil who was very quick and was on the soft tyre, while I was on the hard: at this point the KERS came in handy. Now I am looking forward to Interlagos in a more confident mood: it will be important to get a slightly better start position to try and finally make it into the points.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Today the car wasn’t bad, but it was not quick enough to fight for the podium. This fourth place is useful in terms of keeping the team in third place in the Constructors’ championship, but it will be hard to hang onto it over the final two races. I will definitely do everything I can though. I was unable to make up places at the start, especially as the first corner is not that far from the start line and so I was unable to make the most of the KERS. In the first stint, when I was on hard tyres, the situation was a bit difficult, but then, once on the softs, things improved considerably. I managed to close on Heidfeld and pass him at the pit stop, even though, coming away from my stop, I found myself in traffic behind Button. Then there was not much to fight for to the end of the race.”
Chris Dyer: “After the disappointment of Singapore, it’s nice to see Kimi again finish a race in a good position. With hindsight, there’s some disappointment with a result that could have been even better: we opted to start on the hard tyres on Kimi’s car, because we weren’t entirely sure about how the soft ones would work over a distance. In fact, their performance stayed consistent, as we saw in the second part of the race, when both our drivers were very competitive. On top of that, we failed to make up places at the start, which is what we usually manage. We played about a bit with the stops to try and pass Heidfeld and we managed it. In the final stint, it seemed at one point that Hamilton had a problem and then the Safety Car closed everyone up. Kimi tried to see if there was room to attack him at the re-start but there was not. Giancarlo drove a good race and it was important for him and for the team to see him fighting with Kovalainen and Alonso for a place just outside the points. It’s a shame that, coming out of pit lane after his second stop, he lost a place in his battle with the McLaren driver.”
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