Formula One - 2016

Keith Tanner wrote: There's no question there's a variation in performance between the different power units. But what could Mercedes do if they weren't restricted to a very specific set of dimensions? I understand why capacity might be limited (even though the fuel flow limits should be more of a guide), but why is bore and stroke set?

Because the FIA knows the teams are going to spend stupid amounts of money on engine development, but they want to focus that money on development within the "road car relevant" parameters that the FIA is interested in. On an F1 engine, if you change the bore you'll need to redesign pretty much every component of the engine because you've changed the shape of the engine block. That's a bunch of money spent on stuff the FIA doesn't care about. The parts that they want to see developed (the MGU-H and MGU-K) have a lot fewer restrictions on them.

Look at what happened with engines in the 90s and 2000s -- because the limit was on displacement, the way to get more power was with revs. You wound up with glorious, banshee-wail, 20,000 RPM engines that would last a race or two. Pneumatic valves, ultra short stroke, all in support of a red line that's double that of any street car ever made.

The teams will still spend their money on engine development, they'll just be chasing smaller increments of advantage.

Keith Tanner wrote: The teams will still spend their money on engine development, they'll just be chasing smaller increments of advantage.

I didn't say the goal was to control costs. The goal is to direct investment into areas that the FIA considers interesting. The teams & manufacturers have a budget for engine development, they will spend all of that budget chasing whatever advantages seem the most cost-effective. By applying more restrictions in some areas than in others, the FIA can influence which areas are most cost-effective, therefore which areas the budget will tend to get spent.

Makes sense.

A turbo Miata or hot hatch with MGU-H would be fantastic.

In reply to red_stapler:

Sure if you don't need say 8 of them to go like 500 miles...

No comments on the Singapore race?

Surprisingly good for a traditionally hard to pace race. Great drive for Vettle from the back after quality issues. Loved seeing Kyviat go toe to toe with Mad Max. I don't like Max, undeniably a great driver, but like MCS and Senna before him I feel he's a total tool who is at times danger. But yesterday after his poor start he made some amazing, safe and really good passes. If he hadn't fluffed the start I'd have given him driver of the day. Unfortunately his crappie start putting the Hulk out of the race. No one es fault just aneed unfortunate racing incident. Hammy appeared asleep until after the pit stops when he really came alive. Again Ferrari snatched defeat from. The jaws of a podium for Kimi, they were several laps late in calling him in for the first pitch stop which cost him 5-10 seconds then pulled him in for a late stop when Hammy went in a lap earlier even though it gaveasy LCH the under cut and Kimi's tires were only 13 laps old. Track position is king there and I think he could easily have fended off lewis. Stunning drive by Riccardo and great to see Pink Cown really pushing hard. Would have loved to see either Ricciardo or Kimi on the top step, but happy for Nico.

Nico earned it though. Great drive and back in front in the WRC. I may be a British and a Lewis fan, but I'm rooting for Nico to pull it off this year.

Glad to see Nico at the helms, but I think Hami is at his best when he is chasing the championship. Unless something mechanical happens to Hami or Nico, I think they both have the rest of the race wins covered, hopefully the winner has the most wins.

Alonso also had a great drive. I don't know what happened to Button. Was hoping to see both Maccas in it just to mix things up. Really sad about the Hulk's incident. Had a great start and a good weekend only to be smacked.

Thought it was a good race. Hamilton said afterwards that he had to drive really slow because of his brakes. I wonder what it is about Singapore that gives Mercedes so much trouble.
Was really rooting for Ricciardo to pull off the upset, but when MB told Nico they'd give him something to fight with on the last few laps, I kinda figured that chance was gone.
Great drive for Alonso. I'm still expecting (hoping?) McLaren to get everything figured out in the races and becoming a dominate force again. I think when they do, it'll be an unexpected jump as opposed to just slowly getting better.

-Rob

In reply to rob_lewis:

Merc have been marginal on brakes since the start of this hybrid formula. They absolutely max out energy recovery instead. This cost them the race win in Canada a couple of years ago when HAmmys brakes exploded which let the warn Nico who slowed down massively and nursed it to the finish when Ricciardo won.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: In reply to rob_lewis: Merc have been marginal on brakes since the start of this hybrid formula. They absolutely max out energy recovery instead. This cost them the race win in Canada a couple of years ago when HAmmys brakes exploded which let the warn Nico who slowed down massively and nursed it to the finish when Ricciardo won.

I didn't think Singapore was that heavy on brakes? Or, is it the heat and lack of free air driving on a close off street course? Seems like that track is once consistent barrier wall. I could imagine there is very little air flow around it.

-Rob

In reply to rob_lewis:

BBC 5 Live were saying that it's the 3rd hardest track on brakes. 90deg turn, a cell, decell, repeat something like 23 times a lap.

It was an interesting race. Nico is going well this year. I think most of it is finally getting into a groove with his mental training. He tried to be like other racers instead of being true to himself. I see he is trying to reduce his brittney style and just be his goofy self while not being as entertaining by answering the leading questions for the media.

Hamilton is in that nasty place where you used to beat the pants of someone and then all of a sudden due to mostly problems with your car you are behind. Then in the clutch moments you are just not performing. Very hard place to get out of mentally.

This just may go down to the last race of the year. Great!

Force India V Williams at one point differential. I suppose this makes it very hard to decide if you should transition to the 2017 design or keep development resources for this season.

McLaren are solid mid pack now. I wish the rules were stabilized for next year to see if it would finally be a year when 3-4 teams would be winning races. Hopefully the rules change doesn't just create a new dominant team.

Haas seems to be out of 2016. Someone should tell Grojean that this is it, stop complaining on the radio we can adjust what we have in 2016 and focus on 2017.

In reply to Advan046:

Considering that 2016 is Haas' FIRST year, this has still been a great one. They are still in the middle of the pack- not quite advancing as the other teams have, but I think it's still a remarkable achievement. Their "problem" was early season success meant much higher expectations from a lot of sources.

With the rules changes, I'm sure they are far more focused on 2017 since they secured some good prize money coming out of this season.

In reply to alfadriver:

100% agree. I am not trying to slight them. Just like I think it was Ferrari in 2013 they decided to check out of the current season to prepare for the next. Their performance was telling. Haas should be checking out. Just need to get Grojean to understand that constant on radio complaints won't help the team build the future.

So can Lewis really be that unlucky?.

The reverse could be said. He's had better luck than Nico over 3 years and he came to MB just when they became the best.

In reply to markwemple:

Hmm....and the 2 drivers swapped team members this yr.

I'd say his first championship was a bit lucky as well. I think he's had more good luck than bad in his career.

Fun race to watch. Lewis was gutted, and I can't blame him for feeling persecuted...but sometime excrement happens. Cool battle between the Red Bulls. Nico did a heck of a job, although his pass on Kimi was a very, very risky move. Not really sure he deserved a penalty, but he probably deserved it more than Seb did for the first lap deal. I think it could be pretty easily argued that Nico pulled into a risky hole there.

And- Lewis is done for the championship if Nico doesn't have a serious failure before the end of the season. Could very easily happen, though.

If Lewis wins all the remaining races, he would win, I think, but with the way Nicos been running this year, I don't see that happening.

Nico had all the bad luck with engine failures the past few years. It looks like the bad luck has just swung Hamiltons way. Suggesting that he was sabatoged was a bit much, though. E36 M3 happens, good and bad.

I thought Nico was done for after getting spun, but he put his head down and got on with business. That was impressive.

Nico was lucky that he didn't any damage when Vettel pulled that pretty stupid move. And further lucky that he didn't break the same corner when he smacked into Kimi.

As for Nico's past luck vs. Hamilton this season- I think perceptions are not really the same as reality. Up to now to over the last few seasons- the outright failures are pretty even (4-3, but Hamilton has had more engines let go), but Hamilton has had a few more instances where the qualifying was impacted by failures forcing him to deal with it.

How can that be interpreted as sabotage, though... I do see a big problem, though- Hamilton's engine is supposed to be almost brand new- part of the package that he got so many penalties for back in Spa. Someone is going to have a very early start for a Monday work week. As in 9am this past morning in Germany.

Great to see Alonso's car finish well. The penalties he took were well worth it.

Haas. Guys. Supplier problems??? Hope they can finish this season well.

anyone going to COTA for F1 in a few weeks?