Formula One ( F1 )

Rep!

Bottas has been confirmed to drive for Mercedes.

Good. Good for him.

Pleased with that.

That's good news, I hoped he'd get it.

And Massa back at Williams. I'm happy about that. He's a real piece of the furniture at F1.

I have to disagree on Massa, I've been a huge fan but he's had his time. Time to step aside for some others to come into the sport IMO.

I realise that Williams are in need of an experienced driver to pair with Lance Stroll, and I guess Massa is the sensible choice for the team.

I think it's an easy choice to go for him, on a one year deal, because they need to take care of their drinks manufacturer advertiser, who requires a driver over 25 to be part of their marketing campaigns.

This is a pretty diagram showing the new rule change to the cars for this year:

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Good news!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38734708

Very interesting, this raised my eyebrows but makes a lot of sense, from a certain perspective:

"We have to see if we can develop the rules to reward innovation less," Brawn said. "Because as it is now innovation is heavily rewarded and if you can afford it, the slope is still quite steep - more money, faster cars. If we can flatten that off with the regulations that would go in the right direction."

That's a really tough thing to do, I suspect, unless you totally control certain aspects - I wonder if (first thing I thought of, may be stupid) you could specify a certain number of kg of downforce at say 100, 200 and 300 kph?

Problem there is (again, thinking as I type) you still reward innovation if you maintain that maximum limit of downforce for more of the time.

The more I think about it the more I'd like to keep a reward for innovation through inductive leap of reasoning/design, but not iterative design powered by simply having more cash. Legislate for that though!

The innovation thing isn't really a new argument. The problem with F1 is that is is to be seen as the pinnacle of motorsport. But that means different things to different people. Some want great racing, some want the newest pioneering technology. These two are generally not compatable. Not sure about the rest of you but I'd much rather see the current crop of drivers racing in Lotus 49s or more powerful Formula Fords that a series of inverted wings on wheels.

The downforce limit has been discussed before but the issue is that teams will still pile money into getting the most effecient downforce setup. Though downforce is not like a torque curve in that you can have a top value over a large range, it gets larger pretty linerarly with speed.

I think the hybrid powertrains are a good way to keep F1 looking relevant to the rest of the world, and as a result of having steady rules in that area for the past few years the teams are converging. Keeping the formula unchanged for a few seasons is the best way to level the playing field. I'm pretty confident Brawn will be going this route.

Also as a side note, I can't think of a single person I'd rather have at the helm of the sport than Brawn. Here's hoping for a long tenure.

That's a really tough thing to do, I suspect, unless you totally control certain aspects - I wonder if (first thing I thought of, may be stupid) you could specify a certain number of kg of downforce at say 100, 200 and 300 kph?

Why not no downforce at any speed? Easy to test in a windtunnel. Then say you can have any engine you like as long as it has a minimum of, say, 800bhp. Manual gearbox, no driver aids. Cue proper racing.

So no buyer found for Manor, shame:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38772098

would not surprise me if B teams will be on the agenda for the new Owners ...

They've been there before. Hopefully a solution is found again.

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Montoya's coming back then ;)

merc car launch
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZzzzzzzZZZ

so much for the projected outlandish F1 car designs after new rules were decided last year - they look like this year but with even more aero winglets on the back/front/side

close up of Renaults front wing showed a gazillion of them

sigh

That's a great looking car. The livery helps, but it's so clean and simple.

This is the last F1 car to look any good.
And of course, once they added a huge wing to each end, the one which ruined everything.

be interesting to see what the new rulers and makers and shakers will do if the merc is 1.5 secs ahead of everyone else for 3 races -- watch those viewing figures plummit.

Big-talk from Force India about the new Merc engine. They expect to be in the top 3...

yeah yeah and that Honda's new engine will put McLaren ahead of merc's - all sponsor headline grabbing BS