2014 Australian Grand Prix preview

Daniel Ricciardo starts his first race with Red Bull at his home Grand Prix.

Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the first GP preview of the 2014 season. I can not even explain how exited I am right now! The first GP weekend starts in 3 days in Melbourne, Australia.

Some readers of this blog have told me that they are going to be at the event watching the first race live. That's great guys but I am so used to start the season by watching the first practice sessions at 3 o'clock in the morning in Finland. I don't mind waking up or staying up late. If it's because of Formula One then I absolutely love it! Of course it would be nice to be in Australia right now as well.

Because this is the first preview there is probably a lot I should talk about but I'll try to keep this as short as possible. Some fans prefer that I go straight to the point and don't ramble away for several pages.

Like I usually do I will start by talking about the track and the previous races in Melbourne.

The track is actually a street circuit around the Albert Park lake and it looks like this:

Melbourne - Albert Park has been a part of Formula One since the year 1996 when Damon Hill won the first ever race there. If we talk about the current drivers then the most successful driver at Albert Park is probably Jenson Button. Let's see...

Jenson Button has won there three times in 2009, 2010 and 2012. He has also taken his first pole position there with Honda in 2006.

Then there is Kimi Räikkönen who has won 2 races at Albert Park in 2007 and last year in 2013.
He started his career in 2001 by taking 6th place for Sauber at that same circuit. The following year he replaced the two time world champion Mika Häkkinen at McLaren and took his first podium in the first race at Melbourne. In 2006 he was 2nd right after Fernando Alonso who is the third best scoring driver at Melbourne (from the current drivers).

Alonso has won only one race there in 2006 but has been on the podium 4 times excluding the win.

Then there is Lewis Hamilton who has also won once there in 2008 and been on the podium 3 times excluding the win.

Oh and Sebastian Vettel has also won there once in 2011 but he has been on the podium only 2 times excluding the win.

So statistically the best drivers at the Australian GP are the world champions Button, Räikkönen, Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel in that order. Of course we have to keep in mind that Button has raced there the most, Räikkönen was away for two years and Hamilton+Vettel are younger drivers (and they started in F1 in 2007).

Both Button and Räikkönen won with two different teams. Button with Brawn and McLaren, Räikkönen with Ferrari and Lotus. This year Button drivers for McLaren and Räikkönen for Ferrari.

It is unlikely that Vettel will succeed in Melbourne because of all the problems that Red Bull has had.

Ferrari and McLaren will do good which gives Button, Räikkönen and Alonso a chance of succeeding. I think that Hamilton still has the best chances because Mercedes has shown very good pace in the winter testing. In fact all of the Mercedes powered cars have been great! Especially the Williams team.

The Ferrari powered cars are somewhere in the middle. Even Marussia's pace has been better than Caterham's. Marussia has Ferrari engines and Caterham has Renault engines.

All of the Renault cars have been having a lot of problems but I am still pretty sure that Red Bull will get their act together and fight for wins again at some point. That might be somewhere near the end of the season though.

It's very hard to guess anything at this point because of the new cars and possible rain on Sunday but I'll give it a try..

My guesses:

Pole position: Felipe Massa

The race:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
3. Felipe Massa, Williams

Fastest lap: Kimi Räikkönen

Surprise: Marussia!

Enjoy the first Grand Prix weekend! I know I will ;)

Pirelli confirm in-season tyre test schedule

In-season testing returns to Formula One racing this season, with two-day post-race tests in Bahrain, Spain, Great Britain and Abu Dhabi, and in an agreement finalised at the recent Bahrain test, each team must dedicate one day of testing exclusively to tyre development work with Pirelli. 

The tyres that each team will use during its nominated tyre test days will be supplied by Pirelli and will not form part of their 135 allocated sets for the year. For the final test in Abu Dhabi Pirelli will supply all the teams with prototype tyres in preparation for the 2015 season.

2014 Pirelli tyre testing schedule:

Bahrain test (April 8-9)
Day 1 - Caterham
Day 2 - Mercedes and Williams

Barcelona test (May 13-14)
Day 1 - Sauber and Toro Rosso
Day 2 - McLaren and Force India

Silverstone test (July 8-9)
Day 1 - Ferrari and Lotus
Day 2 - Red Bull and Marussia 

(source: f1.com)

2014 Season Preview - the dawn of a new Formula One era

Everything has gone back into the melting pot after the biggest set of rule changes in the sport’s history, and after 12 days of winter testing - four in Spain and eight in Bahrain - the reality is that nobody really knows what to expect when the lights go out in Albert Park on Sunday, March 16.

On paper, Mercedes and Williams dominated the testing, chased by Ferrari and Force India, while four-time champions Red Bull endured a disastrous campaign which leaves them wondering if they can even finish the first race, let alone dominate it the way that Sebastian Vettel did so often in the final season of the 2.4-litre normally aspirated V8 formula.

Formula One racing has had big rule changes in the past, of course, such as the doubling of engine capacity from 1.5 litres to 3 litres back in 1966. But there have never been so many significant changes in one go. And it’s not just aerodynamics and engine capacity. The entire powertrain is new as the sport pushes the boundaries of hybrid technology, a move that is certain to benefit road car design and means that 2014’s F1 machines will run races on 35 percent less fuel than last season.

The change in engine design philosophy is the most profound aspect of the new formula, and will help to make the powertrain a performance differentiator just as the aerodynamics are. Teams must master the nuances of the supremely complex technology, not least how to manage the balance between mechanical power and the electrical system with its Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) and the associated batteries, which will affect both horsepower and fuel economy and thus significantly affect the face of race strategy.

The normally aspirated 90-degree 2.4-litre 18,000 rpm V8s were relatively uncomplicated, even with their KERS. But the new 90-degree 1.6-litre 15,000 rpm V6s are far more complex. The turbocharger reappears for the first time since 1988, but there are also two forms of energy harvesting, using two separate Motor Generator Units (MGU), which convert mechanical and heat energy to electrical energy and vice versa.

The MGU-K works like an uprated version of KERS, converting kinetic energy generated under braking into electricity (rather than it escaping as heat). It also acts as a motor under acceleration, returning power to the drivetrain from the Energy Store (ES). The MGU-H, meanwhile, is connected to the turbocharger and converts heat energy from exhaust gases into electrical energy. The energy can then be used to power the MGU-K (and thus the drivetrain) or be retained in the ES for subsequent use. The MGU-H also controls the speed of the turbo, speeding it up (to prevent turbo lag) or slowing it down in place of a more traditional wastegate.

The basic engine produces around 447 kW (600 bhp), but compared to 2013 KERS, the new ERS has twice the power (120 kW [160 bhp] as opposed to 60 kW [80 bhp]) for 33s a lap. That’s twice as much power for nearly five times longer than the V8’s system and a performance effect around 10 times greater. Thus the V6s, turbocharged at 3.4 bar (50 psi) will develop similar power overall to the V8s, 567 kW (760 bhp). And there will be far more torque - 425 Nm (570 lb ft) at 10,500 rpm even without the energy recovery systems, as opposed to 300 Nm (402 lb ft) at 17,500 rpm last year. The new energy systems deploy automatically according to the chosen mapping, rather than needing to be selected by the driver, and electronic fly-by-wire rear braking is allowed to cope with the altered characteristics of the brake energy harvesting. 

Additionally, the teams are only allowed 100 kg (140 litres) of fuel, flowed at the rate of 100 kg/hour by FIA-mandated fuel regulators, as opposed to the 2.4s’ 160 kg or so (225 litres) flowed at around 170 kg/hour. Part of the greater efficiency is down to the use for the first time in F1 racing of Direct Injection (DI), where fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber so that the fuel-air mixture is formed within the cylinder. The precision of this process critically influences power delivery and fuel efficiency.

Just to spice things up further, drivers are allowed only five power units per season rather than the eight in previous years, and the specification was frozen for the year by the FIA in Bahrain on February 28.

In the transmission part of the powertrain, cars now have eight rather than seven speeds, with gear ratios required by the FIA to be homologated for the season.

So that’s the powertrain rule changes. What about the aerodynamics?

The biggest change is to the exhaust. A single exhaust pipe is mandated with fixed dimensions and angle of protrusion. This means teams will no longer be able to generate downforce by directing exhaust gases to the rear diffuser.

The tip of the nose must be centred at 185 mm, which is just above the front wing, which is why there are so many unusual looking noses, and the effect not only improves safety but also compromises airflow beneath the nose and the chassis, a crucial area.

The front wing is 150 mm narrower, and while that might not seem much it places the endplates right in front of, rather than flush with, the outer edge of the front tyres. That has had a significant effect on airflow and efficiency. The rear wing is smaller, with a ban on horizontal mounting beams, but DRS remains. To compensate for the lost downforce its gap now opens up to 65 mm rather than 50 to help to reduce drag further. The minimum weight has also increased significantly, from 642 kg to 691 kg.

The new breed of cars is trickier to drive, with the reduced downforce and much greater torque generating oversteer. And though engine maps will be decided before a race, fuel conservation via careful use of the throttle will still be a key in race strategy.

The drivers will also, of course, still have to manage their tyres, particularly the rears with the extra torque. Pirelli say their 2014 rubber is more durable and creates fewer ‘marbles’, and the plan is to use compounds only one step apart at each race rather than two as last year. For Australia, they will supply their medium and soft compounds, and believe they will generate two or even three pit stops.

After initial fears that the new cars might be slow, the speeds achieved in Bahrain compared well with last year’s at the Sakhir circuit. Felipe Massa ended testing with the fastest time overall of 1m 33.258s, whereas Nico Rosberg’s pole time for the 2013 race was 1m 32.330s.

All of the new rules are complemented by changes on the driver front. At McLaren the super-exciting Kevin Magnussen heads the rookies, while Daniil Kvyat steps in at Toro Rosso and Marcus Ericsson at Caterham, where Kamui Kobayashi makes a welcome return. Kimi Raikkonen switches back to Ferrari, Felipe Massa to Williams, Daniel Ricciardo to Red Bull, Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez to Force India, Adrian Sutil to Sauber and Pastor Maldonado to Lotus.

And F1 racing is set to return to Austria and to venture to Russia for the first time, adding to its global appeal.

Will Mercedes dominate in Australia? Can Williams challenge for victory? What about Ferrari? And do Red Bull have the faintest chance? 

There are so many questions that can only be answered on the track and that, allied to the prospect of some significant unreliability, makes the first race of the new era the most open in recent history.

(source: f1.com)

F1 TREASURES X

This DVD arrived in the mail last week and I have just watched it. I love it when you can buy season reviews etc. when it's between seasons. You get your dose of F1 and you stay happy for a little while.

This was a double DVD with over 5 hours of material. I had ordered this DVD earlier from Spain but I never got it. This came from the UK with no problems.

I have all the season reviews that have been released on DVD and also a lot of the VHS versions as well. I'll try to find them all and take a picture for the Facebook page later.

Earlier this weekend we have asked the fans of our Facebook page to send us pictures of your F1 stuff and also pictures from races etc. So if you have something to show us then please do.

Send them to our facebook-inbox at the F1 4 Life page so that our wall doesn't flow with pictures. We will post them on the wall ourselves if there is something really cool.

I want to thank everybody who have already sent us pictures! It is always interesting to see what kind of Formula One maniacs we have in our "F1 community" ;)

Next weekend it's Formula One time and this time for real! No more testing! No more waiting!

I will post a GP preview again before the weekend as I always do. After the GP I will post a review as well and see how it went.

I am very exited and can not wait for the season to start!

The Limit - Discovery Channel Documentary

The 2014 driver's achievements so far

Jenson Button is the most experienced driver of the grid. He has been in F1 since the year 2000.

I thought I could post a few listings where you could see which drivers are the most experienced and which ones have achieved the most etc. I am only listing current drivers that have a seat in a Formula One team for 2014. Here we go!


Championships

1. Sebastian Vettel - 4
2. Fernando Alonso - 2
3. Kimi Räikkönen - 1
4. Lewis Hamilton - 1
5. Jenson Button - 1

Grand Prix races

1. Jenson Button - 249
2. Fernando Alonso - 217
3. Kimi Räikkönen - 193
4. Felipe Massa - 192
5. Nico Rosberg - 147
6. Lewis Hamilton - 129
7. Sebastian Vettel - 120
8. Adrian Sutil - 109
9. Kamui Kobayashi - 60
10. Nico Hülkenberg - 58
11. Pastor Maldonado - 58
12. Sergio Perez - 57
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 50
14. Romain Grosjean - 45
15. Jean-Eric Vergne - 39
16. Valtteri Bottas - 19
17. Esteban Gutierrez - 19
18. Jules Bianchi - 19
19. Max Chilton - 19
20. Kevin Magnussen - 0
21. Daniil Kvjat - 0
22. Marcus Ericsson - 0

Wins

1. Sebastian Vettel - 39
2. Fernando Alonso - 32
3. Lewis Hamilton - 22
4. Kimi Räikkönen - 20
5. Jenson Button - 15
6. Felipe Massa - 11
7. Nico Rosberg - 3
8. Pastor Maldonado - 1

Podiums

1. Fernando Alonso - 95
2. Kimi Räikkönen - 77
3. Sebastian Vettel - 62
4. Lewis Hamilton - 54
5. Jenson Button - 49
6. Felipe Massa - 36
7. Nico Rosberg - 11
8. Romain Grosjean - 9
9. Sergio Perez - 3
10. Pastor Maldonado - 1
11. Kamui Kobayashi - 1

Pole positions

1. Sebastian Vettel - 45
2. Fernando Alonso - 22
3. Lewis Hamilton - 31
4. Kimi Räikkönen - 16
5. Felipe Massa - 15
6. Jenson Button - 8
7. Nico Rosberg - 4
8. Nico Hülkenberg - 1
9. Pastor Maldonado - 1

Fastest laps

1. Kimi Räikkönen - 39
2. Sebastian Vettel - 22
3. Fernando Alonso - 21
4. Felipe Massa - 14
5. Lewis Hamilton - 13
6. Jenson Button - 8
7. Nico Rosberg - 4
8. Sergio Perez - 2
9. Kamui Kobayashi - 1
10. Nico Hülkenberg - 1
11. Esteban Gutierrez - 1
12. Romain Grosjean - 1

Teams

1. Jenson Button - 7 (McLaren, Williams, Benetton, Renault, BAR, Honda, Brawn)
2. Kimi Räikkönen - 4 (Ferrari, Sauber, McLaren, Lotus)
3. Fernando Alonso - 4 (Ferrari, Minardi, Renault, McLaren)
4. Kamui Kobayashi - 4 (Caterham, Toyota, BMW-Sauber, Sauber)
5. Sebastian Vettel - 3 (Red Bull, BMW, Toro Rosso)
6. Sergio Perez - 3 (Force India, Sauber, McLaren)
7. Adrian Sutil - 3 (Sauber, Spyker, Force India)
8. Nico Hülkenberg - 3 (Force India, Williams, Sauber)
9. Felipe Massa - 3 (Williams, Sauber, Ferrari)
10. Daniel Ricciardo - 3 (Red Bull, Hispania, Toro Rosso)
11. Lewis Hamilton - 2 (Mercedes, McLaren)
12. Romain Grosjean - 2 (Lotus, Renault)
13. Pastor Maldonado - 2 (Lotus, Williams)
14. Nico Rosberg - 2 (Mercedes, Williams)
15. Kevin Magnussen - 1 (McLaren)
16. Esteban Gutierrez - 1 (Sauber)
17. Valtteri Bottas - 1 (Williams)
18. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1 (Toro Rosso)
19. Marcus Ericsson - 1 (Caterham)
20. Daniil Kvjat - 1 (Toro Rosso)
21. Max Chilton - 1 (Marussia)
22. Jules Bianchi - 1 (Marussia)

Williams announce title sponsorship deal with Martini

Earlier there were speculation that the car would look something like this if Martini and Williams would work together.

Williams’ cars will feature a revised, though not unfamiliar, white colour scheme this season following a new title sponsorship deal with Italian drinks firm Martini, which will see the team renamed as Williams Martini Racing.

The Grove-based squad, who ran their 2014 challenger, the Mercedes-powered FW36, with a ‘heritage blue’ livery during testing, revealed their new look at a special launch event in London on Thursday. 

This is the one you will see in Australia next week.

“We are thrilled to welcome Martini to the Williams family and officially launch Williams Martini Racing,” said Sir Frank Williams, founder and team principal.

“Williams and Martini share a rich history in the world of motorsport, and the values of our two brands and our shared passion for racing make this partnership a natural fit. It will be great to see the distinctive stripes of Martini Racing return to Formula One once again in unison with Williams.”

The Martini brand’s longstanding relationship with motorsport began in 1968 with the creation of Martini Racing and the company has previously sponsored Formula One teams including Brabham, Lotus and Ferrari.

“The decision to partner with Williams was a natural one for us as it provides an unparalleled opportunity for the Martini brand to connect with consumers through one of their lifestyle passions, Formula One racing,” said Andy Gibson, Chief Marketing Officer of Bacardi and President of Bacardi Global Brands, who oversees marketing for Martini.

“Williams Martini Racing provides a powerful, integrated marketing platform and delivers dynamic opportunities that will strengthen the Martini brand.”

The new-look Williams team will take to the track for the first time at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia next week, with their revised driver line-up of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas at the wheel.

(source: f1.com)