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[darwin dali]

Renault, which supplies Red Bull as well as its factory team, is believed to have the most fuel efficient engine, albeit one slightly down on power. A frugal engine will allow a team to run a lighter fuel load at the start of the race, a factor that will be worth a significant amount of lap time in the early stages of a grand prix. Fuel levels will no longer have a bearing on qualifying times, as the top ten won't have to run in Q3 with enough fuel to start the race. Therefore, the Renault powered cars may qualify lower down the grid but make significant gains during the opening laps.

[scotty]

It works if there's no traffic and the tyres hold up from qualifying...

[darwin dali]

It works if there's no traffic and the tyres hold up from qualifying...

No traffic is the keyword here, yes, hence my doubts. The tires should be roughly the same for the first ten on the grid, unless Renault-powered cars make a conscious decision to qualify a bit lower to save their tires for the beginning of the race...

[Gaz]

Renault, which supplies Red Bull as well as its factory team, is believed to have the most fuel efficient engine, albeit one slightly down on power. A frugal engine will allow a team to run a lighter fuel load at the start of the race, a factor that will be worth a significant amount of lap time in the early stages of a grand prix. Fuel levels will no longer have a bearing on qualifying times, as the top ten won't have to run in Q3 with enough fuel to start the race. Therefore, the Renault powered cars may qualify lower down the grid but make significant gains during the opening laps.

Depends on the Numbers.

You'd need to know how much less fuel the Renault can run with compared to the Mercades, Ferrari or Cosworth Engines.

Vs the Power Diffrence

Also depends on the circuit and driver style too.

[Jensonb]

Yeah, it's a toughie. The theory checks out, but like Gaz says you need the numbers - and the circumstances are a big deciding factor. You might get a Renault driver driving thirsty and canceling out the deficit, or a Merc (For example) driver driving frugally and making up the difference.

[7UpJordan]

If that Stefan GP gets on the grid they will be buggered, the Toyota engine was the least powerful and the thirstiest engine on the grid last year.

[Gaz]

If that Stefan GP gets on the grid they will be buggered, the Toyota engine was the least powerful and the thirstiest engine on the grid last year.

And the Accelerator Pedal would get stuck open because of the floor mats.

[headless]

If that Stefan GP gets on the grid they will be buggered, the Toyota engine was the least powerful and the thirstiest engine on the grid last year.

And the Accelerator Pedal would get stuck open because of the floor mats.

haha yeha

[cap-dude]

One theory I had.

Renault's shorter fuel tank means a shorter wheel based car. Where as McLaren, Sauber and Ferrari have much longer wheelbased cars. If anyone remembers, the cars wheelbase was a large talking point during 2007. McLaren's shorter wheelbase meant they were mighty quick at circuits like Monaco and Canada. Whilst Ferrari's longer wheelbase meant they were quick at places like Spa and Turkey.

I find interesting to see if we'll see major differences between who leads at Monaco and who leads at somewhere like Spa.


Don't quote me one this, but I think Red Bull had a longer wheelbase car last year. But with a Renault engine this year, where does that put them. Red Bull I think will be the most interesting car launch this year. A lot of people still underestimating them or just forgetting about them.

[7UpJordan]

One theory I had.

Renault's shorter fuel tank means a shorter wheel based car. Where as McLaren, Sauber and Ferrari have much longer wheelbased cars. If anyone remembers, the cars wheelbase was a large talking point during 2007. McLaren's shorter wheelbase meant they were mighty quick at circuits like Monaco and Canada. Whilst Ferrari's longer wheelbase meant they were quick at places like Spa and Turkey.

I find interesting to see if we'll see major differences between who leads at Monaco and who leads at somewhere like Spa.

The Ferrari and McLaren being long will probably mean they're too big to manouvere at Monaco and will probably get stuck at some of the corners.

[NateDawg80126]

I think it would be nice if it really worked like that, would keep things more interesting but I doubt it will actually help much. I expect the lower weight of the fuel at the start of the race will be cancelled out by the weaker engine, won't really help much IMO.

[cap-dude]

One theory I had.

Renault's shorter fuel tank means a shorter wheel based car. Where as McLaren, Sauber and Ferrari have much longer wheelbased cars. If anyone remembers, the cars wheelbase was a large talking point during 2007. McLaren's shorter wheelbase meant they were mighty quick at circuits like Monaco and Canada. Whilst Ferrari's longer wheelbase meant they were quick at places like Spa and Turkey.

I find interesting to see if we'll see major differences between who leads at Monaco and who leads at somewhere like Spa.

The Ferrari and McLaren being long will probably mean they're too big to manouvere at Monaco and will probably get stuck at some of the corners.

Scumacher parked it at Monaco. Kimi parked it at Monaco. Massa parked it at Monaco (well sorta, it was for like 2 seconds whilst Kimi was reversing from parking it himself)

Alonso's turn next

[7UpJordan]

One theory I had.

Renault's shorter fuel tank means a shorter wheel based car. Where as McLaren, Sauber and Ferrari have much longer wheelbased cars. If anyone remembers, the cars wheelbase was a large talking point during 2007. McLaren's shorter wheelbase meant they were mighty quick at circuits like Monaco and Canada. Whilst Ferrari's longer wheelbase meant they were quick at places like Spa and Turkey.

I find interesting to see if we'll see major differences between who leads at Monaco and who leads at somewhere like Spa.

The Ferrari and McLaren being long will probably mean they're too big to manouvere at Monaco and will probably get stuck at some of the corners.

Scumacher parked it at Monaco. Kimi parked it at Monaco. Massa parked it at Monaco (well sorta, it was for like 2 seconds whilst Kimi was reversing from parking it himself)

Alonso's turn next

Maybe he'll park it sideways on the barrier at Rascasse where Capelli did the same when he drove for Ferrari in 1992.

[racechick]

Renault, which supplies Red Bull as well as its factory team, is believed to have the most fuel efficient engine, albeit one slightly down on power. A frugal engine will allow a team to run a lighter fuel load at the start of the race, a factor that will be worth a significant amount of lap time in the early stages of a grand prix. Fuel levels will no longer have a bearing on qualifying times, as the top ten won't have to run in Q3 with enough fuel to start the race. Therefore, the Renault powered cars may qualify lower down the grid but make significant gains during the opening laps.

Depends on the Numbers.

You'd need to know how much less fuel the Renault can run with compared to the Mercades, Ferrari or Cosworth Engines.

Vs the Power Diffrence

Also depends on the circuit and driver style too.

10-15 kg less than the Ferrari. About 7-10 I think less than the merc. In the fist few laps it will be worth about 0.45 sec. So the ferraris will be out of place-further forward than their opening few laps speed are capable of and vice versa for the renault engines.

[darwin dali]

Red Bull I think will be the most interesting car launch this year. A lot of people still underestimating them or just forgetting about them.

Completely agree. I'm very curious which way RB is going to go, the Renault route or the McLaren route, or as per usual their own way somewhere in the between and beyond in many respects?