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[LewEngBridewell]

massa is a good driver, but i wouldnt say he is brilliant, i think that rosberg is better

He gave Hamilton a good run for his money in '08, but he's never reached those heights since. Especially after his '09 accident in Budapest.

[bud]

Martin Whitmarsh is hoping the FIA's decision to ban the changing of engine mapping in parc ferme will give his team a boost in this weekend's European GP.

As of this weekend race in Valencia, teams are no longer permitted to change engine mapping after qualifying and ahead of the grand prix.

This new ban is expected to have a major impact on Red Bull who are believed to use extreme engine mapping during qualifying before returning to a safer mode for the grand prix.

And if that proves to be true, Red Bull's fantastic form this season could come to an end, paving the way for their rivals to come to the fore.

"There are some changes this weekend in that the FIA will enforce a strict parc ferme regulation, which will mean that the car as qualified will be the one that races," Whitmarsh said during Thursday's Vodafone phone-in.

"Based on what I have just told you we should be hopeful on that. But I think we have got to assume that everyone has been working hard.

"I think we have got a few developments that we are going to bring to the race. We have got two very motivated drivers and we will do our best to win there. We've won at most circuits obviously, it would be nice to win at Valencia."

The team boss also spoke of the decision to delay the introduction of 'greener' 1.6 litre four-cylinder turbo engines until 2014.

"I'm happy that we have agreement between the manufacturers," he said. "They have all agreed and endorsed this, which is extremely positive, the teams have agreed it and it was agreed overwhelmingly within the F1 Commission yesterday, so I think that's positive because, clearly, there's been a range of different opinions expressed and felt so to achieve a consensus amongst all the parties, I think, was very positive."

MW seems excited about the mapping ruling...

[FRAFPDD]

Ive seen Helmet Marko claim the new regulation changes are there to favour Ferrari

Adrian Newey calling the changes absurd

Martin Whitmarsh saying the changes will help Mclaren




Are we about to see the remainder of the season see Vettels huge advantage twindled down by a now front running Mclaren?
Has Red Bull lost their qualifying advtange with the engine mapping, will they lose it all with the blown diffuser ban?
Can anyone catch up with Vettels point tally?

Might just be getting started, this season may.............................

[vlad]

Everyone's relaxed in Red Bull! They got it covered.

[Big Azza]

Everyone's relaxed in Red Bull! They got it covered.

Thank you for your optimism!

I'm starting to have some doubts myself. All these "refinements" seem to be there to specifically target Red Bull. Christian Horner maintains that Red Bull will not be affected any worse than the other teams. Perhaps that is F1, but there is no doubting that McLaren have the faster car. Whilst I am happy to have Vettel win every single race hence-forth, perhaps the threat of a title challenge from Button would also excite me.

The thing is, as long as Vettel keeps getting poles, it seems that many will continue attribute that to the car, and not the driver. Just imagine the car is actually as fast as Webber, not Vettel. The fact that both McLaren drivers continually finish ahead of Webber suggests to me that the McLaren is faster. Vettel, is supreme however - and will constantly continue to eak out the tenths needed to put that car on pole.

Sorry guys - I cannot resist. I just don't know what Vettel has to do to put the doubters to rest. Oh - that's right - keep winning!

Once again I expect the result to be a Vettel pole+victory, and Button, Hamilton, Webber, and Alonso, Schumacher all battling for podiums behind him. Kobayashi I'd like to see high up in the points, and at one point get a podium this year....

[spankyham]

I think far too much is being made of the overrun. It is only really used in Q, and probably only one lap there and, there is a cut-down version available during the race which can be used for perhaps 2 or 3 laps max.

Personally I think RB have far more problems on their hands than engine overrun. Firstly both McLaren and Ferrari are as fast as them in race pace and both those cars are getting faster every race. At the start of the season I wrote that I felt one of RB's limitation has been their inability to make much in-season improvement. It is a limitation of their choice IMO, but a limitation none the less. The restraining factors are these:-
1) Pull-rod suspension
2) very tight/small package
Both those make any changes very difficult. They of course come with big advantages, which we have seen.

There is also their KERS problems. I also wrote earlier in the year that I would be very surprised if RB could ever sort out their KERS this year. Their placement and packaging of KERS is the problem. They can't really move it (the most obvious way of fixing their problem). Because their KERS is so much further back, to move it they would have to make significant weight changes at the other end of the car - the weight distribution is governed this year. They also can't easily change their batteries (too big a weight penalty).

What's happening is what I expected. I think the Ferrari and McLaren will continue to get faster. The question is, can anyone overcome the lead Red Bull have built, and, Red Bull aren't just going to disappear.

We might just see a different car winning a race this year at the European GP.

[darwin dali]

I'd be much more careful with statements to the effect of McLaren and Ferrari getting faster every race compared to Red Bull after a couple of races whose characteristics didn't suit Red Bull.
I'm just saying...

[spankyham]

I'd be much more careful with statements to the effect of McLaren and Ferrari getting faster every race compared to Red Bull after a couple of races whose characteristics didn't suit Red Bull.
I'm just saying...

It's a very valid point, and you're right that it needs to be factored in. It is only my opinion in the end, but, I think Valencia will show us a lot. It is a track far more suited to Red Bull and it is before the complete overrun ban comes into place at Silverstone.

I guess we shall see.

[Big Azza]

We know the teams can easily turn down engines from the garage. So perhaps we'll see Vettel start with his qually engine mapping and pull away to 30 second lead by the end of lap two, and then Red Bull will turn down his engine!

[darwin dali]

I'd be much more careful with statements to the effect of McLaren and Ferrari getting faster every race compared to Red Bull after a couple of races whose characteristics didn't suit Red Bull.
I'm just saying...

It's a very valid point, and you're right that it needs to be factored in. It is only my opinion in the end, but, I think Valencia will show us a lot. It is a track far more suited to Red Bull and it is before the complete overrun ban comes into place at Silverstone.

I guess we shall see.

At Valencia, the equation changes quite a bit with the engine mapping changes in parc fermé banned. Thus, it could be considered another track not well suited to Red Bull - this could be the case for all races still to come until AN has pulled out another rabbit from his seemingly bottomless hat of tricks. Hence, it's going to be interesting to see what happens, but again, it won't be the last word. The next major change will come in Silverstone and from then on we can hopefully enjoy watching the engineering chess game of development to the last race of the season w/o FIA's heavy-handed impact.

[What's Burning?]

Even practice tomorrow may be interesting as we may see (and hear) different things before the ban in Silverstone.

[bud]

We know the teams can easily turn down engines from the garage. So perhaps we'll see Vettel start with his qually engine mapping and pull away to 30 second lead by the end of lap two, and then Red Bull will turn down his engine!

30 second lead within 2 laps? and no the teams cannot change engine mapping from the garage, the drivers can alter their fuel air ratio in car but engine mapping is done via the ecu by an outside computer.

[What's Burning?]

I

just

remembered

that

the

race

is

on

FOX

again

this

Sunday!



That means another race not showing the post race interviews, another race shown with a four hour delay, and another race without a race preview of any kind.



I think Silverstone is back on SPEED.

[darwin dali]

:banghead:

I

just

remembered

that

the

race

is

on

FOX

again

this

Sunday!



That means another race not showing the post race interviews, another race shown with a four hour delay, and another race without a pre-race review of any kind.



I think Silverstone is back on SPEED.

Nope, first one NOT on FOX will be Hungary

[bud]

[youtube]p1At_BJ7V98[/youtube]