FORUMula1.com

[darwin dali]

Oh, je suis choquée

Ce n'est pas possible!!

T'as raison

[sagi58]

Quelle surprise!!

[sagi58]

Ferrari in talks with new turbo supplier

Scuderia Ferrari is already hard at work at resolving its engine problems to prepare in the best possible way for the 2015 campaign. Until then though, no real performance updates can be added on the power unit.

Italian magazine Autosprint has reported that the team has begun talks to change turbo suppliers after finding out that the turbo of the current power unit, supplied by Honeywell, is one of the main problems for the car's lack of performance.

"Ferrari has its historical partners," wrote correspondent Alberto Antonini, "but something has to change."

Since the very beginning of the season, both Renault and Ferrari have faced stiff competition from Mercedes who appear to have done the better job on their power unit. Our analysis from the Austrian GP also showed that Renault and Ferrari appear to be fairly evenly matched in terms of outright power.

The regulations as they are now however are causing increased frustration among teams and suppliers as they are aware nothing much can be done about Mercedes' advantage. During the season, all power unit upgrades have to be given approval by the FIA and are only allowed when targeting an improvement in reliability. The problem here is obviously that Ferrari in particular are no really suffering any hardware reliability issues, requiring them to live with the current power deficit.

Two weeks ago this has notably led to Luca Di Montezemolo's call for a meeting about the future of F1 following repeated public outbursts of his frustration with the engine freeze regulations.

[3double8]

Word on street...

The reshuffling at Ferrari continues as the team look to emerge from their current slump with reports claiming they have hired several new engineers.

Ferrari haven't made a major assault on the Drivers' Championship in quite a few years and their stuttering start to the 2014 campaign resulted in Stefano Domenicali stepping down as team principal in April.

He was replaced by Marco Mattiacci, but it appears the Scuderia are set for a major overhaul of their technical department with Gazzetta dello Sport revealing they have hired 10 new engineers to work at Maranello.

The report claims they have managed to poach three experts from Mercedes, three aerodynamicists from Red Bull while a simulation specialist from the latter will also join them.

However, Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda has been quick to play down suggestions that they are losing top staff to their rivals.

"We have all the important engineers under contract," he told Germany's Auto Motor Und Sport. "We all remain on board and have long-term contracts with our major engineers."

Boy does that F14 T deserve a complete overhaul. I'm even more worried about the fact that they couldn't trace the problem. I guess hence a couple of pairs of new "eyes" to fix it.

[spankyham]

Finding and knowing the solution is not our current problem. It's the frustration of having to wait the year before we are allowed to try anything.
Remember, this is the first time in f1 history that teams are banned from improving their PUs.
So basically the advantage Mercedes fairly earned for the first race is granted to them for the rest of the year gratis.

[sagi58]

And, isn't that what di Montezemolo was arguing against?

I get the "unlimited" testing may not have been the best
solution; but, this is just as stupid, if not more so!!

It's a good thing it's not Ferrari, otherwise all we'd be hearing
about is how Ferrari "cheated" their way to the titles!!!!!!!!!

[spankyham]

And, isn't that what di Montezemolo was arguing against?

I get the "unlimited" testing may not have been the best
solution; but, this is just as stupid, if not more so!!

It's a good thing it's not Ferrari, otherwise all we'd be hearing
about is how Ferrari "cheated" their way to the titles!!!!!!!!!

It's not really the testing that's the issue here. That limitation has been in place for a while now. The killer this year (and for the first time in F1 history) is that no team is allowed to improve. Even if that team knows how to improve it is banned from doing so.

So Mercedes arrive at every race knowing they have a winning edge and no team is allowed to do anything to catch up or improve.

[sagi58]

My apologies for not being clearer!!

I meant is that "another" thing that di Montezemolo has been vocal about.
((The other being testing...))

If it had been Ferrari that showed up with the best Power Unit, there would
be yet another chorus of how Ferrari got the rules changed in their favour
and how they've cheated yet again...

((Hoping that's clearer??))

[spankyham]

My apologies for not being clearer!!

I meant is that "another" thing that di Montezemolo has been vocal about.
((The other being testing...))

If it had been Ferrari that showed up with the best Power Unit, there would
be yet another chorus of how Ferrari got the rules changed in their favour
and how they've cheated yet again...

((Hoping that's clearer??))

Sorry sagi, I see what you meant now.

You are right in pointing out that Luca was loud and clear in his opposition long before testing started for this season.

[sagi58]

Any clue on how Ferrari will vote on this FRIC issue?

[spankyham]

Saw the article on the FiA and FRIC. Strange how the FiA has no problem making a last minute decision on Ferrari's turbo (killing our PU before the start of the season leaving the team no time to redesign) but they need a vote of teams to rule against something else they think is illegal - what a joke.

I don't know how Ferrari will vote, but I think they should vote to tell the FiA is their fric'ing job to enforce all the rules, not enforce rules based on a popularity vote by the teams. Can you imagine the police suggesting they will decide whether enforce speeding fines by putting it to a vote of the drivers with tickets.

[sagi58]

I think them looking for "unanimity" is a complete joke!
It's them saying, we don't like that we messed up; but,
rather than admit that we did, we'll let you settle this and
we don't have to get our hands dirthy, in the process!!

[spankyham]

Ferrari tried out a new exhaust to try and improve the engine sound. Hopefully it works and looks a little better than the megaphone extension Mercedes tried at Barcelona

[spankyham]

Looking for the quote, but the team has now stated that nothing will be worked on for the rest of this year unless it will benefit next years car. A sensible move really.

[sagi58]

Looking for the quote, but the team has now stated that nothing will be worked on for the rest of this year unless it will benefit next years car. A sensible move really.