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[Hammer278]

No it's an improvement for sure, but my question is the timing of when the SC goes in. What happens if the last backmarker passes just a few 10-20 yards before the pit entrance....will the SC shoot back in on this lap? This would mean the leader has a big job with a crowd of backmarkers to pass all over again.

[1Lemon]

No it's an improvement for sure, but my question is the timing of when the SC goes in. What happens if the last backmarker passes just a few 10-20 yards before the pit entrance....will the SC shoot back in on this lap? This would mean the leader has a big job with a crowd of backmarkers to pass all over again.

See that's what I was thinking when I was writing it, but didn't want to speculate, I have a feeling there is a minimum point where the SC can turn off it's lights to tell the leader it's going back into the pits so it may just follow that.

[sagi58]

, James Galloway wrote:">Bernie Ecclestone says German GP not certain to take place in 2015

Bernie Ecclestone has cast fresh doubt over this year’s German GP by suggesting the race may yet not go ahead at all.

Under the terms of the long-standing race share agreement between Germany’s two F1 venues, the Nurburging had been scheduled to return as the host of this year’s event after Hockeheim hosted the 2014 race. However, Ecclestone revealed last week that the race was set to stay at Hockenheim for this year as at the Nurburgring “there’s nobody there”.

But asked in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News HQ’s Craig Slater if Hockenheim was now firmly on the calendar and had a deal in place for 2015, Ecclestone admitted: “Not really.”

Although the F1 supremo did reveal he was meeting with the new owners of the Nurburgring in London later on Wednesday – raising the prospect that their 2015 hopes may not yet be over after all – he conceded that there was a chance that the German race might not take place altogether this year...

[racechick]

the man is ridiculous!

[Jabberwocky]

Bernie's threat to drop the German GP is no more or less than Toto is doing with Lewis and saying Alonso and Bottas is waiting in the wings.

By threatening to drop Germany he will be able to squeeze more money out of them as he will do them a favour to keep them on the calander.

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[racechick]

Lauda says it's essential F1 cars go to at least 1000bhp whilst maintaining hybrid technology, because these ones are too easy to drive.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117422

[CookinFlat6]

Lauda says it's essential F1 cars go to at least 1000bhp whilst maintaining hybrid technology, because these ones are too easy to drive.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117422

Makes sense as the 2015 Merc cannt be more than a tweak or two away from this especially with the new full boost capability. But he wants to keep the sophisticated Hybrid stuff that attracted Merc Honda and Renault. I wonder if Ferrari and Horner still want to get rid of it for standard Kers that will need expensive and open ended development to allow it to produce 1000bhp yet complete a race with less than 100 kg of fuel

Or do they still think the fuel limit is restricting competition

AUTOSPORT has learned that the discussions between the Power Unit Working Group and the FIA were positive, although it is unlikely that any of the changes being talked about will come in to force until 2017.

However, there is a belief that the 1000bhp target could be achieved without the need for a total redesign of the current turbo V6 engines nor a complete new engine formula - which would be expensive.

Instead, an increase to the fuel flow rate, higher revs, minor design tweaks such as to crank firing, plus increasing the maximum fuel allowance beyond 100kg, would be enough for the current engines to hit the 1000bhp target.

The ideas have now been put forward for further discussion by F1's technical directors later this month, and will also be tabled at the next meeting of the Strategy Group, in a bid to get the green light for more detailed work.

One issue that the engine chiefs want to know from F1 team bosses is whether the priority is for simply more power, or if engine noise should be a factor in modifications too.

Changes to the engines are also likely to go hand-in-hand with tweaks to F1's car rules to make the cars faster and harder to drive.

The FIA is already discussing with teams the possibility of ramping up downforce, having bigger wheels and more aggressive-looking cars for as early as 2016.

COSTS ON AGENDA

The engine manufacturers also discussed ways of making the current engines cheaper, amid concerns that the high costs of the power units are hurting smaller teams.

One idea that has gained traction is for a standardisation of many of the ancillaries surrounding the current V6 engine - such as the energy recovery systems.

Such an idea was proposed by Red Bull boss Christian Horner at the end of last year amid a push by him to change F1's engine rules because they were too expensive

[sagi58]

I have to agree with Mark Webber on this one!!

 wrote:">Drivers banned from changing helmet livery during season

Mid-season helmet livery changes have been banned, according to reports on Wednesday. The respected German publication Auto Motor und Sport and the international news agency Reuters report that F1 drivers this year will have to start and finish the season with the same helmet colours.

German correspondent Tobias Gruner said it was a proposal by Bernie Ecclestone that was adopted by the governing FIA and team bosses at Tuesday's meeting of the F1 Commission. Gruner said it means "the days of changing looks and crazy helmet creations on special occasions are over".

The move is clearly to help fans and spectators to more easily identify the drivers, given the ever-increasing trend for multiple design changes within a season. And many had lamented the steady decline of iconic and easily-recognisable helmets, like the yellow of Ayrton Senna and the London rowing club livery worn by Damon Hill.

But the initial reaction on social media was not generally positive. "I am a fan of consistency," former F1 driver Alex Wurz said on Twitter, "but seriously! What's next? Rules on haircut?" Journalist Gruner agreed: "On important issues, formula one cannot agree. But on this, rules are created for problems that do not exist."

Another German correspondent, Sport Bild's Bianca Garloff, added sarcastically: "Hey, FIA and F1, you have no other problems? OMG," while Mark Webber agreed there are "bigger issues than this going on".

Gruner said the move will also stop drivers from doing things like inviting their fans to design one-off helmets that are subsequently auctioned for charity. "What punishment awaits the drivers should they violate the new rule is not yet known," he said.

[LiamCatterson]

Well it's true. Oh my god, so Vettel is changing his helmet more times than people have said X Factor is rigged, boo-hoo...But apparently, logic has it that banning helmet changes is the most important thing in the F1 World. At times, I feel like the reason we're not invaded by aliens or other hostile threats is because our leaders are idiots. No need to comment on Government.

Next rule to be banned will be no going for a whizz before the race...

[Jabberwocky]

Is it still a 100l fuel limit this year? I thought it was being reduced

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[sagi58]

Hey, Jabber!! I took a quick look on the F1 official site and it would seem that nothing has changed regarding the fuel limit.
These are the areas where changes did occur (just copied the headings, rather than the article in its entirety...)

 wrote:">2015 season changes

Power units...

Power unit penalties...

New penalties...

Points...

Standings restarts...

Virtual Safety Car...

Race suspensions...

Clearing the grid...

Unsafe releases...

Safety car lapped drivers...

Suspension...

Gearbox...

Minimum weight...

Nose designs...

Cockpit safety...

In-season testing...

Oh, and it would seem that we can copy and paste from the official site, now!!

[sagi58]

The "whole" story:

 wrote:">Helmet livery change ban a compromise measure

The new ban on helmet livery changes was actually a compromise measure, it emerged on Friday. So far, news that drivers will be limited to just a single helmet livery per season has been highly controversial. "I am a fan of consistency," Grand Prix Drivers' Association president Alex Wurz said, "but seriously! What's next? Rules on haircut?"

Felipe Massa, however, is not sure what the fuss is about. "The helmet is your second face," said the Brazilian, who rarely races without his familiar dark blue and incandescent design. "I don't understand why you need to change it all the time."

From now on, drivers will not be allowed to. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport claims that the measure was a desperate attempt to make the drivers more easily recognisable from the grandstands and on television. Reportedly, Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone pushed for bigger race numbers on the cars, only to be met with opposition from teams who argue the space is needed for sponsors.

FIA president Todt then proposed at the recent F1 Commission meeting that cars be mandatorily fitted with a large, Le Mans-style fin on the engine cover, making room for a big race number, driver name and nationality flag. "The (race) organisers were delighted," claimed correspondent Michael Schmidt. "But the teams again resisted, heeding the protests of their engineers."

The helmet livery ban was Todt and Ecclestone's compromise solution. "I think the rule makes sense," said F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda. "Sometimes I can't recognise even my own drivers in the car." (GMM)

[sagi58]

If anyone is interested, I just came across this:

 wrote:">The AUTOSPORT Grand Prix Predictor returns with a brand new look for 2015.

The most popular fantasy game of its kind, made by the same people that bring you autosport.com, the Grand Prix Predictor is free to enter, easy to use and highly addictive.

Players from all over the world compete in a global league for race-by-race prizes by forecasting the top 10, and more, in every grand prix during the 2015 season.

Now in its fifth year, more than 100,000 people have signed on to play the game since 2011.

The Grand Prix Predictor features private leagues, which allow you to play against your friends, as well as driver fan leagues. There is a Facebook app version of the game as well as a fully responsive mobile site so that you can make your predictions on the go.

This year's panel of game experts, all of whom will play the game for fun, include Le Mans winner and former F1 racer Alex Wurz, BTCC returnee Andy Priaulx and the reigning McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner George Russell.

The first prize on offer this year is a Sony PlayStation 4 DriveClub bundle, which will go to the player who scores the most game points over the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

[sagi58]

, Jonathan Noble wrote:">FIA wants F1 teams to use new cameras for accident investigations

Formula 1 chiefs are pushing through new rules that will force cars to be fitted with high speed cameras from 2016 to help with accident investigation.

The speculation surrounding the cause of Fernando Alonso's Barcelona testing accident last week was fuelled by the lack of clear video footage about what happened.

AUTOSPORT revealed that the only moving images of the crash were taken from a CCTV camera, but the footage is not very clear.

Such uncertainty about the cause of crashes, either at tests or races, could be wiped out if a new rule that forces teams to fit high speed cameras is approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council next month.

The idea has already been backed by F1 teams and chiefs, who voted it through at an F1 Commission meeting that took place a few days before Alonso's crash.

A revised article 27.2 of F1's sporting regulations that is being proposed for 2016 states: "For the purpose of accident analysis, each car must be fitted with a high speed camera which has been manufactured by the FIA designated supplier to a specification determined by the FIA.

"This should be fitted to the car during each event and all tests which are attended by more than one team.

"Teams must use their best endeavours to ensure that it is in working order at all times.

"The camera must be fitted in accordance with the instructions of the FIA."

The FIA also wants to make it mandatory for drivers to wear in-ear accelerometers to help with data gathering in crashes.

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Ecclestone promises financial help for F1's small teams

Bernie Ecclestone has promised support for Formula One's three struggling teams to ensure at least 18 cars turn up on the grid at the opening round of the season in Australia.

Force India, Lotus and Sauber have made no secret of the financial troubles they face and have been working on a deal with Ecclestone since the end of last season. Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley said a deal has been promised and will ensure F1 has a healthy grid at the start of the year.

"Bernie has promised support for the teams and if that support transpires, they will be able to do the first few races," Bob Fernley was quoted by the Times.

"We have made it clear to the commercial rights holder that we have problems, as have Lotus and Sauber. It is not isolated to one team. Bernie has been extremely understanding. He's a racer. I think he realises this is serious."

The report in the Times values the deal at £20 million but stresses it is only an advance on the prize money usually paid to the teams over the course of this season.

F1's grid was cut from 22 cars at the start of last year to 18 by the US Grand Prix as Marussia and Caterham went into administration. Doubts still remain as to whether Manor, which has been rebuilt from the remains of the Marussia squad, will make the grid this year and any further collapses would bring F1 perilously close to a grid of under 16 cars, which it needs in order to honour commercial agreements.

Force India, Lotus and Sauber warned last year that something would have to change to avoid the loss of more teams this year, but it remains unlikely that the bias in prize money distribution towards the top teams will be overhauled. Life was made more difficult by the loss of Marussia and Caterham last year as it meant suppliers' bills went unpaid, creating a knock-on effect for the whole industry - the results of which were clearly visible at the first two tests as Force India was unable to get its new car on track due to cashflow issues.

However, Ecclestone's new deal should give the smaller teams the breathing room to make the first race, even if the longer term health of the sport has still not been addressed.