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[vaptin]

Ferrari's development will be interesting to watch, apparently this car is slower than the one they had in Barcelona testing. The updates didn't just not work out, their activly disrupting something.

No idea why they haven't just gone back to that configuration then.

I doubt that is true if it were they would have gone back to the configuration. They have said if they knew where the problem was they would address it already, so something as easy as taking new parts off is not the problem. I think what has happened is

A. You cant really read too much into testing times. Ferrari appeared fast but clearly no where near Redbull, but there was never a certain answer in any case until race 1.

B. Updates haven't worked, while other teams updates have increasing the performance gap.

But that is not the full picture. There are two things currently confusing Ferrari about their car's performance.

Teams measure the aerodynamic loadings on their cars during testing in order to confirm the figures their simulation tools suggest they should have.

While figures from the initial version of the car tallied well, a subsequent aero upgrade package did not deliver as much additional downforce as the wind tunnel and other analysis said it should - although it was still better.

The second troubling factor is that aero tests conducted during first practice in Sepang revealed that those figures seen in Barcelona testing were not being attained, even after allowance was made for the lower density of the muggy Malaysian air.



Click to play

Hamilton hit cost me podium - Alonso
Some small changes made in the car's constant evolution are evidently having an adverse effect.

"It's a very difficult thing to understand," said Costa. "Some aspect of the car is underperforming aerodynamically, some component is not working as we believe and now we have to find out what it is before we go forward with further development.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula ... 046206.stm,

Actually, I'm going to go with the idea that redbull might not be so dominant. Ferrari have had a mess up, so there's clear untapped pace in that car so to speak. Mclaren also managed to come reasonably close to redbull with a last minute major redesign.

[spankyham]

Ferrari's development will be interesting to watch, apparently this car is slower than the one they had in Barcelona testing. The updates didn't just not work out, their activly disrupting something.

No idea why they haven't just gone back to that configuration then.

I doubt that is true if it were they would have gone back to the configuration. They have said if they knew where the problem was they would address it already, so something as easy as taking new parts off is not the problem. I think what has happened is

A. You cant really read too much into testing times. Ferrari appeared fast but clearly no where near Redbull, but there was never a certain answer in any case until race 1.

B. Updates haven't worked, while other teams updates have increasing the performance gap.

Ferrari were really in a bad way in Melb. But, I thought the car looked pretty good at Sepang. On the track, the F150 passed an RB7 and an MP4-26 in basic outright racing. Unfortunately I thought the pit team really let us down badly, McLaren, and Jenson in particular definitely got payback for Monza last year, but, on the track the F150 looked good.

On the other hand, some of that better performance would have been due to the higher temp, and China will be back to more like Melb. But with more upgrades (including another new front wing) and a better understanding of the last major upgrade, I'm at least optimistic that the F150 will, at least, be competitive - well, I'm hoping.

Forza Ferrari

[spankyham]

And did I mention, Rory's back?

[vaptin]

And did I mention, Rory's back?

Brilliant! In a full time position? Or just as a consultant?

We are talking the designer aren't we? Not some random cleaner called Rory.

[spankyham]

And did I mention, Rory's back?

Brilliant! In a full time position? Or just as a consultant?

We are talking the designer aren't we? Not some random cleaner called Rory.

It's the one and only.

I'm pretty sure he had the wood on Newey last time they went head to head and, I suspect the chance of beating him again was probably a strong incentive for him to come back.

Ostensibly he's there full time to produce a super sports replacement and a GT racer (possibly an F458 variant). But Aldo let it drop in Sepang that he's working on the F150 project. I wonder just how flexi our front wing will be

[Robert12010]

its also important to remind ourselves that mclaren were in big trouble, but taking the radical exhaust off and replacing it with a different design paid off beautifully, and i one must admit i was surprised by the pace that the ferrari has shown in qualifying so far.

[F1er]

So this is what the mighty Ferrari have resorted to,hoping that Newey gives them a look to confirm what?
Sound like a scene from a teen movie,when the popular quarterback glances at the ugly chick and she thinks he loves her.

[F1er]

Newey;

Look at that Renault,two podiums already.Those poor fools in RED

[cap-dude]

Rory Byrne back at Ferrari??? Really?
Shouldn't there be some sort of massive news story on this or something.

The Ferrari doesn't lack raw pace. If Alonso had started on pole, I'd say he could've won the race. But of course, he didn't. It could of course be set-up related though. Ferrari could lack pace because of how they run their car in qualifying. Since you can run the DRS in quali but not the race, there's the whole issue over how you set-up your gear-ratio's and what not. Also, we know Mercedes has the best DRS system at the moment. So perhaps Ferrari's lacks something.

It'll be interesting to see a race where Fernando doesn't lose loads of positions of the start.

[geetface9]

Can somebody explain how mercedes have the best DRS? I thought they were all the same The wings all raise 50mm don't they?

[spankyham]

Rory Byrne back at Ferrari??? Really?
Shouldn't there be some sort of massive news story on this or something.

Yep, he's really back. As I mentioned, officially he's working on super sports car, with a view to racing. But Aldo said in Sepang that he was working in the F150. It's been deliberately kept low key.

The Ferrari doesn't lack raw pace. If Alonso had started on pole, I'd say he could've won the race. But of course, he didn't. It could of course be set-up related though. Ferrari could lack pace because of how they run their car in qualifying. Since you can run the DRS in quali but not the race, there's the whole issue over how you set-up your gear-ratio's and what not. Also, we know Mercedes has the best DRS system at the moment. So perhaps Ferrari's lacks something.

It'll be interesting to see a race where Fernando doesn't lose loads of positions of the start.

[CarBore]

Can somebody explain how mercedes have the best DRS? I thought they were all the same The wings all raise 50mm don't they?

The wing elements are still different shapes. So we can conclude that the merc wing has the greatest drag difference between up and down positions.

[geetface9]

Ah, thank you

[acosmichippo]

Can somebody explain how mercedes have the best DRS? I thought they were all the same The wings all raise 50mm don't they?

The wing elements are still different shapes. So we can conclude that the merc wing has the greatest drag difference between up and down positions.

Couldn't it also be possible that the rest of their car (front wing, body, etc) is designed to funnel air through the DRS gap better than other cars?

That could even come with a sacrifice of downforce, which could help explain their underperformance this year.

[geetface9]

Can somebody explain how mercedes have the best DRS? I thought they were all the same The wings all raise 50mm don't they?

The wing elements are still different shapes. So we can conclude that the merc wing has the greatest drag difference between up and down positions.

Couldn't it also be possible that the rest of their car (front wing, body, etc) is designed to funnel air through the DRS gap better than other cars?

That could even come with a sacrifice of downforce, which could help explain their underperformance this year.

I'm guessing no. I don't think anybody would design their front wing and body to funnel air through a gap that only opens on one straight only a few times a race