2011 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe

  • Thread starter Thread starter TenEightyOne
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There's a bit of speculation going at the moment regarding engine maps.

The current rule change says that whatever map they qualify on is the map they start on - parc ferme conditions for software :lol: - and it can only be changed at a pit stop when the car can be plugged into a computer to change the available map. It's been noted that Vettel seems to be changing steering wheels, which could theoretically be programmed with different maps, when he stops during FP3...
 
That's true, but it remains to be seen what happens in qualifying. The ban comes into effect when the pit lane is opened in Q1, and lasts until the first pit stop of the race, when teams are free to change the maps.

However, Sebastian Vettel is 60 points ahead of Jenson Button. If Button wins in Valencia and again at Silverstone and Vettel fails to score in both, he will still have a ten-point lead over Button in the championship. And since this ban on engine maps being changed between qualifying and the race only applies to Valencia - since the full ban comes into effect at Silverstone - Red Bull are not going to risk disqualification for the sake of a few extra points in Valencia.
 
If it's true, it's a clever and wholly legal way around it - they don't have to waste time plugging a computer in when they can simply unclip the wheel and plug in a new one.
 
It's most likely just practice of what Webber did in the last race. I think the off-throttle ban could help Red Bull a lot and the season could be over if the margin is even greater in Silverstone qualifying. That is if they are over a second quicker than anyone else there and could be their biggest qualifying margin victory. Vettel could then say "We are who we are." I'm pinning my hopes that it just reduces teams times to Q1 / Q2 levels but looking at onboards of the Red Bull, you can easily see it is fundamentally the best car out there in terms of drivability and ease behind the wheel and that is not just coming from off-throttle blowing of the diffuser.

The ban could make slower cars like the Mercedes and Renault more vulnerable to losing out to the faster teams even more as they will have to go a lot slower through the corners due to not being able to use as much throttle as others.

Anyway, we will see today in Q3 to see how fast Red Bull really are at this track. Don't know what is happening with McLaren so hope they were running a lot of fuel as otherwise Ferrari might be ahead again. Race pace hopefully will be impressive though with the rear wing being of different concept to the other front running teams.
 
Famine
If it's true, it's a clever and wholly legal way around it - they don't have to waste time plugging a computer in when they can simply unclip the wheel and plug in a new one.
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How is it legal? The rules clearly state that teams must use the same engine map between qualifying and the race. It doesn't matter if the teams are changing the engine maps by plugging themselves into the cars or by switching out pre-programmed steering wheels - they're still changing the engine maps.
 
The first 17 drivers sepperated by not more than one second. :eek:
 
interludes
How is it legal? The rules clearly state that teams must use the same engine map between qualifying and the race. It doesn't matter if the teams are changing the engine maps by plugging themselves into the cars or by switching out pre-programmed steering wheels - they're still changing the engine maps.
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Exactly - changing the map isn't legal. The map is applied to the ECU which is returned sealed to the FIA after the race.

If the FIA see that the map has changed outside the permitted period (all input changes are recorded) then they'll disqualify the car.

Results after Q1: Vettel second, Massa a disappointingly short distance ahead of him on the softer tyre.

Valencia2011_quali.jpg
 
Red Flag, a Williams stands in the middle of the track and apparently can not be romoved without a crane.
 
Alex p.
Red Flag, a Williams stands on the middle of the track and apparently can not be romoved without a crane.
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Arguably the fastest it's gone all weekend :D *


*Joke. That was a JOKE ;)
 
Sutil just gets into Q3, at the expense of Petrov.
 
Q3 started, that's gonna be intresting.
 
SmittMan
Sutil just gets into Q3, at the expense of Petrov.
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Would have been good to see Di Resta's potential too; sadly he bobbled on his last lap. It'll be a quiet ride home if they sit him next to Hulkenberg on the plane :D
 
Vettel did it again. :lol:

He is the only one with a 1.36.xxx time, half a second faster than number 2=Hamilton.

I don't think he will have to drive a second time.
 
Vettel 1:36.9
Hamilton 1:37.3
Alonso 1:37.4
 
Vettel pole confirmed.
 
All quali times (also updated in OP)

Valencia2011_quali.jpg
 
Vettel 1st
Webber 2nd
Hamilton 3rd
Alonso 4th
Massa 5th
Button 6th
Rosberg 7th
Schumacher 8th
 
Alonso could have had 2nd if it weren't for his poor final sector. Happy that the gap is not that huge to Red Bull, similar to last year in terms of grid position for the top 3 teams. Should be an interesting race.
 
Our resident MarkWebber will be pleased with Mark Webber's performance today :p
 
I must admit, that was rather boring.
 
Strange that the track got faster for everyone except Massa. His Q1 fast run was on softs as were his Q2 and Q3 runs.

Let's see what the race brings Ferrari, I think it could be more woe.
 
interludes
How is it legal?
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Because they're changing it at the pit stop:

Famine
The current rule change says that whatever map they qualify on is the map they start on - parc ferme conditions for software - and it can only be changed at a pit stop when the car can be plugged into a computer to change the available map. It's been noted that Vettel seems to be changing steering wheels, which could theoretically be programmed with different maps, when he stops during FP3...
Click to expand...

So rather than the assumed method of changing maps of stop, plug in computer, change map, unplug computer, go, Vettel and Red Bull seem to be practicing stop, put new wheel on, go...
 
Very clever - you have to admire their thinking.

One would presume that the car stores the last known map somehow... it would be very unfortunate if something went wrong with the connections from the bus.

I wonder if that's why Vettel was having such a good look at the back of Alonso's steering wheel in Parc Ferme (acute)? Presumably there's an easy-access data port on the Red Bull wheel... I'm sure Vettel et. al. would love to know which of their rivals have cottoned on to that.

The new engine-map rules probably won't change anything; drivers will just run the 'quali' map until the first pit stop... because you can guarantee that if the Red Bull solution isn't declared unsporting by Silverstone everyone will have one!
 
I'd wager that they've all got a similar plan by now, it just tickled me how they'd solved a problem so quickly and elegantly.
 
I'll go for Hamilton 1st, Vettel 2nd and Alonso 3rd, or maybe Jenson can just grab 3rd.
 
chromatic9
I'll go for Hamilton 1st, Vettel 2nd and Alonso 3rd, or maybe Jenson can just grab 3rd.
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And Mark? What of him?

Webber has really been such an unsung hero this season so far. People keep forgetting his good drives from far behind, the nice stack of podiums he's gotten this season so far, and he's the only person so far who has been able to steal pole from Vettel all season, albeit once. And I wouldn't be surprised to see him beat Vettel off the line tomorrow and maybe get his first win of 2011.

Race tomorrow, Vettel has everything to lose, all 4 of his WDC rivals are right behind him. The Ferraris and McLarens are quick off the line and evne quicker in race trim. I think we'll see Vettel being chased to the flag again this race, that is, if he reaches turn 1 in 1st place.
 
Hang on, its being assumed engine maps can be changed through a change of steering wheel, have we any confirmation of this?
On Radio 5live David Croft made the note that Famine mentions, but Famine neglected to mention that Crofty went on to mention that he asked an engineer whether it was possible, said engineer made the point that "Red Bull's pit stop where they changed Webber's steering wheel wasn't particularly fast". Perhaps it could all just be simple practice at changing wheels during a pit stop?

I guess we will find out tomorrow.
 
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