2012 Malaysian Grand Prix

Blaze_409
No i definetly dont understand how a diffuser works but the Mercedes DRS F-duct is incredibly simple.

Its just an F-duct that has been routed through a small duct along the chassis to the front wing...
The official f1 site did a short writeup on it. Its clever but it should not be legal...Its driver actuated.(that is what they claimed to get blow diffusers banned so what is the difference?)
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first the blown diffuser wasnt driver controled... it worked when the driver was off throtle... and second next you are going to tell us that the cars cant have air intakes anywhere?????
 
tribolik
first the blown diffuser wasnt driver controled... it worked when the driver was off throtle... and second next you are going to tell us that the cars cant have air intakes anywhere?????
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Actually the Blown diffuser never stopped working....It had peak effect when the driver was on the throttle because then your at full revs and exhaust pressure. It did not only help in low speed. It also was critical for the high speed corners as well..More downforce is more downforce. regardless of throttle position.

Also. I did not say the car cant have air intakes anywhere.
In addition the FIA theoretically outlawed "F-Ducts". There was also a gentlemans agreement about such concepts.. of an F-duct.
 
Blaze_409
Actually the Blown diffuser never stopped working....It had peak effect when the driver was on the throttle because then your at full revs and exhaust pressure. It did not only help in low speed. It also was critical for the high speed corners as well..More downforce is more downforce. regardless of throttle position.

Also. I did not say the car cant have air intakes anywhere.
In addition the FIA theoretically outlawed "F-Ducts". There was also a gentlemans agreement about such concepts.. of an F-duct.
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Not that I don't agree with most of what you're saying, but theoretically the McLaren f-duct isn't the same as the Merc GP one. Rather they're using a aerodynamic device in unison with a f-duct like aerodynamic that isn't driver assissted like the Mclaren one. Also where is the gentleman's agreement on those devices? If it was created by FOTA then four teams have no right to complain since they're no longer apart of it. However, I don't know hence why I'm asking if you could provide a link.

I think it'd be interesting to read.
 
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And now Red Bull is being investigated for an "engine trick". It never ends haha!
If Red bull is doing it...doesn't that mean all the other renault teams would have access to it? Its been called legal...I knew the Red Bull sounded odd in practice today..
 
The FIA did not ban ducts. The Red Bull has a duct in the stepped nose for aerodynamic purposes, as well as strategic holes in the floor. The Mercedes and/or Williams have under-nose ducts for aerodynamic purposes. Ducts are not banned under the rules.

The FIA banned driver-activated F-Ducts because the driver could actively control the aerodynamics of the car directly from corner to corner... all the time. Which is not allowed.

DRS is driver-controlled aerodynamic tweaking which IS allowed in limited circumstances (only for overtaking). That the DRS wing uncovers a duct which aids its effect (i.e.: It has the same effect as the DRS wing... decreasing drag) makes it completely legal.

It's not a huge benefit, anyway, except in qualifying. As seen during Australia, it didn't make the Mercs any faster when DRS was not active. Red Bull want it out because it makes their job in qualifying harder... but it's not Mercedes' fault that Red Bull went for a less aggressive DRS and KERS implementation.
 
niky
The FIA did not ban ducts. The Red Bull has a duct in the stepped nose for aerodynamic purposes, as well as strategic holes in the floor. The Mercedes and/or Williams have under-nose ducts for aerodynamic purposes. Ducts are not banned under the rules.

The FIA banned driver-activated F-Ducts because the driver could actively control the aerodynamics of the car directly from corner to corner... all the time. Which is not allowed.

DRS is driver-controlled aerodynamic tweaking which IS allowed in limited circumstances (only for overtaking). That the DRS wing uncovers a duct which aids its effect (i.e.: It has the same effect as the DRS wing... decreasing drag) makes it completely legal.

It's not a huge benefit, anyway, except in qualifying. As seen during Australia, it didn't make the Mercs any faster when DRS was not active. Red Bull want it out because it makes their job in qualifying harder... but it's not Mercedes' fault that Red Bull went for a less aggressive DRS and KERS implementation.
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Exactly what he said. Also this was a smart idea on their part seeing as the f-duct ban created DRS by the FIA the next year. So Merc bringing a similar non-driver assited f-duct and helping it boost the DRS is smart as far as quali goes. The trick in the race is to actually being in an attacking distance.
 
And this thing about RBR exhaust and engine mapping... I'll believe it when I see it... since they're supposed to be using spec-ECUs, dynamic cylinder deactivation would be hard to hide.

I still haven't gotten a good look at how McLaren do the exhaust... some are saying it's as borderline illegal as exhausts can get. Interesting how they managed to get directed exhausts primarily through interaction with bodywork that doesn't directly shape or push the exhaust stream... but pulls it, instead. Red Bull and other teams use a simpler method to energize the diffuser by merely pulling the exhaust downwards over the sidepod.
 
niky
The FIA banned driver-activated F-Ducts because the driver could actively control the aerodynamics of the car directly from corner to corner... all the time. Which is not allowed.
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Is this not what the drivers are doing in practice and qualy... Opening the rear wing between corner to corner actively controlling the aero of the car.:sly:

Also for above. Apparently cylinder deactivation is legal. I didnt know they wehre doing that but I wouldnt put it beyond them to try that given cylinder deactivation is really old. I think theres some dispute about running less than 4 cylinders? I have no idea... but that would explain why the renault is supposedly more drivable and getting better traction, fuel economy. They have been running as low as two cylinders in slow corners? All speculation apparently but it explains alot about renault engined cars and Monaco...

2nd practice on speedtv btw
 
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Im confused....So the yellow sidewall tires are the hards? And the silvers are the softer(mediums)?
I thought it was the other way around.

ok now i am seeing things. There are no yellow tires...
 
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For reference.
f1-pirelli-2012-range-inline.jpg
 
Centura
The tyres for this weekend is: Hard and Medium.
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I see, so they have Grey markings for hard, and white marking for Mediums....I didn't really care what tyres anyone was on anyway.

I guess you can tell them apart. I won't know till Qualifying, because the stream is 240p.
I wish live timing could tell you what tyre everyone is on.
 
That Red Bull looks absolutely planted yet Vettel complains of lack of grip. I will be forever confused lol. He looked fast or maybe he was driving within the grip limit and deciding it wasnt very fast.

so much lockup from Hamilton. pushing too hard?
 
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Blaze_409
That Red Bull looks absolutely planted yet Vettel complains of lack of grip. I will be forever confused lol. He looked fast or maybe he was driving within the grip limit and deciding it wasnt very fast.
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I would guess on the last. It could also be because of the high track temperature.

Update: Just heard that a team uses 2.6 kilos of fuel per lap.
 
I'm still not convinced by Mercedes, they have unlimited DRS in practice.
I reckon another straight fight between Vettel, Hamilton and Button for the race win....unless of course, it rains.
 
From what I can see on the live timing screen, race pace look similar between McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes.

They are in identical in first and third sector, but Red Bull fastest in middle sector with McLaren a couple of tenths behind and then Mercedes a couple of tenths behind that.
 
Centura
From what I can see on the live timing screen, race pace look similar between McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes.
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add Lotus REnault to that.

Lewis is too harsh on the tires. It will be trouble in the race if he continues like this.
 
Raikkonen had a very nice consistent stint lapping in the 1:44's on the harder tire.
Everyone else was doing long runs on the softer so idont know how that changes things. They where also doing 1:44's. Lewis kept going off track.

now until sat morning for qualy. Very anxious. Think Mclaren will be strong in qualy.
 
I mustard mitt, I feel kinda the same about Alonso. Ok I don't hate him, but I don't go for him in the same way I do Webber or Bruno Senna. But he is driving the wheels off that dog of a Ferrari. In fact I think the reason Massa is so slow in comparison is that he is simply a good F1 driver, (like Kobayashi, like Webber, like Hamilton, like Maldonado) not a brilliant one. Alonso is one of those extremely rare, transcendent F1 drivers who can get more out of the car than anyone else. He is comparable to Ayrton Senna and Schumacher in this regard. The only area I think he lacks is in building a team/car around him like Schumi did in the Ferrari glory days. If he nailed this, he'd be world champion with Ferrari, no question.
 
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PAWEL17
I'm still not convinced by Mercedes, they have unlimited DRS in practice.
I reckon another straight fight between Vettel, Hamilton and Button for the race win....unless of course, it rains.
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Yea Vettel & Hamilton are naturally fast here!
 
peter_vod69
It's not stupid at all! Just because one doesn't like a particular driver, doesn't mean the driver is slow. Plenty of people dislike(d) Schumacher, but you'd be mad not to have him on your team, especially in his prime.

Edit: Damn you DaxCobra! :D

I mustard mitt, I feel kinda the same about Alonso. Ok I don't hate him, but I don't go for him in the same way I do Webber or Bruno Senna. But he is driving the wheels off that dog of a Ferrari. In fact I think the reason Massa is so slow in comparison is that he is simply a good F1 driver, (like Kobayashi, like Webber, like Hamilton, like Maldonado) not a brilliant one. Alonso is one of those extremely rare, transcendent F1 drivers who can get more out of the car than anyone else. He is comparable to Ayrton Senna and Schumacher in this regard. The only area I think he lacks is in building a team/car around him like Schumi did in the Ferrari glory days. If he nailed this, he'd be world champion with Ferrari, no question.
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Massa is slow in comparison because he is as good as a driver that has beat Alonso? It is more to do with Massa heavily underperforming in the car than Alonso outperforming it. Massa had quite big problems with balance and that affects confidence so if he can get the car to work for him like Alonso is currently doing, the gap between them will close up quite quickly. It remains to be seen how well he will do, main time to watch how well he is doing would be after the potential big upgrade coming soon. It is not like Massa thinks he is getting everything out the car and then still getting outpaced, he couldn't hook up a lap in qualifying last race due to balance problems and that showed in his race pace.

It will be interesting to see how well Massa does this weekend and I will be interested to find out if Webber is maybe now faster than Vettel with the RB8, if Hamilton can overcome Button in the race, if Lotus are as fast as the McLaren and Red Bull and if Mercedes can get on top of their tyre problems and also improve race pace.
 

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