The 'I Need More Mongolian Horsepower' Spanish GP - Round 6 of 2020

[John]

Bottom post of the previous page:

The ultimate irony now is Ferrari falling out with Seb, shipping him to free agency, signing Hulk for the remainder, which would finally give Hulk a Ferrari to drive, only it would happen at a time when it's a mid-field car.

[DoubleFart]

Also known as the Capelli/Fisichella effect.

[erwin greven]

They will ban the "party modes" in qualification after the Spanish GP.

[Everso Biggyballies]

F1 clamps down on corner cutting ahead of Spanish GP

As part of this years move towards stricter policing of track limits, drivers / teams were advised in briefings today of changes / policing for this year.

Last year any driver failing to negotiate Turn 2 properly after cutting across the run-off at the inside of the corner was required to stay to the left of the bollard before returning to the track in a safe manner.

This year.....

Michael Masi has moved to further clamp down on this corner cutting by introducing new warnings for those repeatedly missing the corner and gaining an advantage.

"Each time any car fails to negotiate Turn 2 by using the track, teams will be informed via the official messaging system," Masi wrote in his pre-event notes issued to all teams and drivers.

"On the second occasion of a driver failing to negotiate Turn 2 by using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag.

"Any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards.

"In all cases, the driver must only re-join the track when it is safe to do so and without gaining a lasting advantage.

"The above requirements will not automatically apply to any driver who is judged to have been forced off the track, each such case will be judged individually."

A few track changes

A new asphalt road is now in the run-off area at Turn 1 after being installed for the long lap penalty (that thing I never knew of until last weekend
comes up again) used in MotoGP.

The exit kerb at Turn 8 has been extended, while the gravel trap has also been extended at both Turn 8 and Turn 12. Im not against extended gravel traps... much prefer them to run offs

A new TecPro barrier is also in place at Turn 12, plus the metallic kerb at Turn 15 has been extended to meet the pit lane entry.

[Everso Biggyballies]

They will ban the "party modes" in qualification after the Spanish GP.

That should probably affect the Merc powered cars most of all I would imagine. Mercedes seem to pick up the pace dramatically as they go through Q1 to Q2&3.

They are suggesting that teams will not be allowed to run any different modes in qualy... they 'want' the teams run in race spec. That seems like an I wish than a you must, and I dont see how they can easily police it short of going through team data retrospectively.

Interestingly though the onus of proof that no special modes have been used now rests with the team. Not for the FIA to prove anything but teams to prove they havn't.... sounds a bit like guilty until proved innocent, contrary to normal law.

A letter has been sent to the Teams....

The letter clearly indicated that the FIA wants teams to run the same ICE modes in both qualifying and the race.

While the letter itself carries no regulatory value, it said that a technical directive clarifying the new restrictions will follow, and will be applicable by the Belgian GP which takes place at the end of the month after this weekend's Spanish GP.

The letter referenced two FIA rules, with the first Article 2.7 of the 2020 technical regulations, headed "Duty of Competitor," and which reads as follows: "It is the duty of each competitor to satisfy the FIA technical delegate and the stewards that his automobile complies with these regulations in their entirety at all times during an Event.

"The design of the car, its components and systems shall, with the exception of safety features, demonstrate their compliance with these regulations by means of physical inspection of hardware or materials. No mechanical design may rely upon software inspection as a means of ensuring its compliance.

"Due to their nature, the compliance of electronic systems may be assessed by means of inspection of hardware, software and data."

The letter noted that the "multitude and complexity of modes being used make it extremely difficult for the FIA to monitor compliance with all the PU-related regulations and provisions in selected critical moments of the event."

The other rule cited is Article 27.1 of the sporting regulations, the often-used reference to drivers being required to drive the car "alone and unaided."

The letter noted that "the changes to ICE modes that are currently in force could potentially mean that the driver does not drive the car alone and unaided."

The letter then makes it clear that "in order to address the above concerns in the future, we will be requiring that during the qualifying session and the race, the PU should operate in a single mode," before confirming that a technical directive will follow before Spa.

Teams are still not sure exactly what the changes will mean in practical terms as they have yet to receive any details.

A single mode will not only restrict performance in qualifying, but will also limit adjustments drivers make during races, including those when they "turn down" the engine for reliability purposes.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15133 ... belgian-gp

[erwin greven]

I think that not only Mercedes will be affected. Would not be amazed if RBR also has a sort of party mode.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Apparenty Sergio perez is clear of Covid-19 now so he will be back in his Racing Point this weekend and the Hulk's brief return is apparently over for the time being. Of course Sergio has less to worry about with the numbes of cases being so high in Spain, after all he's had it so he doesn't have to be afriad of catching it like the others, does he?

Yep, confirmed by the team he has tested negative and has been given FIA clearance.... he will be back on board this weekend.

Not totally convinced that there is no chance of a second infection. There have been reports of people becoming re-infected, particularly if the initial infection was mild.
This account is 3 weeks old but talks of reinfections happening in Europe. Also reports elsewhere of second infections being more severe.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020 ... e/12481448

[Everso Biggyballies]

Stoffel Vandoorne has been confirmed as McLaren (and Mercedes) reserve driver for this weekend. Last weekend with the usual McLaren (and Mercedes) reserves out of action for Silverstone (Vandoorne on Formula E Mercedes duty and Gutierrez ineligible on lack of Super License grounds) McLaren called in Paul Di Resta for the reserve role should the need for a reserve had arisen. But now the Formula E commitments are over for Vandoorne, he will return to the F1 Mercedes /associated teams reserve role.
So any return drives for Di Resta are out of the picture for now..

[Star]

Apparenty Sergio perez is clear of Covid-19 now so he will be back in his Racing Point this weekend and the Hulk's brief return is apparently over for the time being. Of course Sergio has less to worry about with the numbes of cases being so high in Spain, after all he's had it so he doesn't have to be afriad of catching it like the others, does he?

Yep, confirmed by the team he has tested negative and has been given FIA clearance.... he will be back on board this weekend.

Not totally convinced that there is no chance of a second infection. There have been reports of people becoming re-infected, particularly if the initial infection was mild.
This account is 3 weeks old but talks of reinfections happening in Europe. Also reports elsewhere of second infections being more severe.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020 ... e/12481448

Well I did hear about reinfections when it first started but then I heard they were false positive results so I assumed you couldn't have it twice. Shows how wrong you can be then doesn't it? So even having had it doesn't protect you from it, that's just so good to know isn't it?

[jimclark]

'Usually does, the body builds antibodies. But, not always.

[Everso Biggyballies]

P1 about 10 minutes away.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I see Roy Nissany is in the Williams for P1 in place of George Russell. Suppose it pays a few bills for the team.

[MonteCristo]

Merc cutting on transport costs by leaving the sandbags behind in FP1.

[XcraigX]

Merc cutting on transport costs by leaving the sandbags behind in FP1.

No more party mode for Q3.
Now just party all the time for the Merc engine.

[Everso Biggyballies]

FORMULA 1 ARAMCO GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2020 - PRACTICE 1

Well no surprises there with the Mercs out front by a second and then probably running full tanks of fuel. Vettel seems to have found a bit of Mojo and finished the session within a couple of hundredths of Leclerc. New chassis or just the fact he must have done thousands of laps round Catalunya, who knows. Whatever the reason Seb will be happy no doubt. See how he copes as the speeds ramp up today and tomorrow.

The poles have Max as favourite to win this weekend given it will likely be as hot if not hotter than last weekend. I say fat chance and it will be back to situation normal.

Next session might see some teams looking at some qualy sims, which no one did this morning. Of course it should warm up more and how will Mercedes cope?

Anyway here are FP1 times.

POS NO DRIVER CAR TIME GAP LAPS
1 77 Valtteri Bottas MERCEDES 1:16.785 33
2 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 1:16.824 +0.039s 29
3 33 Max Verstappen RED BULL RACING HONDA 1:17.724 +0.939s 26
4 16 Charles Leclerc FERRARI 1:17.970 +1.185s 27
5 5 Sebastian Vettel FERRARI 1:17.981 +1.196s 27
6 8 Romain Grosjean HAAS FERRARI 1:18.291 +1.506s 29
7 11 Sergio Perez RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES 1:18.471 +1.686s 31
8 23 Alexander Albon RED BULL RACING HONDA 1:18.606 +1.821s 27
9 20 Kevin Magnussen HAAS FERRARI 1:18.620 +1.835s 28
10 18 Lance Stroll RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES 1:18.643 +1.858s 31
11 55 Carlos Sainz MCLAREN RENAULT 1:18.733 +1.948s 33
12 31 Esteban Ocon RENAULT 1:18.736 +1.951s 31
13 4 Lando Norris MCLAREN RENAULT 1:18.744 +1.959s 32
14 10 Pierre Gasly ALPHATAURI HONDA 1:18.888 +2.103s 26
15 99 Antonio Giovinazzi ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 1:18.917 +2.132s 24
16 7 Kimi Räikkönen ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 1:18.981 +2.196s 24
17 26 Daniil Kvyat ALPHATAURI HONDA 1:19.145 +2.360s 21
18 3 Daniel Ricciardo RENAULT 1:19.230 +2.445s 31
19 6 Nicholas Latifi WILLIAMS MERCEDES 1:20.334 +3.549s 30
20 40 Roy Nissany WILLIAMS MERCEDES 1:20.664 +3.879s 25

[DoubleFart]

The poles have Max as favourite to win this weekend

Well since Kubica lost his drive I guess they need to support somebody.