Something doesn't sit right with me. Something like that changing the profile of the car is not much different to flexible wings. I wonder what other things a driver could pull to make something change on the car.
Pre-Season Testing 2020
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Tbf Mercedes have had the best car by a mile since 2014 baring the odd year its been a bit closer, just hope 2021 it changes and have a season like 2003,2006,2008 and 2012.
I think the way the rules are these days it sort of forces domination. Everythings so heavily regulated theres not much room for variation. In the past different cars suited different circuits, where as these days it's now more a one size fits all.
Then again that could just be Mercedes brilliance tied to an obviously outstanding driver. How do you realistically compete with that?
Then again that could just be Mercedes brilliance tied to an obviously outstanding driver. How do you realistically compete with that?
I think you are right that there is very little wiggle room for differences. That said there is the difference between high rake and Merc rake
and the front wing outwash or more inwash.Adrian Newey has been saying that there is even less room for design in 2021 regs! I was hoping that with the new 18" wheels and 2021 regs it would shake things up a little but I fear top teams are spending huge this year and will use 'B' teams to cover some costs on 'A' teams cars! So Williams and Renault are up the creek without a canoe let alone a paddle.
On one hand we want close racing but on the other we want innovation and the possibility of the smaller teams getting on a podium. I used to love Jordan and if everything went their way there was a possibility of a great result. Thinks have just progressed so much that it's rare anything goes wrong.
Strictly speaking the toe adjustment is not itself banned but changes can only be made by steering wheel rotation, thereby not pulling and pushing. At least that is my understanding. Makes it hard to make the change but if a way could be engineered to adjust the toe solely through rotation then it would be legal in 2021. That is unlikely to be achievable in a practical and successful way, although I am no engineer.
Thinking about it does that mean that there could be a direct linkage so when steering wheel is straight ahead then parallel toe, as soon as steering wheel rotated toe is corrected for cornering? Seems to comply with the solely through rotation?
I'm the least knowledgeable guy here, but that's never stopped me before...
I see the problem differently - I think that more open rules would make the domination even worse.
There are a number of factors contributing to domination, but they can all be traced back to the financial imbalance across the field.
At any point in time, the limits to how quickly a car can go around a given track are dictated by:
- The laws of physics
- Design choices and details (trying get as close as possible to what the laws of physics will allow)
- Engineering & construction (trying to get as close as possible to what the design demands)
- Chemistry (fuels, lubricants, tyres etc)
- Driver ability
Even Maldonado couldn't change the laws of physics, so they probably dictate one optimum sweet spot for each track - roughly 20 sweet spots over the season. But the sweet spot for Monaco is probably disastrous for Spa, so what's a team to do? With more open rules, a rich team might say "rather than campaign with one compromised design, we'll go with two designs - each of them having to make fewer compromises". Poorer teams would be even more disadvantaged.
(I'm just illustrating - I know this isn't what you're advocating.)
So the rules try to constrain the options, and a successful season is all about the design compromises made, to achieve the least compromised car. As you say... "one size fits all".
But that's an awful lot of variables to calculate, balance, test, evaluate etc. How do you do all that in a short time? Throw money at it in a different way - small armies of designers & engineers, huge computational power, wind tunnels etc.
So I think the rules are trying to do a couple of things:
- Maximise safety; and
- Minimise an extremely uneven playing field.
They're trying to stop the richest teams from running away with it but, as we've seen, it's a losing battle. (Ferrari being the laughable exception - they should be ashamed of themselves for creating a situation so stacked in their favour and still being unable to win anything.)
I have wistful memories of the Colin Chapman days, but I don't think we'll see those again. Money is the problem, and the big teams are even finding their way around those new rules, by creating B teams.
I agree, and you can't. They're all chasing success, and the top teams and top drivers will always seek each other out.
Yes, that was my thought. Trouble being, perhaps, when weaving to overtake would cut inand cut out regularly, causing more havoc than benefit?.
Maybe it would be progressive then say 0 degree with steering straight then max 1 degree when steering wheel angle greater than 3 degrees??
Interesting that the 2021 rules don't seem to be banning altering steering geometry while car is in motion. It's almost like FIA like the idea just not the implementation.
I really wish the FIA would publish all these technical systems say 2 years after they are used. OK so IP and all that but it would be great to find all the ins and outs.i.e. IF Merc had somehow hidden the 3d steering others would not find out for quite a while. It would be good for the technical advantage to be exposed after 2 years so others could catch up and build on the ideas.....
This system being so visible it does make you wonder what little tricks other teams are using
Interesting but guess he gave no big secrets away and maybe there are a few dummy hints in there for the competitors to chase down to a dead end.
OK so it's only propaganda but he does make it sound like the other teams have even more to be worried about.....
If the following are real, More horse power, less heat, better tyre wear, more able to follow close then job almost done, till the 'Boy' Max throws his weight around.
I like it
IF Merc have managed to increase power, then surely the only way is to increase efficiency which would reduce heat generation!!! Remember they have max fuel flow limits!! As for better tyre wear, maybe the trick steering will help? Following closely, well Merc have always tried to be at front so they don't need to follow
.All that said I have a feeling that Honda will have improved things. Max had a few issues where he had the Honda PU backed off after it felt vibrations coming out of corners or when Max went over sausage curves. So hopefully these issues are resolved and they have better drivability.
I hope Red Bull even though I am not fond of Max challenge Merc. I don't think Ferrari are really capable of pulling everything necessary together at moment. I can't see the Pink Merc challenging silver Merc so maybe Red Bull can give them a race this year???
I am with you, Red Bull are, at the moment, likely to be the challenger, a shame as Le Clerc needs to be in the mix. Just hope Ferrari have understood the cause of performance issues/reliability and will surprise us, it can happen.I like it
IF Merc have managed to increase power, then surely the only way is to increase efficiency which would reduce heat generation!!! Remember they have max fuel flow limits!! As for better tyre wear, maybe the trick steering will help? Following closely, well Merc have always tried to be at front so they don't need to follow
All that said I have a feeling that Honda will have improved things. Max had a few issues where he had the Honda PU backed off after it felt vibrations coming out of corners or when Max went over sausage curves. So hopefully these issues are resolved and they have better drivability.
I hope Red Bull even though I am not fond of Max challenge Merc. I don't think Ferrari are really capable of pulling everything necessary together at moment. I can't see the Pink Merc challenging silver Merc so maybe Red Bull can give them a race this year???
Yep. I really hope Ferrari can sort their management out. Not directly blaming Binotto as he has lots of pressures from above him and media but the Ferrari team don't seem to be able to work as a 'team'. If they do then we might have 3 teams in the mix which would be great.
Last 3 days of testing starting tomorrow
Hopefully Ferrari can turn up the wick and surprise us all. I'm not too keen on Ferrari or Red Bul for that matter but I do love close racing.
Forgot to say, I hope Ferrari are allowed to leave Italy to test and race without endangered their staff.