Interesting that Ricardos sensor failed completely this time. I wonder what conditions Red Bull are subjecting the sensor too? High temp, high vibration I wonder? I didn't hear it reported that anyone else's sensor failed. Are there other reports of peoples sensors failing? Anyone seen the fuel flow left at the end of the race? I saw it flash up on screen with about 3 laps to go and both Williams still had 10% most of others seemed to only have a couple of percent left. So maybe Williams were actually running with 8kg more fuel than they needed.
Whilst they may have had extra fuel, apart from the small effect the extra weight has on tyre degradation, I can't see it being much of a hindrance. It just shows they could have pushed harder if the race developed in such a way that they were required to. Had Bottas got ahead of Massa and tried to challenge Button, he'd have had enough fuel to really push. They could have ran the race faster and burnt more fuel, but there's no point putting additional stress on the engine without a chance of more points. However, having the fuel left over is a useful contingency should one of them have ran wide and needed to pull a gap to a car behind again.
Alternatively. I don't think we know how they get those percentages. If they just work it out using the amount used over the 100Kg allowed, then it could be that Williams are more frugal and didn't need to put as much fuel in the car as others, skewing the figures. Are teams forced to declare the amount of fuel in the car before the race?
maybe massa should've turned it up before being told to let Bottas through, maybe then he would've got passed Magnussen
Also possible, true. In just the second race of the new formula though I can't imagine teams wanting to risk short-fuelling.
Red Bull wins again? Fuel flow sensor to be scrapped? The FIA is understood to be close to scrapping its controversial fuel flow sensor. It's understood the sport's governing body and team technical representatives met over the weekend to discuss concerns over the fuel flow sensor with a reinterpretation of fuel usage regulations (almost) unanimously decided. Designed to ensure teams do not use more than the allowed 100kg of fuel per race, or 100kg per hour, the FIA homologated a sensor which it could monitor in real time. However since it was implemented at the start of winter testing it has been found that there is 'noise' in the signal the sensor provides, leaving it open to criticism and (mis)interpretation. Nowhere was that more evident than on Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull during the Australian Grand Prix when the team trusted its own calculations over readings given by an 'erroneous' sensor. It was a decision which saw Ricciardo excluded, a point the Milton Keynes squad has appealed though not without leaving a rather unsavoury taste in the mouth just as new 'green' technologies look to revolutionise the sport. ADVERTISEMENT However it has now come to light that, following the meeting at Sepang, the FIA has all but succumbed to concerns from within the paddock and even as early as this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix the fuel flow sensor could be scrapped with teams instead required to provide calculations and data upon request from the stewards. Bizarrely, and in a true Formula One twist, the reinterpretation does Red Bull's ongoing appeal no favours as the new interpretation does not come in to affect until the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend. Consequently, Ricciardo's car remains non-compliant as it did not conform to the technical regulations in place for the Australian Grand Prix. As a result Red Bull will still be forced to prove it adhered to the fuel flow sensor regulations in order to win its appeal despite the fact that by that time (April 14) the rule will probably no longer be in force. Mat Coch
