REPORTS OF SECRET RED BULL TEST EMERGE 5 June, 2014 Reports of a secret Red Bull test are starting to emerge in the wake of a Bild newspaper report claiming that the reigning world champion team undertook testing indoors at the Austrian company AVLâs rolling road facility in Graz. The six-day test, involving Red Bullâs troubled engine supplier Renault, reportedly occurred between the last pre-season track test in Bahrain and the start of the season in Australia. Reports of the illegal test began to circulate after someone leaked correspondence to the FIA as well as the Mercedes, Ferrari and Sauber teams. Auto Bild reports that the test actually involved Red Bullâs junior team, Toro Rosso, who have been deeply involved in the efforts to pull Renault out of its pre-season technical crisis. According to technical pundit Matt Somerfield Red Bull have denied being part of the test, which would suggest that Toro Rosso were involved instead. But Red Bull test driver Antonio Felix da Costa had tweeted in early March that he was headed to Austria for a â5 day tripâ. âSpending the weekend in Graz, Austria,â he added two days later. âNot by choice though!â (GMM) Read more http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/06/05/reports-of-secret-red-bull-test-emerge/
I just woke ...lol. Worked all day yesterday all night last night got home at about 4 am. Only got sleep around 5 am. Sorry.
Well I think theres truth in it, STR were almost certainly testing at the facility, but that in itself is not illegal. I believe its only if they used the wind tunnel part (with a 1:1 model) that it becomes illegal. Otherwise its just a whole car dyno test bed (much like Mercedes and I believe Ferrari have). It's probably just a storm in a teacup, but the fact they kept it secret makes the whole thing sound worse than it probably is.
Oh ok... I hope it's not anything illegal. I want to see different car battling at the front instead of just the two mercedes. Yes I like mercedes but I want to see other teams show too so we get the best out of the drivers.
Keeping it a secret seems strange if it was totally above board. Some may argue that they didnt want to draw attention to their issue buts lets face it, at this stage they were a laughing stock and surely the PR would have been positive and not negative?
It isn't illegal, they didn't do any on track testing or use a aero tunnel as specified by the rules. A rolling road doesn't come under the rules.
If thats the case then lets hope all of them are doing it. Surely it wouldnt be that expensive to have a rolling road bulit into your wind tunnel facility?
Keeping the test secret seems sensible to me. The more they broadcast tests the worse their situation would have looked. Remember they do have sponsors and I guess they like to keep their sponsors happy as much as they could at that time. To me the problem is IF they did use a full scale car on a rolling road WITH airflow then what ever the building may be called it is effectively a tunnel! i.e. an airflow controlled environment. So to me only problem is IF they used aero on a full size car!
Penalties getting closer for people, Pre Canada race: max of 5 per year please log in to view this image
Interesting that it appears the most unreliable component is the Control Electronics! They must be dealing with huge currents and lots of heat?
Would be a shame for Kobayashi, but otherwise they had 4 years to make the grade and failed, so will hardly be missed.
Caterham covering themselves Caterham F1 Team ‏@CaterhamF1 46m As preparation for #AustrianGP continue @Ericsson_Marcus dropped by the factory. Who can explain what's going on here pic.twitter.com/M6jiRgJns0 please log in to view this image
Does ericsson live in that car. Time to pack him away and put him into storage.... ...Now that would be an awesome find on storage hunters
[h=1]Consortium behind purchase of Caterham F1[/h]A Swiss-Middle Eastern consortium is understood to be behind the takeover of Caterham F1, in a deal that will be confirmed in the coming days. It’s believed that the consortium members, including interests from Dubai, intend to keep a low profile. The deal was brokered by a former F1 insider who will retain a role as an advisor. As previously revealed here current team principal Cyril Abiteboul is expected to return to Renault’s Viry engine division with the full support of Red Bull. His initial task will be to give the beleaguered organisation some direction as it prepares to upgrade the current engine for 2015. A new team principal and new technical direction will be installed at Caterham’s Leafield base, and it’s understood that their brief will be to improve the efficiency of the team – and try to ensure that it finishes in the top 10 of this year’s World Championship. The Caterham name will be retained, as there are no plans to request a change for 2015 and beyond. The team will also continue to use Renault engines. For more see previous story: (see http://adamcooperf1.com/2014/06/27/new-owners-at-caterham-f1-as-fernandes-prepares-for-exit/).
