Spare Parts (F1 odds and ends)

I’m phonong Sky today , if I can cancel , I will and go to Now Tv .

 

Maldonado has joined WEC. Probably with the sole purpose of taking out the opposition so the sister car can win.

 

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...ll-for-restriction-on-qualifying-engine-modes

I agree. It's too much advantage to the works teams. The car should be the same in qualifying and the race. We don't need party mode

 

I was under the impression that each PU had different 'modes' depending on all sorts of things like fuel saving, battery recharging, more power to spool up turbo, etc
Isn't it just the case that Merc have a finite use mode that gives it max power but it has a limited number of uses as it puts the PU under more stress. So to survive 7 races they mainly run in a detuned mode.

I can't see how Parc Ferme would make any difference to which switch activates 'party' mode. If the control electronics have a 'party mode/map' then it is just a setting on the steering wheel surely?

Saying that I do agree that the works Merc does seem to have much more power than it's customer PUs.

That said I read somewhere the other day that Renault had commented that their customers and the works team all had very similar speeds through the speed traps in AU. They commented that even with differing aero they were very close!!!!! This sort of suggests that Renault are playing fair with their customers having the same PU and modes/maps available.
Pity Merc and their customers don't seem to be similar in the speed traps!!!

 

I can't see a logical reason why Mercedes would hamper their customers. It's not like they're in direct competition. It's essentially negative advertising with no benefit.

The only one with a logical reason to hold back their customers is Renault, ironically.

 

Depends on the pricing reliability clauses. They may have to provide additional units at reduced prices.

 

They do, they sell them their engines.

 

So how does this compare to the McLaren scandal from 2007/2008 or whenever it was about using other teams intellectual property?

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/135154/ferrari-fia-man-knows-key-details-of-cars

If the other teams can show that this guy is using his confidential knowledge of other cars for Ferrari's benefits, does that then constitute cheating, as it did with McLaren?

I think it's different from when one designer moves from one team to another, as he will have very recent knowledge of all the cars on the grid so can tell Ferrari exactly what each team are doing, anything they have requested clarification on etc etc to which Ferrari can research further.

The FIA should put into each of its employees contracts that they cannot work for an FIA registered team within 12 months of leaving the FIA. All that will happen now is the teams will walk a wheelbarrow full of cash up to the FIA HQ and ask if anyone wants to join them? Doubtless the weak FIA won't do anything about it.

 

It's a balls-up, but Ferrari are getting it in the neck when it was Renault who did it first. As to proving they are using confidential information, that's a bit hard to prove, unless you are in possession of 1000 pages of technical data with a team name at the top which isn't your own, that's what got McLaren fined and DSQ'd, that and RD being RD. Everyone eats the cookies on the sly, but McLaren got caught with their hands in the jar.

 

Pleased to see you've picked up on this, ASC.
Although there are obvious historical comparisons where an FIA judgement concluded 'cheating', it's not cheating this time.

Last time, it was Ferrari which perceived itself to be at a disadvantage to its biggest rival. It should be obvious to all that the rival was cheating.
This time it's Ferrari which has broken the 'gentleman's agreement', as well as hoodwinking others by supposedly pushing for stricter rules to prevent exactly what it has just done in lieu of Renault having recently done similar (and just before its own proposal to tighten this up is about to be ratified). It should be obvious that this is not cheating. It simply stinks.

The team is Ferrari. It is entitled to unfair advantage, which of course, isn't unfair at all. It receives extra money to write the rules as well as disregarding them whenever it suits, and everyone knows this has been the case for as long as most remember.

Yes, it stinks.

 

Oh, come on Cosi. Get off the fence.

 

Grid Girls back for Monaco, not really a surprise to me, if it was going to be any GP it would be the glamourous one

 

And Sochi

 

McLaren 'restructuring', Boullier on the naughty step.

 

What have you read , I didn't see any changes for him . I read the BBC , though I may have misunderstood . Any news about J Neale ?

 

I honestly think if it was anyone other than RD being in charge they would have had nothing like the sanctions . It's common knowledge that Max said the fine is $100 Million . $10 Million for the team , and ( to RD ) $90 Million for you being such a c**t . Alledgedly .

 

Hamilton does least Hamilton thing ever.

 

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/1033/f1-considering-saturday-sprint-races-to-set-grid-report/
I quite like that idea, as it means more racing to watch. FP3 becomes quali for a sprint race with no fuel or tyre restriction and the result of that determines the grid for Sunday. Dunno how the 3 engine rule will work with that though.
Open scrutineering to give the fans an up close and personal look at the cars another good idea, something that's been missing a while from the GP weekends, wandering through the pits was always part and parcel of race day for me

 

I tell you what , not that it has any bearing on anything really , but listening to Sirotkin being interviewed is a breath of fresh air imho compared to Stroll .

I was all for giving stroll a chance , and still am , but impressed with the way Sirotkin speaks .

 

Not for me . IMHO part of the magic of F1 is the POLE POSITION .

That one off Banzai lap , simply magic on occasions .