4 more days till practice 1!

 

Charlie Whiting was interviewed on all the new changes for this year. When the issue of utilizing exhaust gases for improving performance came up, he indicated that the new rules have "...limit[ed] designer's ability to exploit exhaust gases for aerodynamic effect. However, teams will not unlearn the knowledge they have gained and it is quite likely this area of regulation may need to be revised again in 2013." Now as U R aware RB was taking great pains to hide the the rear quarter of their car during the last testing series. Pat Fry of Ferrari has suggested that RB may have violated these rules but may B crying foul because of their car's apparent lack of pace. Additionally, Brawn states that, "Some teams have gone for a design that is clearly still blowing the exhaust in the area of the rear tyre – that may have an effect when rear tyre degradation is critical because it is much more difficult to manage where the exhaust flow goes this year than it was last year.".What is also interesting is that my boys at Sauber apparently have, on their own, come up with a similar exhaust lay out as RBs...I now have GG's attention...perhaps this bodes well for Kobay and Perez's bid for a podium...yes, I am at it again. Regardless, Whiting's statement clearly suggests the FIA have, once again, not closed all the loopholes in the blown exhaust ban. What does this mean U ask? Ans.: all the rest of the teams with disimilar exhausts will have to either bit*ch to Whiting and hope for DQs or, if deemed legal, have to play hurry up-catch up to achieve similar performance gains.
Yes, I, to, am anxious to "start UR engines" and lets get goen!

Later, Ken

 

Did someone say "Kobay"? BANZAI!!!

 

With views like that, U ain't "Da Worst" but the "Da Best Player"!

Later, Ken

 

3 Days to practice! Let's do this!!

 

Not really. Honestly, if Lotus is as good as they've been displaying in early testing, and Mercedes has actually closed the gap a little, then I see Kobay's chances of a podium this year as being even slimmer than last year, since they'll still have at best the 6th best car, AND the gap between them and the 4th and 5th best cars will have only gotten greater. Kobay is a quality driver, BUT just like last year, it would take a miracle/fluke weather related situation to give him any shot of getting past at least 7 guys with noticeably quicker cars.

 

Agreed, if anyone is moving up to the podium range this year its either Lotus or Mercedes, Ferrari I think will be a midfield team at the beginning of this year...

 

Zank-kyu Ken San! If history is an indicator of thinks to come, I think Kobay and Sauber's best chance is during the beginning of the season. As the season progresses the bigger teams usually out spend them.

 

^^^What is interesting here is we, like all the rest of the talking heads, on the one hand, say pretesting means nothing and no one can tell who is fastest and reliable until race day...Qualy to B specific... and then on the other hand, say this or that team/driver is going to be # 1 and #2 and so on...these R two completely, opposing predictions and since from the same source, neither has any validity.

I have all the times from last year at Melbourne...barring rain, which is not predicted on this year's race day and hopefully Qualy as well, where anything can happen, we can compare this years results to last for qualy...I shall make the comparo and predict...yes, I, to, have crossed over the guesstimate/BS line...the teams time differential will be closer this year relative to last and my boy, Kobay is going to break threw this year because the C31 is better and bc he NOs it is this year or never to move on...reason U ask?....Sims wants an all Mexican team so he is breathing down his back... so he must better last years' performance to survive...The kid has spoken...Let's do this!

Later, Ken

 

^^^^ LOL. You're funny Ken. Obviously you have to take preseason testing results with a grain of salt, but you can't honestly believe that Sauber has produced a car that will give Kobay even a glimpse of the podium. Hope yes, but not plan for it. They'd have to pull a Brawn to do that, and what are the odds of that happening with the ever increasing aero regulations?!

 

P1 starting in less than one hour (9:30pm EST). Speed is streaming it live for those of you who don't know.

 

Ok, before everyone goes nuts over McLaren being on top in Friday practice, the times, they mean nothing due to weather and other track conditions. Specifically, the best time was 1:27.56 set by McLaren (Button, I think) but last year the #1 Qualy time was 1:23.5, 4 sec slower. So the combination of an oil spill from another series and the rain resulted in really no data to compare teams...we will have to wait for tomorrow in Qualy to C what falls out.

To tie up some loose ends, Whiting, after all the huff and puff about the legality of the new passive F-duct and exhaust configurations, has ruled everyone is ok...at least for now: http://www.f1reports.com/f1/article/14594/

Later, Ken

 

Go McLaren!
that's all i have to say

 

looks like good looking cars are faster

 

Ok, as promised here R the results from this year and last....if I was any good at transcribing, I could send the Excel spreadsheet with graphs but since I suck at this, I will present the abbreviated form of the data:
Difference in time i.e., 2011 - 2012: -1.393 sec for pole to -0.825 for 9th position
Differential in time relative to pole:
2011: 0.778 sec for 2nd position...2.097 for 9th position
2012: 0.152 sec for 2nd position....1.529 for 9th position
In addition, the average time between each rank for 2011-2012 relative to pole was 0.802 sec.

Bottom line: First, 2011 times where lower than 2012 from 1st to 9th positions. These differences, which are quite significant, R probably due to new regs banning blown exhausts.
Second, the top end of the field is definitely closer to the pole position and to each other relative to last year. In short, this year will B more exciting to watch because RB, the pole position in 2011, was almost 1.4 sec slower than this year's pole position....so no walk over for RB this year... they have some work to do.

But now the best news...Sauber is in it...How U ask with Kobay siting at 13th?...if U use his time in Q1 for Q2 he would have been 7th and moved to Q3...but bc of traffic, those dam red cars, and some problem with the tires he could just not get it done....and Perez out with gearbox problems. We shall see tomorrow if they can salvage something in the points.

Later, Ken