The F1 Thread 2010 Season

It's boring and terrible to look at, maybe its the lighting but it just looks like a mashup of different ideas. I for one hate the silver effect, it looks shit and the little flashes of green look shit because they arn't solid enough. Then on top of that they must have thought this looks abit bare, lets put a massive shit looking black swipe down the side. Oh and the number bits, I can see they went with a throwback look with the red number on a white circle but it looks so out of place.

Terrible.
 
Maybe its because I'm colour blind but where is the green on the car? I can't really make it out.

Looks like they want the car to look like it drove through a burning warehouse with that charcoal effect.

For a couple of hours this morning I made the mistake of thinking this was the 2010 car, I wondered for ages how similar it looked to last years Brawn and how the hell they managed to fit in the huge fuel tank:nervous:
 
On the very front of the front wing and on the rear wing second plane, but they are kind of blended into the silver and therefore just look shit. Maybe it will look better on the track and on the 2010 chassis but cant say I am a fan.
 
yeh, the green does look a bit shit really

I think it's a sponsorship, as there's a bit just in front of the wheel, if I were them, I'd change it, as noone will realise you are sponsoring them
 
EdWeatherall said:
yeh, the green does look a bit shit really

I think it's a sponsorship, as there's a bit just in front of the wheel, if I were them, I'd change it, as noone will realise you are sponsoring them
Click to expand...

Well the Oil partner is Petronas, they have a turqoise green colour scheme I presume thats why its on the car
 
Yeah its there for Petronas, under sunlight perhaps this changes the look of the car because from different angles it looks very different, but to me its a poor effort.
 
Teams agree to new tyre rule for 2010

Formula 1 teams have agreed to introduce an extra strategic element to races this season by forcing leading drivers to start races on the same tyres that they qualified on, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

With the ban on refuelling for 2010 already forcing a big change in tactics compared to how grands prix have run in recent years, the new rule looks set to have an impact on how teams approach qualifying as well.

Although the tweak has not yet been committed to the regulations, sources have revealed that last week's meeting of the Sporting Working Group agreed to the change as a way of improving the show.

It is understood that the majority of teams present voted in favour of a rule that will require the top 10 cars that make it through to the final session of qualifying to start the race on the same tyres that they set their fastest Q3 time on.

This will open up the possibility of teams gambling on sacrificing the best possible time in Q3 by running a more consistent but less quick tyre so as to have a better chance in the race. Alternatively, teams may choose a tyre that is better over a single lap to secure a good grid position, even if it runs the risk of compromising race performance.

The teams hope that the rule tweak will serve to mix up the tactics throughout the grid and therefore lead to more exciting races.

The change still needs to be voted on by the Formula 1 Commission and the World Motor Sport Council next week before passing into the regulations, but this is likely to be a formality.

The refuelling ban this season has brought about mixed opinions about whether it will improve the racing - with some suggesting that the difficulties in overtaking will result in races turning into pure processions.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said on Monday that he hoped the ban would prove a positive for F1.

"Inevitably, when you make a change, there are pros and cons," he said. "Regarding the pros, it arguably makes qualifying purer because the fastest car/driver combination will be setting the fastest times, and the public can understand that.

"Secondly, in the race itself, overtaking was often being planned and implemented to occur as a consequence of strategy, and therefore happening in the pit lane and not the circuit.

"In the absence of that effect, drivers will have a greater incentive to overtake. There have been occasions in the past where a driver hasn't had that incentive because he knows he will be running longer and can get past the car ahead strategically through the pit stops.

"Additionally, the fact that drivers will qualify on low-fuel, and then the next time they drive the car in anger into the first corner will be after a standing start with cold tyres and cold brakes and 160kg of fuel.

"That will be very challenging for them, not just in terms of getting round that first corner, but in terms of how they look after their tyres and how the balance of the car will alter as a consequence of that. And there will be drivers who are able to deal with those changes better than others.

"Those are all the positives. On the negative side, it's possible that if all of the above is managed equally well by every driver, then we'll have lost one of the strategic campaign interests that the more avid fans enjoyed in the sport. Hopefully the former points will outweigh the latter."
Click to expand...

Why oh why do they keep messing around with these rules. What do they do if the qualifying is wet and the race is dry? or vice versa? ridiculous!
 
I would imagine any requirement for wet weather tyres will negate the regulation, just like it does with the need to use both compounds already.

All this fecking around with little things will not sort out the underlying problem though. They need a massive aero regulation overhaul to reduce the turbulence created by the cars.
 
New points system as well.

Teams agree to points system tweak

Formula 1 has edged closer to a further overhaul of its points structure for the 2010 season after teams approved a new system that will offer greater rewards for winning, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

Just more than one month after the old 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 system was replaced with a MotoGP-type format (25-20-15-10-8-6-5-3-2-1), sources have revealed a meeting of F1 think tank the Sporting Working Group in London on Friday approved a further overhaul to reward more for race wins.

Rather than there being a five points different between first and second, teams agreed to expand that difference to seven points - with further tweaks to the points taking place lower down the order.

The new points structure approved by the SWG is: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.

The matter still needs to be approved by next month's meeting of the Formula 1 Commission before the FIA World Motor Sport Council can put it into the 2010 regulations, but this is likely to be a formality with teams already having voted in favour of the changes.

Although yet another change to the regulations is not ideal for F1, especially after such fanfare in December at the first amendment, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner is adamant that the sport should always be ready to put its hands up if it thinks things are wrong.

He also believed a greater points gap between first and second would provide greater motivation for drivers to fight harder for the win.

"I think you should never be afraid of change so long as it is a change for the better," he told AUTOSPORT ahead of the SWG meeting.

"And I think that what the points are trying to be designed to do are first of all - to generate a pecking order perhaps lower down in the top ten - so that with the points going down to 10th place there is reward for a top ten finish.

"But I think also one of the factors that Bernie is keen to look at is perhaps having a heavier weight between first, second and third, so there is more emphasis that rather than drivers cruising and collecting points, that they have to go for it.

"It is not because drivers don't want to take the risk, but if the points difference between a win and second is two points it is not the end of the world, whereas if it is a significant number then it adds motivation for the drivers to push each other very hard."

AUTOSPORT understands that the SWG also discussed the idea of awarding points for pole position or fastest lap, but neither of these concepts were agreed.

The SWG also talked at length about the possibility of introducing a rule that would force drivers to make two mandatory pit stops during a race, but this was not approved either. F1 drivers will therefore only need to make a single pit-stop in 2010 so as to ensure that they run on both types of tyres made available.
Click to expand...

autosport.com - F1 News: Teams agree to points system tweak
 
Now the points system I agree with. I was never a fan of the previous system with only 2 points the difference between first and second. This gives more incentive to go for the win while rewarding a lot of lower places(the top 10 as opposed ton the top 8 last year).
 
The MotoGP format works, it rewards both consistency but it also rewards abit of risk for going for 1st. It also means its likely the championship goes to the wire as a 25 points for a win means the leader would need a big points haul over the nearest challenger.

Unless Schumacher dominates it all ofcourse
 
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's 2010 challeneger, the first of the new season launches, the F10:
ferrari_2010_3.jpg

ferrari_2010_2.jpg
 
The Ferrari doesn't look bad, dont like the white wings and its not a massive departure from their 09 car, just kinda bolted the Red Bull nose on it.

The McLaren on the other hand is a completly radical approach from last years car and despite my initial viewing on the shark fin wing I think it looks fantastic.

144132.jpg
 
From the BBC testing today on the points

1030: BREAKING NEWS - The Formula 1 Commission, the sport's rule-making body, has voted to change the points system for the second time in two months. It has extended the gap from first to second place to seven points rather than five in an attempt to encourage drivers to race to win (as if they don't already), so the top 10 now goes: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1. A full news story will follow shortly.
 
1130: That man Alonso has gone faster again - and has now posted the best time of the three days so far, a one minute 11.599 seconds. Then it's Pedro de la Rosa's Sauber on 1:12.094, Michael Schumacher's Mercedes (1:12.438), Jaime Alguersuari in the Toro Rosso (1:12.576), McLaren's Jenson Button (1:13.783), the Williams of Nico Hulkenberg (1:14.338), and finally Vitaly Petrov's Renault (1:14.07).

Alonso fastest in first testing so far.

Hm...
 
Ferrari's could be doing sprints whilst Mercedes do long runs, Merc could be testing tyre compounds, they could have aero parts masked over or not included. Testing times mean bugger all, we won't know anything until we've had a few races.
 
What Mr.Nick said. Testing is all about sandbagging anyway, you'll find that some tricksy teams actually test the car on sections of the track rather than the full lap. The canny teams will be trying to test their cars to destruction ensuring that its going to be realible.
 
Virgin car looks cool. Testing is a fabulous thing, it brings out the spastics in droves and I don't mean anyone here when I say that. All the bandwagon jumpers are here this season and you can take everything they say with a pinch of salt, I also avoid all the regular forums too such as PlanetF1 because its filled with nothing but speculation and fanboys.

Times sometimes indicate speed but we won't see everybody's true pace until Qualifying Round 1, especially this season with the fuel difference.
 
I used to go on P-F1 but it just became intolerable, absolutely everything descended into 'fanboys v haters', it was like a bunch of high school girls.

There are one of two decent and well informed posters on there and I venture on now and again to see if there is anything worth reading, but for the most part it is horrendous.
 
Agreed, its worth having a look on there for some images and times but I avoid the place now when looking for some decent insight. The Autosport forum and F1Technical are probably the best places but I still don't bother much during the winter testing.
 
I heard some speculation that Ferrari had a temporary diffuser and under tray fitted to their car as they didn't want anybody to see the real thing. This was about a week ago, so if you believe that and you take the testing times at face value it's quite a daunting outlook for the others.

Not that I ever would take testing times at face value, but still!
 
I'm awaiting judgement until first practice in Australia on cars pace. Theres a hell of a long time to go before the first race in terms of developments. There's no doubt that the Ferrari fans will be jerking their gherkin at the time boards so far.
 
Aye, but even first practice isnt a true indication. I remember everyone harping on about the BMW being a dog in 2008 and then in Quali Kubica nearly planted it on pole. Valencia is not even a good track to truly test an F1 cars performance, but its perfect for reliability tests.

The only good thing about it was the fact so many fans turned up, perhaps opens the possibility of better coverage in the future.
 
I'd say there should be some coverage of the testing, i liked Fota's intial idea of one big unveiling session to reduce costs for teams but it never took off. The off season still carries interest & i think the BBC could corner a good market by having some form of coverage of both events.
 
They need to get it back to Silverstone in September, two British World Champions yet no testing in this country? There was great value in watching F1 cars going around all day for a tenner, they would come in their droves right now.
 
Is in season testing still banned this year? I've lost touch with the rule changes somewhat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.