The Official F1 2009 Thread

[E30Kaiser]

Quick question...are you going to be able to use KERS at the very start of the race? Never thought about it but I guess you would have the energy saved up from the parade lap possibly to shoot past the non-KERS cars in front of you at the very start. Anyone know if this is allowed or not? Massa's new interview on F1.com made it seem like this is their strategy to battle non-KERS cars.

[TDE30]

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5045099,00.html

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5045147,00.html

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5045323,00.html

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5044658,00.html

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5044392,00.html

Woo Woo! All aboard the Formula One pre-season clusterfuck train!

Now even the major players are noticing and (to some extent) worried about these guys. Now testing for most of the teams has come to a close and for the next two weeks everyone will be sweating bullets over the ex-Honda team, lol.

[E30Kaiser]

Not to mention BGP might only get better since they have one more test session then most of the other guys i believe.

[Thighs]

has anyopne heard any more news about the F1USA team in the works?

[Jon325i]

I've gone on record before about this, but I'll reiterate since it has been a while....

When it comes to the pre-season testing, I try not to read too much into it because more often than not the opposite starts to happen to a team as the season progresses. Last year, BMW/Sauber looked good in preseason testing and got off to a respectable start to the season, but after about a third of the races were done they started to slip in the consistency department. Meanwhile, other usual back-marker teams started showing some game and people took notice. So take that for what its worth I suppose.

As for the recently saved Honda (now Brawn GP via Mercedes) team, I hope they do well. They're getting such a late start with sorting the team and the car these guys will being scrabbling for a while. However, Brawn is a genius at this game and he has some experienced drivers. I will be cheering them on as my underdog team of choice for '09.

Jon

[tg318is]

But the teams were allowed in season testing last year

[Hick]

But the teams were allowed in season testing last year

+1

That is going to have a big impact IMO. If a team gets their car too far off the pace, there is NO time to bring it back up while not competing for points.

McMerc is in a lot of trouble. They were off the pace, and have announced an issue with their rear wing stalling, and the undertray/diffuser not working properly. They changed both [+ front wing, and top body molding] during the testing this past week, but nothing worked. Another announcement says they will test newer still parts at Jerez next week. IF they dont get it right, they will be loosing points from the get go, and will suffer until its sorted out DURING THE RACE.

From what ive read, it seems that the cars running without KERs are going to be fast. Its optional to run it next year [have to run KERs in 2010] Brawn is on of those teams, and i think with the technical regs you can move the ballast weight, that equals out to a KERs system, anywhere on the car. Brawn may be taking advantage of the ballast and getting the car set up right that way.

[E30Kaiser]

According to Massa, a KERS car is faster than non-Kers, when it is working, and it is low in the car where you would have Ballast anyway. He has said that if you think the Brawn car is fast now, wait until it has KERS on it. But integrating KERS isn't just about putting a single part in the car, you have to integrate it into the brakes, balance of the car, and many other things. This could be a very, very interesting season!

Also for the people saying teams can recover during the season, the last two seasons have been won and lost by a single point. It just goes to show you that you can't even take a single point for granted.

[z31maniac]

I was hearing a lot of talk about Williams, Toyota, and Ferrari violating aero regs a few weeks ago. I assume all of that has since been adjusted.

What I read a few weeks ago was that both Toyota and Williams has their designs cleared with the FIA many months ago. But other teams can still lodge a protest and the Stewards could rule differently.

Which to me that is completely fucked.

[tg318is]

Also for the people saying teams can recover during the season, the last two seasons have been won and lost by a single point. It just goes to show you that you can't even take a single point for granted.

Its going to be different this year, it could be more competitive or there could be 1 team far better than the rest.

No in season testing so, they have to get it perfect in under 2 weeks. I hope this will be an exciting season!

[Hick]

LAME:

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/3/9024.html

What are they trying to prove?

[devonjordan]

FUCK THAT SHIT! FIA needs to EAD...

[E30Kaiser]

I read that earlier and still think it is the most bullshit ruling ever. You shouldn't change how the championship is won at this point in the game. There are many world champions that didn't win the most races in a season and still won the whole thing. It is stupid stupid stupid. Fuck the FIA.

[devonjordan]

What about the constructors?

[Charlie]

When do they start inverting the field and running figure-8 races?

-Charlie