This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
“I was here a few weeks ago”, says Verstappen. “That's the best way to learn a circuit. Of course the car [a Porsche] is a bit slower. It was important. It gives you a small advantage. I could drive here all day. To compare it to Suzuka? No idea. Every circuit is different. ”
“What didn't go wrong?”, Verstappen responds to the question of what went wrong in Monza. “I knew qualifying would be difficult, so I was happy with fifth place on the grid. But the start was difficult, we had an overheating problem. Then we ended up in a DRS train, ”says Verstappen. “Then the safety car came and then the red flag came so that everyone could change tires. Everything went wrong and after the restart my engine overheated, forcing me to give up. ”
“Things can only get better here”, he looks ahead. “I think we will be behind Mercedes again. I am confident that we will have a positive weekend ”, said the Dutchman.
You can still improve reliability, which equals performance. Shame however that a new fuel cannot be used until next year. Where Honda typically develops strongly in season, with a nice step over the winter, Honda must now metaphorically put all their eggs in one basket. The update they will make over the winter will seem bigger than previous years because it will be all the planned developments of this year, plus what they accomplish over the winter in one go. Where Mercedes improved by .3, Honda will need to double that to be on par, which is a tall order. Perhaps this step back on the chassis side teaches some important lessons and they can make a substantial improvement next year.
You can still improve reliability, which equals performance.
That is true, but upon against a background of 'no modes becuase we are tired of people using reliability upgrades as tricking us into allowing performance upgrades' - FIA, don't you think the possibilities for performace updates via this reliability channel are diminishing?
From memory I believe reliability upgrades must also be improved by the other PU manufacturers, I wonder what those meetings feel like now?
(anyway, I was mostly referring to things like you suggest, the new combusition concept spec that Honda was meant to bring in this year, fuel and other things)
You can still improve reliability, which equals performance.
That is true, but upon against a background of 'no modes becuase we are tired of people using reliability upgrades as tricking us into allowing performance upgrades' - FIA, don't you think the possibilities for performace updates via this reliability channel are diminishing?
From memory I believe reliability upgrades must also be improved by the other PU manufacturers, I wonder what those meetings feel like now?
(anyway, I was mostly referring to things like you suggest, the new combusition concept spec that Honda was meant to bring in this year, fuel and other things)
One area that can be improved on is lubrication, reducing friction is a means to improve performance. In an ICE 30-40% of the waste heat generated is purely friction. Reducing friction improves efficiency, and lubricants are free to develop. Clearly the potential of lubrication improvement won't erase the deficit to Mercedes, but focusing on it can perhaps yield unintended benefits.
Consider the biggest friction culprits are piston rings and the bearings. Changes to the piston rings can affect performance, and it would be almost impossible to differentiate between piston ring changes meant for reliability or performance.
Good showing so far. It seems Verstappen is a bit closer to the front. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the weekend pans out. It's only going to get warmer from here till Sunday.
Verstappen is always immediately quick. This time he was even quickest of all on white tires. Rest on yellow. It is just something that he has always been able to, in tests, in new cars, Ricciardo always wondered about how he was able to. Doesn’t necessarily mean he will be able to keep up at the front all weekend. He believes Merc will be ahead so let’s expect that. But a positive start, also with the Alpha Tauri’s in nice places.
Not good, the tire deg is too severe, only one set of hards left. Mediums start going off in about 10 laps. Will have to start on mediums, at least we have the pace to do it. The hards are .3 slower than mediums but will last 5 or 6 laps longer. So the strat should be quali mediums, pit ~ lap 15-16, it will take some tire management so pace will have to be in the 24's, as that's what you'll lose saving tire through sector 2. Hopefully 33 can qualify high, hopefully on the front row although that's unlikely. It will be warmer tomorrow, and warmer still on Sunday.
It'll be important to save tires and extend the opening stints as much as possible to have a very strong last stint. Since it's likely that Verstappen will be starting behind the Mercedes, what makes it interesting is how well Perez can make the tires last, it's likely that will force Mercedes to consider that if they don't build a gap, or manage tires it's likely they can get stuck in traffic if they pit too early. There is also the very real possibility of a safety car as this track is very unforgiving to mistakes.
The pace is good, so it'll be a matter of extending the stints as much as possible to be strong towards the end of the race. That will give Verstappen the best chance of a win, the Mercedes will not have the pace advantage to pit in clear air, nor the tire wear longevity to afford to push hard on the opening stint, otherwise they'll struggle at the end.
it seems after Toto convinced Stroll into the AMR concept he wanted him to poach Newey as well , does Vettel and Newey ringing any 4 titles bills ? lol
unfortunately for him the one mode engine rule happened so he can't pass the party mode to AMR next year beside what will make Newey leave RBR and go to inferior team if he with RBR hardly raise the par to Mercedes level.
iam sure Toto will do his best to make AMR a very good car next year but i highly doubt it can rival the RB17 what so ever.
Albon being Albon and the 7 tenths gap to Max return with any twisty track , Marko wants him within 3 tenths from Max, not gonna happens he is not tier 1 driver since SPA 2019 i saw enough.
