Bad Toyota

[m3_lover]

technical director Mike Gascoyne saying this today..

"We expected that we would have stronger race pace. We've done lots of long runs in testing, we've compared all the data with our rivals and we know where we should be but we were nowhere near it," he said. "At the moment we don't know what our problem is. When you looked at our tyres afterwards they looked brand new.

"Bridgestone is as surprised as we are and it is clearly no criticism of them because their tyres finished second and nearly won the race. But clearly we did not make the tyre work. We have asked Bridgestone if, with the help of their data, they can give us any clue as to what we are doing wrong. It is unusual for the drivers to tell you that they are slow but that there is nothing wrong with the car. It's not as if we think we don't have downforce or anything like that, so hopefully we can get on top of the problem

[peroa]

To me switching to Bs makes long term sense, and Williams and Toyota might very well be made to look foolish for it this year. We don't know what will happen to McLaren and Renault next year after the opposition has had at least a year to acclimatise to the new rubber.

Williams is a team with what, 25-30 years of racing experience, Toyota compared to this is a 5 years old baby.

And I really don`t rate Gascoyne that much as he is being payed by Toyota, let alone the Japanese influcences, especially forcing the tyre switch, Gascoyne never wanted to change...

Williams was surprisingly very quick yesterday and I don`t expect them to have some major problems adapting to tyres.

[zac510]

thanks for posting that

[jgredline]

To me switching to Bs makes long term sense, and Williams and Toyota might very well be made to look foolish for it this year. We don't know what will happen to McLaren and Renault next year after the opposition has had at least a year to acclimatise to the new rubber.

Williams is a team with what, 25-30 years of racing experience, Toyota compared to this is a 5 years old baby.

And I really don`t rate Gascoyne that much as he is being payed by Toyota, let alone the Japanese influcences, especially forcing the tyre switch, Gascoyne never wanted to change...

Williams was surprisingly very quick yesterday and I don`t expect them to have some major problems adapting to tyres.

It was after he left Renault that they started to win.

[West]

They better be competitive next round, or my McLaren Grand Prix League Team is f*cked

[m3_lover]

Could the lack of a third car be hurting Toyota a lot because they do not have data as they did last year?

[ginsu]

technical director Mike Gascoyne saying this today..

"We expected that we would have stronger race pace. We've done lots of long runs in testing, we've compared all the data with our rivals and we know where we should be but we were nowhere near it," he said. "At the moment we don't know what our problem is. When you looked at our tyres afterwards they looked brand new.

Well there's only one way that this is really possible, they don't have enough load on the wheels i.e. their drivers aren't pushing the car enough.

It's difficult because they were hardly visible in Bahrain. I don't remember seeing much of either of the Toyotas, so I can't say Jarno was driving hard or not. Ralf, of course, probably was not driving hard enough.

[Scuderia_Russ]

Don't forget that last years McLaren struggled to work its tyres hard enough until Newey made some suspension mods. Maybe the suspension revisions after changing the keel set up have hurt them.

[joseff]

In the 2nd half of the race, Trulli was visibly the slower of the two IIRC.

[axle]

'scuse my lack of understanding but...

If the tyres are lasting...why not use a softer compound? That will surely give the car more mechanical grip? Surely Bridgestone can do that?

[acer]

How about Sepang? A softer compound = puncture

[axle]

A softer compound = puncture

How do you figure that?? Punctures are caused by debris or poor manufacturing....just cause a tyre features a softer compound for its tread it doesn't follow that it will blow up....I'm not talking about MAJOR changes...just a bit softer than what Williams and Ferarri need.

But I assume the reason this can't happen is that Bridgestone is limited to two coumpounds for all it's cars...so they have to have 2 good options for the majority and this is just masking the problem of poor suspension geo.

[acer]

high tempreature? punctures can cost them time

[Sawtooth-spike]

high tempreature? punctures can cost them time

High temps, cause blow outs, Punctures are caused by sharp things,

punc·ture ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pngkchr)
v. punc·tured, punc·tur·ing, punc·tures
v. tr.
To pierce with a pointed object.
To make (a hole) by piercing.
To cause to collapse by piercing.
To depreciate or deflate: cutting remarks that punctured my ego.

[joseff]

If the tyres are lasting...why not use a softer compound?

I think it needs a fix from both the tire and suspension ends. If it were just a simple matter of generating extra heat from a softer compound (tread squirm), a little drop in inflation pressure can easily do that.

But I assume the reason this can't happen is that Bridgestone is limited to two coumpounds for all it's cars...

IIRC this was the case pre-2002 (or 2003?). The rules are now changed to "2 compounds of dry tires per team". Not quite sure, correct me if I'm wrong.