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The 2020 F1 Season

A brief history of efforts that went beyond the usual copying of ideas:

Around 2004 Sauber paid Ferrari for the CAD models of their previous years car. They tested models from the CAD in the wind tunnel and then on the track and found that they were a second a lap lower than expected. I won't go into the why, other than saying it some time for Sauber to make much progress.

The next big attempt to use another teams aero concept was by Haas, where they paid to use the Ferrari wind tunnel to develop their car and bought as much as they could from Ferrari. They also paid to have Ferrari aero staff join their team. Ultimately this resulted in a rules changes from the FIA, with 3 months minimum gardening leave when transferring between Ferrari and Haas and back again (relationship benefited both). This was why Haas were able to come in with a small team and seem to do a very good job in the first couple of years.

Haas have continued to use as much of the Ferrari car as they can (and their wind tunnel, just like Racing Point now use the Merc wind tunnel), but at 50% the size of Racing Point they do not have the resource to do a good enough job to get closer to Ferrari, and clearly this year the Ferrari is not a championship challenger.

Renault are a factory backed team, so they could not really copy RBR in the way that Racing Point has copied Merc, as they would have to then admit that their technical department was not up to the job and then they might as well give up. So they changed their technical leadership as that was the obvious step after McLaren beat them last year.
 
Photogrammetry has also improved considerably over the years and it has become easier to photograph the cars now due to rule changes re having the cars visible more of the time when in garages etc.
 
tones said:
Vettel lapped by Hamilton - something has gone badly astray in Maranello.
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Yeah, that was embarrassing for Ferrari. Mercedes have produced an absolute beast of a car. Just need to get Max & Lewis racing against each other in one.
 
How much of the difference between the Ferraris & the Mercedes is due to the controversial system Ferrari was using last season ( giving a false/ illegal performance advantage?) & the controversial front axle system Mercedes is running this season ( which as I understand it will not be allowed next year) I wonder?
 
manicatel said:
How much of the difference between the Ferraris & the Mercedes is due to the controversial system Ferrari was using last season ( giving a false/ illegal performance advantage?) & the controversial front axle system Mercedes is running this season ( which as I understand it will not be allowed next year) I wonder?
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Whatever Ferrari have had to do to their engine after the FIA investigation has definitely had an impact as all the Ferrari powered cars are now slower than expected, not just the works cars, but it's not just the engine that is hitting them performance wise. In qualifying for the Styrian GP they were nowhere and when it's that wet the engine matters a lot less. The car lacks overall speed, its aero just isn't working as well as others and the really worrying thing is both drivers say it is nice to drive... a car that is nice to drive, but slow is hard to fix. Compare that to the Red Bull... in low to medium speed corners the car is edgy and ready to let go... it costs them time, but at least they can see the problem and work on it.

In terms of the Merc I am not sure how much the DAS helps them in the race or even if they use it, I think it's most useful for getting temperature into the tyres so in qualifying it will be helping them set up the flying lap. However, I think fundamentally the car is just a manifestation of all the knowledge they have gained in the hybrid era and is just a fundamentally well balanced superbly designed race car. Every year they have built a brilliant car, but it has always had some compromise whereby it doesn't suit every circuit or set of conditions and in some seasons it has needed the driver to add that bit of magic to win the titles (2017/2018)..... this year I think that is gone... it's going to be fast everywhere and easier to drive than before and it looks after its tyres (look at how Max's mediums dropped off yesterday compared to those of Bottas and Hamilton).

If you watch the onboard fromLewis's pole lap in Hungary his steering input is so smooth... reminds me of Schumacher in the 2004 Ferrari... makes it look like any of us could do it (we couldn't by the way) whereas watching Verstappen it looks like he's fighting the car through many of the corners. I think the whole DAS revelation is a bit of a distraction to be honest and has let their biggest 2020 innovation slip under the radar... the new rear suspension. James Allison described it as adventurous as it has seen them has reposition components on the rear suspension, placing the toe link in front and flipping the lower wishbone 180 degrees. This gives them more aerodynamic advantage as it moves the wishbone into a less aerodynamically sensitive position by placing it behind two components that are perpendicular to the way the car is moving. Overall though it is just a fundamentally brilliant car built by a fantastically talented team that have worked together for nearly a decade and have enabled one of the greatest drivers in the sport to showcase his talents every season.... we are witnessing greatness on a level rarely seen in sport and to all who think it is boring I say watch this and remember it as in a few years Lewis will be gone and Mercedes may well follow him. There will be a changing of the guard, there always is, but this team/driver combination are pretty special... enjoy it while it lasts.
 
Vettel giving another typically candid and expansive interview, this time on his future. If you don't want to watch, the upshot is he's still thinking about things, both in F1 and beyond. The interview took place before the Hungary GP so that's worth bearing in mind. I have to say, I like Vettel as a human being as he seems so down to earth.

 
tiggers said:
In terms of the Merc I am not sure how much the DAS helps them in the race or even if they use it, I think it's most useful for getting temperature into the tyres so in qualifying it will be helping them set up the flying lap. However, I think fundamentally the car is just a manifestation of all the knowledge they have gained in the hybrid era and is just a fundamentally well balanced superbly designed race car. Every year they have built a brilliant car, but it has always had some compromise whereby it doesn't suit every circuit or set of conditions and in some seasons it has needed the driver to add that bit of magic to win the titles (2017/2018)..... this year I think that is gone... it's going to be fast everywhere and easier to drive than before and it looks after its tyres (look at how Max's mediums dropped off yesterday compared to those of Bottas and Hamilton).
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DAS as I said earlier in the thread, was just a distraction. So people did not look so closely at other things that Merc were doing.

Merc invested heavily in this years car and the technology to develop future cars ss next year was to be the budget cap. When CV-19 disrupted the F1 season, they pushed on with their plans as this years car became a car for 2 seasons, and therefore it was even more important to deliver the best car possible.

If you watch the onboard fromLewis's pole lap in Hungary his steering input is so smooth... reminds me of Schumacher in the 2004 Ferrari... makes it look like any of us could do it (we couldn't by the way) whereas watching Verstappen it looks like he's fighting the car through many of the corners. I think the whole DAS revelation is a bit of a distraction to be honest and has let their biggest 2020 innovation slip under the radar... the new rear suspension. James Allison described it as adventurous as it has seen them has reposition components on the rear suspension, placing the toe link in front and flipping the lower wishbone 180 degrees. This gives them more aerodynamic advantage as it moves the wishbone into a less aerodynamically sensitive position by placing it behind two components that are perpendicular to the way the car is moving. Overall though it is just a fundamentally brilliant car built by a fantastically talented team that have worked together for nearly a decade and have enabled one of the greatest drivers in the sport to showcase his talents every season.... we are witnessing greatness on a level rarely seen in sport and to all who think it is boring I say watch this and remember it as in a few years Lewis will be gone and Mercedes may well follow him. There will be a changing of the guard, there always is, but this team/driver combination are pretty special... enjoy it while it lasts.
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Lewis is at his peak and the Merc development process is at its peak, as you have described. The budget cap for next year will change things for their medium term future but will have little to no bearing negative on their performance next year. Next year they will be focusing all their efforts on 2022, as will most teams. But the budget cap will start to affect them in the medium term as at the end of this year they will have to downsize from 1200 to around 700 people. And this year they recruited some expensive people (they signed them up last year but with senior people on 6 months to 1 year notice periods, it takes time for them to join the team) and have given them some senior job titles. Whereas there a lot of people who have worked there for a long time who have done what is required to keep them winning. SO they have some big managerial challenges ahead.
 
windhoek said:
Vettel giving another typically candid and expansive interview, this time on his future. If you don't want to watch, the upshot is he's still thinking about things, both in F1 and beyond. The interview took place before the Hungary GP so that's worth bearing in mind. I have to say, I like Vettel as a human being as he seems so down to earth.

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Good interview there. Heard good things from a few media people in the sport who done bits with Seb. The best part of the interview for me is near the end when it goes slightly off script and becomes almost just a chat between them. Big admiration for both of them there. Sometimes forget how natural Martin is when it comes to talking about the sport. Him and James Hunt would've been a great pairing in the commentary box.
 
Rack Kit said:
Good interview there. Heard good things from a few media people in the sport who done bits with Seb. The best part of the interview for me is near the end when it goes slightly off script and becomes almost just a chat between them. Big admiration for both of them there. Sometimes forget how natural Martin is when it comes to talking about the sport. Him and James Hunt would've been a great pairing in the commentary box.
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I think I mentioned before but I have a friend who is an F1 accredited photographer and he has said that VET is pretty much the most fan dedicated driver out there, always spending time with them and very natural with them as well. As most will know I am not a fan but I have to say I am warming to him.
 
Rack Kit said:
@IanW Is it normal for a driver to help strip down a car post race?

https://twitter.com/LandoNorris/status/1284968655550283776?s=20
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As Tony has stated, no.

The mechanics are very good at their jobs, just like the drivers are at theirs, and so the best scenario is that everyone sticks to their area of expertise.

The only time I remember a driver helping at the track was when Martin Hynes (was World Karting champion at the time) drove a McLaren race car in 91 or 92 at Lurcy Levis airfield in France. On his first outing he started off down the runway and put his right foot down too much and ended in the grass off to the side. He felt so embarrassed at his driving that he helped clean the grass out of the radiators etc.
 
We don’t let pilots fix their own aircraft unless it’s a real emergency. They can carry out basic daily servicing, no more. Aircrew just have to bow to higher beings for anything more taxing.
 
IanW said:
As Tony has stated, no.

The mechanics are very good at their jobs, just like the drivers are at theirs, and so the best scenario is that everyone sticks to their area of expertise.

The only time I remember a driver helping at the track was when Martin Hynes (was World Karting champion at the time) drove a McLaren race car in 91 or 92 at Lurcy Levis airfield in France. On his first outing he started off down the runway and put his right foot down too much and ended in the grass off to the side. He felt so embarrassed at his driving that he helped clean the grass out of the radiators etc.
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it was only really a tongue in cheek question as I’m guessing was Lando’s tweet. He’s a funny guy to follow on social media and uses it well. He’s having a pretty decent season so far too. A long way for him to go but hope he can push on and really establish himself.
 
Having watched the Moto GP highlights yesterday evening.

I would suggest that the best thing the rule makers could do to encourage attractive racing would be to get rid of half the wheels!
 
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