Ask The Apex

[The Pits]

Also I know Toyota revealed their 2010 car, but why do they use their 2009 car for Pirelli testing when the 2010 is more likely to offer relevant information?

Pirelli never used the 2010 car as it had never been run, and they did not want to have to go through all the shaking down, plus it was an unknown quantity.

The 2009 car was proven, and none of the teams objected to its use as no team would gain any advantage from inside information.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I think you're only allowed to use a car for testing when it's 2 years old, so presumably they can use the 2010 car in 2012.

But that car never entered the 2010 championship...

 

[EvilWhippet]

Yo, Apex, can I ask a question?

Why is Ayrton Senna's nephew so good at missing you by several meters about 5 times per lap?

 

[The Pits]

The whole point about the Toyota was that they were not an entrant to the championship, as such testing restrictions did not apply, so the age of the car is irrelevant.

They used an unaffiliated driver, and a car which just happened to be built to F1 regulations, which afforded them some meaningful testing.

The age of the car etc have no bearing at all.

The 2010 car was not used as it had never been run, and would have been useless in terms of gaining meaningful data.

 

[downforce]

If HRT entered their F1 car into GP2 would it dominate?

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

No, for the majority of GP2 races last year, the GP2 pole sitter was faster than the worst Hispania driver.

 

[downforce]

Thats awful, you would actually prefer to be in GP2 than HRT

 

[EvilWhippet]

No, for the majority of GP2 races last year, the GP2 pole sitter was faster than the worst Hispania driver.

To be fair, given who HRT's worst driver was in 2010 that's not saying much...

 

[downforce]

One thing I often hear Brundle and forum members saying is that McLaren have the most powerful KERS, I thought all KERS had to be exactly the same power though?

 

[no-FIAt-please]

One thing I often hear Brundle and forum members saying is that McLaren have the most powerful KERS, I thought all KERS had to be exactly the same power though?

Yes I believe all systems are worth roughly 80 horsepower. Perhaps McLaren's intergration of their system with the engine is best, but I don't see how Brundle could know this. I think most likely Brundle is still drawing on conclusions from the 2009 season when the technology was undeveloped and the teams were struggling with it, at the time Mercedes delivered the best system and it appeared as though the boost McLaren recieved from the Mercedes KERS was better than Ferrari's, Renault's and BMW's systems.

 

[Galahad]

It may be lighter, it may be more efficient, but it certainly isn't more powerful.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

It may be lighter, it may be more efficient, but it certainly isn't more powerful.

But isn't the unit McLaren use the same as Force India's and Mercedes'?

 

[teabagyokel]

Well, Mercedes are certainly very fast in a straight line.

 

[downforce]

yeah but McLaren, Mercedes and Force India all use the same engine as well - and that is the most powerful on the grid

 

[The Pits]

I am not sure whether the whole package is Mercedes, including the batteries and the motor, or just the motor. Certainly individual teams will have their own packaging and cooling solutions.

Also, with the power, I believe that the limits are set with how much power can be used, ie how much charge can be drawn from the battery, and the more efficient the motor, the more you gain. Figures of 80% have been quoted recently in the press.

An interesting (or not) point on that is around the Honda KERS for 2009 (which was never used) was reported to be between 97 and 99% efficient.

 

[Jos the Boss]

Why dont F1 drivers pick their own numbers like in Moto GP?

 

[RasputinLives]

Why dont F1 drivers pick their own numbers like in Moto GP?

because F1 is sensible

 

[sobriety]

because F1 is sensible

See, I quite like riders/drivers picking their own numbers, makes them easier to recognise (provided the numbers are big enough) if you know that number x is always rider/driver x. But as to why? Probably because the FiA is full of old boys, and it's tradition, innit.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Stirling Moss always used to choose 7. Presumably that it what Schumacher will have next season.

 

[Jos the Boss]

Well bring back big numbers!