Ask The Apex

[landogeorgelewis1]

Will the new Turbo engines for 2014 be a success?

I'm slightly worried a I've heard Turbo's aren't all that reliable.

 

[The Artist.....]

HammydiRestarules
Who can say? The last time that turbos were in F1, they would have spectacular blow-ups... However, there's nothing to say that the engine designers won't have been able to engineer the unreliability out of it...

However, forcing extra fuel into the cylinder under pressure is always going to increase the risk of the engine going bang - particularly with performance engines - But I have confidence that Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault will get it (more or less) right!

 

[Fenderman]

Fear not HammydiRestarules . Probably no worries on that one. Turbo's are so developed since the old F1 'turbo era' there's probably not much new development room left in the technology. Maybe there's scope for using new materials but I doubt it. Haven't checked ut the 2014 reg's yet but it wouldn't surprise me find restrictions on what teams can use in that area - especially with the FIA's and team's eye on the bottom line re. cost and reliability.

 

[sushifiesta]

The 2014 engine regs are also very restrictive, we're not going to be seeing 1000bhp beasts like in the past.

Another request from me; does anyone have a list of all the wet (including partially wet) qualifying sessions from 2008-2012?

 

[Galahad]

sushifiesta - I haven't done 2012 yet, but this is my list for 2008-11:

2008 Italian GP - Q1, Q2, Q3
2009 German GP - Q2
2009 Brazilian GP - Q1, Q2,Q3
2010 Malaysian GP - Q1, Q2, Q3
2010 Belgian GP - Q1, Q2, Q3
2010 Brazilian GP - Q1, Q2, Q3
2011 British GP - Q1, Q2, Q3
2011 Belgian GP - Q1, Q2, Q3

 

[sushifiesta]

Thanks!

P.S. If my memory serves me correctly the wet qualifying days this year were the British, German and Brazilian GPs. I can't remember which sessions specifically though, and I might have forgotten one or two!

 

[Mephistopheles]

I reckon the best turbo engine will be the one with the least turbo lag but then since there will be only three different engines on the grid the whole thing is a bloody joke anyway, but I'll back Ferrari to dominate this one as their turbo project is more advanced than the others....

 

[FB]

If I recall correctly Renault didn't make a bad turbo engine back in the day and Ferrari were always playing catch up. Expect a lot of electronic aids on the engine, similar to off throttle blowing of the diffuser, to keep the turbo spinning and making lag almost irrelevant. Shame they won't allow superchargers.

Question from me, is the turbo pressure going to be limited?

 

[Galahad]

Limited to 4 bar I believe. Edit: actually, it seems there may not be a pressure limit, rather one based on fuel flow. I'll dig out the regulations on it.

 

[sobriety]

fuel flow

Why not just limit the total amount of fuel they can carry?

 

[sushifiesta]

There's an old thread about the 2014 regulations here: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/2014-technical-regulations.3311/

 

[chreden]

Apex,

When and why did "Action Zoom" become popular in motorsport journalism? I don't know if it's the correct term, so here's a poor attempt at recreating it with a ninja dvd:



I don't really see what it adds to an image. If you're going to take a picture of a car stopped in the pitlane you don't need to make it look fast - sometimes I just want to see the thing clearly instead of being reassured via a blur and zoom that it can indeed travel at high speed.

 

[FB]

That effect has been around for years but used to be created by zooming the lens whilst taking the picture. Easier to add it in digitally now but a sod of a thing to do properly in the old days of film.

 

[Josh]

Was the rivalry between Senna and Prost really as fierce and prominent as it's made out to be today or has it been slightly inflated over the years?

 

[RasputinLives]

Bit of both Josh - they did pretty much hate each other and both he accidents at Japan really hyped it up.

having said that by 91 + 92 the press was more focused on Senna/Mansell but Prost still refused point blank to have Senna in his team at Williams

 

[Bleu]

Have there been more pole sitters or race winners? I'm thinking race winners. This year I think there were 7 pole sitters and 8 race winners.

If you mean by season, there has been. Most recently in 2009
Button, Barrichello, Vettel, Webber and Hamilton all had wins and poles. Apart from them only winner was Räikkönen. However, Trulli, Alonso and Fisichella all had one pole position.

In the 2000s it also happened in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

 

[Viscount]

What's the closest in points two teammates have ever finished when one of them wins the driver's championship that year?

 

[Galahad]

Viscount: 1984: Niki Lauda beat team-mate Alain Prost to the title by 0.5 of a point.

 

[teabagyokel]

Viscount - Easy!

1984 - McLaren TAG-Porsche

8. Niki Lauda 72pts
7. Alain Prost 71.5 pts

EDIT: Damnit!

 

[Galahad]