The Formula One Season 2005

Michael,

I feel that being able to design a tyre specifically for one car must have advantages in working with the known dynamics of that vehicle. Logistically if nothing else. That was always my understanding, and why I believe it will take a major effort to topple Ferrari as long as they have this relationship. I also feel that's the thinking behind the nine's costsaving measures.

Ferrari are anything but naive and if they could find a performance leap by switching to Michelin, I very much doubt they would think twice about doing so. regardless of contractural committments. As Ian says, getting the best out of a tyre designed for another car is, I would imagine, very difficult.

Let's remember that BAR's performance relative to the top Michelin teams did not dramatically change from the last few races of their Bridgestone era to last season. The slight increase in performance could easily be attributed to accelerated engine development and the new chassis/gearbox package.

Likewise with Sauber. Their inherent speed towards the end of the 2004 season was there for all to see, indeed second row qualifying slots and top five performances were much in evidence as the season came to an end.

I cannot for the life of me see the evidence to support Pierre's claims. The refusal of Ferrari to switch also makes me pretty sure his opinions are no more than wishful thinking.

 

Hi Merlin,

There is a lot of sense in what you have posted.

But the Michelins are the better tyres. If Ferrari were on them then would be quicker, after some work to get their car to work on them. But it wouldn't have changed the championship result!

I am one of the few people who have a very good idea how much quicker the Mi tyres are than the BS tyres because that is part of my job.

The reason that BAR looked stronger towards the end of 2003 was because there were some wet races (BS had and still have) the better tyre in the wet. And because BS made a step forwards with their dry tyres. This helped Ferrari win the championship and us to get to 5th. Despite Mi having by far the better tyre over the whole season.

Sauber improved in the second half of 2004 due to BS improving the tyre for them. It had no effect on Ferrari but the characteristics helped Sauber. They do seem to be quicker on Mi tyres when testing and this is another indication of the superiority of the Mi tyres.

Clearly we have an enormous job to beat Ferrari.

Ian

 

So BAR is up for sale ......not really . Just a cheeky way of restructuring the team which no doubt has some clever financial advantages.

Michael.

 

Coulthard joins Red Bull

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4093645.stm

 

That's been an open secret for about a week now . DC is lucky to get that seat IMO. If he comprehensively blows away his teammate (TBA) he might have another chance with a big team, otherwise he's just seeing out his career as a journeyman.

 

I knew he was testing with them but I'm afraid I was rather pessimistic about his chances despite what David Pitchford said in the press. But you're right, he can only impress big names if he puts a lot of distance between himself and his team mate. Again I feel rather negative. I think he'll be better in some respects than his team mate (whoever it turns out to be, after all he has more experience than almost every other driver), but I expect the team mate, being younger will have a point to prove and be more hungary, certainly as the year progresses.

 

I suppose it's just possible that a new team will challenge and motivate him enough to surprise people but IMO it's doubtful.

 

Frank Williams says he's still torn between Pizzonia and Heidfeld. Bollocks, IMO. He's just dangling the contract in front of their noses to get some more free testing out of them, and have them highly motivated during the test sessions.

 

Well, one of them's going to get it....or do you have other news?

btw, Atlas F1 and Autosport.com have merged. Biranit Goren, the editor of AtlasF1 gets editorial control. Hopefully AtlasF1 won't get dumbed down by the Haymarket Publishing bean counters. Autosport.com was an utter pile of shite.

Michael.

 

The German press says it'll be Heidfeld who gets the cockpit.

I read about the merger. Autosport seems aimed at the Sun audience. I'll wait and see before I renew my subscription.

 

I'd assume that's the partisan angle being played there,as FW has always displayed a total indifference to outside influences(and indeed to his incumbent drivers)when it comes to choosing who drives for him.

About time they got things turned round at Williams,and hopefully Mark Webber will be able to put in some good drives.....if he does as well with a decent car as he did with that awful Jag then we should have a good season,along with the long awaited Raikonnen/Montoya fight at Mclaren....assuming the red cars don't walk away with the silverware yet again.

 

It's a shame in some ways,but so many long term F1 fans(myself included) are just hoping that the next season will offer something more than the last few....I'm not usually a bike fan,but I actually watched all of the MotoGP rounds last year,and was left amazed by the extent of Rossi's achievements in winning the series on a bike that his nearest team-mate usually came in 7th on....it's a bit like giving Schumacher a car like the Toyota(and I mean Michael,not Ralf!),and then seeing what he can do with it.

 

Remember that Schumacher's first season with Ferrari was just like this, Alex. That Ferrari was a terrible car, and Schumacher thrashing the field in Spain in pouring rain in an evil-handling monstrosity running on nine cylinders was one of the great achievements in recent motorsport. And for a long time, Ferrari didn't have the fastest car - only Schumacher made it competitive.

 

I certainly do remember that,and it made great viewing as well,but I think one of the real problems has been the opposition in it's many forms actually getting their acts together and beating the red cars now....Jean Todt (and obviously,Schumacher,Brawn and Byrne included) took that team by the horns and got rid of all the political baggage and went racing.

Scumacher in the rain though,has always been something to see,but we just need a bit of a fight now and then....that's what I was getting at re my comments about Rossi...every time the little guy got on the bike,you just knew it would be a podium or nothing....110% effort every time.

 

So, Schumacher turns up in Barcelona with a totally 2005 spec car (much reduced downforce etc) and immediately sticks in a consistent set of laps around 2s quicker than anyone else (closest was Webber in the Williams) and most of them (inc. Williams) are running modified 2004 spec cars with considerably more downforce.

Nothing like demoralizing your opponents with such a crushing display of superiority. So, Schumacher wins the 2005 season...roll on 2006

Michael.

 

The BBC suggest it was a 2004 spec Ferrari. FWIW.

Paul

 

And allegedly up against a similarly 2004 spec Williams,which we all know was well off the pace of the 2004 spec Ferrari....it's the usual testing season nonsense.

From so many previous years,we've seen loads of cars creating apparently impressive testing times only to find they were testing with nearly empty tanks,and those running realistic loads stroll off with the silverware.

That said,however,Schumacher senior has never been one to miss an opportunity to demoralise the opposition,especially before the season has begun!

 

Ah...Autosport.com was saying it was a 2005 spec chassis yesterday but I looked at the article again just now and they say it was a 2004 spec chassis so not as impressive as I thought.

Yes, testing times are often very misleading. I don't really know why anyone would test with empty tanks to "impress" or for that matter why anyone would be sandbagging during a test to not reveal their true potential. Neither can be as productive as testing what you actually want to test with the setups you want.

Still - an impressive first testing outing for Schumacher whatever the config/setups.

Michael.

 

Renault's "objective" is to be No.2 in 2005 and No.1 in 2006. What are your views on their chances?

 

Previously,when they've had the will to succeed in F1,they've done so,and by hiring the right people,and being prepared to do things like binning the 110 degree engine so quickly,they certainly show signs of having that will again.
The innovative talents are all there.....the turbo engines,air-valve technology,trying radical things like the 110 degree engine....

As for succeeding,against Ferrari,Williams and McLaren,not to mention Toyota(who,lets not forget,have plugged away at,and won,each category of racing they've entered so far...WRC,CART) as with all F1 seasons the only proof is when they've done it.