2018 Season Launch and Testing Thread

[S griffin]

I just hope Williams prove people wrong, they could do, as they did in 2012. You never know

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

He could possibly make the move into a factory supported sportscar drive? (Like Fisichella did) So do the F1 simulator work, drive in sportscars and get a nice company car. Not a bad gig!

It would be a sweet gig, but is more suited for a successful driver on the back side of his career? When you say "factory supported" are you saying Ferrari? Because that would just be a GT program (not taking anything away from GT drivers, but maybe below him at this point in his career?). He should should be looking for an Indycar or a prototype program.

Richard

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

It would be a sweet gig, but is more suited for a successful driver on the back side of his career? When you say "factory supported" are you saying Ferrari? Because that would just be a GT program (not taking anything away from GT drivers, but maybe below him at this point in his career?). He should should be looking for an Indycar or a prototype program.

Sorry - yes I meant GT (anything endurancy is 'sportscars' to me!). A season in WEC would be pretty good I'd have thought - there's not much out there in the way of Factory prototype drives and is Indycar a better option for his career? Maybe if he wants to stay there but it does look to be a bit of a dead end.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

and is Indycar a better option for his career? Maybe if he wants to stay there but it does look to be a bit of a dead end.

I really don't follow Indycar (used to long ago), but I suspect some might say a successful Indycar career might not be a bad thing to have... even if it is a "dead end". It also speaks to the point mentioned here somewhere (maybe not this thread) in that successful Indycar drivers may not view it as a move up to switch to a mid-field F1 team and drive around in the middle or back of the pack. Just to say you raced in F1?

If he moved to Indycar and didn't do well (assuming with good team) then... maybe not good for his career prospects in general (failure in two top tier series).

Richard

[loon]

No top WEC or Indycar team would take Kubica, when was the last time he drove in a competitive series?, think his level would be more Blancpain GT

[F1Guy]

A meeting is to take place today to discuss removing driver weights from the minimum weight requirement for 2018. This has come about because some teams are apparently over weight due to the Halo and it's associate structures.

Should be interesting to see what they come up with. Driver weight has been part of the total weight package since the mid nineties if I'm not mistaken. How and/or what will they come up with that will be a fair system for everyone?

[Skam85]

Weigh all the drivers day one of pre-season testing and factor that into overall weight of each car?

for example, Hulkenberg's car overall weight will be higher that Hamilton's due to their height difference.

There are flaws to this plan obviously but minimum weight with new fandangled things like the Halo will never be completely even and fair due to all drivers being different sizes.

[F1Guy]

The McLaren MCL33 launch is scheduled for 23rd February.

Zakery Brown has said the 2018 livery will be very different. So what has McLaren got planned that is very different to the 2017 livery?



Toro Rosso set to launch the STR13 on February 25th.

[crmalcolm]

Mercedes launch their car on 22/02. Already confirmed to be silver - with some Petronas Green.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Should be interesting to see what they come up with. Driver weight has been part of the total weight package since the mid nineties if I'm not mistaken. How and/or what will they come up with that will be a fair system for everyone?

Have a set driver and ballast weight, like 90 kg. Meaning, every car has to have their driver and designated ballast add to that weight. The ballast and it's location within the car would have to be regulated. That's pretty much how Nascar does it.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Have a set driver and ballast weight, like 90 kg. Meaning, every car has to have their driver and designated ballast add to that weight. The ballast and it's location within the car would have to be regulated. That's pretty much how Nascar does it.

Driver ballast is such a simple thing to do and yet the apex of motorsport cannot get it right.
Add 40% to the weight of the cars, but ballasting the drivers is impossible, righto!

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by wnut

Driver ballast is such a simple thing to do and yet the apex of motorsport cannot get it right.
Add 40% to the weight of the cars, but ballasting the drivers is impossible, righto!

At the pinnacles of engineering, sometimes the simplest solutions are the first to be tossed out. Yet the windshield wiper turns 107 in a few months.

[F1Guy]

Results from the meeting on driver weights. There was no unanimous vote so a change will not happen for 2018.

From 2019, the regulations will change to allow car and driver weights will be split, with a maximum driver weight of 80kg, and the lighter drivers to be ballasted.

So back to the drawing board for the teams trying to make minimum weight. Or just race as is.

[Richard C]

I would assume one or more teams who are at minimum weight voted no and just figure it’s an advantage for them during 2018?

Richard

[RWill2073]

Bottas has always looked like a much more bulky guy than the rest. Wonder where he falls on the weight? Seems he may have always been disadvantaged by it.

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

Bottas has always looked like a much more bulky guy than the rest. Wonder where he falls on the weight? Seems he may have always been disadvantaged by it.

Valtteri Bottas: Height - 1.73 m; Weight - 70 kg

And just for comparison.. Lewis Hamilton: Height - 1.74 m; Weight - 69 kg.

Data is from 2017.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Valtteri Bottas: Height - 1.73 m; Weight - 70 kg

And just for comparison.. Lewis Hamilton: Height - 1.74 m; Weight - 69 kg.

Data is from 2017.

Alrighty then. He just looks bulkier to me I guess.

[chillibowl]

in other Force Majeure news, according to a Tobi Gruner tweet, the Force India launch date will be in Barcelona on Feb 25.

along with the new car, there will be a new name and logo.

https://twitter.com/tgruener/status/955755060608323585



can we start a poll for possible new names?

Force One doesnt quite sound right to me.

if they opened it up to internet voting then something like Forcey McBoatForce could easily win out.

or in light of the growing partnership with ESPN (i.e. Disney) part of me is hoping for a star wars branded team...'Force Awakens F1' or simply 'The Force F1'.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

in other Force Majeure news, according to a Tobi Gruner tweet, the Force India launch date will be in Barcelona on Feb 25.

along with the new car, there will be a new name and logo.

https://twitter.com/tgruener/status/955755060608323585



can we start a poll for possible new names?

Force One doesnt quite sound right to me.

if they opened it up to internet voting then something like Forcey McBoatForce could easily win out.

or in light of the growing partnership with ESPN (i.e. Disney) part of me is hoping for a star wars branded team...'Force Awakens F1' or simply 'The Force F1'.

I thought Liberty or the FIA had blocked Force 1 as a name on account of it would be abbreviated to F1,(potential copyright infringement issues etc. )
On the other hand they are allowed to use F1 as part of the name so maybe Force F1?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by E.B

I thought Liberty or the FIA had blocked Force 1 as a name on account of it would be abbreviated to F1,(potential copyright infringement issues etc. )
On the other hand they are allowed to use F1 as part of the name so maybe Force F1?

Could use Force One I guess.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by wnut

Could use Force One I guess.

Sounds like something one might do when constipated.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by E.B

Sounds like something one might do when constipated.

[Sodemo]

Farce One?

[S griffin]

Did they really block it? I know Bernie wasn't happy with a team being called USF1, but I don't remember Liberty blocking the name Force One

[E.B]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Did they really block it? I know Bernie wasn't happy with a team being called USF1, but I don't remember Liberty blocking the name Force One

I understand it was not officially blocked, it never got that far. It was however frowned upon by Liberty, and Force India decided to pursue less contentious avenues of names.

The team's original plan had been to use Force One to create a more generic identity, in an attempt to appeal to sponsors. Earlier this year, several UK companies were set up using that name as the first step towards a change.

However, feedback from the sport's new owners has suggested that the name is potentially too close to that of F1, especially when abbreviated.

Deputy team principal Bob Fernley insists that while the team has not been told definitively that Force One won't be approved, it is now considering less controversial alternatives.

"We're going to have difficulty getting it through as Force One," deputy team principal Bob Fernley told Motorsport.com.

"Like all things, we tried to do it in partnership with everybody, so we're working with F1, just out of courtesy. What you want is the path of least resistance.

A quick look dug that up from
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...iberty-977120/