So what exactly is HRT F1 Team? - Page 6

Mr V · 18 Mar 2012, 02:12 (Ref:3043502)

There was a time when Caterham were 4 seconds a lap off the pace, now thats down to 2, its not ideal, but they are going in the right direction.

sizzle · 18 Mar 2012, 03:53 (Ref:3043665)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr V

There was a time when Caterham were 4 seconds a lap off the pace, now thats down to 2, its not ideal, but they are going in the right direction.

Stop showing a bit of intelligence there Mr V. This is about slamming them.

Teretonga · 18 Mar 2012, 04:22 (Ref:3043677)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

I must say I was pretty disappointed by them.

I was really expecting Heikki to poke in to Q2, at least.

I suppose we can't judge too soon, but I was just a little surprised to not see one car in there. As you say, they're essentially in the same position as last year.

Selby

Well hold on here..... Ferrari didn't make Q2....

Knowlesy · 18 Mar 2012, 10:35 (Ref:3043812)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sizzle

Stop showing a bit of intelligence there Mr V. This is about slamming them.

No, sorry, they are just rubbish!

It's a spec formula, they should be better.

p-matt · 18 Mar 2012, 19:29 (Ref:3044114)

My issue with Caterham is their ridiculously OTT PR. I mean, celebrating being the first team to get their car on track? Utterly ridiculous. And today they trumpet their progression because they were on the same pace as a Williams and a Force India for part of the race?

The fact is that they haven't moved on enough. I really would quite like Marussia to beat them this year. All signs are that Marussia should be as close as they were in 2010 once they learn more about their car.

HRT are an utterly lost cause. I hope they at least get their act together and qualify regularly. They are going to hang around until someone wants to buy an F1 team; they aren't particularly interested in making real progress.

Marbot · 19 Mar 2012, 01:31 (Ref:3044355)

HRT showed us how doing something else with the same amount of money would ultimately be more satisfying. Perhaps they're holding out for a customer car? Perhaps they're holding out for a budget cap? Perhaps they have a huge sponsorship package to announce? Perhaps they've found a buyer for the team? Perhaps they should just give up and go home?

wolfhound · 19 Mar 2012, 09:50 (Ref:3044495)

Quote:

Originally Posted by p-matt

My issue with Caterham is their ridiculously OTT PR. I mean, celebrating being the first team to get their car on track? Utterly ridiculous. And today they trumpet their progression because they were on the same pace as a Williams and a Force India for part of the race?

Last year Caterham (nee Lotus) were 3 seconds from the cut off to Q2 and 5.8 from pole.
This year they were 1 second from the Q2 cut off and 3.8 seconds from pole.
That to me is progress even if it has not ment actual grid places but the likely hood is that they will get into Q2 more often this year.

Marbot · 20 Mar 2012, 17:49 (Ref:3045488)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

No, sorry, they are just rubbish!

It's a spec formula, they should be better.

If you're 5 seconds off the pace, then it has something to do with it not being a spec series. The KERS gains you around 3/10ths of a second, maybe changing to a Renault engine will get you another 3/10ths. But it's time spent in a wind tunnel that gets you another 4 seconds or more further up the road. Aero is King.

Having said all that, they are still quite pathetic.

JeremySmith · 20 Mar 2012, 20:32 (Ref:3045581)

HRT are going to have to knock it on the head..

djinvicta · 20 Mar 2012, 20:46 (Ref:3045592)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

HRT are going to have to knock it on the head..

Well they did last Sunday.....

At Monza last year, I watched and HRT were embarrassing during quali etc..

Theyve not been able to improve at all. Wonder where Dr Colin Kolles gone??

Why did Pedro leave McClaren to go to HRT???

**Born Racer** · 20 Mar 2012, 22:04 (Ref:3045651)

In answer to the thread title, a waste of 2 grid slots.

JeremySmith · 20 Mar 2012, 23:39 (Ref:3045707)

I am sure Pedro can return to McLaren if need be...

**Bononi** · 21 Mar 2012, 00:31 (Ref:3045728)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

I am sure Pedro can return to McLaren if need be...

Just what I think ! I'm sure some GP2 teams can do better.

fourWheelDrift · 21 Mar 2012, 04:49 (Ref:3045771)

Quote:

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Why did Pedro leave McClaren to go to HRT???

because he wanted to drive in a race?

That worked out well then!

spider · 21 Mar 2012, 10:06 (Ref:3045849)

Caterham knew they were in trouble when they rolled the car out in testing, hence moving Mike Gascoyne upstairs. Mr Fernandes said changes would be made if the step wasn't made, and clearly Mike didn't make a big enough step so was moved aside - I'm sure he has clear benefits to add to the technical aspects of the road car division, but he's simply not come up with the goods.

I too, am fed up of their PR. I'd find it far easier to like them, if they spoke in a similar way to some of the above here did - ie. "this time last year we were 4 seconds off Q2, this year we are 1 second away - no it's not good enough, but we closed the gap over the year in 2011, and we're starting from a stronger position in 2012" - I could live with that honesty. But to celebrate every non-achievement is a joke, in their 3rd year. Year 1 and 2, fair enough. No excuses this year. Their car's poor and they need to get a grip on it, now.

Marussia - interesting to read that the car is still pure CFD, and Timo's non-mention of the aero performance, whilst praising the mechanical aspects of the car shows where the strengths are. This year for them seems like putting in some basic engineering elements, but they seem to openly recognise this - and I'm sure that as they develop over the year they'll hang around a second or so off Caterham, before hopefully putting together a strong aero step-up for 2013. I feel more warmth to John Booth and his team than the OTT approach of the faster Caterham team.

HRT - bloody joke. Delighted the FIA took the decision to not let them race in Australia. Pathetic performance.

I'm amazed that in the topflight of motorsport it's allowed for teams to turn up (both Marussia and HRT) and race, with pretty much no testing.

If they put in a minimum mileage that needed to be covered by the teams before the first time they can race, that would get the likes of HRT and less-so Marussia's, ships in order.

It's clear HRT just struggled their way to Australia, thinking they would be let in. The fact they were so slow I'm glad they weren't just allowed in to boost the numbers...

**bella** · 21 Mar 2012, 10:30 (Ref:3045859)

i like caterhams optimism. it's always carefully reasoned and justified optimism, and that's something i can get behind. there's no need for pessimism. they get that when the drivers come back whinging or the times are about 3 seconds short of a decent laptime.

if your workplace issued bi-weekly press releases what do you think they'd say? would it be constructive to publicly whinge about the past 7 months of hard work half the company had put in?

press releases and quotes aren't just issued for the benefit of the fans. they're released for the benefit of the sponsors, the team and the commercial partners. off record there's plenty of realism.

littleman · 21 Mar 2012, 11:27 (Ref:3045890)

Caterham: Flatter to deceive - should be on mid-field pace by now.

Marussia: Not improved one jot - why do they persist?

HRT: Waste of petrol

Would I rather have some 3 car teams from McLaren,Ferrari,Red Bull etc -
absolutely yes.

spider · 21 Mar 2012, 16:25 (Ref:3046042)

Bella - I understand what you mean. I agree. It's worked in many ways, they've got plenty of coverage and goodwill from many quarters, along with strong partners backing them. So, the PR has worked, and they seem a happy outfit. It's just when they say they were on the pace at the end of last season - no they weren't! They were only able to keep-pace when a midfield team had had damage caused etc. I obviously understand their reasons, but the smokescreens make make them difficult to truly engage with - and i want too.

I prefer to look at the actions - moving MG to one side, ditching Jarno...they say more to me than the PR drivel.

I find all F1 PR nonsense. Most of the driver quotes are made-up by a PR representative for the team, making all comments soulless and the drivers/teams difficult to engage with...

Though certain personalities in the paddock come across as extremely likable in filmed interviews - Jenson, for example...

csirl · 21 Mar 2012, 16:26 (Ref:3046043)

Its amazing that all 3 teams are still at the back of the grid in year 3.

Says a lot about Bernies choice of teams 3 years ago, the selection criteria used and the current set-up of F1.

You have to wonder why more experienced/capable outfits like Lola, Prodrive, DAMS, ART, Zakspeed, Coloni etc either had no interest in applying or were rejected.

Marbot · 21 Mar 2012, 16:53 (Ref:3046060)

Quote:

Originally Posted by csirl

Its amazing that all 3 teams are still at the back of the grid in year 3.

They certainly wouldn't be the first teams to spend most of their time at the back of the grid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by csirl

Says a lot about Bernies choice of teams 3 years ago, the selection criteria used and the current set-up of F1.

I don't think that Bernie had much choice in any sort of decision making. It was the FIA who did the choosing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by csirl

You have to wonder why more experienced/capable outfits like Lola, Prodrive, DAMS, ART, Zakspeed, Coloni etc either had no interest in applying or were rejected.

What grounds they were rejected on, who knows?

Bit I think that I can say with some certainty that they must be pretty happy about not bothering to sign up to, or not being chosen for something which later on had the budget cap rules removed.

picchiofan · 24 Mar 2012, 16:01 (Ref:3047524)

Quote:

Originally Posted by csirl

Its amazing that all 3 teams are still at the back of the grid in year 3.

Says a lot about Bernies choice of teams 3 years ago, the selection criteria used and the current set-up of F1.

You have to wonder why more experienced/capable outfits like Lola, Prodrive, DAMS, ART, Zakspeed, Coloni etc either had no interest in applying or were rejected.

Given Prodrive's efforts as of late, I can see why. The Subie WRC program withered, The Aston Martin LMP1 was a debacle of historical proportions, and the current MINI WRC effort isn't exactly turning out too well. Their P1 car they built for Aston was 30 seconds off the pace of the LMP1 leaders and could barely make it 3 laps. It made HRT look competent by comparison.

Lola seems pretty content building sportscars, Zakspeed, there's a pretty big gulf to cross from being a top end GT3 team to running a full scale F1 effort. Coloni? Haven't they "been there, done that" at least twice and failed?

JamesH · 24 Mar 2012, 16:31 (Ref:3047534)

Could any of the other teams mentioned above do any better? I doubt it. Not with the testing limitations.

Give these guys a break.

wolfhound · 2 Apr 2012, 11:03 (Ref:3052216)

HRT have appoined Toni Cuquerella as their new Technical director, he has been with the team for some time, considering the resources available he has a tough job.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98564

**Bononi** · 2 Apr 2012, 15:58 (Ref:3052356)

Tough is a joke...

Svierge · 3 Apr 2012, 13:31 (Ref:3052882)

Quote:

Originally Posted by spider

HRT - bloody joke. Delighted the FIA took the decision to not let them race in Australia. Pathetic performance.

It's clear HRT just struggled their way to Australia, thinking they would be let in. The fact they were so slow I'm glad they weren't just allowed in to boost the numbers...

HRT knew they needed a miracle to qualify either car for the race.

For you to say that they thought they were going to be let in demonstrates a lack of understanding of how F1 works. If they didn't turn up then they would have been fined a huge sum of money. So if you're a spectacularly cash-strapped team owner do you attempt to fulfill your contractual obligations and put the cars out there or would you stay at home and then have to scratch around to find money to pay the fine? It's what we call a no brainer.

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