Posted by ashleigh on
July 21, 2006
Toyota to get more bit’s
Pascal Vasselon has announced that the Panasonic Toyota team are to have more aero improvement's for the German grand prix.
The improvements are said to be small, with a major upgrade to the TF106B's aero and suspension (perhaps the rumoured TF106C?) to be released for the Turkish grand prix.
Things are starting to look good for the Japanese/German team, and are hoping for a good result at their 'home 2' grand prix.
It seems like the team will continue with their current driver line up as well, adding stability to the team from that front. I would seriously like to see the Toyota team do well, not only because I am a Toyota fan (I own enough of them) but because the team have brought a lot to the sport over the few years they have run, and introduced another watching aspect, with them against Honda.
Posted by ashleigh on
July 21, 2006
Advanced dampers are history
The FIA have ruled that the Advanced Damping system that Renault and Ferrari (and probably a few others) is to be banned as it contravenes Article 3.15 of the technical regulations (it stipulates that all devices influencing aerodynamic performance of the car must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car and must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car)
The system worked by suspending a mass in the fluid of the damper. The effect of this is used in many other applications, from cranes to geophysics and gave the cars an advantage over rough terrain like kerbs where the tyre wall could not damp enough of the vibration.
With this technology gone, the Renault and Ferrari (and others) may find it a little more difficult to 'ride the kerbs' as they have in the past, and I would assume the FIA are hoping it will lower corner speeds as a result.
Posted by ashleigh on
July 19, 2006
Super Aguri step it up
Super Aguri have shown off their latest SA06 car today (Wednesday) at a Silverstone test.
The Car although still based on the SA05, which was a modified 2002 Orange Arrows, has apparently had so much work done to it that the FIA made the team pass the crash test again.
The SA team are hoping the car is a big step in the right direction, and hopefully stops them being relegated to the rear of the grid.
The engine after all, is the Honda engine used in the works Honda team, so horsepower should not be an issue, it could be interesting though, if Honda cannot pick their game up, the satellite team may start to qualify ahead of them.
Posted by ashleigh on
July 18, 2006
Drivers Merry-Go-Round
It's that time of the year again, most of the contracts that expire this year are coming up to needing renewing on the 31'st of July.
The current state of affairs largely relies on what Michael Schumacher does at Ferrari.
What we do know is this :-
Toyota : Ralf is contracted till the end of 2007, and Jarno is said to be close to a 3 year deal
Honda : Both Jenson and Rubens are contracted
Williams : There was talk at one point of Rosberg going to Toyota, but now that Jarno is close to a deal it seems that both drivers will stay where they are, Webber is know to be saying as Briatore said "He'll stay at Williams on the conditions set by us"
Posted by ashleigh on
July 17, 2006
Microsoft in F1?
It's been announced that Microsoft MES has been selected as the official FIA partner for the 2008/2009/2010 standard electronic control units in the F1 engines using the Windows Mobile for Automotive platform. Now as many know, in my other 'life' I am quite a fan of MS technologies, however Microsoft really need to be on the ball on this project! F1 is watched by a massive number of viewers, and if the unit's supplied to the teams are less than perfect it will be mentioned, on live
TV, the Microsoft boys really don't want to annoy the Ron Dennis and Frank Williams of this world, as even the might marketing people at MS will not be able to live that down.
The other FIA announcement is that surprise surprise, Bridgestone have been announced as the single tyre supplier to F1 for the 2008/2009/2010, and it would seem with Michelin pulling out at the end of the year the 2007 season as well (unless BF Goodrich turn up like in WRC, who are Michelin by another name, and will bizarrely be the only tyre supplier in the WRC series).
