MotoGP News
Date: 5/February/2012
2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo made an impressive return to MotoGP action, minus part of his finger, at the Sepang MotoGP test.
Yamaha’s number one rider had been side-lined since a warm-up accident at Phillip Island last October, which cost the Spaniard the end of his left ring finger.
But he was straight up to speed with the new 1000cc M1, which he hadn’t ridden since September. Lorenzo led day one at Sepang, before Honda’s reigning world champion Casey Stoner took over at the top on days two and three.
Lorenzo left Malaysia with the second fastest lap time, 0.59sec from Stoner.
“The finger is shorter - and lighter!” he joked. “Seriously, the finger is ok. I can still touch the clutch lever with all the fingers so it’s no problem. Maybe if I had lost a little more it would be difficult.”
Lorenzo, runner-up to Stoner last season despite missing two events, is the only rider among MotoGP’s big four - alongside Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa - not to have raced in the earlier 990cc era, from 2002 to 2006.
But he insists it was no problem to adapt his riding style from the smaller 800cc machines.
Lorenzo said: “It was easy for me to understand how to go quickly with this bike. I didn't need to spend a lot of time thinking about it.”
Yamaha struggled to match the raw power of the Honda last season, but Lorenzo feels the factory has made significant gains in terms of erasing the top speed disadvantage.
Lorenzo said: “I like the power and top speed. It’s something we didn’t have in the past. Now we need to work a little more on the electronics. On the exit of slow corners, the engine is not very smooth. It feels a bit ‘dirty’.
“Of course every rider wants a better bike and sometimes it is not possible. There is always a limit.
“Yamaha naturally concentrated on the weak points of last year’s bike - top speed and maximum power. We’ve got it. And now we just need to concentrate on acceleration.”
Stoner aside, the new M1 certainly looks more competitive than last year.
“Casey would be fast on a bicycle! He is fast whatever they give to him,” said Lorenzo. “But I made my best time at midday, which is the hardest time with the track conditions so it was pretty good...”
Lorenzo’s team-mate Ben Spies was fourth fastest.
FIA U-turn ends Lotus-Renault’s F1 reactive ride height
F1 News
Date: 24/January/2012
After initially signalling approval for Lotus-Renault’s innovative new reactive ride-height system, the FIA now looks to have stamped out the idea with a subsequent missive to all teams stating that it regards the technology as illegal.
The Lotus-Renault system was first spotted during last November’s Abu Dhabi young driver test, but was far from race-ready.
Here is some information about the system, similar versions of which are believed to be under development by Mercedes and Ferrari.
What is it for?
When a driver hits the brakes, the weight transfer causes the front end of the car to dive downwards. This means that the car ride-height - how high the bottom of the car is above the racetrack - needs to take into account this movement.
F1 cars depend highly on aerodynamics and the higher the ride height, the less downforce is generated. A second issue is related to the front wing, which produces a large proportion of the car’s downforce. As the front of the car dips under braking, the wing gets lower to the track, which in turns makes more downforce.
It is for this reason that so much discussion has focussed on the flexing of front wings in recent years, since by flexing nearer to the track, the wing can create more downforce.
But this sudden change in downforce when braking is undesirable, since it causes stability problems. As the downforce-balance shifts to the front of the car, the back of the car becomes ‘light’ and therefore more prone to spinning.
By correcting the ride-height change under braking, a lower ride height can be used and the car is more stable under braking.
How does is work?
That’s the top secret part, but from what has leaked out it appears that the device fits on to the braking system on each of the front wheels and uses hydraulics, powered by brake torque, to raise the front suspension and thus stabilise the ride height.
Anti-dive suspension systems have been around for a long time, but the Lotus-Renault system is far more advanced.
Is it legal?
Renault would not have developed the system as far as they have without checking and receiving positive support from the FIA. However the FIA, perhaps following petitions from other teams which have since become aware of the device, now feels that the system breaks the ban on movable aerodynamics. It’s worth noting that Lotus-Renault and others could yet modify the design to ease the concerns of the FIA.
How much advantage would it offer?
Difficult to say, but it seems unlikely that the system alone will suddenly turn the Lotus-Renault team into title contenders once again. Most believe it could offer around 0.2sec per lap potential gain.
When would it be used?
Renault-Lotus were stung badly by their innovative forward blowing exhaust system during 2011 and, as such, were highly unlikely to rush the new reactive ride height system into operation for 2012.
In fact, even with FIA approval, we doubt it would have been used by Renault-Lotus for the start of the 2012 season, with issues such as packaging of the device within the highly aerodynamic sensitive front-wheel area - as well as bullet-proof endurance testing - some way off completion.
Date: 24/January/2012
After initially signalling approval for Lotus-Renault’s innovative new reactive ride-height system, the FIA now looks to have stamped out the idea with a subsequent missive to all teams stating that it regards the technology as illegal.
The Lotus-Renault system was first spotted during last November’s Abu Dhabi young driver test, but was far from race-ready.
Here is some information about the system, similar versions of which are believed to be under development by Mercedes and Ferrari.
What is it for?
When a driver hits the brakes, the weight transfer causes the front end of the car to dive downwards. This means that the car ride-height - how high the bottom of the car is above the racetrack - needs to take into account this movement.
F1 cars depend highly on aerodynamics and the higher the ride height, the less downforce is generated. A second issue is related to the front wing, which produces a large proportion of the car’s downforce. As the front of the car dips under braking, the wing gets lower to the track, which in turns makes more downforce.
It is for this reason that so much discussion has focussed on the flexing of front wings in recent years, since by flexing nearer to the track, the wing can create more downforce.
But this sudden change in downforce when braking is undesirable, since it causes stability problems. As the downforce-balance shifts to the front of the car, the back of the car becomes ‘light’ and therefore more prone to spinning.
By correcting the ride-height change under braking, a lower ride height can be used and the car is more stable under braking.
How does is work?
That’s the top secret part, but from what has leaked out it appears that the device fits on to the braking system on each of the front wheels and uses hydraulics, powered by brake torque, to raise the front suspension and thus stabilise the ride height.
Anti-dive suspension systems have been around for a long time, but the Lotus-Renault system is far more advanced.
Is it legal?
Renault would not have developed the system as far as they have without checking and receiving positive support from the FIA. However the FIA, perhaps following petitions from other teams which have since become aware of the device, now feels that the system breaks the ban on movable aerodynamics. It’s worth noting that Lotus-Renault and others could yet modify the design to ease the concerns of the FIA.
How much advantage would it offer?
Difficult to say, but it seems unlikely that the system alone will suddenly turn the Lotus-Renault team into title contenders once again. Most believe it could offer around 0.2sec per lap potential gain.
When would it be used?
Renault-Lotus were stung badly by their innovative forward blowing exhaust system during 2011 and, as such, were highly unlikely to rush the new reactive ride height system into operation for 2012.
In fact, even with FIA approval, we doubt it would have been used by Renault-Lotus for the start of the 2012 season, with issues such as packaging of the device within the highly aerodynamic sensitive front-wheel area - as well as bullet-proof endurance testing - some way off completion.
Senna name returns to Williams F1!
F1 News
Date: 17/1/2012
The Senna name will make an emotional return to the Williams F1 team in 2012 with the announcement that Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton, will complete the team’s driver line-up.
Triple world champion and motorsport legend Aryton Senna was killed while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, in only his third race for Williams.
“I feel very privileged that Williams has selected me as one of their race drivers,” said Bruno, who joins Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado. “The team has a great heritage and I hope I can help write a good chapter in their history.
“It will be very interesting to drive for a team that my uncle has driven for, particularly as quite a few of the people here actually worked with Ayrton. Hopefully we can bring back some memories and create some great new ones too.
“I also want to get some good results in return for the support my country has given me to help get me to this position today. I am very proud to be Brazilian and more motivated than ever to demonstrate what I can do. Ever since I first sat in a go-kart I never wanted to do anything else.”
Bruno, 28, made his F1 debut with backmarker’s HRT during 2010. He then switched to a test driver role at Lotus Renault for 2011, which became a race seat in place of Nick Heidfeld for the second half of the year. Senna scored his first two grand prix points with ninth place at Monza.
But the Williams deal is not without controversy, since Senna takes the place of veteran countryman Rubens Barrichello, who had been pushing hard to retain his seat for a third season.
The 39-year-old, who made his F1 debut back in 1993 and has since won eleven races, could now be forced into retirement or at best a test-driving role.
Barrichello was a protégée of Ayrton Senna and even helped carry his coffin.
Team principal Frank Williams was at pains to justify the signing of Bruno Senna on merit alone, with inevitable rumours that sponsorship dollars had won the day.
“Bruno only started racing when he was 20 years old but quickly proved his talent in F3 and GP2. In a tightly fought 2008 GP2 season, Bruno finished second in the Championship with notable victories in Monaco and Silverstone, the latter in the wet,” he said.
“The circumstances of Bruno’s two seasons in Formula One have not given him an ideal opportunity to deliver consistently so it was essential that we spent as much time with him as possible to understand and evaluate him as a driver.
“We have done this both on track and in our simulator and he has proven quick, technically insightful and above all capable of learning and applying his learning quickly and consistently. Now we are looking forward to seeing that talent in our race car.”
No mention was made of Barrichello, who finished 17th in the 2011 Drivers’ championship with four points, compared with one-point for rookie Maldonado.
Bruno Senna will make his Williams debut at Jerez on February 9, during the first of the F1 winter tests.
Date: 17/1/2012
The Senna name will make an emotional return to the Williams F1 team in 2012 with the announcement that Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton, will complete the team’s driver line-up.
Triple world champion and motorsport legend Aryton Senna was killed while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, in only his third race for Williams.
“I feel very privileged that Williams has selected me as one of their race drivers,” said Bruno, who joins Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado. “The team has a great heritage and I hope I can help write a good chapter in their history.
“It will be very interesting to drive for a team that my uncle has driven for, particularly as quite a few of the people here actually worked with Ayrton. Hopefully we can bring back some memories and create some great new ones too.
“I also want to get some good results in return for the support my country has given me to help get me to this position today. I am very proud to be Brazilian and more motivated than ever to demonstrate what I can do. Ever since I first sat in a go-kart I never wanted to do anything else.”
Bruno, 28, made his F1 debut with backmarker’s HRT during 2010. He then switched to a test driver role at Lotus Renault for 2011, which became a race seat in place of Nick Heidfeld for the second half of the year. Senna scored his first two grand prix points with ninth place at Monza.
But the Williams deal is not without controversy, since Senna takes the place of veteran countryman Rubens Barrichello, who had been pushing hard to retain his seat for a third season.
The 39-year-old, who made his F1 debut back in 1993 and has since won eleven races, could now be forced into retirement or at best a test-driving role.
Barrichello was a protégée of Ayrton Senna and even helped carry his coffin.
Team principal Frank Williams was at pains to justify the signing of Bruno Senna on merit alone, with inevitable rumours that sponsorship dollars had won the day.
“Bruno only started racing when he was 20 years old but quickly proved his talent in F3 and GP2. In a tightly fought 2008 GP2 season, Bruno finished second in the Championship with notable victories in Monaco and Silverstone, the latter in the wet,” he said.
“The circumstances of Bruno’s two seasons in Formula One have not given him an ideal opportunity to deliver consistently so it was essential that we spent as much time with him as possible to understand and evaluate him as a driver.
“We have done this both on track and in our simulator and he has proven quick, technically insightful and above all capable of learning and applying his learning quickly and consistently. Now we are looking forward to seeing that talent in our race car.”
No mention was made of Barrichello, who finished 17th in the 2011 Drivers’ championship with four points, compared with one-point for rookie Maldonado.
Bruno Senna will make his Williams debut at Jerez on February 9, during the first of the F1 winter tests.
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