Motorsport Zone

Your Career After Being Charged with DUI

2012-02-02T10:03:00.001Z

If you go out parting together with your friends, you need to leave your car behind and employ a taxi instead. In case you leave the party drunk and you get stopped for driving under the influence, DUI charges can ruin your lifetime and have negative effects in lots of facets of your life. Many people believe that the DUI arrest happens when there is some sort of damage or injury. This isn't the case because the officer who pulls you over will arrest and ask you for for just being drunk and driving. Many laws have been put into effect to manage driving under the influence. In lots of countries the Department of Cars will revoke your licence if you're confronted with DUI charges. Whenever your licence is taken from only you get suspended, this can cripple most of your activities. You will have hardships dealing with work and also running your individual life.

If the licence is revoked and also you really should drive in order to restore normalcy in your lifetime, you are able to apply for DUI licence. This can be a special kind of licence which will only allow you to drive back and forth from work. You will not be allowed to use your car for any other reason whatsoever. There is a distinction between suspension and revocation of the licence. You can get restored from suspension in a short while but when your licence is revoked, the issue becomes complicated. You need to look for a phoenix dui attorney who will help in the application in order to retain your work. This is mostly ideal for those who have driving jobs.

When your licence is suspended, it also implies that you can't drive if you don't apply for a DUI licence. A good arizona dui lawyer can help you understand this licence. In case you have a sick one which you are taking proper care of, it can become quite tricky. Most judges will pay attention to the pleas of people that need to drive to work because of the nature of the work or even the distance involved. First time offenders often enjoy leniency in the courts and for these to get the DUI licence will be easy. Unfortunately from frequent offenders, the likelihood of being allowed DUI licence are extremely minimal as nothing appears to convince the court.

Once you have received the DUI licence, you need to remember to be always sober and not end up on wrong side from the law. After a certain period without any DUI incidents, your suspended licence will be reinstated and your record will be clean once again. A good lawyer can tell you about this and help you with the procedure. If you're able to avoid being charged with DUI, that might be the best option. DUI poses an excellent danger to a lot of facets of your life."

MINI confirms entry to 2012 WRC

2012-01-16T11:38:00.000Z

The Mini World Rally Team has confirmed its entry in the 2012 World Rally Championship, according to AUTOSPORT's sources.

MINI WRC car during the 2011 season.

The British-based team missed the original December 19 entry, but an announcement is expected this week to clarify Mini's position, joining Ford and Citroen as full manufacturers in the series.

As confirmed by the Monte Carlo Rally entry list - and revealed by AUTOSPORT - the team will only run one of its two factory drivers full-time in this year's WRC.

Spaniard Dani Sordo will maintain his seat in the #37 John Cooper Works WRC, while Kris Meeke misses the season opener in favour of paying private driver Pierre Campana.

AUTOSPORT's source in the FIA said: "We have an agreement that Mini will be registered as a manufacturer for this year's championship. We understand there are existing concerns over the position of the promoter - and particularly the implications for the sport's coverage in Germany, but we are addressing those concerns."

Mini's parent company BMW is known to be unhappy about the level of coverage in Germany and about the ongoing situation with North One Sports and the future of its parent company Convers Sports Initiatives, which is in administration.

While Mini has committed a car to the full world championship, it remains to be seen whether Sordo will compete in the most expensive rounds of the series, such as Rally New Zealand, or whether one of private Mini drivers takes the entry.

The source added: "This is not an ideal situation. Ideally we wanted, in fact everybody involved wanted, the original plan of two cars, two drivers: Sordo and Meeke doing all 13 rounds. That wasn't possible, so we had to find a solution which we have done. The priority here is that Mini is a manufacturer in the 2012 WRC."

Tensions are still believed to be running high between BMW in Munich and Prodrive, the Banbury-based team which developed and runs the factory Mini John Cooper Works WRCs.

As was announced at the team launch last year, Prodrive does has a contract with BMW to run its cars in the world championship until the end of next season.

Nobody from Prodrive was willing to comment on the firm's WRC commitments for the year ahead.

Article from Autosport.

F1 2012 - Race Calendar

2012-01-15T19:27:00.000Z

The 2012 F1 season is nearly upon us and the race calendar has been released with the season kicking off in Melbourne Australia on the 16th of March and ending with the 20th race on the 25th of Novermber in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This season promises to be full of excitement; I personally hope it will be much more hotly contested, such that the champion will be decided in the last race. Vettel's domination, although impressive, did take the edge off the season towards the end as the result was already obvious; I have everything crossed that he will have some serious competition this year.

Click on the image below to enlarge.

BMW i8 Concept Car

2011-10-23T11:57:00.009+01:00

After successful initial testing of the vehicle concept, the decision for a series production vehicle was quickly made. The BMW i8 Concept is the next step in the evolution of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. The result: The most progressive and innovative sports car of its time. Its innovative plug-in hybrid concept combines the modified electric drive system from the BMW i3 Concept – fitted over its front axle – with a high-performance three-cylinder combustion engine producing 164 kW/220 hp and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) at the rear. Working in tandem, they allow the two drive systems to display their respective talents to the full, delivering the performance of a sports car but the fuel consumption of a small car.

Acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under five seconds combined with fuel consumption of under three litres per 100 kilometres (approx. 94 mpg) are figures currently beyond the capability of any vehicle powered by a combustion engine of comparable performance. Thanks to the eDrive technology with its large lithium-ion battery, which can be charged from a domestic power supply, the BMW i8 Concept can travel up to 35 kilometres (approx. 20 miles) on electric power alone. Added to which, the 2+2 seater offers enough space for four people, giving it a high level of everyday practicality.

The LifeDrive architecture of the BMW i8 Concept has been carefully adapted to enhance the vehicle's sports car character, and therefore to deliver unbeatable performance and excellent driving dynamics. The motor in the front axle module and combustion engine at the rear are connected by an "energy tunnel", which houses the high-voltage battery. This gives the car a low centre of gravity – and the dynamic benefits that come with it. The positioning of the electric motor and engine over their respective axles and the space-saving and well-balanced packaging of all components result in an optimum 50/50 weight distribution.

The sporting character continues into the interior. Boasting a driver-focused environment unmatched by any BMW Group vehicle before it, the BMW i8 Concept immerses the driver fully in the unique driving experience. The BMW i8 Concept is the sports car for a new generation – pure, emotional and sustainable.The design of the BMW i8 Concept is as special as the car's overall concept embodying the perfect synthesis of technology and aesthetic allure. Its sweeping lines and flat silhouette lend the vehicle a strikingly dynamic appearance even when standing still. A large, transparent glasshouse lends the exterior an extraordinary feeling of lightness and highlights the exceptional efficiency of this vehicle concept. Short front and rear overhangs round off the sporting overall impression.As with the BMW i3 Concept, layering again serves as the central design element of the interior and exterior. The individual vehicle components are also clearly visible from the outside, the black and transparent Life module clearly setting itself apart from the silver-coloured body components around it. This layering approach lends the BMW i8 Concept an extremely technical and cutting-edge appeal.

View Gallery The BMW i8 Concept's Exterior

Dynamic side view.

Taut surfaces and precise edges form an extremely sculptural and organic surface structure. The precise lines along its flanks and BMW i "stream flow" also give the BMW i8 Concept a strong sense of powering forward even when it is standing still. The BMW i8 Concept's doors swing upwards like wings to provide an undeniably emotional and sporting allure. Below the doors, the silver-coloured layer moulds the car's flanks into a powerful wedge shape, opening out from the door sills towards the rear. A blue flourish accentuates the dynamic presence of the sills. Together, the bonnet and door sill sculpting emphasise the BMW i8 Concept's forward-surging stance, and their smooth lines imbue the car with a touch of lightness.

Striking front end.

The BMW i8 Concept also shows its dynamic sports car persona when viewed from the front. A number of different levels interact with one another in the design of the front end, while the expressive surface treatment exudes dynamic verve and advertises the car's sporting potential. The full-LED headlights of the BMW i8 Concept are designed as two U-shaped configurations.

A black, semi-transparent "V" rises out of the bonnet just behind the kidney grille, opening out towards the windscreen and guiding the eye to the electric motor below. The "V" also offers the first glimpse of the CFRP module and extends back towards the rear like a black band to provide a visual connection between the different sections of the car.

Sporty rear end.

Similarly to the front end, the rear of the car is also very low, horizontal and sculptural in design. The silver-coloured side sections form a striking vertical frame around the rear of the car, with a precise line extending out to the sides enjoying particular prominence. In its centre the silver-coloured and blue-framed rear diffuser is a wider and lower interpretation of the version on the BMW i3 Concept, adding a distinct sporting flavour to its relationship with its stablemate.

At the rear, the car's exceptional sporting credentials are also expressed in width-accentuating lines, three-dimensional air outlets and "floating" tail lights with air through-flow. The tail lights, which also have a distinct horizontal design, are integrated into the upper layer of the rear and share the signature U-shape of the BMW i light concept.

Purpose-built interior.
The transparent surfaces in the doors and roof give the exterior and interior design of the BMW i8 Concept the appearance of merging into one another. The colour concept and underlying structure of the BMW i8 Concept interior closely mimic those of the BMW i3 Concept. Here again, the Porcelain White support structure, black technical level and comfort section with Mocha Brown leather are split into three different layers. The arrangement of the air vents, control panels and displays also betrays the car's family ties to its BMW i3 Concept sibling. Overall, however, these features have a more sporting character and are geared much more clearly towards the driver. Indeed, a level of driver focus beyond that of any BMW Group vehicle before it allows the BMW i8 Concept to immerse the driver fully in the unique experience behind the wheel. Driver-relevant functions such as the gearshift lever, start-stop button and parking brake are arranged around the driver on the centre console and the graphics are strongly geared towards the driving seat as well. The three-dimensional displays are extremely clear and flash up the relevant information for the driving situation at hand. At the same time, occupants in the BMW i8 Concept sit in a highly integrated position low down in the car and are separated by the battery running lengthways through the interior. This longitudinal bisection of the cabin underlines the sporting and forward-looking character of the BMW i8 Concept interior.

Optimum information.
The freestanding information display in the dash is joined by an equally large display taking the role of the instrument cluster. Designing the central instruments in this way enables driver-relevant information to be conveyed in a three-dimensional and high-resolution format. In keeping with BMW i style, the displays are premium, modern and purist. Depending on the driving mode, the two drive systems are depicted by a pair of ellipses, which supply information on their operation at any given time. Other information – such as the available range and fuel level – can be found here, too.

Motorsport Zone Goes Multi-Platform!

2011-10-19T18:54:00.005+01:00

I am delighted to announce than not only can you enjoy the articles of Motorsport Zone through your laptop or desktop computer it is now also available and beautifully formatted on iPad and iPhone.

For those of you who have no tried it yet and own an iPad or iPhone, Flipboard is a fantastic application it allows you to build a completely custom magazine (content rich) using internet news feeds and although that sounds complicated i assure you it is not. All you have to do is download the app by searching Flipboard in the app store, open the application, click 'more' and in the search type 'Motorsport Zone' and select this blogger feed. It is that simple. The beautiful layout is shown in the screen shots below.

Note: Although currently only iPad compatible Flipboard will be coming out for iPhone in the next month or so, i shall update this article when it does to show you the results. In the meantime see at the bottom of this page on the best way to check out Motorsport Zone on your iPhone. Also, Motorsport Zone is fully compatible with almost all mobile browsers.

Above: Flipboard's Magazine layout - pages turned by swiping from left to right (landscape)

After selecting an article this is the format for reading in Flipboard in portait here, also readable in landscape, simply swipe from top to bottom of the screen to read on.

For the time being the best way to view motorsport zone other than obviously in the browser is to download MobileRSS from the app store and add the feed by clicking on the RSS feed at the top of this page and entering it.

If you're looking to buy a vehicle then make sure you visit motors and search for new and used cars either in your local area or nationwide throughout the UK.

Engine Design 101

2011-05-13T22:24:00.002+01:00

This article covers the design considerations for: Cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, sumps, lubrication systems (including oil pumps), superchargers and turbochargers.

Fig 1 - Engine with cutaway section to show pistons.

The engine is the heart of any car, or petrol or diesel driven vehicle for that matter. A poorly designed engine means a poorly designed car, there is so much to consider in the design for an engine that a blog post just won’t cut it. I will however try to cover all of the key areas and explain the basic principles and design considerations for major parts.

Just an initial point, this article doesn’t contain anything on the subject of the power cell unit (piston, crankshaft etc.); that can be found in the piston design 101 article here: LINK

Alternatively you can look in the categories section in the right hand sidebar and click on the ‘101 guides’ or ' section to see my range of articles on vehicle design.

Cylinder Head

Fig 2 - Cylinder head (from below).

Starting from the top is always a good idea so first of all we will look at the cylinder head and work our way down through the engine. The cylinder head is very important; it provides the upper portion of the combustion chamber and houses the valve train and camshafts. Generally speaking the main tasks of the cylinder head are to:

Form the upper part of the combustion chamber.
House the valve-train and its lubrication system.
House spark-plugs (in a petrol engine) and fuel injection system.
Resist combustion loads and allow cooling for valves, spark plugs and ignition.
Provide sufficient oil drainage
Seal and transfer charge whilst minimizing thermodynamic and breathing losses.

As i'm sure you can see already there are a lot of components involved here and it makes this part of the car very difficult to package well, as well as this it is subject to considerable cyclic loading from the combustion process and so needs to be very durable to repetitive wear.

Cylinder heads are typically made of cast iron or aluminium, cast iron has the advantage that it is very strong and cheap, aluminium however is more expensive but is very lightweight in comparison. An aluminium head would typically have the weigh about 50% of the weight of a cast iron head. Cast iron performs acceptably well but it is also more expensive to repair and harder to port (and more expensive to port) than its aluminium counterpart.

There is a future trend in the industry towards using Aluminium based silicon blend alloys as they provide a low mass and a high thermal conductivity to protect it against the thermal loading present from combustion.

The coolant systems housed within the head are often quite complex and require computer based tools to optimize, however after a design has been provided using FEA (finite element analysis) and CFD (computational fluid dynamics) then it is possible to test physically in a lab. This is done by fitting an engine with the prototype coolant system and make the head out of a clear plastic material so you can physically watch the coolant flow around during operation. This technique can be enhanced by dying particles of coolant in fluorescent colours and using high speed cameras to track them, this can help to find areas of blockage and poor circulation.

First generation direct injection used a layout by which air the fuel was wall guided round the cylinder, this lead to efficiency improvements of around 5 - 10%. The aim when injecting fuel and is to cause turbulence in the flow, this is known as forward tumble when done effectively, this does lower volumetric efficiency of the engine but allows for faster and more complete burning of fuel. The first generation system used a wall mounted spark plug to ignite the fuel. In the second generation layout designers managed to package the system so that the fuel and spark plug were both mounted centrally along with the valves, the differences are shown in the diagram below. Second generation injection lead to further efficiency benefits of around 5% and reduced the amount of wall wetting (fuel sticking to and burning on the walls of the cylinder).

Fig 3 - 1st Generation DI Layout
(Notice side mounted injector).

Fig 4 - 2nd Generation DI
(showing forward tumble in red).

Camshaft

Camshafts are housed within the head and control the timing of the valves, camshafts typically move at half of the engine speed. The most common valve-train layout in modern cars is rows of poppet valves driven by camshafts. A layout called 'roller finger follower' is used in premium gasoline engines, this involves adding a rotating wheel to the rocker arm which controls the valve, this means that instead of rubbing surfaces we now have rolling surfaces so friction is reduced and thus the engine is more efficient. Generally camshafts are made of cast iron or steel. 3 common layout pros and cons are shown below:

Overhead Valve (Pushrod):

Fig 5 - Pushrod Valve System

Pros: Simple and proven system, easy to implement in side mounted valve engines.
Cons: High mass and component count, rods restrict port layout, not usable for small powerful engines.

SOHC - Single Overhead Camshaft Layout (one shaft for both exhaust and inlet valves):

Fig 6 - Single Overhead Cam Animation

Pros: Reduced component count and reciprocating mass, low cost and higher engine speeds possible.
Cons: Restricted variable valve timing between inlet and exhaust valves.

DOHC - Double Overhead Camshaft layout (one for exhaust one for inlet):

Fig 7 - Double Overhead Cam Animation

Pros: Same as SOHC plus, higher engine output and reduced emissions
Cons: More components than SOHC and therefore more expensive

The future of the automotive industry seems to be heading towards variable valve-train systems, many manufacturers are currently working on using these systems to increase engine efficiency.

Cylinder Block

The cylinder block as the name suggests is the block of metal which makes up the cylinders, as such it is subject to significant repetitive loading, from both thermal energy and surface abrasion. 7 key properties that a cylinder block must have are listed below:

Sufficient thermal conductivity
Low thermal expansion
High hot strength
High strength to weight ratio
High resistance to surface abrasion

Cylinder blocks tend to be made of cast iron and are bolted down to the end case and the onto the head with long bolts designed to withstand large loads (generally at least 3.5 times the peak gas load from the engine). Designs have been suggested with bolts which travel all the way through the engine assembly keeping all the parts in constant compression, and the load is distributed through a nut plate below the end case. However this is hard to achieve due to packaging issues in a lot of engines.

Honing is used in the cylinders them selves, this is a process by which a number or horizontal holes are cut into the cylinder wall; This enables better distribution oil. Laser honing has also recently been introduced for racing applications and although the mechanisms of honing are not yet completely understood efficiency savings of up to 6% have been claimed.

When it comes to cooling the walls of the cylinders themselves coolant passages are cut in the block to allow coolant to pass around the cylinder and withdraw excess heat. This can be in the form of a wet liner (open topped) which helps to reduce the thermal expansion or closed deck, which seals the passages but means the do not extend the full length of the cylinder so maximum cooling is not achieved. However it means that the block has better structural integrity.

Sump

Most modern cars use a wet sump system for lubrication, this means that the oil supply is housed in the engine right at the bottom, and the oil pump is within the oil pan and it ran directly from the crank; by chain or belt. This case will use a single phase pump, this means that the oil flow is directly related to the engine speed (since it driven by the crank as i just mentioned). A pressure relief valve is also fitted to these systems so that at high load the pressure of the oil entering the engine is not to high. This is a simple piston normally, which will be spring loaded and sat in the oil feed channel, as the pressure increases the piston moves back and opens a hole which allows oil to exit and reduce the pressure.

Testing of lubrication systems is often performed on a what is known as a 'rock and roll rig' as the name suggests this provides a dynamic platform to move the engine around on to check lubrication is sufficient at a number of different angles (that may be typical in situations such as hill climbing or descent). Plastic covers are applied to the engine and cameras are used to observe the flow of oil and check for potential bad circulation or vortices (very bad!).

Dry sump systems have a fairly different layout, in this case the oil reservoir is not housed within the engine itself but in an external tank somewhere else in the vehicle. This requires a multi-stage pump which is externally mounted. This system has a huge advantage in that it significantly reduces the height of the engine. This means that the engine can be mounted lower and subsequently the centre of gravity of the car is lowered. As well as this it can lead to an increase in engine output (since no windage losses) it also means oil handling issues are reduced since it is housed externally. On the down side it is quite a complex system, as well as heavy and expensive.

Superchargers

Supercharging is popular because it means you can have increased performance for a fixed engine size, or equally you can decrease engine size for a given performance. By adding different degrees of supercharging manufacturers can create a range of different output engines from the same base engine design which is obviously very attractive from a manufacturing costs perspective. For those who don't understand supercharging or turbocharging you are basically supplying the engine with more air, which means you can also supply more fuel and therefore get more combustion and more power.

Since you are increasing the power and output of and engine when you supercharge it you need to consider a number of upgrades to ensure the engine can survive the increased loads present:

Exhaust valve-train design and materials must be revised.
Reduced compression ratios will be needed since thermal and pressure loads both rise.
New bearing materials may be needed to withstand the higher loads.
Increased oil pump capacity is required.
The breather gas system may need to be redesigned to cope with higher pressures.

Superchargers are often associated with parasitic losses within engines but that can be overcome with bypassing or clutching. In comparison to a turbocharger a supercharger has a favourable back pressure.

There are two main types of supercharger compressor:

Roots Blower Type

Fig 8 - Roots Blower Compressor Animation.

Typically has a peak efficiency of 65 - 70% and a peak compression ratio of 2 and runs at speed of around 20,000 revolutions per minute. It is commonly found in Mercedes, Audi, Mini and Jaguar superchargers.

Screw Type

Fig 9 - Screw Type Compressor Animation.

Generally has a peak efficiency of 75 - 80% and a slightly increased compression ratio of 2.3 compared to the roots blower compressor. However it has a more limited use only found in AMG Mercedes.

Turbochargers

Fig 10 - Turbocharger Diagram

Formula one is currently considering re-introducing turbochargers in 2013 and the BTCC are confirmed to be introducing them this year (2011). A turbo is a compressor which does very much the same job as a supercharger but the difference is in how they are powered. A turbo is driven by the exhaust gases as they are expelled from the engine, they pass through a turbine, which are attached by a single common shaft to a compressor. The exhaust gases spin the turbo up to incredible speeds of around 150,000 to 220,000 rpm with the smallest turbos providing the fastest speeds; thats over 10 times faster than typical supercharger speeds. They have a typical pressure ratio of 2.5-3.0 and the peaks of thermal efficiency lie in between 75 and 80%. Due to these speeds and pressures the air exiting the turbo can be around 140 degrees centigrade and such need cooling, so an intercooler is added which reduced this to around 40 -50. The cooled air is then passed through a throttle which controls the volume flow rate of air which then enters the intake manifold.

Typical materials for various turbocharger components:

Compressor wheel - precision cast Aluminium alloys
Compressor housing - die cast Aluminium alloys
Turbine wheel - Nickel super alloy (Inconel)
Turbine housing - die cast Iron
Turbocharger shaft - forged Steel

Turbochargers are FAR more efficient at high speed and high load. At low speeds and loads 'turbo lag' tends to be present whereby very little happens when you press the accelerator since the turbo is not spinning up to speed and as such acceleration can be very poor while the turbo spins up and then suddenly gets up to speed and the vehicle will begin to accelerate quickly.

Vehicle Design: Piston Design 101

2011-04-22T23:26:00.000+01:00

This article provides a truly comprehensive look at the design considerations for pistons. Further articles are available which provide a look at piston rings, the connecting rod and many other components. Select the '101 guides' or 'vehicle design' category in the right hand sidebar lower down the page. Anyway onto the article:

Fig 1: Labelled image of a piston and con-rod.

The two main requirements of the piston are as follows:

Contain all the fluids above and below the piston assembly during the cycle.
Transfer the work done in combustion to the connecting rod with minimal mechanical and thermodynamic losses.

They key thing to note about piston design for absolutely any application regardless of the field is that it is HUGELY dependent upon the task that the engine will be required to fulfill. The pistons for a 1000 horse-power racing car will be designed differently and made from different materials than pistons that are used inside a tractor for example. The shape of the piston crown (see diagram above) can also vary dependent on the type of engine you are dealing with as they can be used to change flow characteristics within the cylinder. The crown of a piston in a diesel engine is likely to look different to the piston of a petrol engine, especially in high performance applications. Despite this all pistons need to obey the following;

Five Key Properties of a Piston:

Sufficient thermal conductivity
Low thermal expansion
High hot strength
High strength to weight ratio
High resistance to surface abrasion

A few definitions for the terms that are mentioned above:

Thermal conductivity: The ability of a material to absorb heat without causing damage or significant change to the materials microstructure or properties.

Thermal expansion: How much the material will expand when heated.

Hot strength: Ability to withstand stress, strain and shear at temperatures higher than room temperature. (Piston temperatures will be covered later in this article).

Strength-to-weight ratio: Fairly obvious this one, ideally we want a very light material with very high strength, the lighter and stronger the better.

Surface abrasion: The rate at which material wears due to rubbing on the surfaces of it, surface treatments can be added to metals to increase the surface toughness and make them more resistant to this.

The piston is obviously one of THE key components in any engine; it provides the seal, which enables power to transfer to the crankshaft so an effective design is key.

Heat is one of the biggest problems faced when designing a piston, an example of typical road car piston temperatures and their distribution is shown below:

Fig 2: Typical temperature map for a piston

So n the crown of the piston the temperatures tend towards around 250 – 300 degrees Celsius and gradually decrease the further from the combustion you go. The second key property I mentioned earlier was that pistons should have a low thermal expansion; this is because at these temperatures pistons will expand, especially on the crown and the top of the skirt. Because of this, pistons are actually tapered, although it is not obvious with the naked eye pistons are wider at the bottom of the skirt than the top to allow for expansion at the crown. If this was not done then when the piston expanded then it could potentially become too wide to fit within the cylinder.

Piston temperatures also vary with speed, which is key to note for higher performance engines, since at 1500 rpm a piston crown can be around 100 degrees Celsius cooler than when the engine is providing 5000 rpm. Piston spray jets may be added to engine in these high performance engines in order to lower the temperature of the crown. These feed of the main oil gallery and usually provide between one half and one litre per minute.

Piston Materials: PROS CONS

Cast Iron Hot strength Mass

Hardness Thermal conductivity

Thermal expansion

Aluminium Alloys Mass Thermal expansion

Strength-to-weight Hot strength

Thermal conductivity Hardness

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Mass Cost

Carbon (CFRC) - Strength-to-weight Operating issues

(Research use only) Hot strength

Thermal expansion

The operating issues mentioned with the CFRC pistons include hydrocarbon emissions, since the material used for the piston has been observed to absorb fuel particles and then release them in the exhaust causing unwanted pollutants, this is also a knock problem with this technology. However it must be pointed out these pistons are purely experimental at the moment and engineers are experimenting with materials in an attempt to come up with better compounds.

Manufacturing Effects:

To demonstrate the effects of manufacturing effects on the performance of a piston we will focus on only aluminium pistons, however similar effects follow across most metals.

For spark injection engines, cast aluminium can provide an intricate part at relatively low cost and low weight. Forged aluminium however can provide a finer microstructure and therefore higher strength when compared to casting, albeit more expensive.

Due to the additional pressures occurring in a diesel engine (since the fuel is self igniting) the pistons require local reinforcements. For example, a cast aluminium piston for a diesel engine would be made from a higher temperature alloy than for a petrol engine, and the following reinforcements may be applied:

Refined casting methods; finer microstructure around the bowl (crown).
Insertion of high strength cast iron piston ring carriers.
Insertion of bushes into the pin bores.

That is the end of the main piston design article, further articles going in depth into the design of piston rings, connecting rods and loads of other major components are available in the '101 guides' and 'vehicle design' categories found in the right hand side bar. Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment any questions about this subject or any other topic you'd like to see me write a guide to.

By Adam Feneley,

Brunel University

MEng Motorsport Engineering (Level 2)

Affiliate of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers

April 2011

2011 F1 Malaysian Sepang Grand Prix - Preview

2011-04-08T11:16:00.001+01:00

An Unprecedented Home Grand Prix for Three Formula 1 Teams

With three Formula 1 teams ‘carrying’ the Malaysian flag, the 2011 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix will indeed be a special one for Malaysians.

“F1 has always been a special event for Malaysia. This year, however, it is even more extraordinary,” says Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak in reference to the alliance of Malaysian corporate companies with the Mercedes GP PETRONAS, Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus.
“Never has the event been associated with so many Malaysian companies; making the 2011 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix and Sepang Circuit as their ‘home race’ this season,” Najib said in his message at in the event’s official programme.
2011 marked the 13th edition of the Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix, which traced back to 1999 when it was first developed as tourism tool to sell Malaysia as an international destination and a national agenda to uplift the country’s image worldwide.
The new season opened at Albert Park in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix on March 27 and Malaysia hosts Round 2 of the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship, which now runs for 19 rounds with the cancellation of Bahrain Grand Prix.
Najib said: “Malaysia’s interest and its glorious image will be prominently projected this year, throughout all the rounds across the globe through the participation of Mercedes GP PETRONAS, the Proton-backed Lotus Renault Racing; the 1Malaysia Team Lotus as well as Virgin Formula 1 Racing, which has Q-Net as one of its key partners this season.
“Formula 1 – the world’s most prestigious motorsports event; and Malaysia’s tool in promoting the country for so long – is now adopted by more Malaysian companies as their business tools as well,” he said, adding that before Sepang Circuit came into the picture in 1999, Malaysia had Tourism Malaysia riding the popularity of the Stewart Grand Prix team in 1997.
Before that PETRONAS became the presenting sponsor for Red Bull Sauber in 1995. Over the years, the national petroleum company expanded further its investment in the sports including becoming the title sponsor for the Malaysian race and deeper involvement in the F1 racing teams.
Najib said: “With an extensive global audience; reaching hundreds of millions televisions on Race Day alone, the sport is undoubtedly the most effective platform for international mileage and worldwide recognition. Apart from global branding, it’s also the place for business networking, a stage to showcase a country; and an engine for transfer of technology. As such, for Malaysia, as a nation aspiring to be a major player in the automotive industry, its deep association with Formula 1 is only natural.
“Malaysia is always proud to be associated with Formula 1. We are proud to be the second Asian nation after Japan to host this prestigious event and inspired other Asian nations to bid for the privilege as well. Our current contract runs until 2015; and we aim to make full use of this privilege to reap in the fruits of benefits. And, to date, the impact of Formula 1 for Malaysia has been tremendous,” he added.
For Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix was proof Malaysia’s capability in organizing world class motor racing events; and he hoped that it would be reflected as well in the competition field as well.
“Formula 1 has always been a special event in Malaysia; and the Malaysian Government has always been proud to be associated with the prestigious event. And, we, Malaysians, are truly privileged that have this event here at our own backyard.
“From the first race on October 17, 1999 and 11 editions later, the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix had been a success story for Malaysia. It had transformed Malaysia’s status in the international arena; generated massive tourism dollars as well as jumpstarting the motorsports industry.
“Not too long ago, we would have never imagined of Malaysians competing in international races. But, after the establishment of Sepang Circuit in 1999, the perspective definitely changed – there’s was renewed confidence; and there was enhanced commitment among Malaysians,” he said.
He related the days of PETRONAS Sprinta Yamaha Team TVK venturing into the GP World Championship in 2000, to the introduction of Alex Yoong as Malaysia’s first F1 driver in Alex Yoong, the teenage Jazeman Jaafar dominating the Formula BMW Pacific series and Fairuz Fauzy role as an F1 test driver.
Declaring that he saw good prospects for the future, Shabery said that he believed with the continuous commitment and persistent effort, motor racing, too, could produce Malaysian world beaters
“We are proud to have world class athletes in badminton, squash, cycling and bowling. And, I strongly believe we can have world class performers in motor racing as well; especially with the current emphasis that Malaysian corporate companies are giving to the sports,” he added.
While welcoming the strong alliance of the Malaysian companies in the F1 teams, the minister hoped that the corporate companies involved would look at their partnership more than just from the business perspective.

“I sincerely hope that it would be translated into programmes for motorsports development as well,” said Shabery, who hailed SIC’s successful efforts in incorporating the Malaysian Super Series as support races for the 2011 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysian Grand Prix.

Hailed as the national championship for track racing and introduced in 2002, the MSS would be running the Malaysian GT class and the Malaysian Touring Car Challenge at the F1 race in Sepang as its opening round for its 2011 season.
In his message, SIC Chairman Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir said: “I am very happy that we finally managed to incorporate our Malaysian Super Series as the support races for the F1 event in Sepang. This is a racing series that we, at Sepang International Circuit, had diligently nurtured for years as the national championship for track racing; and the platform to provide top class competition for the drivers and teams.
“Together with our two other major events – the 12-hour Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race and the 1000-kms Endurance, these are the events that we hope for Malaysians to pick up their skills in managing and operating motor racing teams as well as to unearth new talents.
“Through these events, we aim to create a new culture of motorsports among Malaysians especially the grassroots, added Mokhzani.

Driving like an F1 driver on normal roads can be dangerous, but that doesn't stop some people. If you have been in an accident because of someone's dangerous driving and you want to know more about car accident compensation claims, then visit www.roadtrafficaccidentsite.com.

Photo Gallery: 2011 F1 Cars - All Teams

2011-04-01T23:46:00.000+01:00

This stunning gallery of images documents the latest 2011 models of all 12 of the teams in this seasons F1 World Championships. For more info on rule changes see this article: link

Please also take time to vote on who you think will be successful this year, there are a set of three polls on the right-hand sidebar which include views on who will win the constructors and drivers championships and who will be the best 'new' team!

Ferrari F150th Italia - 2011 Season F1 Car

Force India VJM04 - 2011 Season F1 Car

HRT (Hispania Racing Team) F111 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Virgin Racing MVR-02 - 2011 Season F1 Car

McLaren Mercedes MP4-26 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Torro Rosso STR6 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Williams FW33 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Red Bull Racing RB7 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Mercedes GP Petronas MGP W02 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Renault Lotus R31 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Sauber C30 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Team Lotus T128 - 2011 Season F1 Car

Your Predictions: Who will win this seasons F1 World Championship?

2011-03-30T23:09:00.001+01:00

So the new F1 season is finally under-way, albeit overdue! With a great first race under the belt, people are already beginning to form opinions on who the think will be the world champion and who will win the constructors championship.

On the left hand side of this page are a number of polls for all the readers of this site to vote on who they think will be the winners of the drivers and constructors championships. The initial lists are quite small, however if you feel a worthy candidate for either championship has been missed of the polls then please comment on this post and I will add them to it for you! It will be very interesting to see everyone's view on who will be triumphant this season. Feel free to share your predictions and comment them below!

2011 F1 Australian GP Race Report

2011-03-27T09:46:00.001+01:00

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel got his title defence off to a perfect start with a pole-to-flag victory in the Australian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton finished second to seal McLaren's turnaround in form but team-mate Jenson Button was sixth after being penalised for cutting a corner.
A brilliant start from Russian Vitaly Petrov propelled him to his first podium with third for Renault.
Scot Paul di Resta finished with 12th for Force India on his debut.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso jumped Mark Webber's Red Bull in his final pit stop to take fourth place from the Australian, who could only equal his career-best finish at his home race.
There was more frustration for Mercedes as both Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg retired from the race.

It was a faultless race from the man intent on chasing Schumacher's record seven championship as Vettel pulled clear at the start, stopped twice and ran much of the race on his own.
"A stunning performance from the man who's led every lap of the last three grands prix," said BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle.
"That is a calm and steely Vettel, and frankly I don't think anyone was going to beat him."
Ominously for the rest of the field, team principal Christian Horner revealed after the race that neither of the Red Bull cars was running a Kers boost system.
"It was a fantastic day for Sebastian and the team, he was dominant in qualifying and totally dominant today," said Horner.
"We felt Kers was a potential risk, and we made a decision not to run it. It didn't look like we needed it."
Vettel himself insisted the race had not been as straightforward as it appeared.
"It was not easy, the start was crucial," he said.
"I had a good getaway, but didn't know if it was enough until I saw Lewis and Mark [Webber] battling for position.
"After my stop it was crucial to get past jenson, which I could do immediately, so that was very, very important. There were a lot of things to learn today and we need to have another look at the race."
Vettel had already built a 2.6-second lead at the end of the first lap while others toiled behind him.
Button found himself down in sixth after losing position to Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Petrov, who had brilliantly nosed his Renault up from sixth on the grid.
As the race developed, Button tried time and again to pass Massa, and even activated the moveable rear wing which is designed to aid overtaking, but the Brazilian defended deftly and Button was left asking his team over the radio; 'How's he getting away from me?"
There were more headaches to come for Button when he cut a chicane in an attempt to pass Massa and was subsequently handed a drive-through penalty.
"There's no question that he gained an advantage," said BBC analyst David Coulthard.
"He knew that two doesn't go into one around that curve. He had to go off track and had to pay a penalty for that."
Button had a stab at holding up Vettel - who had pitted for the first of his two stops to leave Hamilton at the front for McLaren - before serving his penalty but the German soon flew past him and comfortably resumed his lead when Hamilton came in.
After his stop-go penalty Button fed back in 12th but he crossed the line in sixth after what Brundle described as an "adventurous race".

Despite Button's busy day, he and team-mate Hamilton will be relieved that McLaren's hard work at their Woking factory to turn a winter marred by a lack of pace and unreliability into a competitive start to the campaign.
Hamilton managed his race well and took his car across the line for second despite warnings from his team that his car was damaged. It quickly became evident the undertray and floor of the car was broken, which as Hamilton pointed out afterwards, badly affected the amount of downforce.
"To come away from here with a second is a great achievement - in the end I was simply trying to nurse the car home," Hamilton said.
Renault proved they had taken a step forward over the winter, in part thanks to their innovative car design with its front-exiting exhausts, as Petrov collected third place with a cool drive.
The Russian repeated his trick from the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by holding off a looming Alonso.
Robert Kubica was second for Renault at last year's race in Melbourne and Petrov suggested he is capable of leading the time on the track in the absence of Kubica, who is recovering from serious injuries in a rallying accident.
Petrov's Renault team-mate Nick Heidfeld, the stand-in for Kubica, finished a lowly 14th,
Alonso had got himself caught up in Button's wake as the McLaren went backwards off the line and the Ferrari ran wide into the first corner.
The Spaniard slid to 10th but he picked his way smoothly through the field before passing Webber for fourth place.
Both drivers were on a three-stop strategy but Webber conceded fourth place to Alonso on the final stop after he ran wide on his return to the parkland circuit.
There had been a lot of talk about tyre strategy and management in the build-up to the race as this season's Pirellis tyres had been designed too degrade more quickly than 2010's Bridgestones.
Most of the field made straightforward two-stop strategies work but Sauber raised eyebrows as Mexican rookie Sergio Perez stopped just once on his way to seventh.
Mercedes arrived in Melbourne with high hopes of a podium but their weekend ended miserably inside two laps.
Schumacher, who had a puncture at the start, was retired from the race as a precaution before his old Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello added to his misery by ploughing his left wheel into the side of Nico Rosberg's Mercedes, sending him back to the garage for good.
"I had a good start but someone knocked on my rear right and there were consequences from that," Schumacher told BBC Sport.
"I had an entertaining few laps but the team quite rightly for safety decided that I should come in."
Barrichello was the second driver to serve a drive-through penalty for his move on Rosberg and later had to retire from the race.

My New Job: Process Planning Engineer for BMW

2011-02-27T09:31:00.002Z

I'm delighted to be able to write that i have secured a job as part of my year out of University for the next academic year. I have been offered a job by BMW Group to join them in Oxford as a process planning engineer, the role sounds fantastic and I have year long contract which begins on the 15th of August this year.

BMW Group Logo

I will over see the production of the mini and other BMW models in the BWM Group Plant, the main reason i'm so excited about this roll is that it means i get to oversea every stage of production for a modern day car. I will work with every department and try my hand at all sorts of areas and get experience with alot of things that i have never met before. Process Planning is not something that you are taught about at university, but the new experience and the new knowledge that comes with that can do nothing to harm my learning and should prove a brilliant experience.

If you want to know a bit about what a process planning engineer does, take a look at the link below:

http://www.ehow.com/about_6400270_job-description-planning-engineer.html

BMW have already been extremely helpful so far already sending me information about trusted landlords who own properties within walking distance of the plant, and all at a pretty reasonable price.
It was a rather odd start to my experience with them though, after I woke up at 9am one day to my phone ringing and my now boss was on the end of the phone claiming I had booked an interview with him.. I had not! It turned out they had a mix-up in HR and my details got handed to him by mistake. However I called back and arranged an interview for myself 2 days later; I felt that it didn't go to well compared with others that I'd had recently. However i was to be proven wrong as only 3 days later I was offered the job.

In the next few months I will be looking to find a house in Oxford and will hopefully be metting up with the team of engineers i will be part of. Until then its back to doing my assignments and the deadlines are looming, as is the exam period...

Steering System Design Considerations

2011-02-07T23:29:00.001Z

Steering is one of the fundamental principals which you need to have a firm grasp of in order to design any vehicle. It can be an exceptionally complex system with large amounts of variation between systems. There are numerous tricks you can play by altering angles to solve issues with steering, and this article aims to explain in basic terms, the ways in which you can rectify some common steering problems when designing a steering system for an automobile or kart.

Content will be updated very soon as I plough through my research for the steering design for my formula zero kart feasibility study!

Figure 1: Toe Angle

Figure 2: Castor Angle

Figure 3: Camber Angle

Figure 4: King pin inclination

F1 2011: New Season, New Rules. What Has Changed?

2011-02-05T15:37:00.001Z

Pirelli are the new tire suppliers for F1 in the 2011 season.

The new season is dawning on us; with testing well under way, cars being released and driver deals being finalized before the first race on 13th March in Bahrain. However this season brings a huge number of changes to the sport, this article is my attempt to simply all of these changes down and make them easy to understand!

List of Changes occuring:

The F-Duct which was introduced amidst controversy last season has been banned
Adjustable Rear wings have been introduced (THIS IS A BIG ONE!)
Moveable splitters have been banned
Rear wing slots have been banned
Beam wind slots have been banned
Mirror positions have been mandated, they must now sit in the optimal position for the driver to see what is around him, rather than being used an aerodynamic feature
Limits have been placed on the rear impact structures
Blade Roll Structures have been banned
Connected shark fins have been banned
Max chassis height and dash roll have been mandated
Wheel spoke shaping has been banned
Weight distribution rules have been mandated
Oversized started motor holes have been banned
Limits have been placed on the rear wing support pylons
The infamous double diffuser (and exhaust blown diffusers) have been banned.

The graphic below which is available for download, provided by cooperation with confused.com marketing company: Big Fish Ideas. Just right click on the image and select to download/save image.

I found the following discussion on JamesAllenOnF1 surrounding the introduction of the adjustable rear wing, i will let you make your own mind up!

"To reiterate, the rule is as follows, “The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled the first time the driver uses the brakes after the system has been activated.”

Many fans feel that the device will be a gimmick, which adds an artificial element to the racing and today several drivers articulated similar fears. Mark Webber said that the devices would be at home on a Sony Playstation, but not in the real world of F1 racing.

“Overtaking moves should be about pressurising, being skillful, and tactical,” said Webber in his press briefing today. “Yes we want to see more overtaking, of course we do, we know that, but we also need to keep the element of skill involved in overtaking and not just hitting buttons, like KERS, like adjustable rear wings.”

One of the concerns the drivers have is that the art of defensive driving will potentially disappear. However well a driver defends his position, if the car behind can drop the wing angle and shoot past with a 10km/h speed advantage, then that skill will be redundant. As it will be the same for everybody, there are likely to be a lot more overtakes on straights, particularly at tracks with long straights like Shanghai, Bahrain, Monza and Abu Dhabi.

Jarno Trulli voiced safety concerns having been the victim of some high speed wing failures in the past, “We have to make sure we can run it in a way that it is safe,” he said.

“I have the lost the rear wing a couple of times and it is one of the most dangerous things you can have happen to you because you are no longer in control of your car. Normally it fails at very high speed and you’re going to end up hitting the wall. I do not want to have the worry of my rear wing failing. The front wing is slightly different even though it is still a problem, the rear wing is worse.”"

Basics of a Sliding Mesh Gearbox

2010-12-30T17:47:00.003Z

The sliding mesh gearbox was used in early road vehicles (pre 1930’s) but was problematic (gear clash issues due to the sliding engagement of spur gears rotating at different speeds)

Sliding Mesh Gearbox Diagrams:

Text soon to be updated...

How to Change Your Shock Absorbers

2010-12-10T20:19:00.005Z

Shock absorbers are there to ensure handling ride comfort in cars. They are effectively dampers which lessen the effect of the bounce experienced when a car hits a lump or object in the road, it is and important part of the automotive system; when they become worn the lack of damping can damage some of the components in the car. It can also lower the MPG rate and efficiency of your car, costing you a fair bit in petrol in the long run, not to mention the extra adverse effects to our enviroment. Luckily, the process for changing them is fairly simple for a relatively knowledgable person and is exactly the same for left and right shock absorbers, so here is a simple step by step guide:

1. Prepare the car:
Park your car on a level surface and jack up the car, make sure you place the jacks against the frame of the car and not the suspension system, prolonged periods of holding the cars weight can damage the system. Ensure you place wedges behind your rear wheels to prevent the car from moving, loosen you wheel nuts and remove the wheel.

2. Removing the old shock absorbers
locate the lower attachment bolts and or screws of the shock absorber (consult your car handbook if in doubt to which ones), Remove them whilst clamping the shock absorber piston rod in a vice grip. Using a wrench or other tool, remove the upper attachment bolts/screws, your shocks are now removed from the car, remove it carefully.

3. Replace worn parts (bushings and grommets)
The key things to replace is the grommets and rubber bushings. Get the first grommet and put it concave side down onto the shock absorber piston rod. Then, slide the rubber bushing onto the piston rod, moving it down so it is in contact with the convex side of the grommet. Put a second grommet onto the shock absorber piston rod, sliding it down (convex side down) so it sits snuggly to the bushing. If there is a plastic strip around the shock absorber, remove it.

4.Installing the new shock absorber
Place your new shock between the upper and lower suspension arms, pushing the shock absorber piston rod through the hole in the upper suspension arm, tighten the upper fixing nut. Compress the shock slowly, until it lines up with the lower mounting holes on the shock and the suspension arm. Insert the lower bolt through the bottom mounting holes and the bottom of the shock absorber and tighten.

That's it!
Now all you have to do is replace your wheel and lower the car from its jacks!

Lotus Renault Vs Lotus Renault

2010-12-09T11:20:00.001Z

There will be two teams bearing the Lotus name in Formula 1 next year.

One, following Wednesday's announcement of Lotus Cars' decision to sponsor and eventually buy into what was the Renault team, will be called Lotus Renault. That team will be part-owned by Lotus Cars but their F1 cars will be called Renaults and will use Renault engines.

The other will be called Team Lotus. This one has nothing to do with Lotus Cars (any more - but we'll come back to that in a moment) but their F1 car will be called a Lotus. They will also use, er, Renault engines.

Both teams, it transpires, plan to run their cars in variations of a black and gold livery. This is an attempt to hark back to the historic John Player Special livery made famous by the original Team Lotus in the 1970s and 1980s through great drivers such as Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, Ronnie Peterson, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna, and era-defining cars like the Lotus 72 and 79.

It's a commentator's - and journalist's - nightmare and one can only begin to imagine the confusion it will create for those watching.

So what on earth is going on?

The story starts in 2009, when Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes obtained a multi-year licence from Lotus Cars to use the Lotus name in F1, having persuaded the Malaysian-owned company that an involvement in grand prix racing would be a valuable promotional tool.

Lotus Racing were one of three new teams in F1 in 2010, the others being Virgin and Hispania. All three spent the year close to the back of the grid, but Lotus did establish themselves as convincingly the most competitive.

In the course of the year, though, Group Lotus's approach to F1 changed, as part of a hugely ambitious refocusing of the company's future plans by chief executive officer Dany Bahar, who formerly worked in the commercial arms of Red Bull F1 and Ferrari.
Bahar, it transpires, was never keen on Lotus granting the licence to Fernandes, and it has become clear through 2010 why - he wanted to take the brand into F1 himself, but in a different way, through an involvement with an established team.
At the Paris Motor Show in October, Bahar announced plans for five new road-car models, expanding Lotus's range by nearly 200%, and has since said Lotus will enter IndyCar racing in the US and race at Le Mans. And now comes a major sponsorship deal with what used to be the Renault F1 team which will, at an undefined point in the future, morph into Lotus part-owning that team.
Fernandes, meanwhile, struck a deal in September to buy the rights to the Team Lotus name from David Hunt, brother of 1976 world champion James. Hunt had bought them when the original Team Lotus collapsed in 1994 after racing in F1 since 1958, during which time it had established itself as one of the sport's most iconic names.
Fernandes' success in buying the name - exclusively revealed by BBC Sport - marked the point at which what had until then been a private dispute between him and Lotus Cars - which is owned by the Malaysian company Proton - broke out into the open.
Following Fernandes's acquisition of the Team Lotus name, Group Lotus claimed that it owned all the rights to the Lotus name - a point of view robustly disputed by Hunt, who points out that Proton have several times tried to buy the Team Lotus name from him without ever being able to conclude a deal.
The dispute got so heated that former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir bin Mohamad stepped in to mediate, but he succeeded only in stopping the ping-pong of press releases. The dispute is now going to the High Court - and it is unlikely to be resolved until next year.

But the disagreement over the ownership of Team Lotus is only one of two ongoing legal cases between Lotus Cars and Fernandes. In the other, Fernandes is suing Lotus Cars for breach of contract over its withdrawal of the licence to use the Lotus name in F1.
That, too, is not expected to be resolved until some time next year.
Both sides, then, have got themselves into a bit of a pickle.
Lotus Cars has struck a deal to promote its brand in F1 through a team that is knocking on the door of breaking into the top three - and which, in Robert Kubica, has one of the finest drivers on the grid.
But it is doing so with a car that is called a Renault - and there is no way out of that one.
Lotus and the team's majority shareholder, the private investment group Genii Capital, cannot change the constructor name assigned to their team because if they do so without the permission of all the other teams they will lose the millions the team earns through Renault's historic achievements in F1, which date back to their entry in 1977.
And guess which team would not agree?
Fernandes, meanwhile, faces the prospect of his team giving free publicity to a company with which he is in two separate legal disputes. And even if he changed the name of the team to something else, his cars would still be called Lotuses.
It is an unsatisfactory situation for all involved - the efforts of both parties will be diluted by a dispute that, for those watching, will create only confusion.
Fernandes is understood to be increasingly confident that he will win the court case over the Team Lotus name. Lotus Cars, for its part, appears not to be overly concerned about the existence of a second team diluting its brand. Their view is that only one of the teams is affiliated with Lotus, and the other one is providing free advertising for it.
In the meantime, questions hang in the air.
Is the end game for Fernandes to sell the Team Lotus brand to Lotus Cars if he succeeds in establishing that he owns it? Can Lotus - and its parent company Proton - sustain such an ambitious programme? And so on.
In the murk, only one thing seems clear - this is only the latest stage in a story that will rumble on for some time to come.

This is an excerpt from Andrew Bensons blog on the BBC site, the full article can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/12/lotus_v_lotus.html

About Me, My Degree and Motorsport Zone

2010-12-06T20:35:00.003Z

Name: Adam Feneley

Born: Leicester, England

Currently Residing: Oxford, England

Job: Realization Engineer at BMW Plant Oxford

Study: Brunel University, London, England

Degree: Masters of Engineering (MEng) Motorsport Engineering

Biography:

I was born in Leicester, England in October 1990 and have spent most of my life living in Nottinghamshire. I attended college in Bingham, Nottinghamshire and achieved A levels in Mathematics (A), Physics (A) and Economics (B). My interest in engineering stems from a rich family history in the area, both of my great grandfathers were great engineers of their day, my grandfather himself was a draughtsman and my father a designer.

My mother’s grandfather, Samuel Lee, was an engineer at the birth of the partnership of Rolls and Royce. In the early 1900's he was the chief engineer to Henry Royce before and after the merger with Charles Rolls.

Rolls was introduced to Henry Royce by a friend at the Automobile Club, Henry Edmunds, who was also a director of Royce Ltd. Edmunds showed him Royce's car and arranged the historic meeting between Rolls and Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester on 4 May 1904. In spite of his preference for three or four cylinder cars, Rolls was impressed with the two-cylinder Royce 10 and in a subsequent agreement of 23 December 1904 agreed to take all the cars Royce could make. These would be of two, three, four and six cylinders and would be badged as Rolls-Royces.

My Fathers grandfather was a senior engineer during the First World War. He was part of the team that designer the Mark I Tank, he was himself credited for solving the problematic design of the fuel delivery system on the first vehicle in the world to be called a tank. A golden tank trophy stands in Lincoln stone bow bearing his name, in memory of his efforts and achievements during the war. With this type of history in my family i found it very difficult in not pursuing further education and hopefully a future career in the industry.

I applied through UCAS for my course at Brunel University, my first and second choice were both at Brunel, as soon as i came on the open day i knew this was the place i wanted to sit my degree. Looking back my first year was relatively simple. Universities seem to use this as a way to benchmark students; assuring that everyone is capable, and on a level-playing field for when the real hard work begins in the second year. Despite this we took part in a great deal of worthwhile projects during year one; the highlight of which were the technical drawing and engines laboratories.

I was proud of my grades in the first year and have attained 4 A+'s, 1 A- and 1 B+ in my six modules. Going into my second year i had 5 modules to sit, currently halfway through the year here is a brief overview of each one and what is involved:

Principles of Vehicle Design:
One of my favourite modules so far this year, lectures focus on design considerations for different systems in a car. We have currently covered topics of powertrain and transmission and will be moving on to the lesser systems after the Christmas break. Within this module is a very exciting project in which we are taking part in feasibility study for a zero emission single seat racing car, for the Formula Zero Competition (an article on this can be found in the ‘formula zero’ category found on the right sidebar of this webpage). I have been studying various books on steering systems and contacting various hydrogen fuel cell companies, as the Hydrogen systems and the steering geometry are my areas to focus upon.
Along side this project another piece of coursework involves us organising a conference for Brunel Motorsport alumni, which appears to be a bit of a tall order been as the last one (which was organised by the university board – not students) attracted guest speakers in the likes of Ross Brawn and Frank Williams. I will be immensely impressed if our group manages to achieve anything close to this!

Professional Engineering Applications and Practice:
In this module we have already taken part in a CAD tutorial using Siemens (more popularly known as Unigraphics) NX version 7.5. I completed a piece of coursework, which comprised of making a part from scratch providing machine drawings for its parts, exploded views, motion simulation and various competency exercise to prove our ability with the software. We also have various lectures in the module centring on business, engineering and professional practices.
The secondary major project for this module is to produce a presentation to be performed in front of members of industry on a chosen company. Our company is Jaguar Land Rover; we have yet to build our slide show for this yet so I will update this as the project comes along.

Solid Body Mechanics:
Solid body mechanics is all about how solids react to forces and loads, whether solids are stationary (statics) or moving (dynamics). It has additional element to the ‘fundamentals of…’ course that I took last year in that we take part in statics and vibrational laboratories. We have so far done the statics lab in which we did three different experiments with pressure vessels, torsion, tension, shear and strain. I am currently in the process of writing up the lab report for these as they are due in January.

Thermofluids:
This module is another continuation on the fundamentals of…’ course that I took in the first year, but the principles have become more complex and we are covering the second law of thermodynamics in far more detail. We also have labs in this topic, both fluids and thermo; the labs have included a study of refrigerant systems (vapour compression cycle), gas turbines (jet engines), compressible flow (including supersonic shockwaves exiting a nozzle) and high-speed air jets.

Analytical Methods, Control and Instrumentation:
Analytical methods is a module which is basically a combination of computational mathematics and control engineering. So far we have only covered the control, which included a control lab in which we studied the systems governing a servo system with and without tacho feedback. But after Christmas we move on to a more in depth study of Matlab and have an assignment using it as we did in year one.

Aside from all of this work I have a years industrial placement to sort out by Christmas so It has been a busy old year! So far I have applied to Williams F1, Mercedes High Performance Engines, Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and am currently in the process of filling in forms for Xtrac and Bentley. So wish me luck! Interviews will be after Christmas…

This completes my about me section for now! If you have any questions about projects or the site in general please contact me using the contact me link at the top of the site!

F1 to go green from 2013

2010-12-05T14:40:00.004Z

Formula 1 stakeholders have reached an agreement for grand prix cars to use a new type of 'green' engine from 2013.

The sport will switch from the current 2.4-litre V8s to 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engines with energy recovery systems and fuel restrictions.

The move is an attempt to mirror the trend towards fuel-efficiency in road cars and to popularise it, increasing public demand for such engines.

The new rules could be confirmed by governing body the FIA on 10 December.

Mercedes and Ferrari had been reluctant to agree to the move as recently as a month ago, believing that it was an unnecessary expense at a time when F1 was trying to reduce costs.

But a spokesman for Ferrari told BBC Sport the rules had been agreed and he would be "surprised" if it was not announced by the world council.

He admitted Ferrari had concerns about the move on cost grounds but added: "An agreement is there, and when there is an agreement you work accordingly."

A high-level source involved in the talks said it was "most likely" that the FIA would announce the move on Friday.

Why should we change to something that is going to cost millions of pounds and that nobody wants and that could end up with one manufacturer getting a big advantage?

Bernie Ecclestone

The aim is for the new rules to improve the efficiency of F1 engines by as much as 50%.

Care has been taken to ensure the performance of cars will not be affected and total power outputs will remain at current levels - approximately 750bhp.

By adopting the regulations, F1 hopes to widen its appeal to sponsors - commercial insiders say some companies are reluctant to get involved in F1 because of its image of being wasteful with resources.

The agreement to change the regulations from the 2.4-litre normally aspirated V8s used in F1 since 2006 comes after months of protracted negotiations and it had looked as if the switch might have to be delayed until at least 2014, or perhaps until as long as 2017.

F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone has been firmly opposed to the rule change.

He told BBC Sport: "We have a very good engine formula. Why should we change it to something that is going to cost millions of pounds and that nobody wants and that could end up with one manufacturer getting a big advantage?"

But the change has been agreed in a series of recent meetings between F1's current engine manufacturers - which also include Renault and private company Cosworth - and the final touches were put to the regulations by a steering group of F1 engineers on Thursday.

F1 ENGINE RULES FROM 2013
1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbos with energy recovery and fuel restrictions to replace current 2.4-litre normally aspirated V8s
Fuel efficiency to increase by a target of 50%
Overall power to remain same at approx 750bhp
Checks and balances to ensure costs are contained and performance across all engines remains comparable
Plan for advanced 'compound' turbos to be introduced in subsequent years
Power of Kers energy recovery systems to increase from 60kw in 2011 to 120kw in 2013

It is understood that a series of checks and balances have been written into the regulations to keep costs down and to ensure it should be impossible for one manufacturer to steal a march on the others in terms of performance.

This will primarily be done through resource restriction - such as limiting the amount of people or time that can be devoted to a project.

German car giant Volkswagen has also been heavily involved in the discussions and has privately indicated to F1 insiders that the only way it would consider entering F1 would be if the sport adopted these new rules.

However, sources say VW is giving conflicting messages about whether it will commit to an F1 engine project. If it did enter the sport, it is expected to use its Audi brand.

BBC Sport has been told the regulations will go before the F1 Commission - a group of stakeholders that agrees all rule changes - on Thursday 9 December before being rubber-stamped by the World Council the following day.

The move is a triumph for both F1 teams' organisation Fota and FIA president Jean Todt, both of whom have made increasing the future sustainability of F1 a key aim.

Leading figures in F1 hope that the adoption of the new rules will insulate the sport from charges of wastefulness at a time when supplies of fossil fuels are diminishing and there is pressure for the world to cut its production of greenhouse gases.
Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prx
The sun is setting on the era of big-capacity normally aspirated F1 engines

The aim is that by associating these energy-saving, fuel-efficient technologies with a glamorous and popular sport, they will become desirable in road cars, where their use is already increasing dramatically.

About 600bhp of the 750bhp produced by the engines will come from the four-cylinder single-turbo engine itself, with the rest being provided by energy storage and power-boost systems.

These systems - known as Kers - were first used in F1 in 2009 before being abandoned for 2010 and are being reintroduced next season.

For 2013, the power capacity of the Kers systems will be increased from 60kw to 120kw.

ANDREW BENSON'S BLOG
F1 is hoping it can insulate itself against accusations it is an irrelevant waste of resources and speed up the adoption of these technologies in road cars

Fuel consumption will be restricted both by limiting fuel flow and introducing a maximum capacity for races.

The new engines will not do more than 10,000 revs per minute - current F1 engines spin at 18,000rpm.

In subsequent years, complex new turbocharging technology called compounding will be introduced to further enhance efficiency.

The regulations have been framed to encourage the pursuit of efficiency in engine design, dramatically increasing the amount of power that can be produced per litre of fuel burnt.

Those lessons in efficiency can then be transferred to road cars so that considerably less fuel is used for a given amount of performance.

The FIA was unavailable for comment.

(Story from the BBC website, no copyright infringement intended.)

LIVE F1 BRAZIL: + Five Way Title battle explained

2010-11-07T08:37:00.006Z

FIVE-WAY TITLE BATTLE EXPLAINED
1 ALONSO 231pts
2 WEBBER 220pts
3 HAMILTON 210pts
4 VETTEL 206pts
5 BUTTON 189pts

If Alonso wins in Brazil, he will be champion unless Webber is higher than fourth

If Alonso is second, he will be champion unless Webber is higher than eighth, Hamilton higher than fourth or Vettel wins

If Alonso is third, he will be champion unless Webber finishes in the top 10, Hamilton in the top four and Vettel in the top three

If Alonso does not finish on the podium, it will go to Abu Dhabi

Button can only stay in contention if he finishes first or second but is out if Alonso finishes in the top six or if Webber is in the top two

Vettel must beat Alonso on track to stay in contention

WATCH F1 LIVE ONLINE FOR FREE RIGHT HERE >> Link

Qualifying:

Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg took pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix in a frantic last-lap scramble on dry-weather tyres on a damp track.

The German drove superbly to stun the title contenders and throw a wildcard into the championship battle.

Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso - the four main championship hopefuls - will line up right behind rookie Hulkenberg.

Jenson Button's hopes dimmed further after he qualified 11th.

Hulkenberg, 23, whose future at Williams is in doubt, stole a march by fitting dry-weather tyres before the drivers from the top three teams, just after team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

But Hulkenberg performed brilliantly to set two laps fast enough for pole, and the big names, out at the same time, failed to beat him. His best lap - one minute 14.470 seconds - was more than a second faster than Vettel's, a 1:15.519. Barrichello was sixth, 1.733secs slower than his team-mate.

Webber was just over 0.1secs behind his team-mate, with Hamilton, fourth in his McLaren, 0.228secs behind Vettel, and Alonso 0.242secs adrift of the Englishman.

Hulkenberg said: "My first pole position is an emotional and hopefully historic moment as I want to be in F1 for many, many years.

"I am still shaking from the thrill and I just want to enjoy it and get on with the job tomorrow.

"It was a pretty good lap with no mistakes. It was still tricky out there. There were wet parts, particularly the last corner. But that lap was spot on."

Vettel said: "First I thought I had missed pole by 0.1secs but then I saw there was another digit and that it was a four instead of a five."

Webber added: "He gave us all a driving lesson out there, and he found a different race track from the rest of us."

Asked about starting the race ahead of all the title contenders, Hulkenberg said: "The best thing would be to drive off into the distance, but obviously that is not going to happen."

His race engineer, Tom McCullough, denied that Hulkenberg had been a wet-weather set-up, which would have given him an advantage in qualifying, but a handicap in the forecasted dry race.

"This is our fully dry set-up," McCullough told BBC Sport. "If you look at the data, he's very committed, especially in the high-speed corners. He's very good in changeable conditions.

"Hopefully, with track position, we can fight with the Red Bulls, McLaren and Ferrari, but good points is what we are after. Anything else is a bonus."

It is the first pole position for Williams since the 2005 European Grand Prix, when Nick Heidfeld took the position, exactly 100 races ago.

Barrichello was ahead of Renault's Robert Kubica, Mercedes' Michael Schumacher - unusually ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg - Ferrari's Felipe Massa and the second Renault of Vitaly Petrov.

Alonso heads into the race as championship leader, 11 points ahead of Webber, with Hamilton a further 10 points adrift.

Vettel is 25 points - one win - behind Alonso with only 50 remaining in the final two races here and in Abu Dhabi next weekend. Button is fifth, 42 points behind.

Alonso was calm about being last out of the top four championship hopefuls.

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Alonso satisfied with qualifying performance

"In qualifying like this you can never make any predictions or expectations," the Spaniard said.

"We were struggling with intermediates and with dry tyres it was a difficult circuit to play.

"My last lap was a little bit quicker (initially), but I lost some 10ths at one of the corners. The dry line was not very wide, and if you go off it, you lose a lot of time.

"I guess maybe in those conditions only Nico did a perfect lap, all the others we lose a little bit here and a little bit there. It is the way it is.

"The championship is not really in my mind. You can get some strange results but we are concentrating on increasing the gap and if we give away points, making sure it is not too many."

Button came as close as he has yet to admitting that his hopes are over and that his role now is to support Hamilton.

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Button struggled to find balance

He said: "It has been pretty tough all weekend. The car was actually better in qualifying. But I have qualified further down here and finished all right. It is hard to play a supporting role from there."

Team-mate Hamilton was slightly more upbeat about his fourth place, saying: "It is better than nothing. I have often started fourth here, it is not my favourite, but I can't complain.

"In qualifying I just got held up on that last corner which is frustrating, but we are still in the fight. We have got good race pace and straight speed and I'm happy I can battle in there."

Heavy overnight rain had left the track wet in the morning, and it continued to rain intermittently until it abated shortly before the start of practice at 1100 local time (1300 GMT).

It was raining at the start of first qualifying but it soon abated, and the track dried through the session to the point that the drivers were able to put on slick tyres for the all-important last runs in the third session.

Alonso set the pace in the first, his lap of 1:18.987 just edging out Webber and Vettel, but the Red Bulls were at the front in the second session, Webber again ahead of Vettel.

Kubica was third in Q2, ahead of Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and Alonso.

Hulkenberg's pole was the first for a Cosworth engine since Barrichello in a Stewart at the 1999 French Grand Prix. After qualifying, Rosberg complained to the stewards that he had been blocked by Sebastien Buemi, claiming this had prevented him from reaching Q3, but after scrutiny the complaint was dismissed.

Toro Rosso's Beumi qualified in 15th but is set to start from 20th because of a five-place grid penalty he incurred at the Korean Grand Prix.

Article from the BBC F1 Website, no copyright infringement intended

Button escapes unhurt from Brazil gun gang attack

2010-11-07T08:33:00.004Z

Formula 1 champion Jenson Button has praised the quick actions of his police driver after armed men threatened him in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Button called him a "legend" for fleeing through traffic after six men brandishing machine guns approached.

Button, his manager and trainer all escaped unharmed as they were driven to their hotel after practice for Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

Brazil's major cities have a bad record for serious crimes of violence.

"Would-be assailants made an attempt to approach the car that was carrying Jenson Button" on Saturday, said the statement from McLaren.

Button, 33, was quickly driven away by an armed policeman in the reinforced armoured vehicle provided by McLaren.

Button's manager Richard Goddard and trainer Mike Collier were also in the vehicle.

Extra security

Mr Goddard said: "We were about three or four minutes away from the circuit when the incident took place.

"I would suggest there were more than four or five guys, something along those lines, who emerged from a block of flats.

"I initially saw one guy carrying this piece of wood, a baseball bat kind of thing, but I didn't spot the one who had a gun until someone pointed it out.

"It was pulled, and that was it really. You didn't really have time to think about what was happening.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

There are parts of Sao Paulo which are extremely violent, and [the city] has extremes of great wealth and extreme poverty”

End Quote Murray Walker Formula 1 commentator

"You hear about these kind of things in Sao Paulo, and because they don't come home to roost, you don't think about them. But when it almost happens to you then it's fairly worrying."

He said they were lucky to have a police driver on hand to force his way through the traffic and get them out of what could have been "quite a frightening situation".

A McLaren spokesperson said: "The police driver of Jenson's vehicle reacted swiftly and, using avoidance techniques, rapidly forced his way through the traffic, taking Jenson and the other occupants of the car immediately away from any danger and back to their hotel."

The spokesperson added the Sao Paulo authorities had also acted efficiently and would provide additional security for Button and other team members on Sunday.
Previous attacks

BBC Formula 1 commentator David Croft said Button reported seeing six men all brandishing machine guns approach his car.

The reigning world champion, who will start 11th on the grid on Sunday, described his driver as an "absolute legend".

Three years ago members of Toyota's F1 team escaped a similar situation when they were also approached by gunmen, Mr Croft said.

Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker told the BBC that gunmen previously had attempted to attack him in the same area.

He said: "There are parts of Sao Paulo which are extremely violent, and [the city] has extremes of great wealth and extreme poverty."

He said parts of the circuit were close to favelas, or shanty towns, where there was a lot of deprivation.

He said: "I suspect that's where it happened to Jenson, and naturally the people who are in the favelas see these obviously very wealthy people driving away from the circuit and they know they've got a lot of money, and they know they've got watches and things on them and that's what they're after presumably."

Button and Hamilton Must beat Webber in Korea - McLaren

2010-10-20T16:20:00.003+01:00

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button must beat Mark Webber in Korea on Sunday to have any chance of winning the title, says McLaren engineer Phil Prew.

Red Bull driver Webber has a 14-point lead over team-mate Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso with only three races left.

Hamilton is 28 points adrift with Button 31 points behind Webber.

And Prew told BBC Sport: "We need to be in front of Webber. Both our drivers need to attack."

Every team is entering into the unknown to some extent this weekend in Yeongam on a brand new track being used for a grand prix race for the first time.

Speaking from Korea during a McLaren phone conference, principal race engineer Prew said there are parts of the track which should favour all the leading teams.

"I actually walked the circuit this morning with the other engineers and I was fairly impressed with what I saw," he added. "The track itself, the kerbs and the run-off all looked pretty good.

"To be honest, it's a very good combination of quite a few different sorts of circuit. It has some long straights with big stops, which is not dissimilar to Canada, which I think will favour our car.

"Sector two is a bit more like Turkey, where we performed quite well. And then the last sector, which would typically be a very high-downforce sector, a bit more like Hungary perhaps."

Button finished fourth at the last race in Suzuka, while Hamilton finished fifth, having failed to finish three of the previous four grands prix. Prew says everyone is keen to put the recent setbacks behind them.

"We've under-delivered points in the last couple of races, which is a frustration to the drivers and the team.

"But they know that the car has the pace and the potential to be competing, and finishing higher up that we've achieved recently.

"They both want to win races and they both want to win the championship and to do that they have to be winning."

Both McLaren cars will be running modified front and rear wings in Korea as well as other mechanical updates they hope will get them closer to the Red Bulls.

With the world championship winning drivers from the last two seasons in their cars [Button in 2009, Hamilton in 2008] Prew says the whole team can draw on their experience, as well as the failure to win the title in 2007.

"Personally I was in the position in 2007 when we gave away an awful lot of points in two races, effectively 42 points with Lewis to lose the championship in 2007 [equivalent to the 2010 points system].

"So defending a lead [as Red Bull have to this season] can give you added pressure, it possibly leads you to change your approach slightly.

"But for McLaren at the moment it's a very clear objective - we've got to be winning races, we've got to have strong performances from both drivers and then we'll see how it pans out over the next three races."

Williams F1: Major Car Developments 2010

2010-10-16T20:19:00.014+01:00

Above: Williams FW32 Birds eye view, Wireframe

Specifications

Chassis construction: Monocoque construction fabricated from carbon epoxy and honeycomb composite structure, surpassing FIA impact and strength requirements
Front suspension: Carbon fibre double wishbone arrangement, with composite toelink and pushrod activated springs and anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: Double wishbone and pushrod activated springs and anti-roll bar
Transmission: Williams F1 seven-speed seamless sequential semi-automatic shift plus reverse gear.
Gear selection: electro-hydraulically actuated
Clutch: Carbon multi-plate
Dampers: Williams F1
Wheels: RAYS forged magnesium
Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza, F 325mm wide, R 375mm wide
Brake system: 6 piston callipers all round, carbon discs and pads
Steering: Williams F1 power assisted rack and pinion
Fuel system: Kevlar-reinforced rubber bladder
Electronic systems: FIA standard electronic control unit
Cooling system: Aluminium oil, water, and gearbox radiators
Cockpit: Driver six-point safety harness with 75mm shoulder straps & HANS system,
removable anatomically formed carbon fibre seat covered in Alcantara
Dimensions & weight: Overall width: 1800mm
Engine

Designation: Cosworth 2.4L V8, 90° V angle engine
Valve train: pneumatic
Fuel management and ignition systems: Cosworth
Engine materials: include block and pistons in aluminium, crankshaft in steel billet, connecting rods in titanium

(13/06/2010)
Williams introduced two new front wings for Montreal. Both feature two vertical turning vanes and are designed to boost the airflow from underneath the raised front section of the chassis (labeled 1). Each front wing has a different forward upper wing (labeled 2). On one example there was a small splitter (labeled 3) on the outside of the endplate. The team has also brought two different rear wings.

(10/07/2010)
Previously only Nico Hulkenberg has used Williams' low-blowing exhaust (red arrow), but at Silverstone team mate Rubens Barrichello was also running the upgrade. It's quite similar to Ferrari's system, and is therefore less complicated than the ones used by Red Bull and McLaren. The FW32 also features new bodywork and engine cover for the British race.

The car already showed much improved pace in Spain, but at Silverstone both drivers could confirm their performances thanks to a new blown diffuser.

The change will obviously benefit the FW32 a lot as it previously featured high exhausts that appeared to disturb upper sidepod airflow quite a lot. The new sidepod slopes down much steeper, resembling much the design of the Red Bull. With this change, exhaust gases are now pushed onto the diffuser, allowing it to work more efficiently while drag will certainly have reduced above the sidepod.

(26/09/2010)
Williams arrived in Singapore with a completely new front-wing assembly, which is quite similar to Renault's solution. Compared to the older version (top drawing), the new front wing (bottom drawing) features several differences. There is a more pronounced upward sweep of the outer lower wing, just inboard of the endplate. While the former small vertical fence at the outer edge of the endplate has gone (1, upper), the upper flap section now features an extension with a small endplate outside the main endplate (1, lower). It is all designed to help the tyre act like a diffuser, sucking air from the front wing to improve its efficiency. There are also two new flaps in the central section (2) and the main plane twists upwards (3).

As a final update on their FW32 in Japan, Williams have introduced new brake ducts for both the front and rear brakes. The new ducts feature a shield to prevent airflow into the duct to be disturbed by the rotating front wheel. This design feature is far from new and teams like Renault or McLaren have been running it since the beginning of the season.

It is however likely that Williams have now changed the front brake ducts to better work with the new front wing they introduced in Singapore. While the endplate on that wing has become simpler, the stacked element hangs over the endplate for additional downforce. On the inside, an extra small stabiliser element was added as well, while the black flaps closest to the front wing supports are now similar to Renault's solution.

All images in this article are owned by Formula One Administration Ltd.
If i am in breach of any copyright please contact me and i shall remove the images immediately

Automotive History: Louis Renault

2010-10-02T09:42:00.002+01:00

Image: Louis Renault's first workshop

Louis Renault was a French Industrialist who was born in Paris on February 15th, 1877. Renault was foremost an engineer and mechanic and built his first car at the age of 21, and formed the company Renault Freres (Renault Brothers) in 1899 with his two elder brothers, Marcel and Fernand. We know the company today purely as Renault. They have a range of hugely successful cars, as well as a number of racing teams, including a Formula one team which currently showcases the talents of former world champion, Spaniard, Fernando Alonso.

Louis was interested in cars and engines from an early age, and was one of the first pioneers of the automotive industry. In 1898, after building his first vehicle, he staged a bet: to climb a tough slope with his invention. He succeeded and received 13 orders for his car; this ultimated lead to the company being formed one year later. Unfortunately, Louis' brother Marcel was killed in a race in 1903 and his brother was suffering health problems and passed away in 1909. Louis Renault was given control of the company in 1908, prior to the death of his second brother.

He was in control of the company until 1942 and was in charge when the company released many inventions which are common place today. These include: hydrolic shock absorbers, drum brakes, compressed gas ignition, the turbo-charger and the taximeter. The company underwent rapid expansion during this period and became famous nationally and internationally.

During World War One, Louis Renault received the legion of Honour for his successfull military designs, including the first ever tank with a fully rotating turret, the Renault FT-17. The layout with the engine at the back and the driver at the front and turret on top is one which is used pretty much universally with every tank designed since.

As World War Two beaconed, Renault was again an important supplier to the French army, and following the Nazi occupation, Renault refused to help out German forces by building them tanks. Instead, the Nazis put people from Daimler-Benz in charge of Renault ,but its contribution was very small, one third of what it produced when it was suppling the French.

In 1944, France was Liberated and Louis Renault was arrested under suspicion of collaborating with Nazi forces; he died one month later. Not a fitting end to a man who brought forth many changes in technology and engineering and pushed the Industry forward as he did.

A matter of months later Renault was nationalised and stabilised after a number of remarkable courtcases on very thin evidence. Nevertheless, Renault lives on to this day as the key car manufacturer within the French borders, taking 40 billion Euros in 2007 alone, and a large range of successful cars on the market including the popular Clio, Megane and Scenic Rangers.

How to Repair a Cracked or Chipped Auto Windshield

2010-09-19T22:02:00.004+01:00

The tiniest pebble or piece of grit flicked up off the Tyre of a car in front of you can fly at high speed into your windscreen and will most likely cause it to chip or, if you are really unlucky.... A crack!

In the winter this can spell big problems, even the tiniest chip, the car gets very cold at night, causing the glass to contract and when you start up the car and blast on the heaters it expands very quickly. This strangely is a technique used to strengthen glass but if an imperfection is present it causes it to get bigger, and very soon your chip can stretch out and become a crack and you will need a whole new windscreen.

If you have a fully comprehensive car insurance scheme then your solution for this is very simple. Autoglass offer a windscreen repair service, which is free under most fully comprehensive car insurance policies. But, you need to catch the chip before it develops into a crack. The machine used by Autoglass basically injects a clear resin into the crack and compresses it will air pressure, forming a very smooth and unnoticeable seal on your windscreen on many occasions you cant even tell that it has been done.

However, if you do not have insurance that covers this or they cannot repair it with the tool (which has a fixed nozzle and can only do certain sized holes) then you can try and repair it yourself, but it can be quite expensive, not as costly as buying a new windscreen though.

Doing a simple Internet search you can find lots of windshield repair kits and there are a vast amount on auction sites like eBay, which are often worth an in-depth look. The prices range from about 100 GBP to around 2000 GBP depending on the type and quality of glass you are dealing with and the size of the crack, another good idea would be to search how-to sites to find tips and guides on actually repairing your windscreen and if you have an unusual or especially old model its probably worth looking for a more detailed account.

A few good sites to consider are:

Rock Chip Kits: (USA)
http://www.rockchipkits.c om/.

eBay: (Worldwide)
http://www.ebay.com

Windshield Doctor (USA)
http://www.windshielddoct or.com/

Delta Kits (USA)
http://www.deltakits.com/

Screen Care (UK)
http://www.screencare.co.u k/

There is also quite a good tutorial video I found on metacafe.com which could come in handy:

http://www.metacafe.com/ watch/642354/windshield_replac ement_kits/

But I warn you know, do not try this is you have any doubts with what you are doing, not only is it a waste of money paying for the kit, but if you ruin the entire glass panel its going to be fairly costly to replace.

If you windshield has developed a decent sized crack then I would very strongly advise that you contact a specialist, cracks over 3 inches are difficult to repair even for the most experienced of windshield technicians and many will turn you away or offer you a new pane of glass.

For me and you, repairing a chip in our windscreen or a even a small crack should be fairly simple, but you will need a steady hand and a good understanding of the kit you are using to get a good clean and flat finish to ensure you do not compromise the glass, leaving patches and edges is not good, you are still leaving weaknesses in the glass.

But do not expect your windshield repair to be perfect, the chances are that you will see a slight difference in the glass but the key is to make it as un-noticeable as possible. If you can stop a crack from spreading across the windscreen and obscuring the view of the driver you have the job done.

Small marks left after the job are common, but should be about the size of a pin head if you have done a good job, the view through the glass which you have treated may have a slight distortion to it, again, this is not a problem as long as it does not hinder the vision of the driver. It's a very good idea to practice on a worthless car before hand if you can.

Full race report: Monza Italian Grand Prix

2010-09-12T11:37:00.014+01:00

Full Race Report:

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leapt back into title contention after winning a thrilling battle with McLaren's Jenson Button in the Italian Grand Prix.

The Spaniard moves from fifth to third in the championship, 21 points behind Mark Webber of Red Bull, who is three ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton retired after a collision with Felipe Massa, who finished third.

Button stays fourth overall, ahead of Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, with a win covering all five contenders.

Vettel finished fourth in a race that Red Bull had always viewed as damage limitation. Webber was sixth behind the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.

The decisive moments of the race came around laps 36 and 37.

Button had led from the start after passing Alonso into the first chicane following a slow getaway from the Spaniard, who started from pole position.

Alonso tracked Button all through the first part of the race, with the Englishman's lead ebbing and flowing as the two traded fastest laps in a fascinating flat-out battle.

By lap 13, Button had eked out a lead of 1.6 seconds, but Alonso then came back at him and they were nose to tail by lap 20.

A series of fastest laps from Button stretched his lead to a second on lap 29, but again Alonso responded.

Button pitted first, on lap 36, with Alonso coming in next time around. A brilliant in-lap followed by a pit stop that was 0.8secs quicker than McLaren's meant Alonso exited the pits just ahead of Button.

He had to defend forcefully at the first chicane, but held Button off around that lap and then proceeded to pull away at a pace to which Button could not respond.

Instead, Button had to worry about Massa, who was slightly faster than him in the closing laps but was unable to get close enough to challenge.

Hamilton's hopes ended at the second chicane on the first lap as he was trying to take advantage of a battle between the two Ferrari drivers.

Alonso was delayed by his battle with Button at the first corner and Massa was able to get alongside him through the second, left-handed part of the chicane.

That gave Massa the inside line through the following Curva Grande, but Alonso was on the inside approaching the second chicane and held on to second position.

Hamilton, though, was right behind him, hoping to pass Massa on the inside, but as they turned into the corner he was not close enough.

Massa's rear wheel hit Hamilton's front and broke the suspension of the McLaren.

"I had a good start and gained a position," Hamilton said.

"In a realistic world I perhaps should've stayed there a while. I put my car up the inside and tried to get third - it was obviously a little bit too much. I'm very disappointed in myself and sorry for the team.

"I've got to try to collect my thoughts and move onto the next race. The championship is not over, but it's mistakes like I made today that lose world championships."

Vettel recovered from a brief engine glitch, which lost him a place to team-mate Webber, by making an ultra-late pit stop for a new set of tyres at the start of the last lap.

The extra time he spent out on the track leapfrogged him ahead of Webber, Williams's Nico Hulkenberg and Renault's Robert Kubica, all of whom he had been behind before they made their stops.

FULL REPORT TO FOLLOW VERY SOON!!!

Watch the Itailan Grand Prix at monza live right here! on Motorsport Zone!

Click the following link: CLICK HERE

Monza Race Preview with Jarno Trulli:

Qualifying Report:

Fernando Alonso produced a stunning lap to grab Ferrari's first pole position of 2010 at the Italian Grand Prix.

The Spaniard was 0.122 seconds quicker than McLaren's Jenson Button at Monza to give himself a great chance of reviving his faltering title challenge.

Alonso's team-mate Felipe Massa was third ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber, whose fourth was an excellent effort.

McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton could manage only fifth place, with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel sixth.

Alonso's fastest time of one minute 21.962 seconds came on the first of two runs in the top-10 qualifying shoot-out, at which point he was nearly 0.3 secs quicker than Button and 0.6 faster than Massa.

Defending world champion Button closed the gap on his second run, as Alonso was unable to improve his time, but could not find enough to snatch pole.

Alonso said: "Pole position was a nice surprise. When I stopped in parc ferme, they radioed and told me I was keeping the first position. But there were still some cars completing their laps, Jenson had gone pink [fastest of all] in the first sector and I thought, as had happened before, someone would go faster.

"It is a nice surprise and a fantastic feeling to get this first pole position for Ferrari.

"The first run was just to put a normal lap on the table and then try to risk more in the second run. But, as sometimes as happens in Monza, when you do a normal lap it is better than when you try to push because it is easy to make a mistake."

It was Ferrari's first pole position since the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, and Alonso's first since Hungary last year, when he was driving for Renault.

The two McLaren drivers, meanwhile, adopted different strategies with Button choosing to set up his car to achieve more grip through the corners and less speed on the straight, while Hamilton chose not to use the F-duct in order to maximise his straight-line pace.

"We came here not quite sure which approach to take," said Button, "and I think our side [of the garage] made the right choice to run the high-downforce set-up with the F-duct.

"It's very tricky here, as Fernando said, and out of Ascari I got a bit of oversteer and ran wide off the circuit.

"But it's the first time I've been on the front row so I'm happy with second and the car's performance."

Massa, who controversially handed the lead to Alonso in the German Grand Prix in July, was more than 0.3 secs slower than his team-mate.

"When I put the soft tyres on in Q2, I could not do my best lap straight away - the best was my third lap. I said 'let's risk and try to do three laps', but in Q3 it didn't work as well as I expected.

"I was able to do one timed lap on my other set but it was not enough. We have a good car for the race - we've improved it massively," he explained.

Webber's performance was deeply impressive after the Australian suffered problems in practice.

He stopped out on the track twice, on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, and that meant he had not run on the softer of the two tyre choices - which the leading drivers used to set their grid positions - before qualifying.

To beat team-mate Vettel by more than 0.2secs in those circumstances made it one of the best laps of Webber's season.

"I would have taken that [at the start of qualifying]," said the Australian, who lies second in the drivers's standings, just three points behind Hamilton.

"We extended to a few laps on the option tyre in Q2 and we delivered, in a way, when it counted."

Renault driver Vitaly Petrov was given a five-place penalty after qualifying 15th for impeding Timo Glock's Virgin as he rejoined the circuit from the pit lane.

"I can only apologise to him if I held him up. I didn't see him coming up behind me and didn't see any blue flags as I came out of the pits," he explained.

However, Glock was given a similar penalty, relegating him to the back of the grid, after the team broke a seal on his gearbox to replace the differential, a breach of F1's technical rules.

'Vettel makes too many mistakes' - Button

2010-08-31T09:07:00.003+01:00

Video: Button crashes into Sebastian Vettel at the 2010 F1 Belgium GP

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel has made too many errors to be in contention for the world championship, according to his McLaren rival Jenson Button.
Vettel smashed into Button during Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, knocking the defending champion out of the race.
The German, 23, also collided with team-mate Mark Webber in Turkey in May.
"He's made too many mistakes this year to fight for the world championship but he is extremely quick, we can't take that away from him," Button said.
Vettel, nicknamed "Baby Schumi" when he arrived in the sport, has landed seven polls in 13 races this season but has only claimed two victories.
His 15th place in Spa left him 31 points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton, but four ahead of Button.Vettel's manoeuvre on lap 16 - for which he earned a drive-through penalty - also drew criticism from McLaren chief Martin Whitmarsh, who described him as a "crash kid".
His collision with Webber in Turkey in May cost the team a one-two finish, while earlier this month in Hungary he slipped back too far behind the safety car, collecting a drive-through penalty and costing himself an easy win.
Red Bull's title hopes would now appear to lie with Mark Webber - who is just three points behind Hamilton - but Button does not expect the team to favour the Australian over Vettel.
"I don't think they will. I think they love Vettel," he said. "I don't think they will put all their eggs in one basket."
Crashing out at Spa has left Button with an uphill task in the title race but, having had time to reflect on his predicament, he retains hope for the rest of the season.
"When I got out of the car and walked into my drivers' room, I said that it massively hurt my championship and coming back from this is very difficult," he said.
"Looking at it now, it's 35 points which is still a lot but in old money (the 2009 scoring system) it's about 14 or 15 so it's definitely still possible."
And Button is optimistic about getting back to winning ways at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on 12 September.
"I'm in a position now where I've just got to go there and hope for a race victory and work towards it," said the Briton.
"If I can come away with another race victory in Monza then it's a very different atmosphere and feeling for me. It's a circuit I love and where I will do very well this year. I'm confident in the car and I think I'll have a good weekend.
"I am positive, but I've taken a big knock."

Full Race Weekend Report: F1 Belgian Grand Prix

2010-08-27T12:47:00.009+01:00

Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix to take the lead in the drivers world championship, after an incident-packed race at Spa-Francorchamps.

The McLaren Mercedes driver retook the lead in the World Championship with an almost error-free drive, leading from the first corner to the finish.

Red Bull's Mark Webber was second, with Renault's Robert Kubica third, and Ferrari's Felipe Massa fourth.

Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso crashed out, and Sebastian Vettel failed to score a point.

Force India's Adrian Sutil was fifth, with Nico Rosberg sixth for Mercedes.

Rosberg's team-mate Michael Schumacher finished seventh after starting 21st, Kamui Kobayashi eighth for Sauber, Renault's Vitaly Petrov ninth and Force India's Tonio Liuzzi tenth after Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari, who crossed the line ahead of Liuzzi, was handed a post-race 20 second penalty.

"I'm ecstatic, it was a great weekend," said Hamilton, whose driving was praised by his team principal Martin Whitmarsh. "A race like that can be a lottery, so I'm so happy and grateful to come out on top."

With the drivers having been clearly warned they would be punished if they used the run-off at the opening corner, La Source, to gain any kind of advantage on the first lap, the likelihood of collisions appeared to be increased.

What was not predicted was that pole-sitter Webber would make an appalling start, to such an extent that he reached the corner in sixth.

As Hamilton pulled ahead, Kubica weaved around the Australian, and just managed to hold off the charging Button, but rain was already beginning to fall.

By the time the field got to the Bus Stop chicane, the track was damp enough for at least nine cars to have to use the run-off area. Rubens Barrichello, in his 300th Grand Prix, was the big loser, running hard into the back of Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, a collision which put him out of the race.

With the safety car out the choice was now whether to switch to intermediates or stay on slicks, and most, including the leaders chose to stay on their smooth rubber.

It proved to be the right choice as the the rain immediately eased off and as Hamilton stretched his lead after the safety car recalled after two laps, Button and Vettel passed Kubica, while Alonso began the long climb through the field after pitting for fresh slicks.

Button had picked up some minor front-wing damage as he fought with Kubica into the first corner and struggled with the balance of his car, but while he could not live with the speed of team-mate Hamilton, the world champion had enough in hand to keep Vettel at bay.

By lap 15, Hamilton had 11 seconds in hand but at the end of the next, the rain came again and indirectly caused disaster for Button as Vettel, with a run on the Briton, lost control under braking on the damp track and speared into the side of the McLaren.

Incredibly, Vettel was able to recover just in time to steer his Red Bull across the track and into the pit lane, from where he rejoined the race after a quick front wing change.

Click to play

Belgian Grand Prix - Top three drivers

Button, on the other hand, was unable to continue and having been in no way at fault, was entitled to be furious.

"All I felt was a really big bang in the sidepod and I lost drive immediately, I don't know what he was playing at really. From the point of view of the championship, it's a massive blow," he said.

The stewards immediately announced the incident would be investigated, and Vettel was handed a drive through penalty for causing an avoidable collision.

The incident left Hamilton clear of Kubica, Webber, Felipe Massa, Adrian Sutil, and remarkably, Schumacher, who had started 21st.

At the half-way point, Sutil was the first of the leading pack to change his slick tyres followed by Webber, who was trying to get the jump on Kubica. Vettel, meanwhile, was down in 14th after serving his penalty, but lapping more quickly than any other driver.

Hamilton stopped two laps later, and while the track stayed dry, it was looking good for the Briton. Behind him, poetic justice awaited Vettel while attempting to pass Tonio Liuzzi for 11th, as the German sliced open a tyre on the Italian's front wing. Once again, he was able to limp back to the pitlane, but he rejoined in 20th.

At the three-quarter point Hamilton was maintaining a comfortable 10-second gap to Kubica, but rain was clearly on its way. As it began falling, Hamilton and Webber stayed out - and Hamilton could not stay on the damp track at Rivage.

Somehow he kept his car out of the barriers, and was back on track before Webber could capitalise. Immediately Hamilton came in to switch to intermediates. Webber did likewise, as did Kubica - but the Pole overshot his pitlane box, a mistake that enabled Webber to come out in second.

There was more drama to come, however. On lap 39, Alonso spun out at the exit to Les Combes, leaving the Ferrari in the middle of the track, necessitating another safety car period.

Feeling the grip levels carefully, Hamilton nailed the restart to keep Webber at bay. The inevitable concertina effect behind him ensured plenty of incident in the closing laps, but Hamilton maintained his concentration in superb style to score a potentially crucial victory.

Watch the F1 Belgium Grand Prix 2010 live here on Motorsport Zone!

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1	Australia	M Webber	Red Bull
2	Great Britain	L Hamilton	McLaren
3	Poland	R Kubica	Renault
4	Germany	S Vettel	Red Bull
5	Great Britain	J Button	McLaren
6	Brazil	F Massa	Ferrari
7	Brazil	R Barrichello	Williams
8	Germany	A Sutil	Force India
9	Germany	N Hulkenberg	Williams
10	Spain	F Alonso	Ferrari
11	Germany	M Schumacher	Mercedes
12	Germany	N Rosberg	Mercedes
13	Spain	J Alguersuari	Toro Rosso
14	Italy	V Liuzzi	Force India
15	Switzerland	S Buemi	Toro Rosso
16	Finland	H Kovalainen	Lotus
17	Germany	T Glock	Virgin
18	Italy	J Trulli	Lotus
19	Japan	K Kobayashi	BMW Sauber
20	Brazil	B Senna	Hispania
21	Japan	S Yamamoto	Hispania
22	Spain	P de la Rosa	BMW Sauber
23	Brazil	L di Grassi	Virgin
24	Russia	V Petrov	Renault

Second Qualifying Session:

OUT: Schumacher, Rosberg, Algersuari, Liuzzi, Buemi, Kovalienen, Glock

First Qualifying session:

OUT: Trulli, Kobayashi, Senna, Yamamoto, De La Rosa, Di Grassi, Petrov

Red flagged after rookie mistake from Vitaly Pertov sends his Renault spinning off the track, the stewards deemed the car in a dangerous position and the Renaults engine has cut out so the red flag was produced until the car can be removed

Third Practice:

Red Bull's Mark Webber set the fastest time in final practice for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The championship leader lapped in one minute, 46.106 seconds shortly before heavy rain forced the drivers to switch back to wet tyres.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was second fastest, with Webber's Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel third.

Vettel was followed by McLaren's Jenson Button, Renault's Robert Kubica and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Only half a second covered the first six drivers, with Alonso's team-mate Felipe Massa in seventh and Force India's Adrian Sutil again showing encouraging form to be eighth fastest.

After the wet weather of Friday, the track had dried sufficiently to give all the teams valuable running time on slick tyres from the start. With rain forecast, all took advantage, with Hamilton setting a succession of fastest laps on his prime rubber.

It was again notable that the Red Bulls, though faster in the twistier middle sector of the track, had less of an advantage in the flowing first and third sectors.

With 20 minutes remaining most the drivers switched to their softer option slick tyres, but the rain that had been threatening began to fall.

As it did so, Vettel stopped in the pit-lane and had to be pushed back to the garage, but the airbox problem that was diagnosed was almost immediately fixed.

The German is the only one of the leading contenders to be using an old - previously used - engine at a track where power is vital.

On Friday, meanwhile, it was confirmed that Red Bull had passed new, tougher front wing flexibility tests introduced in an effort to allay concerns that their pace advantage may be at least partly down to illegally flexing bodywork, particularly the front wing and forward part of the under-floor.

Mark Webber's RB6, and Lewis Hamilton's McLaren MP4-25, were subject to the new tests during the standard inspection procedure that followed Friday's practice sessions.

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer

Previously, the endplates on the front wing were allowed to flex by a maximum of 10mm when a load of 50 kilogrammes was placed upon them. The new test saw that weight doubled to 100 kgs, with deflection allowed of up to 20mm.

According to FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer, both cars - which were also subject to an additional front floor deflection test - were found to be in conformity with 2010 technical regulations.

Additional new floor tests and regulations will be introduced at the Italian GP in two weeks time.

Red Bull have always been adamant their cars comply with the regulations. Neither Ferrari was chosen for testing on Friday, but Scuderia technical director Aldo Costa said he hoped the FIA's stronger stance would end the controversy.

First Practice:

Fernando Alonso set the fastest time in a rain-affected first practice session for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
The Ferrari man, fifth in the drivers' standings but only 20 points behind leader Mark Webber, posted a lap of two minutes 0.797 seconds in poor weather.
Lewis Hamilton was 0.770 seconds back in his McLaren and the Renault of Robert Kubica was third fastest.
Webber came through in seventh, almost half a second adrift of Red Bull team-mate Sebastien Vettel.
With teams not obliged to reveal the exact fuel loads the cars are carrying, it is difficult to read too much into the practice times - even when conditions are good.

This Article will be reguarlly updated with the latest news from this weekends Spa Belgium Grand Prix!

Please feel free to comment your views on how the teams are going below, it looks like Red bull may be struggling a bit here, so who will win this weekends race?

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Huge Update to the Motorsport Zone Toolbar

2010-08-27T12:45:00.001+01:00

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I'm really happy with this new community toolbar and i hope to get a few more downloads soon! already have around ten users and counting!

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F1 Team Profile: Mclaren

2010-08-23T20:17:00.004+01:00

There is a big question mark over McLaren, whose car came out of the box with some problems and was not on the pace. "I do not understand why they took the approach they did with designers - alternating between two guys year to year in terms of the lead on each car. No other competitive winning team does that.
"However closely they work, I don't see how you can maintain continuity with that approach. And it's interesting to see that McLaren have now changed their structure and will not do it from now on.
"For me, it's no surprise that it took a while to sort last year's car out, and it is no secret that the drivers are unhappy with this year's car.
"Coupled to that, McLaren - and Ferrari - historically have been the teams who spent more money and more time on testing and they made an average car great.
"The problem is, an average car now stays an average car. And I think McLaren need to up their game quickly.
"Tempers will flare this year if the car does not move on a bit."

MEET THE BOSS - MARTIN WHITMARSH

What is F1's biggest challenge?
The teams working together, surviving, growing the sport and presenting an interesting and exciting spectacle for the fans.
Does F1 need road-car manufacturers?

MCLAREN FACTS AND STATS

Nationality: British

Headquarters: Woking (UK)

Debut season: 1966

Drivers:

Lewis Hamilton

Jenson Button

Test/reserve driver: Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) and Gary Paffett (GB)

Team principal: Martin Whitmarsh

Technical director: Paddy Lowe

Engine: Mercedes-Benz V8

2010 position: 2nd

Constructors' titles: 8

It does not need road-car manufacturers. However, all the road-car manufacturers have made a significant contribution to the sport, and we should be absolutely grateful for that. What Formula 1 needs is an interesting sporting spectacle, to be financially viable and have some good professional teams that want to participate in it and want to create that show.
"It can do that with or without the manufacturers, but certainly we should thank the automotive manufacturers who made a contribution in the past, and we should welcome them in the future."
The best piece of advice I have ever given a driver is...
... come and drive for McLaren!
The best piece of advice I have ever received is...
... think a bit longer before making that decision.
What kind of team boss are you - hairdryer treatment or arm around the shoulder?
"Neither. I hope I'm a balanced individual who is part of the team, who wants to support drivers if they are trying hard. Mistakes will be made by drivers - that's part of motor racing. Mistakes will be made by the team. Provided everyone is working hard together as a team, we avoid the blame when things do not work out.
Are you a wheeler dealer or a techie?
Again, I hope that I'm neither. I hope that I am a balanced leader of this team but I guess by history I was more of a techie than a wheeler dealer.
What was your first paid job?
A paper round when I was 14.
What time do you set your alarm clock for?
Sadly, I don't. I wake up without one from any time around 6 o'clock. I don't need an alarm.
Can you explain your team's philosophy in three words?
McLaren exists to win: we win by being the most technologically advanced and by having the best team spirit within our organisation.
What is special about McLaren?
The people within the organisation are ultimately what makes it special.
The ethos of the company and its heritage are important, but it is the high-quality people working in a professional, dedicated way striving to meet the objectives of the organisation that makes it what it is.
Why should people support McLaren?
People should, we hope, take an interest in F1 and thereafter in determining the team they wish to support. They should look for one that they feel has the values and approach and excitement that they empathise with.
What is the most difficult thing about being a team boss?
The most difficult thing about being a team boss in F1 is the pressure and the desire to win. There are 10, we hope, teams at the first race which have good budgets, good organisations and which are extremely difficult to beat. So inevitably winning has never been more difficult than it is now in F1.
Are you worried about the future of F1?
F1 has evolved and changed many times over the years. It faces particular challenges, as does every other business or enterprise in the world at the moment.
But the underlying offering of the best drivers in the world, in the most advanced cars, racing each other is a solid proposition and, I'm sure, while it may change in form in response to outside pressures, it will be sustained as a sport.

F1 Team Profile: Red Bull Racing

2010-08-23T19:50:00.003+01:00

Red Bull are the world champions and the team to beat. They are a class act and it is very difficult to see who's going to beat them.

"What makes them strong is continuity of drivers, engine supplier and particularly designer, as well as the identity of that designer - Adrian Newey, around whom the team have been structured.
"They will be a lot stronger for having won the championships. Little gremlins, such as they had last year with reliability, will have been ironed out and the car is an evolution of last year's.
"They have got all the aspects that are crucial for a winning team and I think they have sorted out the little in-house battles between the drivers.

"Ground rules were set last year. Now, Mark Webber knows where he is coming from, so I suspect that there will be less tension on that front than in 2010. "

MEET THE BOSS - CHRISTIAN HORNER

What is F1's biggest challenge?
To continue to reduce costs, whilst not detracting from the show.
Does F1 need road-car manufacturers?
F1 needs a balanced combination of independent teams and road-car manufacturers. However, it is vital that regulations prevent costs from spiralling out of control.

RED BULL FACTS AND STATS

Nationality: Austrian

Headquarters: Milton Keynes (UK)

Debut season: 2005

Drivers:

Sebastian Vettel

Mark Webber

Test drivers: Daniel Ricciardo

Team owner: Dietrich Mateschitz

Team principal: Christian Horner

Chief technical officer: Adrian Newey

Engine: Renault V8

2010 position: 1st

Constructors' titles: 1

Complete the following sentences:
The best piece of advice I've ever given a driver is…
Don't crash, as we don't have any spares.
The best piece of advice I've received is…
Don't play backgammon with Bernie.
What kind of team boss are you: Hairdryer treatment or arm around the shoulder?
Arm around the shoulder - when required.
Wheeler-dealer or techie?
Erm... neither.
What was your first paid job?
Washing cars at the age of 10.
What time do you set your alarm clock for?
I don't have one.

F1 Team Profile: Renault

2010-08-23T19:43:00.004+01:00

I am critical of the management of Renault - I can't get my head around how Robert Kubica, their number one driver and the key to their championship this year and their future was allowed to drive in a rally in a car of an opposition company. I don't see how that can be allowed to happen. "In one sense, you can't restrain drivers - some want to go skiing, some want to go motorbike riding, some want to go rallying. So he was unlucky.
"But the team were shaped around Kubica.
"Was Nick Heidfeld the right choice to stand in for him? Well, it could only have been him or Nico Hulkenberg, but personally if you're looking at the future and you don't know whether Kubica is going to be back or not, in the immediate future Hulkeknberg is probably the better choice.
"But Heidfeld is a good driver and a great friend of Jordan, and he is still only 33, despite having been around since 2000."

MEET THE BOSS - ERIC BOULLIER

Can you explain your team's philosophy in three words?
Integrity, passion, determination.
What is special about Renault?
I was born in the early 1970s and, as far back as I remember, the Renault name has been linked to motor racing. For all the F1 fans in France and around the world, this name is something special.
Also, I started my career as an engine engineer and in this era the team was a true legend. They pioneered turbocharged engines in F1, then retained the V10 architecture as the best possible in the 1990s.
Now, Renault F1 have won championships and many races. They know what it takes to be a winning team.
All team members are very dedicated and give their best every day. As Renault F1 is entering a new era, the whole team is ready for a new challenge. I'm proud to be part of it.
What is the most difficult thing about being a team boss?
Nothing is too challenging or difficult if you are surrounded by a great team! More seriously, the most difficult task is maybe to give everybody the time they deserve. The human side of the job is very important. I think it's the key to success.
What kind of team boss are you - hairdryer treatment or arm around the shoulder?
Arm around shoulder, tough when needed, but always fair.

RENAULT FACTS AND STATS

Nationality: French

Headquarters: Enstone (UK) and Paris (France)

Debut season: 1977

Drivers:

Nick Heidfeld

Vitaly Petrov

Test/reserve drivers: Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean

Team principal: Eric Boullier

Technical director: James Allison

Engine: Renault V8

2010 position: 5th

Constructors' titles: 2

What is F1's biggest challenge?
The main challenge is to keep and nurture the fans, and continually improve the show. Without them we are nothing.
For 2010, we have a fantastic grid, new teams and rules to improve the show, so we look forward to the start of the season.
There's also a fantastic challenge for F1 in the years to come - the technologies we'll use in the near future absolutely need to take the environment parameter into account. The FIA are working hard on it, and I give them all my support.
Does F1 need road-car manufacturers?
Definitely. Road-car manufacturers have been involved in the sport throughout its history; Renault have been in the sport for over 30 years and our 2010 car's striking black-and-yellow colours demonstrate Renault's commitment to F1.
The sport just wouldn't be the same without manufacturers. Road-car manufacturers are what connects fans with the sport in their everyday life.
The best piece of advice you've ever given a driver is...
Bring back the car on three wheels if you need to, but I want to start from pole!
The best piece of advice I have ever received is...
Always be fair to people you work with. Those you deal with on your way to the top, you may find again if you're falling down one day.
What was you first paid job?
Engine engineer.
What time do you set your alarm clock for?
6.30am.

F1 Team Profile: Mercedes GP

2010-08-23T19:25:00.004+01:00

Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team (or Mercedes GP for short) is the F1 racing team of the car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. They began racing under this name in 2010 although Mercedes-Benz did debut in Formula One back in 1954. This team however is the reincarnation of Brawn GP; which was the team ran and owned by Ross Brawn, who is Team Principal of the new team, after is was bought by Mercedes at the end of the 2009 season when it won both the Constructors Championship and the Drivers Championship (Jenson Button).

BBC PUNDIT EDDIE JORDAN'S VIEW

"By the team's own admission, the strain and pressure of winning both championships last year as Brawn has had a huge knock-on effect on their 2010 title challenge.

"That always happens unless you are a team with a huge depth of resources and technical nous.

"I would never back against Mercedes winning a race in the second half of the season as Ross Brawn is a clever man, he has good people in the team and Mercedes deliver a great engine.

"The balance between drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg continues to pique interest.

"I always stated it was a mistake for Schumacher to come back and my opinion has not changed.

"Rosberg is still providing Schumacher with stiff competition but I don't think the legacy of the great champion is being damaged."

MEET THE BOSS - ROSS BRAWN

What is F1's biggest challenge?

F1's biggest challenge is to stay relevant for all of our stakeholders, our fans and the media. We have to ensure that the sport is shaped for the future by making it highly entertaining, economically viable for the manufacturers and teams, and with as much relevance as possible for our society on a wider scale.

Does F1 need road-car manufacturers?

I believe it does. Manufacturers of the calibre of Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari have been the core of F1 for many years and along with the other manufacturers who are currently involved or have been involved in the past, they add to the strength of F1 and are a great asset to the sport.

MERCEDES GP FACTS AND STATS

Nationality: German

Headquarters: Brackley (UK)

Debut season: 2010 (last raced in 1954/55)

Drivers:

Michael Schumacher

Nico Rosberg

Test/reserve driver: Nick Heidfeld

Team principal: Ross Brawn

Chief designer: John Owen

Engine: Mercedes-Benz V8

2009 position: 1st (as Brawn)

Constructors' titles: 1 (as Brawn)

Will having more teams on the grid make F1 more competitive?

More teams will make F1 more interesting but not necessarily more competitive. My view is that the main battle will still be between three or four teams with the others nibbling round the edges.

But I think it's very exciting to see so many new teams this year and to see how they will progress over the season. It's a fantastic element of F1 because there's not just racing at the front, there's racing all the way through the field, and that provides added interest for the fans.

Will non-refuelling change Formula 1 for the better or worse?

The refuelling ban is going to be a fascinating new challenge this season and until the racing actually gets underway, none of us really knows if it will be for better or worse.

The emphasis on pit stops will be quite different and present a big challenge for the teams with just three or four seconds to make the tyre changes which increases the potential for errors.

One advantage is that we will get to see the fastest car in qualifying and while that does put the fastest car at the front of the grid, it adds pressure to the pole driver to have a perfect race.

The best piece of advice I've ever given a driver is…

... go fast, don't crash! It's the best way to get across the finish line.

The best piece of advice I've received is…

... treat others as you want to be treated yourself. That's what my father always told me.

What kind of team boss are you - hairdryer treatment or arm around the shoulder?

Arm around the shoulder.

Wheeler-dealer or techie?

Both! I'm a wheeler-dealer techie. You have to be both when you are in a senior position in an F1 team. You have to find compromises and concessions.

What was your first paid job?

I was a labourer on a building site during my summer holidays at school.

What time do you set your alarm clock for?

6.15am when I'm at home.

How do you think Ross Brawn and Mercedes will do this championship season? Please feel free to share your views and predictions below, just hit the comment button!

More F1 Team profiles are available in the 'Team Profiles' section found in the categories section on the right, Thanks for reading!

F1 Team Profile: Ferrari

2010-08-23T19:16:00.003+01:00

Ferrari look good. They could be for me the only real challenge to Red Bull - particularly Fernando Alonso, as you would expect. "He is the leader of the team, and now the rules have changed to allow team orders I expect that to become more formalised this year.
"Felipe Massa is good and he will try to prove himself against Alonso this year, but it's going to be very hard, not least because of the environment.
"It's like a family. When things go wrong, it's almost better to leave and start again and if things don't work out for him that's what he needs to do.
"My guess is he knows the writing is on the wall, that it's back to the old Michael Schumacher era, with everything geared towards Alonso.
"That aside, I think Ferrari will be very strong. They look like being best of the rest behind Red Bull."

MEET THE BOSS - STEFANO DOMENICALI

Can you explain your team's philosophy in three words?
Five: Racing is in our DNA.
Why do Ferrari race?
Because, as I said, racing is part of our DNA, since the beginning of our history. Racing is mainly our promotional tool - we do not do any kind of advertising - and our living R&D department for our road cars.

FERRARI FACTS AND STATS

Nationality: Italian

Headquarters: Maranello (Italy)

Debut season: 1950

Drivers:

Fernando Alonso

Felipe Massa

Test/reserve driver: Giancarlo Fisichella

Team principal: Stefano Domenicali

Technical director: Aldo Costa

Engine: Ferrari V8

2010 position: 3rd

Constructors' titles: 16

What is special about Ferrari?
Ferrari is a myth, all over the world. When you see a Ferrari in a road, you turn your head to follow her. When you see the Ferrari flags in the stands on the other side of the world you understand the passion that this brand generates.
What is the team's status in Formula 1?
We are the most successful team in the history of the sport and we want to keep the position.
What is the team's image?
You should tell me…
Why should people support Ferrari?
I would not say "should": people do support Ferrari because of the passion which comes from its history, its brand, its style.
If your team were an animal what would it be?
A prancing horse!!
What does a team boss do?
Helps the team to have the best resources to compete, chooses the right people for the right places, protect the team.
What is the most difficult thing about being a team boss?
Dealing with the inside and outside pressure.

Contact Details

2010-08-23T18:59:00.006+01:00

For any enquires about anything you have read, seen or heard about this site please feel free to contact me at:

motorsportzone@hotmail.com

For advertising enquiries please also use the same email address as above, and set the subject as 'Advertising'.

Thanks very much, i look forward to hearing from you and answering your queries.

Enjoy my site!

Brunel Racing attend Autosport 2010

2010-08-23T18:46:00.003+01:00

The Brunel Racing team attended this years Autosport 2010 show, with an exhibition stand exhibiting this years car and electric bike, set to race in the Isle of Man TT. These were built through the the Motorsport Engineering couse at Brunel University, the course of which i am about to enter my second year of study.

The students that built the car in this image are 3rd, 4th or 5th year students (dependant on mode of study) and i cannot wait to be part of the team which gets to engineer one of the machines. They will go on to enter this car into the ImechE Formula Student competition 2010 (in association with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers) which i believe will be held in Germany this year. I will post the results on MotorsportZone as soon as i hear about them! Good look Brunel Racing!

Brunel Racing Website: http://www.brunelracing.co.uk/

Formula Student Germany Website: http://www.formulastudent.de/

MotorsportZone wins Future Cars Blog Award!

2010-08-20T13:19:00.001+01:00

It gives me great pleasure to announce that this blog has just won the award for top Future Cars Blog 2010 by online schools. If you haven't already spotted it there is a large awards badge placed right at the top of my blog in the centre column! As you can likely tell, i'm fairly proud of this achievement!

As a side note if anyone out there is looking to advertise on my site, my recent agreement ran out with a car insurance company, (£70 a year for 2 text links or one picture add at the top of my site), if you are at all interested please contact me on my email address on the top of this site! Thanks very much for reading my blog, why not subscribe to my feed in the central column at the top of the page, or on twitter!

eHow referencing my articles!

2010-08-20T13:12:00.000+01:00

Just on a random whim i came across an article which references my my article on the danger of Freon gas which is a component formerly used as a standard in air conditioning units. When writing this article i had no idea how popular it would be at diverting traffic to my site and apparently boosted MotorsportZone's use as a reference tool! I'm delighted by the attention that my little blog has received from larger online publishers, i'm slowly gaining more recognition!

My Article on Freon Leaks: http://motorsportengineering.blogspot.com/2009/01/is-freon-leak-dangerous.html

Masters of Engineering Degree Progression

2010-08-20T12:47:00.001+01:00

I'm pleased to be able to write that i recently recieved my first year results from Brunel University and i achieved some brilliant grades, well above my initial expectations, i got an overall 1-1 throughout my 6 modules i only missed out on an A in one module and only by 1 mark!

My results were as follows:

Year	Modular Block	Title	Level	Attempted Credit	Grade	Outcome
2009/0	ME1300_CN	Fundamentals of Solid Body Mechanics	1	20.00	A+	Credit Awarded
2009/0	ME1301_CN	Fundamentals of Thermofluids	1	20.00	A+	Credit Awarded
2009/0	ME1302_CN	Analytical Methods and Skills	1	20.00	A+	Credit Awarded
2009/0	ME1331_CB	Engineering Materials, Manufacturing and Electrical Machines	1	20.00	A	Credit Awarded
2009/0	ME1332_CB	Introduction to Engineering Design	1	20.00	B+	Credit Awarded
2009/0	ME1335_CB	Motorsport Laboratories, Technical Drawing and Workshop Experience	1	20.00	A+	Credit Awarded

I'm hugely proud of my results and as far as i am aware so far, i have the highest grades of anyone on my course ! I cannot wait until the second year of my degree and am looking forward to some more practical aspects creeping into my degree.

Heidfeld released to take on Tyre testing role

2010-08-20T12:16:00.000+01:00

Mercedes have released reserve driver Nick Heidfeld from his contract to become Pirelli's tyre test driver.

The 32-year-old stepped down from regular racing at the start of the season after 10 years in Formula One.

"We are confident Nick's knowledge and feedback will prove extremely useful to Pirelli and benefit the sport as a whole," said Mercedes boss Ross Brawn.

Pirelli will replace Bridgestone as the sole tyre supplier in 2011, returning to F1 for the first time in 20 years.

Brawn added: "Nick has been a real asset since joining our team and we are pleased to see his career progressing."Heidfeld will use last year's Toyota's F1 car, the TF109, to test the tyres all the teams will use.

The TF109 has been chosen as it has contemporary technology and performance with which to give the tyres the best possible test but it will not give an advantage to any current team as Toyota are no longer in the sport.

Following Heidfeld's on-track development work, all the current F1 teams will have the chance to work with the new tyres after the 2010 finale at Abu Dhabi in November.

Heidfeld's consistent performances in his racing days are one of the reasons Pirelli moved to sign him - he holds the record for the highest number of consecutive race classifications, 41.

"We're delighted to welcome Nick into the Pirelli family and we're confident that he'll do a great job for us," said Pirelli Motorsport director Paul Hembery.

"The role of test driver is crucial so we were looking for a driver who had plenty of recent F1 experience, the speed to push our new tyres as hard as possible and the consistency to provide reliable simulations as well as the analytical skills to relay information accurately to our engineers.

"Nick fits the bill in every respect."

Button aims to improve qualifying

2010-07-22T11:23:00.000+01:00

Jenson Button says he must improve in qualifying to boost his chances of retaining his world title - starting at this weekend's German Grand Prix.
The Englishman has not qualified in the top three for any races this year and has been out-qualified by McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the last six.
"My aim must be to make life easier for myself on Saturday afternoon," he said.
"If I do that I can maximise my Sunday performance without needing to play catch-up during the race."
Despite his poor qualifying record this season, Button has managed to rise to second in the championship standings, 12 points behind Hamilton.
This weekend's venue, Hockenheim, was the venue for one of his most memorable drives in 2004 when he qualified in 14th place for BAR but managed to finish second.
And he hopes he can power his way through the field in Germany again this weekend, possibly with the help of an exhaust blown diffuser - which increases downforce and therefore cornering speed.
McLaren's mechanics have been working on it since trying it out in practice at the British Grand Prix, and will once again use it in practice this weekend to assess progress before making a decision on whether or not to use it in the race.
"Hopefully we'll have a positive test and we will be able to see the benefits of the upgrades in the race for the first time. I'm looking forward to it," said Button.
But McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh was more guarded in his opinions.
"You can't be entirely confident you've solved the issues, but I think we go into Hockenheim with more information," he said.
"We've made some modifications in light of the data and we will be running the blown diffuser on Friday.
"I suspect we'll have it on for the weekend, but we'll make the call in the light of the data on Friday evening."

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Villeneuve has distanced himself from Gaddafi

2010-07-22T11:22:00.000+01:00

Jacques Villeneuve has distanced himself from reports that the son of controversial Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is an investor in his new team.
The former world champion released a statement on his website confirming a link-up with Italy-based Durango.
"There are a number of rumours circulating at the moment and I wanted to clarify a few things before this gets out of hand," said Villeneuve.
Villeneuve Racing will attempt to join the F1 starting grid in 2011.
Canadian Villeneuve, 39, added: "The team will be a joint venture with Durango, and based out of Italy. To be clear, right now all the money comes from corporate sponsorship and not from personal investors."
Durango owner Ivone Pinton said last week that he had joined forces with Villeneuve, who is expected to drive for the planned team initially before exploring a different role.
Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion with Williams as well as a winner of the Indy 500 and CART series, last competed in Formula One in 2006.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) has invited applications to make up a 13th team in F1.
It is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether any have what it takes to participate at a time when some teams are struggling to raise sponsorship.
Durango ran a car for Villeneuve in the Dubai-based Speedcar series until that folded last year - and then dropped out of the GP2 support series in 2009 due to financial problems.

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Ferrari are still in the chase: Alonso

2010-06-21T17:36:00.001+01:00

Fernando Alonso has warned rivals not to write off Ferrari ahead of the second half of the Formula 1 season.
The two-time world champion says that Ferrari's updates for next week's European Grand Prix in Valencia are only the start of a concerted push.
"We will have further developments for England and Germany," said Alonso. "Valencia is not a last-ditch effort."
The Spaniard lies just 15 points - the same as a third-place finish - behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton.
But Ferrari's pace has been disappointing this season since Alonso won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on his debut for the team.
Last weekend, however, the Montreal circuit used for the Canadian GP, suited the Ferrari F10 far better, allowing Alonso to fight for the lead and eventually finish third.
The Valencia city circuit has some similarities to Montreal; it has long straights and relatively slow corners, playing to the Ferrari's existing strengths of mechanical grip.
But a major breakthrough on aerodynamics has excited the team, and is due to feature on the F10 for the first time in Valencia.
The new development uses exhaust gases to move the airflow around the diffuser and rear beam wing more effectively. The concept is believed to be the key to the Red Bull RB6's stunning pace in fast corners this season.
In his blog on Ferrari's website, Alonso said: "We will have major updates on the F10 which I hope will allow us to up our performance level.
"Following on from that, we have further developments in the pipeline which should arrive for England and Germany, which is to say that the European GP is simply the ninth round of the championship, not a last-ditch effort for Ferrari, which I heard some people saying.
"I don't see how they can say that given that we have not even reached the halfway point of the [19-race] season, and that after Valencia there will still be 10 Grands Prix to go.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again now: this is a stage event, and the final one of those stages will not come until November in Abu Dhabi. Things can change very quickly."
Alonso said the team's mood had changed since the disappointment of being beaten by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in Canada.
"The sense of disappointment that we missed out on a win has been replaced with the awareness that we did actually get a great result," he said.
"We have to look at it as a glass half-full because on the Thursday we would have been satisfied with the thought of a podium finish.
"We were competitive throughout the whole weekend, both in qualifying and the race, which is very positive.
"In the first eight races of the season all sorts of things happened - mistakes, reliability problems, bad luck - but we are still in the thick of the fight for both championships [drivers' and constructors']. The same can be said of McLaren and Red Bull, who have also missed out on points along the way."

BBC Article
By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Vettel on pole In Australia

2010-03-27T08:35:00.001Z

Sebastian Vettel will start the Australian Grand Prix from pole position after leading a Red Bull one-two in qualifying in Melbourne.
Team-mate Mark Webber was 0.116 seconds behind Vettel, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso third well clear of the rest.
World champion Jenson Button's McLaren was fourth, 0.564secs behind Alonso.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton failed to make the final session complaining of a lack of grip and will start Sunday's race at Albert Park in 11th place.
It was also a disappointing day for Ferrari's Felipe Massa who was 0.726 seconds off team-mate Alonso in fifth, ahead of the Mercedes pair of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.
Williams's Rubens Barrichello and Renault's Robert Kubica followed with Force India's Adrian Sutil impressing as he completed the top ten.
"It's a great result for both of us and the team. It is a bit funny, Mark was on pole in Germany last year so a bit of revenge," said Vettel.
"We are looking forward to tomorrow, we do not know how messy it might get so it is always good to be on pole."
After a dominant performance in qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Vettel was again in ominous form for the rest of the field, leading at the end of all three sessions.
Despite running wide on the exit of a turn late in his decisive lap, the German's pace ensured he deposed home favourite Webber at the top of the standings.
Gloomy conditions and falling track temperatures made a dramatic late riposte from Webber unlikely and the Australian had to settle with improving on his sixth place in Bahrain qualifying.
"I would love to be on pole, it is good for the team both of us are up there, but there is always a bit where you can get a bit more out of it, overall it would be nice to be one place further up," he said.
The Red Bull pair proved fastest throughout the day with Alonso and the possibility of rain providing the only threats to their monopoly of the front row.
The Spaniard set an early benchmark in the first qualifying session but was soon surpassed by Vettel as the frontrunners struggled to pick their way through the heavy traffic.
Rosberg moved to second on his final lap, but, despite some promising practice sessions on Friday, Renault's Vitaly Petrov could only finish 18th.
The Russian rookie was excluded from the final two sessions, with the day also coming to an early end for the Lotus pair of Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli ahead of Virgin Racing and Hispania.
Hamilton was also an absentee from the top-ten shootout after returning to the pits early in the second session and, having slipped to 17th in the meantime, failing to find the pace to dislodge Renault's Robert Kubica in tenth.
As he qualified outside of the top ten, Hamilton can take small consolation from the ability to choose which set of tyres he begins Sunday's race on.
With backmarker Karun Chandhok of Hispania lapping 5.839 slower than Vettel during the first session, the leaders' ability to negotiate stragglers is likely to be a prominent feature of the action.
Schumacher, who will be hoping to improve on his sixth-placed finish in the Middle East a fortnight ago, predicted pit-stop strategies may also play a big part in deciding the race.
"Traffic was quite difficult, a couple of guys didn't use their mirrors well," he said.
"The weather does not help with tyres but it is the same for everybody. It will be a long race, the start and the stop you plan to do are two major factors."

BBC Website
By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Hamilton fastest in practice

2010-03-26T08:35:00.001Z

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton took advantage of some rare dry conditions in the second session to clock Friday's fastest practice time in Melbourne.
Hamilton set a lap of one minute 25.801 seconds to edge out team-mate Jenson Button by 0.275 secs before a spell of heavy rain hit the Albert Park track.
Red Bull's Mark Webber emerged as the track dried later on to go third ahead of Mercedes's Michael Schumacher.
Renault's Robert Kubica was fastest in the day's first practice session.
"It's definitely not the weather I am used to in Australia, but we did get some dry running which is not too bad," said Hamilton.
"The track was very dirty in the first session, everyone just waits forever to go out and I wanted to go out and have some fun, so I went out early.
"Generally the session was quite good. I had to make some changes to the car but I did that in between sessions.
"It was difficult at the end when we made some more changes as the track was not up to top speed. Nevertheless we felt quite comfortable with the balance of the car so I am quite happy."
With temperatures lower than in the first session and light rain falling, there was little action for the opening part of the second 90-minute session as the pit crew switched their attention to the weather and weighed up swapping slick tyres for intermediates.
The BMW Sauber pair of Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi were among the first to go out, but they struggled for grip.
But the rain eased off and the Williams duo of Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg posted the first times after 16 minutes.
Hamilton and Button's McLarens then vied for the lead, with the 2008 champion responding after his successor had stolen ahead.
Button pushed hard to strike back but could not match his colleague and the two McLarens stayed at the top of the times for the rest of the session as the rain came and went.
The track dried in the closing minutes of the session, allowing Michael Schumacher to depose Russian novice Vitaly Petrov's Renault from third spot before the seven-time champion was himself beaten by Red Bull's Webber.
The Australian's team-mate Sebastian Vettel ended the session 16th fastest, sandwiched between the Ferraris of Bahrain winner Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa as all three appeared to concentrate on race preparation with heavy fuel loads.
After his short-lived debut at Bahrain, Karun Chandhok's Hispania had to be pushed back to the pit lane by the marshalls after a suspected gearbox failure left it stranded on the track.
There was more drama right at the end as De la Rosa narrowly avoided collisions as he was overtaken by both Button and Hamilton.
"As soon as I jumped in the car, I was reasonably happy with the balance and it's just got better throughout the day," said Button.
"It is so busy that it is difficult to get a gap but our cars are running well around here so it is positive in that way. The last couple of laps were frustrating.
"I think some cars are not being told the correct information about us catching them up.
"I know it is tough with a big difference in speed and we are one of the quicker cars at the moment, but we will forget about that and just focus on making sure it is competitive tomorrow."
One of those struggling outfits, Virgin Racing, suffered badly from technical problems as a gearbox leakage and telemetry problems blighted Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock's second sessions.
Kubica was 11th in the second session after setting the pace in the first session with a fastest lap of 1:26.927, 0.199secs ahead of Mercedes' Nico Rosberg.
The German was 0.356secs ahead of Button's McLaren in third, with Massa, Vettel, Alonso and Hamilton were next up.
Force India reserve driver Paul di Resta, who drove the session in place of regular driver Adrian Sutil, was a creditable 11th on his Formula 1 race-weekend debut, one place ahead of Schumacher's Mercedes.

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

McLaren to focus on Aussie qualifying

2010-03-25T14:13:00.001Z

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has warned his team must get qualifying right for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
The Briton finished the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix in third, but had been 1.1 seconds off pole position.
"The most important part for us is to understand how to get the most out of the car on that single lap," he said.
Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, said the team "are definitely a step ahead" of where they were in Bahrain for this weekend's race in Melbnourne.
Hamilton and team-mate Jenson Button have been working in the McLaren simulator in an attempt to extract the most out of the Mercedes-powered MP4-25 for Saturday's qualifying session at the Albert Park circuit.
With refuelling banned from Formula 1, opportunities to gain positions on pit-stop strategy have become more limited, making qualifying all the more important.
"Our race pace isn't too bad and the car felt pretty good in the race [in Bahrain]," said Hamilton. "But our qualifying position has even more of an impact than it did in the past.
"Our qualifying pace definitely appears to be quite a bit off - definitely off the Red Bulls.
"I don't know where they found that time. If you look at [Sebastian] Vettel's lap, it was so much faster in the middle sector.
"As we go into the season we'll start to highlight where we're losing bits of time but in the race when the car's heavier, it is more balanced out. It's also how you use your tyres, but it's difficult to say why the pace wasn't closer."
Reigning world champion Button, who joined McLaren this season, finished seventh in Bahrain after only just making it into the crucial top-10 qualifying shootout.
"It's something we're still trying to figure out," said the 30-year-old, who clinched victory in last year's season-opening race in Melbourne.
"Maybe we concentrated too much on the race in Bahrain, but that's not all of it.
"With our downforce level we couldn't get the best out of the car in qualifying, though we could get the tyres in the right working range. The balance was much better in the race, so it's a big margin in qualifying.
"If you compare Lewis to Sebastian, it was 1.1 seconds and that shocked us. I think we'll be a lot more competitive here, and in the simulator we looked reasonable, so I'm looking forward to driving here.
"I think everyone will be working on qualifying - I don't think we concentrated on it enough in the last race."
Melbourne will be McLaren's first race since modifying their rear diffuser after the sport's governing body, the FIA, deemed the design was against the spirit of the rules following the Bahrain Grand Prix.
McLaren, along with Mercedes, had developed wider holes to allow access to the starter motor, which also gave the car an extra aerodynamic advantage.
But the FIA's decision has forced both teams to scrap their designs at Albert Park.
However, McLaren's principal race engineer Phil Prew said the modifications to the MP4-25 were small and would not have any significant impact on performance.
"It certainly won't be better, but we're not anticipating any real loss of performance with that," he said.
"We're hoping in terms on one-lap performance in qualifying we're able to find a slightly better balance than we had in Bahrain.
"We're hopeful that we can have a better showing in qualifying which, as was clear to see, one of our weaknesses."
Hamilton was disqualified from last year's Australian Grand Prix when he was found guilty of lying to race stewards in an attempt to have rival Jarno Trulli penalised.
However, the 25-year-old said his experiences from the resulting controversy have helped galvanised his resolve.
"I'm just maturing and learning and perhaps making better decisions, and a little bit wiser than I was then," he said. "You just continue to grow and to learn.
"I'm proud that I can say that I'm a friend of Nelson Mandela and every time I see him he says he's still learning, so I've still got a lot of learning to do."
Hamilton - who won the 2008 race at Albert Park - said he has also drawn strength from the start of last year, when McLaren started the season with an uncompetitive car.
"Last year was a long, long struggle but I was able to work on different sides of my driving," he said.
"When I was at the back I had more time to focus on other areas, and when I got to the front I felt that I was stronger and I ended up on a high, and I think I rolled that into this year.

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

2010 F1 not boring - Schumacher

2010-03-25T10:26:00.000Z

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher has hit back at those who labelled the opening grand prix of the season as boring.
The curtain-raising race in Bahrain was criticised by some fans and pundits for its lack of overtaking and drama, with new rules for 2010 being blamed.
But Mercedes driver Schumacher defended F1 ahead of Sunday's Australian GP.
"It is not motorcycle racing, it has always had less overtaking - the excitement is still there for fans."
This season has seen refuelling banned for the first time since 1993, which means cars must run with a full load from the start.
The other major rule change stipulates that the top 10 drivers on the grid must begin the race on the tyres they used in the final qualifying session.
The new regulations were designed to encourage more competitive racing, but instead produced a race bereft of overtaking opportunities at the Sakhir track.
After the race, McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton expressed concerns over the difficulty of overtaking resulting from the new refuelling ban.
But speaking after his victory in Bahrain, Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso called on his rivals to give the new rules more time.
The two-time world champion said: "I think many of us gave some hot-headed comments immediately after the race in Bahrain.
"It's too early to talk about changing the rules."
Schumacher, who made his F1 debut in 1991, echoed Alonso's sentiments, saying that his long experience of the sport told him that the lack of overtaking in Bahrain was more the rule than the exception.
"The matter of fact is there was no overtaking," Schumacher said. "But tell me when there has been more overtaking? Formula 1 has always had this situation.
"There are very clever people always thinking how to improve, make things better... its not so easy."
Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn told BBC Sport before the season that the teams would review that decision after a few races to give the new rules time to settle down.
And McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner have both suggested there should be two mandatory tyre stops during each race in an attempt to produce more exciting finishes.
But Alonso, who secured his first victory in his debut race for Ferrari in Bahrain, has pleaded for patience.
"We have to wait and see different races and check the situation, without being emotional," said the Spaniard.
"Something that confuses the fans is changing the rules all the time."
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali echoed Alonso's views, suggesting his rival teams should assess the new rules as the season progresses.
"It's much too early to jump to conclusions and we should not react in an emotional way," Domenicali said.
"We must wait and see how the races evolve throughout the season and then the subject can be studied calmly based on sufficient evidence."

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Ferrari unvail 2010 car

2010-01-28T12:23:00.001Z

The Ferrari F10 (top), compared to last years car pictured below

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Rosberg pleased to race with Schumacher

2010-01-25T08:51:00.000Z

Nico Rosberg says he is pleased to be Michael Schumacher's team-mate at Mercedes in 2010. "I am beside the reference in F1. You couldn't dream of more," he told L'Equipe, adding: "I have the assurance we will have equal equipment... All the attention will be on him and I will have the time to concentrate on my work. And when I win in Bahrain, people will not be concerned about the number on my car, but the driver who is in it."

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Williams confirm Barrichello and Hulkenberg as 2010 pairing

2009-11-02T15:23:00.000Z

Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello and German rookie Nico Hulkenberg have been announced as Williams' new driver pairing for the 2010 Formula 1 season.

The duo come in for German driver Nico Rosberg, who is set to replace 37-year-old Barrichello at Brawn GP, and Japan's Kazuki Nakajima.

Hulkenberg, 22, was Williams' test and reserve driver this season.

Barrichello was third in this year's drivers' championship, with Brawn team-mate Jenson Button taking the title.

Barrichello was in contention for the championship until the penultimate race in Brazil and finished the season 18 points adrift of Button, and seven behind the runner-up, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

Highlights - Barrichello masters Monza

He spent six years as Michael Schumacher's team-mate at Ferrari, finishing runner-up in the championship to the German in 2002 and 2004.

He had previously driven for the Jordan and Stewart teams, and left Ferrari to join Honda in 2006, being kept on when the team was turned into Brawn last winter.

Barrichello is renowned as an excellent test driver, and is one of the most popular characters in F1.

Team principal Frank Williams said: "He is not only the most experienced driver in Formula 1 but a passionate and talented driver who fought hard for the drivers' championship this year.

"Nico Hulkenberg won the GP2 Championship this season as a rookie and has previously won the F3 Euroseries, Formula Masters, A1 GP and Formula BMW Germany."

606: DEBATE

What are your predicted 2010 driver line-ups?

WelshF1

Nakajima ended the season in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with the unfortunate distinction of completing all 17 races without scoring a point.

Barrichello entered F1 in 1993 - a year before his close friend and compatriot Ayrton Senna was killed after a crash in a Williams car at Imola - and will be the first race winner to drive for the team since Colombia's Juan Pablo Montoya and Germany's Ralf Schumacher in 2004.

Williams, who have not won anything since 2004, will be Barrichello's sixth team.

Highlights - Barrichello wins in Valencia

"I am very hopeful of having a very competitive car next year, so that is what I want from myself. I want to go on and keep on winning," Barrichello said.

Barrichello is Formula 1's most experienced driver, with a record 285 races to his name and 11 victories. He is now on course to become the first driver to have started 300 grands prix.

Williams announced over the weekend that they would be switching from Toyota to Cosworth engines next year.

Senna to enter 2010 F1 with Campos Meta

2009-11-01T10:33:00.001Z

Brazil's Bruno Senna, nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton, will make his Formula 1 race debut with new team Campos Meta next season.
The 26-year-old had said he was talking with the Spanish team at the Brazilian Grand Prix a fortnight ago.
He also spoke to other new teams Lotus and Manor GP, plus one existing outfit.
"It is an extraordinary honour to return the name of Senna to Formula 1," said delighted Campos Meta chief executive Rodriguez de Castro.
"The deal with Senna confirms and re-enforces our prime objective of being not only the first Spanish Formula 1 team, but rather the first Iberian-American F1 team."
Senna said: "I'm absolutely delighted to fulfill a lifetime dream. Now it is time to set new targets."
He finished as runner-up in the 2008 GP2 feeder series and tested with Honda last November before the Japanese manufacturer pulled out of F1 at the end of the year.
When the team was rescued by team principal Ross Brawn, he opted to retain the experienced duo of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello at the expense of the promising Senna.
But two weeks ago, at Interlagos, Senna said: "I'm looking for a team that has the potential to deliver results and consistency.
"It's vital to be in Formula 1 next year as maybe it will be lost if it doesn't happen then."
Senna, who is the son of Ayrton Senna's sister, Viviane Lalli, is driving in the Le Mans sportscar series this season.
He had ruled out a move to the new Lotus F1 team for sentimental reasons alone.
It was with Lotus that Ayrton claimed his first pole position and victory in 1985.
The three-time champion, revered as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time, died when he crashed his Williams in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.

By Adam Feneley
Motorsport Engineering
www.motorsportengineering.blogspot.com
-- Post From My iPod Touch

Rosberg is to leave Williams - likely destination Brawn

2009-10-29T11:43:00.000Z

Nico Rosberg has revealed that he is leaving Williams at the end of the season, with the German driver expected to race for Brawn GP in 2010.

The 24-year-old would not comment when asked to confirm that he had done a deal with Brawn's engine supplier Mercedes, which had secured him a seat.

"It is my last race for Williams so it's a bit strange," he said, ahead of Sunday's final 2009 race in Abu Dhabi.

Rosberg is likely to swap places with Brawn's veteran Rubens Barrichello.

"I've been with the team for five years," added Rosberg.

I'm not sure they [Williams] can win races at the moment, and I would like to win races

Nico Rosberg

"They're the only team, I've worked with. [Team boss] Frank Williams, especially, [chief executive] Adam Parr, [technical director] Sam Michael, [co-owner] Patrick Head have really supported my career over these years and I'd like to say a very big thank you to them.

"There's no reason why they can't be as good as this year (next year). But I'm not sure they can win races at the moment, and I would like to win races.

"It's been a good season because the team gave me a good car it was an opportunity to raise my share value and to find a winning car for next year."

In August, Rosberg put himself forward as a potential team-mate for world champion Lewis Hamilton at McLaren if Heikki Kovalainen left.

But with German car giant Mercedes rumoured to be interested purchasing a considerable stake in the Brawn team, it is believed they want a native driver to drive for the new world champions.

Rosberg has landed two podium finishes in his 69-race career, but just missed out on improving that record this season with fourth places in both Germany and Hungary.

Barrichello, who was Jenson Button's main challenger for the 2009 world title before his team-mate clinched the crown at the last race in Brazil, has been in talks with Williams over a one-year deal.

Metal Casting Processes: Investment Casting

2009-10-29T10:33:00.000Z

Jenson Button and Brawn GP - F1 World Champions

2009-10-18T19:21:00.000+01:00

Jenson Button sealed the drivers' championship with a superb recovery drive at a dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix won by Red Bull's Mark Webber.

Brawn's English driver started from 14th but executed a series of spectacular early overtaking moves before finishing the race fifth.

His main title threat, team-mate Rubens Barrichello, suffered a late puncture which dropped him down to eighth place.

Brawn still clinched the constructors' championship in their debut season.

BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica came second ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton while six drivers retired in Sao Paulo.

Red Bull's talented German Sebastian Vettel, who started just behind Button, finished fourth while Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi finished a season-high seventh.

That race, to me, was worthy of becoming world champion. The perfect way to do it

Jenson Button

Button was already in a position to win the title but his path was made smoother when that puncture pushed Barrichello, who so badly wanted to win on a circuit he was born in the shadow of, down the pack.

The results ultimately pale into significance with Button's maiden world title now the talk of Formula 1 and beyond, but the race delivered a fitting scene for that success.

With the stands bubbling over with atmosphere, anticipation was sky-high at a track high in the hills above Sao Paulo where the world championship has now been decided in the past five years.

And, as soon the race got under way, drama ensued.

Barrichello made a rapid start while Ferrari's Kimi Raikonen jumped up to third using his energy-boost (Kers) button before suffering front wing damage in a frenetic dash off the grid.

But a contentious first-lap collision between Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Force India's Adrian Sutil caused the pair to engage in a furious argument at the side of the track - both blaming the other driver - before they were forced to retire from the race, along with Renault's Fernando Alonso.

Seconds later, in the pits, McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen pulled away from his mechanics taking the fuel hose with him.

The leaking fuel immediately caught fire right in Raikkonen's face, although it quickly died away and the Finn was able to drive on instantly.

All the while Button had managed to steer clear, literally, of any trouble to move into ninth place after starting the race in 14th.

Buoyed by another stroke of luck in a season when he has worked so hard for it, he quickly set about improving his position with a sublime display of raw bravery and driving precision once the safety car came in on lap six.

Charging Button first used persistence to take Romain Grosjean on the outside to move into eighth before eating up Kazuki Nakajima to go seventh before quickly setting about Toyota's Kamui Kobayashi.

The Formula 1 debutant defended for all his life but Button, who had been losing real pace in the turbulent air compared to Barrichello and Webber up front, used all his nous to dummy himself into a clever pass on lap 24.

Barrichello, meanwhile, had not quite managed to put enough space between him and Australia's Webber and he lost the lead after coming out after his pit stop after being taken by Vettel and then getting caught up in traffic.

Remaining punchy and still living on the edge despite having moved into a decent position, after pitting on lap 29 an attacking Button managed to execute another overtaking manoeuvre as he crucially slipped past Buemi.

Williams's Nakajima careered off the track at the end of the back straight on lap 31 to briefly bring the safety car out again as Barrichello's chances of winning the race, and keeping the title battle open until the last grand prix in Abu Dhabi, slipped agonisingly away.

At this point Webber clocking fastest laps for fun and team-mate Vettel driving superbly, both drivers pushing their impressive Red Bull cars to the limit.

Button, who won six of the first seven races of 2009 but has endured a tough second half of the season, met the test of nerve he faced until the finish head on and in style.

"The last few races have been a bit stressful for me, especially qualifying," a jubilant Button told BBC Sport.

"But that race today, to me, was worthy of becoming world champion. Kobayashi is absolutely crazy, very aggressive. It was a great race really enjoyable. that was the perfect way to do it."

Hamilton started the race from back in 17th but the man who now hands over his world crown to compatriot Button was typically aggressive as he made the most of the circumstances that he encountered to finish on the podium.

Race stewards are investigating the crash between Sutil and Trulli, along with an incident involving Ferrari's Giancarlo Fisichella and Kovalainen's mishap in the pits.

Bruno Senna closing on F1 Grid place for 2010

2009-10-17T14:20:00.001+01:00

Brazil's Bruno Senna says he is close to following his late uncle Ayrton Senna into Formula 1 next season.

The 26-year-old has been linked with Campos Meta Racing, who will join the grid for the first time in 2010, but he is also holding talks with other teams.

"Negotiations are going forward with Campos," he told BBC Sport

"It is more likely that I will join one of the new teams in 2010 and we're coming quite close to negotiating a good deal in F1"

Senna revealed that he has been in discussions about an F1 race seat for the last few months, holding talks with an existing outfit as well as 2010's new teams - Campos Meta Racing, Lotus and Manor GP - with the exception of USF1.

The Brazilian is hopeful of determining where his future lies before the season finale in Abu Dhabi on 1 November but will take his time weighing up all the options.

"I'm looking for a team that has the potential to deliver results and consistency," he added.

There is definitely a lot of pressure and expectation on me but that's motor racing and you have to learn how to deal with it

Bruno Senna

"It's vital to be in Formula 1 next year as maybe it will be lost if it doesn't happen then.

"The best possibilities are with the new teams. There are a few good propositions on the table and we seem to be quite close. I'm keen to get going next year."

However, Senna ruled out a move to the new Lotus F1 team for sentimental reasons alone. It was with Lotus that three-time world champion Ayrton Senna claimed his first ever pole position and victory in 1985.

"I'm not the most sentimental person in the world," said Senna, who finished as runner-up in the 2008 GP2 feeder series.

"We are talking to Lotus but it's not the same team as before. I worked at the Goodwood Festival with some of the guys who were at the team with Ayrton but in F1 it's different now."

Senna tested with Honda last November before the Japanese car manufacturer withdrew from F1 at the end of the year.

When the team was rescued by team principal Ross Brawn, he opted to retain the experienced duo of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello at the expense of the promising Senna.

Brawn are now on the verge of sealing the constructors' crown at the Brazilian Grand Prix, while both Button and Barrichello are vying for the drivers' championship along with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

606: DEBATE

I think Lotus will be easily the best of the new teams. They have the finance and the expertise in place

Lauren1405

Senna, who is driving in the Le Mans sportscar series this season, says he has mixed feelings about the team's success after he was overlooked for a race seat.

"I am happy for them, obviously, as I've spent some days testing with the team in the past," said Senna, who was visiting his hometown grand prix in Sao Paulo.

"I'd love to be there myself and having a good championship but that's life and you have to get on with it."

Senna also shrugged off the weight of expectation that would follow him into F1 if he returned the legendary Senna name to the sport.

The 26-year-old is the son of Ayrton Senna's sister, Viviane Lalli, but he believes he is already used to handling the intense spotlight of Brazilian motorsport.

"There is definitely a lot of pressure and expectation on me but that's motor racing and you have to learn how to deal with it," he added.

"Many times the pressure only comes when you are successful but you are better off starting with it and learning how to cope."

The remaining race seats for 2010 are likely to be decided after the final race of the season in two weeks' time.

Now Fernando Alonso's move to Ferrari has been confirmed for 2010, with Robert Kubica replacing him at Renault, attention has shifted to Brawn and McLaren.

Barrichello has confirmed that he has held talks with Williams and Nico Rosberg has been tipped to go in the opposite direction and replace him at Brawn. However, with both championships still to be decided Ross Brawn says he will not make any firm decisions until the end of the season.

After being released from his Ferrari contract, Kimi Raikkonen has been linked with a return to McLaren in place of Heikki Kovalainen, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Kovalainen in turn has been linked with both Renault and Toyota, who may decide not to retain either Jarno Trulli or Timo Glock next season.

The expanded grid in 2010 also increases the chances for former drivers such as Anthony Davidson, who has been linked to Lotus, and new names such as Renault reserve driver Lucas di Grassi, Williams reserve Nico Hulkenberg and Senna.

Rubens Barrichello in talks with Williams for 2010 race seat

2009-10-14T09:01:00.000+01:00

Brawn GP driver Rubens Barrichello says he has opened negotiations with Williams as he seeks to secure a Formula 1 drive for next season.
The Brazilian said Williams are among a number of options available to him.
"I haven't signed with anybody yet, but it's true that I'm talking with Williams and Brawn," he said.
The 37-year-old is 14 points behind Brawn team-mate Jenson Button in the drivers' world championship with two races remaining in the 2009 season.
Barrichello is preparing for the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, his home circuit where he is yet to win a race, on 18 October.

Following a six-year spell at Ferrari, Barrichello joined Honda in 2005 and was retained by new team Brawn GP when the Japanese team withdrew from Formula 1 in December 2008.
He remains the most experienced F1 driver with 286 races in 17 seasons but has yet to win the world championship.