The Official 2013 F1 Thread. Spoilers possible!

Listen, he's gotta compensate for that face somehow. Saying snarky (retarded) shit is an easy way to do so.

Looks like Williams will be switching to Mercedes power for next year.

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/191746/1/williams_officially_confirms_mercedes_engine_deal.html

With Williams signing with Mercedes for 2014 engines, they join Mercedes AMG, McLaren & Force India
Renault will supply; Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Lotus & Caterham with 2014 engines
While Ferrari supply themselves (obviously), Sauber and most likely Marussia (expect an announcement before Canada) with 2014 power-trains

Have they officially nailed down the engine specs for next year Greg? I keep seeing a back and forth banter but nothing official as of yet on whether or not F1 will run the 4 cylinder turbo?

apparently as of last week the published rules are "still being clarified"
I think it's V6 turbo with energy recovery systems (both KERS & a heat / exhaust recovery system).

link to the regs (so far) LINK

It's hard to pin Williams' decline on the engine, but it's tempting to do so. Their disastrous relationship with BMW is when it started. But it was sealed when they had to run Cosworth engines. Between 2006 and 2011, Williams used Cosworth, Toyota and then Cosworth engines.

I don't think it's a coincidence that they lost their status as a premier team and also lost the RBS sponsorship during that spell. The Renault engine, and now the Mercedes engine, help.

But this is now team operating a much smaller budget than the teams it would like to compete with. I don't know how they can pick themselves up again. Perhaps by finding and hiring the next Adrian Newey?

Their decline began when the rule change banned their active cars. When Newey left them for McLaren it didn't help (it didn't help McLaren much either - Newey worked best when he was under the hand of Patrick Head - at least until he moved to Red Bull).

The Mechachrome era was just Renault with another name, the BMW era saw Williams supplied with arguably the best engines in F1 at that time. The problem with the BMW era is that Williams and BMW didn't have the same intentions: Williams just wanted an engine supplier but got a "partner". BMW wanted their own team and thought that a creeping take-over would work.

I've come to the conclusion that the real reason for Williams F1's decline has been Frank Williams attitude to his drivers. It cannot be very motivational to be considered little more than "just another component". Frank's single-mindedness has contributed to his longevity in circumstances that have bucked the medical prognosis but it's also contributed to Williams F1's decline.

For a long time now, sad to say, the problem with Williams F1 has been Frank Williams.

I doubt anything will come of this:

Ah, Monaco

Why was no-one upset about the Ferrari test? As I understand it, it was before Spain, which they went on to win. Just as Mercedes won after their tire test. yet the first we hear about the Ferrari test is in Monaco. I'm puzzled.

Ferrari used a 2011 car run by their subsidiary Corse Clienti, while Mercedes used this year's car run by the team. Big difference. It would appear that Ferrari complied with regs, assuming the FIA was notified.

I thought they did a piss poor job of explaining why Rosberg got bumped to the front of the line behind the Safety Car. Kind of mumbled through like they didn't fully understand.

PS- I'm with you Syd, in realizing last year that Rosberg may have more talent than his results had shown.

should be interesting

Huh, I thought they were switching back to steel belts. Good.

From another thread, from :24 to 1:47, video of Fangio at a very different Monaco with nat sound.


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cool video

the engineers setup sheet explained...

almost too much info!!

LINK

Kimi: Looks like he's paying attention...

Clearly that is the Sears catalog and the setup sheet is being used as a bookmark.

"Hey Kimi, without being too dramatic, what do you think of this belt with these shoes?"

So where can I get some of this V519 engine oil? Does a free RS30 engine come with that if I buy 10 quarts?

Either that or it's a copy of his Ferrari contract.

You know what would have been an even bigger difference, Red Bull running that test for Pirelli and winning in Monaco! That would have made for some interesting reading don't you think..