Car Parts 2011

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Woking, United Kingdom, May 04, 2011

Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Martin Whitmarsh share their thoughts ahead of the fourth round of the season

We’re just a few days away from the Turkish Grand Prix, and Lewis Hamilton is looking forward to racing at Istanbul Park and the opportunity to build on his Chinese Grand Prix victory. “I won this race last year and Istanbul Park is a circuit I really enjoy,” says Lewis. “It’s a great modern track, with a real variety of corners, plenty of high-speed stuff and a place where you really feel the benefit of having the car properly hooked up beneath you.


“Of course, everyone talks about Turn Eight, which is a fantastic corner, but I also love late-braking into Turns Nine and 12, because you can get the car into the corner while still carrying quite a bit of speed; and getting it right is really satisfying.

“For this race, I think we’ll be seeing drivers working quite hard to look after their tyres throughout the race, particularly in Turn Eight, which is fast and bumpy; it’s one of the most demanding corners for tyres anywhere on the calendar.

“This is also a circuit where KERS Hybrid will be a major benefit – most of the straights come after low-speed corners, so there’s plenty of scope for using the KERS Hybrid – most notably out of Turn 10, but also out of the final corner.

“There’s always quite a big chance for passing into Turn 12, because it’s quite easy to stay with a leading car out of Turn 10 and duck into the tow.

“There’s every reason to believe that the run of interesting and exciting races will continue this weekend.”

Jenson Button thinks managing tyre wear is going to be crucial at the circuit, especially through the multi-apex Turn Eight.

“After the race in China, I think there’ll once again be a lot of focus on tyre durability and drop-off next weekend,” says Jenson. “Looking at the track configuration, our simulations suggest that Turkey will be a critical test for the tyres – particularly the front-right, which will be placed under considerable load through Turn Eight.

“It’s a high-speed, multi-apex turn with a lot of loading, so I think we’ll spend part of Friday monitoring the loads through the tyres to make sure we can achieve a safe and achievable balance for the race before we head into qualifying on Saturday.

“I don’t think it’s an underestimation to say that tyre wear will probably determine every team’s race strategy. It will be important to run the tyre within a safe operating window, and that’s likely to determine when and how often we stop during the grand prix.

“The weather also looks like it’s going to be a bit colder than we’re used to in Turkey – the race is three weeks earlier in the season than it was last year, and that might also have an effect on how the tyre operates. It’s going to be another interesting race.”

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh is well aware of the need to keep developing our car, but feels memories of last year’s one-two finish at the circuit will give the whole team a boost.

“Winning in China,” says Martin, “was a fantastic reward for all the hard effort that’s been undertaken both at the racetrack and the McLaren Technology Centre to turn MP4-26 into a race winner.

“We’re excited and encouraged by the pace and consistency that both drivers have shown in the opening three flyaway races, but the return to Europe brings fresh challenges.

“We’re under no illusions that we need to improve our qualifying and race pace if we are to remain a threat at the front. Additionally, many teams will be readying significant upgrade packages for the Turkish Grand Prix; nobody can afford to sit still.

“For this race, we’ll be evaluating a number of small modifications – which include some aerodynamic refinements to the bodywork – during Friday practice.

“Our pace of development is what can win us this championship, and we go into Turkey determined to ensure our upgrades deliver practical gains and are able to confer a useful margin to both drivers.

“Our one-two finish in Turkey last year was one of our most exciting races – and the memory of that result will doubtless spur on the whole team next weekend.”

* Official photo and details courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

McLaren Design Car | F1 McLaren | Formula 1 Design | McLaren Design F1

Formula 1 McLaren Design

F1 McLaren View Side

Car F1 : McLaren Design View Side

McLaren Design for Formula 1

McLaren Design for Formula 1

Thanks for visiting aoutomotive modifications >> F1 Cars-McLaren Design, please leave your impression friends...

Sponsorship plays a key role in modern motorsport.  It takes millions of dollars just to put a vehicle on the grid.  Nevermind the extra development costs throughout the season to stay competitive.  Without sponsorship dollars, racing would be a whole lot different and our Sundays would probably be a bit more mundane (or productive).  So we'd like to acknowledge some of the big name sponsors that have given our favorite sport a shot in the arm.

seriouswheels.com

Red Bull is a company that needs no introduction.  Their product has become the Kleenex of the energy drink world.  Instead of needing just an energy drink, people say they need a Red Bull specifically.  In 2004, over $600 million was spent on sponsoring athletes and events.  $100 million alone went into F1 to form the Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso teams.  Add in the two USGP for Motogp, a two car team in Nascar's Sprint Cup Series, the Red Bull Air Race, as well as the huge number of drivers and riders in all forms of motorsport and we've still just scratched the surface of Red Bull's far reaching contribution to racing.













Sources: formula1onlive.com, theracinggeek.com, 2wheeltuesday.com, autowallpapers.net, worldcarfans.com, thenerdinsurance.us, mxlarge.com, airportjournals.com, ultimatemotorcycling.com, levinmedia.com,

For many, the chance to see an insane, high-revving, Formula 1 car is coming to an end.  The current 18,000 rpm 2.4 liter V8s will show their full fury for the 2011 and 2012 seasons then go the way of the Mastodon and Saber-toothed tiger.  With the FIA's focus on greener technologies in racing, smaller displacement engines have constantly supplanted the previous generation.  The 3.0 liter V10s gave way to the current 2.4 liter V8s and they will, in turn, fade away in favor of 1.6 liter four cylinders.  However, for the first time in the modern era of F1, the consumer can truly boast about having F1 technology in their daily driver.

RB7 at adamcooperf1.com

First, let's talk about the outgoing motors.  The main reasons for dropping cylinders from the V10 era to the V8 era were fuel consumption and to make the sport safer by curbing the astronomical amounts of power that were being produced.  In 2004, Ferrari was claiming 940 horsepower out of their V10 while redlining over 19,000 rpm.  Now, with 3.0 liters of displacement that V10 is burning .3 liters per cylinder which is exactly the same amount as the 2.4 liter V8.  So it stands to reason, assuming the majority of engine rules are adhered, that power would drop by about 20% (2 of 10 cylinders) from V10 to V8.  That is exactly what happened.

F2004 at seriouswheels.com

Since the 2.4 liter V8 is still in use, power figures aren't exactly made public.  However, the 2006 motor used by Toyota is reported to have made 740 horsepower at 19,000 rpm.  The 2007 season saw a reduction in the rpm ceiling by 1000 rpm to 18,000.  As most gearheads know, horsepower is simply a byproduct of a mathematical formula with the only variables being torque and rpm.

Juke at sportcarbuzz.com

So what's all this have to do with consumer automobiles?  Consider the current list of engine suppliers in F1.  They are Ferrari, Mercedes, Cosworth, and Renault.  All except Ferrari have a good handle on small, powerful motors for both street and track applications.  Also, Honda, a dominant engine supplier in the past, is reportedly readying a 1.6 liter four-cylinder turbo for its CR-Z.  The most recent addition to the list of motor's throwing punches above its weight class is Nissan's MR16DDT, found in the Juke which Eric Hsu covers extensively.  Remember that Nissan owns part of Renault and vice versa.  Additionally, Infiniti just sponsored Red Bull in the form of "technical collaboration with Red Bull racing."  This isn't to say that the motor in the Juke will power a Formula 1 car in the future but there hasn't been a smaller divide in recent memory between the applications.  With the current world economy and a focus on smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient power plants, there is no reason the F1 motors can't go through the R&D process next to production motors.  Sharing costs across the production and motorsport platforms would help everyone. 

Lola B08/80 at ultimatecarpage.com

A good example of this would be the Lola B08/80 in the LMP2 class of the American LeMans series which is powered by a highly tuned Mazda MZR four-cylinder.  This motor in its most basic form powers the Mazda 3.  In race trim, it puts out somewhere around 500 horsepower at a fraction of the cost of F1 motors.  It's almost unfathomable what would be possible with Formula 1 money.  Hypothetically, the necessity for lightweight and a low center of gravity could even yield V4s.

While many will mourn the death of Formula 1, changes like this are nothing new.  The sport is constantly trying to reinvent itself whether its in reaction to global or political concerns or simply to improve "the show."  It's time to embrace the sport for its practical engineering prowess and technological advances.  Imagine the possibilities.

At the end of the 2008 season, Honda turned its back on the sport of Formula 1.  The collapse of the world economy and, to a lesser degree, a lack of Japanese drivers proved to be too much for the company to bear.  However, Honda wants the American consumer to think that they turned these lemons into lemonade in the form of the Accord coupe.



The commercial states that the engine was "born from Honda's legendary racing heritage."  What exactly does this mean?  Unless the screaming 2.4 liter V8s of 2008 had illegitimate relations with a diesel truck, I haven't a clue.  Formula 1 is never specifically mentioned in the commercial but that's what springs to my mind.  However, let's give them the benefit of the doubt.

There would seem to be three viable options for where the "trickle down" technology came from.  In no particular order, they would be Japan's Super GT series, MotoGP, and the Indy Racing League.  These are the most prominent series where Honda currently participates.

netcarshow.com

The Honda HSV-010 is the stillborn successor to the NSX.  It was in the early development stages of a production supercar when the plug was pulled.  However, Honda exploited a loophole and was able to race in Super GT, a production based race series.  It competes in the GT500 class which limits cars to 500 horsepower.  This 500 horsepower is produced by a front mounted 3.4 liter V8 that powers the rear wheels.  Although the series is based on production car shapes, the commercial references the motor as being race derived and the 3.4 liter V8 in the HSV is series mandated not a production motor.  Although it did win the 2010 Super GT championship, Super GT is not run in America and most Americans don't even know about it.

motogp.com

This could very well be the most well know race machine in the world.  It is Honda's current MotoGP contender, the RC212V.  It's powered by an 800cc V4 motor and transmits over 205 horsepower through the rear wheel.  With a weight of just over 330lbs, these bikes have an amazing power to weight ratio.  Aside from having a motor and wheels that touch the ground, the similarities between this and the Accord are very hard to find.

hondanews.com

This may be what that commercial is trying to refer to.  Four tires? check.  3.5 liter motor? Yup!  Honda vehicle meant for American consumption? Yes, sir!  Mid-engine V8, push to pass functionality, enough downforce to run upside down?  Errrr...

I'll take Honda up on their offer after they build street versions of these.

When looking at an open-wheel race car as a piece of art, there are many differing opinions on its physical beauty.  To most people, modern cars possess little to no inspiration in their design.  They are just an amalgamation of airfoils, winglets, and scoops.  To others, that is the beauty of the design, the process by which all those little pieces unify to create a blisteringly fast car that seems to cheat fluid dynamics and defy the laws of physics.

grandprix.com

Still, nothing can ever compare to the classics...

The mid-engined cigar-shaped race cars of the 60s have always looked absolutely brilliant.  The flowing, uninterrupted lines of the Lotus 38 and 49 have brought casual fans as well as tech nerds to their knees.  From Colin Chapman's mind came the finest examples of grace, elegance, and raw power.

carguychronicles.com

The 38 caused a complete shift in thinking for what an Indy car should be.  In 1965, this monocoque, mid-engined rocket produced 500hp from its Ford V8 and carried Jim Clark to victory in the Indy 500.  Lotus went on to replace the 38 with the forgettable 43 but redeemed itself in 1967 with the Lotus 49.

carpictures.com

The Lotus 49 used its Ford-sourced Cosworth V8 as a stressed member, much like the 43 did.  This meant that there was no need for a cradle in which the engine sat.  It was a part of the chassis itself with the front being bolted to the monocoque chassis and the suspension directly attached to the rear.  Without a traditional frame or chassis for the motor, precious pounds were saved.  Developed and refined in 1967, Graham Hill won the '68 Formula One championship with it after Clark suffered a fatal accident in an F2 race.

First and foremost, Flappy Paddle Heads wishes Lotus Renault driver Robert Kubica a rapid recovery.  It isn't the first time he's missed some bullets.

If I could be honest, as F1 fans, it's a bit inconsequential to cover the cars of 2011 so early in the year. Take the 2010 season for example, when McLaren created a bit of a commotion as the innovators of the F-duct so early in the season.

... Did they win the Constructors title?

What about when Red Bull was accused of an unfair advantage because of their blown diffuser and was then requested by the FIA to make changes before racing at Monaco?

Did they not win Monaco anyway?

But it's what we do, and unlike other sports where we worry about teams, players, and that Bud Light commercial, premiership motor sports has that extra little "hardware" factor-- Formula 1 being every engineering nerd's wet dream.

Here are the rules and regulations of 2011 in a nutshell:
F-ducts and double diffusers are gone, KERS is back, active spoilers are new, Pirelli is the official tire supplier for the 2011 season of Formula 1.


All photos credit to www.crash.net.

Shark fin on the rear wing of the Red Bull RB7 generates both downforce and buzz along pitlane.

A very clear shot of Ferrari F150's new diffuser

New rule for F1. No pre-race spicey chili nachos!!

All jokes aside, can anyone please enlighten me with why the new models now have flagpoles above the snorkel?? As seen on the Ferrari, Force India, and Lotus Renault.

Lotus Renault's R31 race car has already won in my book. Kudos to the John Player Special black and gold.

Lotus Renault's new front exit exhaust system

A second picture for a better understanding of its placement

Mercedes GP W02

McLaren's MP4-26 is easily the most visually extensive Have they always had that double deck snorkel?

The secret behind their side-pod's design? There's a concealed laser beam and missile launcher.

A look at Team Sauber's diffuser and active rear wing.

AT&T Williams' sleek and slim engine cover is thanks to their new transmission, the smallest team Williams developed.

Team Lotus TL11

Wouldn't you say that the other Lotus team's engine cover almost looks identical to Williams'?

Virgin's new whip. From Marussia, with love. Sorry, I had to do it.

Here is a Scuderia Toro Rosso. For the sake of diplomacy, I suppose...

And finally, Team Hispania something something T111 something... something.

“Only Villeneuve could have made that happen,” Arnoux said. “I had confidence because it was Gilles. I would never have tried to fight so ferociously with any other driver... The duel with Gilles is something I'll never forget, my greatest souvenir in racing.”

He was nicknamed the 'Aviator' because at the start of his Formula 1 career the Ferrari race cars he was driving took flight so often. Thus, race after race, Gilles Villeneuve became a personality before he became a winner. Enzo Ferrari, who had practically bet blindfolded on Gilles, gave him his confidence and was rewarded. Gilles soon established himself as one of the fastest drivers of all time, won several races and came close to the world title, but he remained what he was: a born fighter, the racing driver who never gave up, who would fight for first place, but also for second-last, with the same determination and the same look of a somewhat 'difficult,' rather ingenuous boy, that was unusual among great drivers. Millions of people admired him, loved him and finally mourned him when a last terrifying flight into the air, at the end of practice for the Belgian GP, took him away forever on May 8, 1982.

*no photographs of the fatal crash are posted.

“Only Villeneuve could have made that happen,” Arnoux said. “I had confidence because it was Gilles. I would never have tried to fight so ferociously with any other driver... The duel with Gilles is something I'll never forget, my greatest souvenir in racing.”