F1 Madness

Tag: jerez

  • Mercedes Officially Launch the W06

    Mercedes Officially Launch the W06

    Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg took the covers off Mercedes’ 2015 title defending car at the Circuito Jerez this morning.

    With the sun slightly peeking over the mountains the covers came off the new Mercedes W06 Hybrid.

    Technical Director, Paddy Lowe says that one of the key focus areas for the car was reliability. “It’s no secret that reliability let us down on a number of occasions in 2014”

    “Making a car reliable is a long gane and a lot of effort has gone in on that side. It’s not about fixing individual issues but about raising quality across the many thousands of parts and processes involved.”

    The rear wing has a single, central support pylon. This does provide some aerodynamic benefit as there is less disturbance to the air flowing below the main plane of the front wing.

    Mercedes say that they have a more extreme version of their front suspension this season. The W06 suspension system was built without FRIC from the begging after it was banned mid way last season.

    Photo’s courtesy Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 

     

  • Toro Rosso Take the Covers off the STR10

    Toro Rosso Take the Covers off the STR10

    The Toro Rosso F1 team revealed their 2015 contender today at an even at the Jerez Circuit in Spain where the first 2015 pre-season test will take place.

    The biggest most noticeable change on the car is the nose. No more proboscis monkey nose on the car. Instead the team have a similar nose to McLaren and Ferrari. The other noticeable change is the air intake below the roll hoop. It’s split into two sections with additional intakes further back. Towards the rear of the car we can see a more compact design with a large under cut in the bodywork which allows more air to flow above the diffuser.

    “The launch of the new STR10 car today here in Jerez de la Frontera marks the start of a new and hopefully thrilling F1 season,” said Team Principal Franz Tost.

    “The 2015 season is a new challenge for all of us. We’ve put a lot of work into the STR10 and we are convinced that we will have a successful year,” he added.

    “Our objective is to finish fifth in the constructors championship and we are ready to do our best to achieve it. Our engine partner Renault has also worked very hard to come up with new modifications and I’m sure that our joint effort will give us a package which will certainly be very competitive. All in all, we have a much stronger team as well as a very competitive STR10 and fast drivers; it’s a great combination.”

    Photo credit: Scuderia Toro Rosso F1

  • F1 2015: Jerez Test Driver Line Up

    F1 2015: Jerez Test Driver Line Up

    The first test for the 2015 Formula 1 Season gets underway tomorrow in Jerez, Spain.

    The test will run from 01 – 04 February. This is how the drivers will line up on each day

    Day 1: Sunday 1 Ferbuary

    • Mercedes – Nico Rosberg
    • Red Bull – Daniel Ricciardo
    • Williams – Valtteri Bottas
    • Ferrari – Sebastian Vettel
    • McLaren – Fernando Alonso
    • Force India – Not participating
    • Toro Rosso – Carlos Sainz Jr.
    • Sauber – Marcus Ericsson
    • Lotus – Pastor Maldonado

    Day 2: Monday 2 February

    • Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton
    • Red Bull – Daniil Kvyat
    • Williams – Valtteri Bottas
    • Ferrari – Sebastian Vettel
    • McLaren – Jenson Button
    • Force India – Not participating
    • Toro Rosso – Max Versappen
    • Sauber – Felipe Nasr
    • Lotus – Romain Grosjean

    Day 3: Tuesday 3 February

    • Mercedes – Nico Rosberg
    • Red Bull – Daniel Ricciardo
    • Williams – Felipe Massa
    • Ferrari – Kimi Raikkonen
    • McLaren – Fernando Alonso
    • Force India – Not participating
    • Toro Rosso – Carlos Sainz Jr.
    • Sauber – Felipe Nasr
    • Lotus – Pastor Maldonado

    Day 4: Wednesday 4 February

    • Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton
    • Red Bull – Daniil Kvyat
    • Williams – Felipe Massa
    • Ferrari – Kimi Raikkonen
    • McLaren – Jenson Button
    • Force India – Not participating
    • Toro Rosso – Max Versappen
    • Sauber – Marcus Ericsson
    • Lotus – Romain Grosjean

    The Caterham and Marussia teams have not finalized their entries for the 2015 season and have been excluded from the list.

    Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

  • Force India to Skip Jerez Test

    Force India to Skip Jerez Test

    The Force India Formula 1 Team announced on Wednesday afternoon that they will not participate at the first test of the 2015 season in Jerez, Spain.

    The team announced on Twitter that they will skip the test. “We have chosen not to run the old (2014) car in Jerez. The learning opportunities would have been limited so the focus is now on Barcelona,” read the tweet.

    They  intended to run their 2014 car at the first test, but with just 4 days before the test begins, they’ve decided not to participate. Their focus now turns to the second test in Barcelona where they plan to maximize their time there.

    It’s not clear as to why the team has taken the decision to skip the test, apart from their 2015 car not being ready.

     

    Photo credit: Sahara Force India Formula 1 Team 

  • Video: F1 2014 Jerez Test: Day 2 Highlights

    Video: F1 2014 Jerez Test: Day 2 Highlights

    Video highlights from Day 2 of the pre-season testing at Jerez.

  • Lotus reveals sneak pic of the E22

    Lotus reveals sneak pic of the E22

    Lotus today released an image of their 2014 challenger – the E22 just as the launch of  McLaren’s MP4-29 got underway.

    While all eyes were on Woking, the Enstone based team decided to steal a little of the limelight in the wake of the announcement of team boss Eric Boullier’s departure. The team announced earlier today that Boullier will be replaced by Gerard Lopez and the Frenchman is expected to be headed for McLaren.

    Lotus’ image of the E22 reveals a two-pronged, tusk-like solution to the front nose tip height regulations where other teams so far have revealed anteater-like / finger solutions.

    Despite the surprise rendered E22 image from Lotus, it has already been confirmed that they will not be present at the first pre-season test at Jerez and will instead make its debut in Bahrain next month.

  • Complete Test Schedule

    Complete Test Schedule

    First Test Session*:

    28 Jan Circuito Permanente de Jerez

    29 Jan Circuito Permanente de Jerez

    30 Jan Circuito Permanente de Jerez

    31 Jan Circuito Permanente de Jerez

    Second Test Session:

    19 Feb Bahrain International Circuit

    20 Feb Bahrain International Circuit

    21 Feb Bahrain International Circuit

    22 Feb Bahrain International Circuit

    Third Test Session:

    27 Feb Bahrain International Circuit

    28 Feb Bahrain International Circuit

    Fourth Test Session:

    1 Mar Bahrain International Circuit

    2 Mar Bahrain International Circuit

    *The Lotus F1 Team has announced that it will not attend the first test session.

  • Ron Dennis re-appointed McLaren Group CEO

    Ron Dennis re-appointed McLaren Group CEO

    In a significant development over in Woking, Ron Dennis has been re-appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the McLaren Group, a role previously held by McLaren F1 team principal Martin Whitmarsh.

    Dennis previously held the position between 1982 and 2012 before he was appointed as Chairman of the Group in 2013. He was also McLaren’s team principal before Whitmarsh took over in 2009. The appointment comes on the back of McLaren’s first season without a podium in Formula One since 1980 and their first season without a win since 2006 but there was no mention as to how the change will affect with Whitmarsh. It is however feeling as though Whitmarsh’s position as team principal could be under threat. McLaren staff were told by Dennis that  “there will be change” and “we will win again”.

    According to BBC F1, Ron Dennis has spoken with former Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn and that Brawn is a most likely front runner for taking over the team principal position from Whitmarsh once he has completed his 6 month sabbatical from Formula One.

    Dennis made it clear that he’s been tasked with “improving our on-track and off-track performance” and went on to say that he’ll be reviewing the whole of the McLaren Group over the coming weeks. He also added that he’s “excited” to return to the role but warned that the structure at McLaren will change next month.

    “My fellow shareholders have mandated me to write an exciting new chapter in the story of McLaren, beginning by improving our on-track and off-track performance,” Ron Dennis said. “Over the coming weeks I intend to undertake a thorough and objective review of each of our businesses with the intention of optimising every aspect of our existing operations, whilst identifying new areas of growth that capitalise on our technologies, and where appropriate further investing in them.

    “During February, I will articulate a new Group strategy and implement the organisational structure best suited to achieving it. I am excited by the prospect of returning to the role of Group Chief Executive Officer and working with my many colleagues and fellow shareholders to fulfill our objective – which is to win at whatever we do.”

    Ron Dennis will remain Chairman of McLaren Automotive, the road car subsidiary of the brand.

    McLaren will be launching their 2014 car, the MP4-29 on the 24th of January ahead of the first pre-season test at Jerez.

  • Lotus to Skip First Test of 2014

    Lotus to Skip First Test of 2014

    The Lotus F1 Team revealed that they will skip the first test in Jerez that is due to take place on 28 January.

    Lotus F1 Technical Director, Nick Chester, said that they plan to launch the E22 at the Bahrain test in more representative conditions.

    “We’re going to keep our car under wraps a little longer than some other teams. We’ve decided that attending the Jerez test isn’t ideal for our build and development programme. We are likely to unveil the car before attending the Bahrain tests, and in Bahrain we should really be able to put the car through its paces in representative conditions.”

    Although Lotus will miss the first test, Chester made it clear that the car is all but complete with just the nose crash test to complete.

    “We’ve made very good progress with the various homologation tests which took place before Christmas including chassis squeeze and side impact loading tests as well as the rear crash structure, meaning we just have the nose test to complete the car’s homologation.”

    “We’ve undertaken chassis fits for Romain and Pastor. Certainly, our partners who have seen the car have reported themselves to be very impressed with the layout and various solutions to the new technical challenges.”

    Missing out on the first test will put Lotus on the backfoot but Chester was optimistic that they will be able to get what they want out of the car at the second test in Bahrain/

    “From our perspective the figures look promising and development has been positive. That said, we are very much working with very little idea of what the other teams are doing. This is the first year of radically different regulations which means that all teams are developing their cars along potentially quite different avenues.”

    “It’s fascinating for us engineers and I hope it is fascinating for the fans too. We think we have a very good solution to the challenge and hopefully this will be seen when the E22 turns its wheels in anger.”

  • Spagnolo Confirmed as Raikkonen’s Engineer for 2014

    Spagnolo Confirmed as Raikkonen’s Engineer for 2014

    Ferrari, on Tuesday, confirmed Antonio Spagnolo as Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineer for 2014.

    Spagnolo joined Ferrari in 2005 from Minardi and worked on Alonso’s engineering team for the 2013 campaign. From 2014 he will sit Alongside Stefano Domenicali and Andrea Stella on the pit wall and suggesting race instructions to Raikkonen over the radio.

    This will be Raikkonen’s third race engineer at Ferrari after Chris Dyer in 2007 and Andrea Stella in 2008.

    Raikkonen will have his first run in a Ferrari at the first pre-season test at Jerez on 28 January.