2015 Belgian GP @ Spa-Francorchamps

[auaq]

Welcome back from your short vacation.

Time for one of the best GP race in the next coming week.

Drivers	Championship Points
Lewis Hamilton	202
Nico Rosberg	181
Sebastian Vettel	160
Valtteri Bottas	77
Kimi Raikkonen	76
Felipe Massa	74
Daniel Ricciardo	51
Daniil Kvyat	45
Nico Hulkenberg	24
Romain Grosjean	23
Max Verstappen	22
Felipe Nasr	16
Sergio Perez	15
Pastor Maldonaldo	12
Fernando Alonso	11
Carlos Sainz	9
Jenson Button	6
Marcus Ericsson	6

Constructors	Championship Points
Mercedes	383
Ferrari	236
Williams	151
RBR	93
Force India	39
Lotus	35
Toro Rosso	31
Sauber	22
Mclaren	17
Manor	0

[BoldUlysses]

Thanks for getting this up early.

Points-wise, it's exactly as far (21 pts.) from Hamilton back to Rosberg as it is from Rosberg to Vettel. Should be interesting.

James Allen does a nice series of posts comparing pairs of teams:

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...es-vs-ferrari/
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...s-vs-red-bull/
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...vs-toro-rosso/
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...tus-vs-sauber/

I guess the last one will be McLaren (!) vs. Marussia.

[burninator]

So. Excite.

[auaq]

And. Much. Wow.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for getting this up early.

Points-wise, it's exactly as far (21 pts.) from Hamilton back to Rosberg as it is from Rosberg to Vettel. Should be interesting.

James Allen does a nice series of posts comparing pairs of teams:

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...es-vs-ferrari/
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...s-vs-red-bull/
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...vs-toro-rosso/
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...tus-vs-sauber/

I guess the last one will be McLaren (!) vs. Marussia.

Good read. Waiting for Mclaren vs Manor!

[m3fuz]

My favorite race of the year! Can't wait!

[badmonkey]

And, the last two rows

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...aren-vs-manor/

[BoldUlysses]

Good read. Waiting for Mclaren vs Manor!

Manor. Check. Calling the team "Marussia" is force of habit...

[auaq]

I just call them Manor.

[Stuttgart951]

Of all the teams I miss, I do admit to having a soft spot for Arrows and their livery.

[m3fuz]

This seems like a bold claim:

http://m.autosport.com/news/report.p...ith-spa-update

Will be interesting to see if they do have that power AND don't blow up after 3 laps though.

[auaq]

I heard similar news from Renault too as they announced to expect big improvements and reliable run for Spa.

[m3fuz]

I heard similar news from Renault too as they announced to expect big improvements and reliable run for Spa.

So...if everyone's introducing major changes, we're at a net zero with respect to finishing order?

[BoldUlysses]

So...if everyone's introducing major changes, we're at a net zero with respect to finishing order?

As long as Merc's not upgrading, it's all good, right?

[m3fuz]

Very true!

It would be scary if Merc could get anything else out of that engine. I really think Ferrari and Williams should have snipers in the stands to shoot out Hammy and Nico's tires while they're waiting for the lights to go out.

[auaq]

I like your thinking. ����

[BoldUlysses]

I hate that I'm referencing this execrable film, but something like when the Sand People were picking off the pod racers in Star Wars: Episode I would work quite nicely.

[RidgeBack]

Very true!

It would be scary if Merc could get anything else out of that engine. I really think Ferrari and Williams should have snipers in the stands to shoot out Hammy and Nico's tires while they're waiting for the lights to go out.

Last I read about the Merc PU: they were still having reliability issues running full revs. They've been using the engine at below max revs until Hungary when they let Lewis and Nico have full revs for a couple of laps each. This was a definite step forward for Merc. If they get it "totally" reliable there's some extra HP for them.

Honda/McLaren are now stating that the upgrades they've got the PU (for Spa) will put them on par with Ferrari (combustion chamber upgrades).... I don't believe it for a second. However, they will need to take grid spot penalties for the new PUs.

FI is bringing some more updates for their car and their updates are normally pretty decent so we'll see where they stand.


The starts may prove interesting regarding the new clutch bite point find rules.

I've read many iterations of these new rules and have come to the following conclusions:

1 - The clutch bite point may NOT be changed after the car has left the pits for the first time the pit lane is open prior to the Grand Prix
2 - UNTIL, after the start Lockout period (I cannot find a definitive answer to when the start lockout period ends).

3 - The pits/engineer may NOT talk to the driver to assist him in setting the clutch bite point.

4 - The Bite Point Finder (electronic gismo that the driver uses to find the bite point) MUST be disabled in the software.

Conclusion: The driver will have no mechanical/electronic/radio aids to set the Clutch Bite Point. He may still set it manually (using the steering wheel control) but he'll have to find it manually, using the 2 clutch levers behind the steering wheel. But (and I'm not 100% sure of this because of the above question) the driver may set the Clutch Bite Point (via the wheel) on the formation lap (I think is after the race lockout has ended).

The drivers with the most "feel" for their clutches/drive-train will stand a better chance of a good start. However, the feel they have is only via the hand activated clutch levers behind the steering wheel.
1 - lever disengages the clutch completely. The other lever is used to find and hold the clutch at the bite/slippage point - lever 2 is normally set to a 50% distance (pull back).

At race start the driver would hold both levers in. Then when the red lights switch off - he would drop lever 1 completely - this would then move the clutch to the position identified by lever 2 - which should be the exact bite point. If the bite point is wrong the driver can then adjust lever 2 (and/or the revs) to help with the slippage/stalling. So lever 2 is actually used to hold the clutch at the "set" bite point while on the line, and immediately after the start it is used to achieve the necessary bite/slippage to minimize wheel spin or stalling.

/sorry for the obvious but I'm going to be really interested to see the starts this weekend.

[BoldUlysses]

As always, good info RB. Your insider knowledge of F1 is analogous to Book's knowledge of the Alliance underworld in Firefly; at some point you'll have to explain to us how you come by it all.


In other news, Kimi's back for 2016:

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/0...mula-1-season/

Mixed feelings about this.

[Stuttgart951]

Mixed feelings about this.

Blasphemous!

Forza Kimi and other assorted phrases designed to indicate satisfaction.

[RidgeBack]

BU, I just read a lot. Then combine the bits gleaned from here and there into something that makes sense, well, to me.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm also glad Kimi is back for, possibly his last, another season.

[auaq]

^ I think the same. Next year is probably his last season in F1.

[m3fuz]

Happy to see Kimi stay, but also bummed we won't see Hulkenberg in the car as well.

[Jmabarone]

As always, good info RB. Your insider knowledge of F1 is analogous to Book's knowledge of the Alliance underworld in Firefly; at some point you'll have to explain to us how you come by it all.

Excellent reference

[auaq]

I have to ask you again RB. You sure you do not work for the Fia? Any team? Perhaps even as a cook?

[RidgeBack]

I have to laugh. It wasn't that long ago when someone asked why they don't keep the visor tearoffs in the car.

Well, now McLaren have repackaged their rear-end again and it's even tighter/smaller. With the previous "size 0" rear end (coke bottle) they were having an issue of the tearoffs being sucked into the rear brake ducts. Now they are actually planning on having the drivers keep the tearoffs in the cockpit. They achieved the smaller size by moving the radiators that were perched on top of the air-intake spine.

The top teams seem to be bringing a lot of new bodywork pieces to Spa. RBR has seriously reduced the size of the sidepods since cooling isn't really an issue here. They also have a much flatter rear wing to reduce drag.

Merc has a new very interesting rear wing too.

Cannot wait for practice tomorrow so I can see all the updates.

And, lol but no auaq, I'm not involved in F1 in any aspect. I'm merely a fan.