2017 Spanish GP @ Catalunya Circuit

[auaq]

Drivers	Championship Points
Sebastian Vettel	86
Lewis Hamilton	73
Valtteri Bottas	63
Kimi Raikkonen	49
Max Verstappen	35
Daniel Ricciardo	22
Sergio Perez	22
Felipe Massa	18
Carlos Sainz	11
Esteban Ocon	9
Nico Hulkenberg	6
Romain Grosjean	4
Kevin Magnussen	4
Daniil Kvyat	2
Pascal Wehrlein	0
Lance Stroll	0
Antonio Giovinazzi	0
Jolyon Palmer	0
Stoffel Vandoorne	0
Fernando Alonso	0
Marcus Ericsson	0

Constructors	Championship Points
Mercedes	136
Ferrari	135
RBR	57
Force India	31
Williams	18
Toro Rosso	13
Haas	8
Renault	6
Sauber	0
Mclaren	0

If I'm not mistaken I think RBR and possibly Honda will be bringing new updates to this race. One a new aero package and a new engine from Honda.

[RidgeBack]

RBR is bringing a new chassis - the RB14. It's a rumor - but the fact is that they are bringing MAJOR chassis updates that are said to be worth a second a lap.

Renault won't be bringing a PU update. Maybe Canada but not confirmed. They changed their near term focus to reliability once RBR said they could get much more from the new chassis.

Merc and Ferrari are both bringing updates as well. Probably worth a 1/10th a two but will keep them ahead (albeit not that far) of RBR. Merc has also found solutions for their cooling issues at Sochi - or will be better at judging the amount of cooling needed. The Merc was initially 6kgs overweigh at the start of the season (due to a last moment total gearbox casing design change) - thus limiting ballast and therefore narrowing the setup windows. They have corrected some of this and have arranged things so that they can work better with whatever ballast they carry - thus enlarging the setup scope allowing both drivers to get better chassis balance.

[auaq]

Interesting thing about the Merc's gearbox weight. I wasn't aware they were heavy. I know they were having slight cooling issues though. Yeah, even if both Ferrari and Merc brings some updates they won't be that fast but a mere couple of tenths faster seems more feasible.

[RidgeBack]

Interesting thing about the Merc's gearbox weight. I wasn't aware they were heavy. I know they were having slight cooling issues though. Yeah, even if both Ferrari and Merc brings some updates they won't be that fast but a mere couple of tenths faster seems more feasible.

The gearbox casing wasn't the entire cause for the overweigh issue I don't believe, but it added a lot to it. I think they had to make it from metal instead of CF because of the rush, but that could be nonsense.

[m3fuz]

Force India is said to be bringing updates as well, with the hope of closing the gap to RBR. I like this track - should be a good race.

Well, for everyone except McLaren, who should've stayed with Mercedes power, and Sauber.

[auaq]

Force India is said to be bringing updates as well, with the hope of closing the gap to RBR. I like this track - should be a good race.

Well, for everyone except McLaren, who should've stayed with Mercedes power, and future Sauber.

...

[RidgeBack]

Peter Sauber is going to be a guest of Sauber this weekend. Peter, for me, is one of the historical figures in F1 so it'll be nice to see him in the pits again even if he no longer owns the team.

With all the updates coming at this first drive-to race I really hope I can get to see the practice sessions. I haven't been able to see any of the previous sessions this year because I haven't been able to find any.

[m3fuz]

Just saw on PF1 that Haas is going back to Brembo for this weekend. Were the Carbon Industries brakes that bad? I realize RoGro struggled in Sochi, but I don't recall him being particularly strong there to begin with.

[BoldUlysses]

Just saw on PF1 that Haas is going back to Brembo for this weekend. Were the Carbon Industries brakes that bad? I realize RoGro struggled in Sochi, but I don't recall him being particularly strong there to begin with.

He had a race-ending issue with his brakes in Malaysia last year too.

Who supplies RBR's brakes? They've had two brake issues in as many races.

[RidgeBack]

Just saw on PF1 that Haas is going back to Brembo for this weekend. Were the Carbon Industries brakes that bad? I realize RoGro struggled in Sochi, but I don't recall him being particularly strong there to begin with.

Haas went back to Brembos for the quali/race when the CI brakes weren't working well during the FP session for RoGro

- - - Updated - - -

He had a race-ending issue with his brakes in Malaysia last year too.

Who supplies RBR's brakes? They've had two brakes issues in as many races.

Their issue was lack of sufficient brake cooling. Wasn't the manu's fault.

[MagneZium]

I heard that Ferrari uses Honda engines as brakes. Really effective, never fails to slow the car down.

[bawareca]

I heard that Ferrari uses Honda engines as brakes. Really effective, never fails to slow the car down.

Well, perhaps if you try to use them for this special purpose they will fail to slow the car down enough

[BoldUlysses]

Not a huge fan of the placement since it draws attention to the shark fin.

Otherwise I'm a fan of bigger numbers, as long as they don't go all NASCAR...

[RidgeBack]

Maybe I'm an idiot but I had zero issues with names/numbers. If you're interested in F1 you'll find out these things. The internet has made it really easy to figure out stuff like what car, what team, what helmet etc.

Anyways, here a Merc vid showing the new numbers/names

[ELVA164]

I think it's aimed at less "invested" viewers. People like you and me probably don't need numbers at all really to know who's in which car, so it would stand to reason it would be for those less familiar with the details but trying to learn who's where without having to look at the top of the RB's nose.

[gary88]

New Mercedes aero is crazy

[RidgeBack]

^Yep, makes you wonder who has the biggest budget

But man, so very sexy.

[auaq]

Probably to follow cars much easier now.

[BoldUlysses]

Great pics! I love the horizontal fin on the side of the nose.

Imagine if the cars of the '80s and '90s had had modern manufacturing techniques and CFD software at their disposal... The wings from back then look comically simple compared to nowadays'.

[Alpine 318is]

1500 HP and that aero?

Almost wonder if it would be too much G forces for tires and bodies.

[ELVA164]

Don't forget there's a certain beauty in simplicity. Those cars are iconic for a reason, simplicity being part of it.

[BoldUlysses]

Don't forget there's a certain beauty in simplicity. Those cars are iconic for a reason, simplicity being part of it.

Truth.

I don't think anyone would ever call this, for instance, one of F1's classic shapes:

[auaq]

^ Is that Megatron?

[gary88]

I still love this

[BoldUlysses]

OK the new Ferrari numbers look silly. Is there some history behind them being in that white trapezoid shape on the nose of the car? It's really ugly.