Official 2010 F1 Pre-Season Thread

[ladora]

Let's kick things off:

Kobayashi set for 2010 Toyota drive

Kamui Kobayashi is now set to race for Toyota in Formula 1 next year, after team president John Howett said he had been impressed with the youngster in his two outings for the team.

Kobayashi delivered his first F1 points with a strong run to sixth place in Abu Dhabi - helped in part by a brave overtaking move past world champion Jenson Button.

And with Toyota looking for new drivers for next year, Howett said it was likely that Kobayashi would take one of the team's seats in 2010.

"It looks like it," explained Howett. "We will have to give really serious consideration, as he has really shown very good strong results.

"I am very impressed. We were very happy again. What we like is his real fighting spirit. He is not intimidated by anybody. It's very positive."

Howett said that Kobayashi's performances had erased all doubts about his potential – after a difficult season he endured in GP2 this year.

"I think that is why there was some hesitation. We always understood that he was very good in terms of racing spirit. That has been there all through his career, but because partly the GP2 pace did not look competitive, you were always hesitant against the risk.

"It is a lesson definitely that sometimes we should all be braver in our driver choices and not go for the safer risk-hedged decision."

And although experienced drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Adrian Sutil have been linked with Toyota, Howett also suggested that Kobayashi's performances could also prompt the team to take two youngsters.

"I think that is something we are currently discussing. There are some [current] drivers that are not fixed who you would consider, but if they looked not likely then we would prefer to take a brave new direction."

Toyota is likely to firm up its driver line-up after a Japanese board meeting on November 15, where the team's operating budget for 2010 will be signed off.

Source: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79960

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Not surprised at all, especially after how he drove in Brazil and in today's race!

[vikiradTG2007]

Originally Posted by ViperVX

and where exactly are Ferrari testing new parts with ongoing testing ban?

Wind tunnel, CFD and chassis rigs. Which might turn out to be a mistake.

[Xeon SX]

But remember every time you put new parts on a car, everybody looks and may copy. Ferrari may have come up with something original and don't want to show it to anyone.

[vikiradTG2007]

Originally Posted by Xeon SX

But remember every time you put new parts on a car, everybody looks and may copy. Ferrari may have come up with something original and don't want to show it to anyone.

Maybe. But you still have to plonk the bit on the car and throw it into a driver's hands to take it on a track and see what's what. And it might be the mommy and daddy of all updates in terms of downforce, efficiency etc. etc. etc.; if the driver hates the car's behaviour with that part on, it's utterly and completely USELESS.

[ViperVX]

KK (Kobayashi) is shaping up to be great. If Toyota commits to F1 he will be getting a spot, at least for half a season.

Also, not to forget, FOTA will be meeting to discuss testing regiment, including Bernie's idea to test on Mondays, so one would assume that's the idea certain teams, who kept developing current racer up until the end, will be behind as they'll need extra testing to catch up.

[Xeon SX]

Originally Posted by vikiradTG2007

Maybe. But you still have to plonk the bit on the car and throw it into a driver's hands to take it on a track and see what's what. And it might be the mommy and daddy of all updates in terms of downforce, efficiency etc. etc. etc.; if the driver hates the car's behaviour with that part on, it's utterly and completely USELESS.

In which case they will be dead slow but why would they be worried? not like its the first time )

[MadCow809]

so when are the teams gonna announce their driver line-ups?

[Gman333-X-ferrari]

Originally Posted by vikiradTG2007

Wind tunnel, CFD and chassis rigs. Which might turn out to be a mistake.

Maybe. But you still have to plonk the bit on the car and throw it into a driver's hands to take it on a track and see what's what. And it might be the mommy and daddy of all updates in terms of downforce, efficiency etc. etc. etc.; if the driver hates the car's behaviour with that part on, it's utterly and completely USELESS.

The testing ban doesn't carry on into the winter does it?

If it does then how is what Ferrari doing account as a mistake? Doesn't that mean that everyone's on a level playing field, and in fact by starting the design of the '10 car earlier, they're actually ahead of the competition.

If it doesn't then they're ahead of the competition also as they've engineered a whole heap of new parts and are now ready for testing. If anything does need to be changed (as per the test driver's recommendations), then they have more time to change it.

Also, I wouldn't discount the the notion that Ferrari's already tested a few parts in on the F60 these past few races as well as back home on Fiorano, using the F2007.

[Topgearfanatic]

Ferrari has been testing 2010 parts as far back as Germany with the "horns."

[vikiradTG2007]

Originally Posted by Gman333-X-ferrari

The testing ban doesn't carry on into the winter does it?

If it does then how is what Ferrari doing account as a mistake? Doesn't that mean that everyone's on a level playing field, and in fact by starting the design of the '10 car earlier, they're actually ahead of the competition.

If it doesn't then they're ahead of the competition also as they've engineered a whole heap of new parts and are now ready for testing. If anything does need to be changed (as per the test driver's recommendations), then they have more time to change it.

Also, I wouldn't discount the the notion that Ferrari's already tested a few parts in on the F60 these past few races as well as back home on Fiorano, using the F2007.

Testing ban extends to Dec 31st. And the teams are allowed only 4 test weeks in Jan-Feb as far as I know. Plus since, technically speaking, regulation changes are not that major, you can test bits for next year on this year's car at the races, which is I think what some teams have been doing and Ferrari haven't been doing as much as other teams.

[settler]

Polish commentators said that Fisi's Ferrari had some 2010 parts during GP Abu Dhabi. I don't know if it means that they don't work with 2009 car or they are that bad.

[Richmondgal]

Wanted to say something that could contribute to the Ferrari conversation, but I'm not that tech-savy to say anything. But if they are really hammering it on the new F61, everyone should start looking over their shoulders.

Mind you, there's another 130+ days to go.

[settler]

Barrichello and Hulkenberg in Williams as we expected.

http://f1.automoto365.com/news/f1/wi...0-38365-1.html

Bridgestone will leave F1 after 2010 - as we haven't expected.

http://f1.automoto365.com/news/f1/br...0-38360-1.html

And more about development. In race build-up on BBC before last race Hamilton said that there aren't any upgrades on McL.

[MadCow809]

Ruby and new Nico @ Williams.

That means the old Nico heading over to BrawnGP??

Hmm....

[settler]

Originally Posted by MadCow809

That means the old Nico heading over to BrawnGP??

He said couple days ago that he will leave Williams and will have "wining car". So Brawn or McLaren. After Mercedes said they will increase their involvement in Brawn I think Rosberg will go to Brawn.

[Susurrate]

Red Bull to stick with the Renault V8 seeing as Adrian couldn't get his hands on the Mercedes engine and there were too many unknowns with the Cosworth.

[SchumacherM]

Why didn't he go for the Fezza lump? The binge drinker it might be, but that can be mended...they worked well for STR..

Renault is just too unsure..

[ViperVX]

Didn't expect Bridgestone to quit F1, right out of the blue. I wonder who they are gonna replace them with, clearly with cost cutting initiatives and so on there only be one manufacturer, so Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli... Who's supplying slicks to GP2, F2?

[Mytola]

Bridgestone is the ones supplying GP2 as well. Avon supplies the tires for F2.

[Susurrate]

Originally Posted by SchumacherM

Why didn't he go for the Fezza lump? The binge drinker it might be, but that can be mended...they worked well for STR..

Renault is just too unsure..

I'm gonna imagine there would be a problem with the regulations or just a gentleman's agreement within FOTA involving STR and RBR using the exact same car, engine and all. Also Ferrari really can't fix the fuel consumption of their engine do to the freeze on engine development while Renault can fix reliability issues if it was a manufacturing fault and not an overall design issue. Also factor in these last two engines of Vettel's have been beasts being used in three races each and some of the toughest ones at that. So from that can you really say the Renault engines are bad or did they just have shit luck with getting all the bad ones?