Getting the setup right is a challenge teams are grappling with in 2012.

So far this season, four different cars have won the four grands prix, with Pirelli’s difficult tyres credited or blamed for the unbalance of power.

The key, according to Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn, is car setup.

“We can’t modify the setup between qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday,” he is quoted by Brazil’s O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper. “And they are very different challenges, especially with this year’s tyres.

“It’s one thing to get the car to be fast on one lap and quite another to make it fast and consistent over 70.

“Whoever can anticipate what will be required for the race and come to a compromise – maybe to the detriment of grid position – should have a decisive advantage in the race.

“But it’s not easy to anticipate what happens on Sunday,” insisted Brawn.

Two experts have tipped Lotus to shine this weekend at Sepang.
The black and gold E20 car was a standout of the winter pre-season, but Kimi Raikkonen qualified poorly in Australia while Romain Grosjean was punted into early retirement by Pastor Maldonado.

Seeing the chequered flag first in Melbourne was McLaren’s championship leader Jenson Button, but he said he is expecting a “strong fight” this weekend.

“Of course we’re not relaxing,” said the Briton.

“Both Red Bull drivers were very quick in the race (in Australia), and I think we can expect further strong challenges (in Malaysia) from Mercedes and Lotus,” added Button.

Also anticipating a Malaysian push by Lotus is team ambassador Jean Alesi, the former Ferrari race winner.

“The car should suit Sepang well,” said the Frenchman.

“In testing in Jerez and Barcelona it was particularly good in the fast turns, which is what defines the Malaysia track.

“Lotus appear to be quicker than everyone except McLaren,” added Alesi.

He is worried, however, that the former Renault team might not be able to keep up its pace throughout 2012.

“Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari have much bigger budgets,” said Alesi.

“They have a brilliant team at Enstone but it is really tough to match the development pace of the biggest teams, and I think that will be Lotus’ challenge this year.”

 Former boss Colin Kolles and his Greding-based company is no longer involved, but there remains a strong German input with the struggling team HRT.
A report in the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper reveals that the new Cosworth-powered F112 car, which failed to qualify in Melbourne last weekend, was designed and built in Augsburg, a city in the south-west of Bavaria.

It is there that, since November 2011, the Holzer-Gruppe company has been frantically building up the Cosworth-powered cars for Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Karthikeyan.

“Under our management almost everything has been made here in Bobingen,” said Gunther Holzer.

“For the wind tunnel we used the Mercedes facility in Brackley (UK),” he added.

Eight of F1′s 12 teams are based in England, with the others either in Italy (Ferrari and Toro Rosso) or Switzerland (Sauber).

HRT uses Williams’ gearbox.

“We wanted to go our separate way, not like almost everyone else who are all within a few miles of Oxford,” said HRT chief executive Saul Ruiz de Marcos.

The team’s longer plan is to be solely based in Madrid, but for now Holzer will lead the development of the F112.

“For the start of the European season in Spain we are planning the first improvements to the car,” said Marcos.

Holzer explained: “The car is designed first for safety and so is heavy compared to the competition. For the future we are focused on making it lighter.”

Before the lighter car debuts in Barcelona, HRT faces three more challenges – Malaysia, China and Bahrain – at which the sport’s 107 per cent rule will be a major hurdle.

“The goal is to qualify, there is no other,” admitted de la Rosa. “Race reliability is something else we need to work on, but first we have to qualify.”

Today’s FIA press conference at the Interlagos circuit was an all-Brazilian affair, with the two “new boys,” Lucas di Grassi and Bruno Senna, joined by their senior colleagues, Rubens Barrichello and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s Felipe Massa. Indeed, it was an all Paulista affair as the four are from the city of Sao Paolo.

Asked to look back at this season, Felipe singled out his qualifying performance as the worst feature of 2010. “This year’s results have not matched my expectations, especially in qualifying where I struggled to put together a good first lap on fresh tyres,” he said. “It’s true there have also been some races where I failed to finish in the points and then there was Singapore, where a qualifying problem meant I had to start from the back.”

As to this weekend’s home race, Felipe shared his fellow panelists’ enthusiasm for the Interlagos circuit. “I have great memories from here with two wins and poles in 2006, ’07 and ’08, which was the last time I raced here. Then going even further back, at the start of my career, I won here twice in Formula Chevrolet. This track has many interesting challenges and you can be creative with the set-up, while many sections of the track require a very technical approach. It might be a short lap, not like most of the new tracks, but this circuit is very well thought out and there is always overtaking here and some nice fights. But it is really the Brazilian people who make Interlagos special – they are so hot with emotion and they sing all day long in the grandstands, which is great for us Brazilian drivers, giving us some extra power.”

Mathematically, Fernando Alonso has a chance of winning the Drivers’ title on Sunday and Felipe was asked if he felt it might happen. “Well, Fernando is leading right now, so for sure I think he can do it here, but as we have seen this season, everything is possible. My personal aim is to try and win the race and of course I can help Fernando by taking points away from his rivals.”

This week sees the premiere of a film made about the life of Ayrton Senna and all four drivers were asked for their memories of the great Brazilian champion, who died during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. “Ayrton was really amazing and I remember so many of his races,” said Felipe. “But what really stands out in my mind was his ability in qualifying, not only taking pole in so many races, but often doing so with a big gap over the rest. For me, that was his strongest point.”

For the first time this season and 13 races in this part of Jorge Lorenzo was unable to get on the podium. At Motorland Aragon finished fourth, mocked the last lap from Nicky Hayden as a surprise to the leader of the world that just do not expect to get off the podium for the first time in this extraordinary 2010.

“My start was good, then I created a tight duel with Hayden: I was always very, very close! We obviously can not be happy, I absolutely wanted to finish on the podium again, but they are happy because we got points for the championship without losing ground.

There are still five races to go and although this is a complicated time for us I am confident that we have to face some challenges, but we can to overcome them and improve ourselves for the last part of the season.

Now I think only in Motegi, will be the home race for Yamaha and point to a good result at the circuit where he won last year. ”

Jorge Lorenzo remains firmly leading the championship even though, in a few races, his lead over Dani Pedrosa fell from 72 to 56 points.

Jun.12 (GMM) Sebastien Buemi must up his game if he wants to secure his place in Red Bull’s formula one plans.

That was the warning issued in Canada by Dr Helmut Marko, the energy drinks company’s consultant and right-hand man of owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Swiss youngster Buemi, 21, impressed the F1 world throughout his formula one debut with Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso in 2009.

He saw off the challenges of his teammates Sebastien Bourdais and Jaime Alguersuari, but in 2010 the Spanish rookie Alguersuari has shown much better alongside Buemi.

“I must admit that, this year, it has not gone as well as I would have liked (for Buemi),” Marko told the French language Swiss daily Le Matin.

“During the races, Sebastien has been really unlucky so we cannot draw any conclusion. But in the sessions, he has not been as quick as last year in comparison with his teammate.

“It’s a little disappointing,” added Austrian Marko.

Buemi had been considered a shoo-in for a future role at Red Bull Racing, but the premier team has now locked in its 2011 lineup of Mark Webber alongside Sebastian Vettel.

Marko said of Buemi: “It’s time for him to prove his talent. If he does, this will ensure his place next year at Toro Rosso.

“It’s a very good team for a young driver to learn the trade, especially since they had to produce their own car this season, giving more importance to the role of the driver.”

Jun.7 (GMM)  Kimi Raikkonen has admitted a return to formula one is “possible”.

But in an interview with Austria’s Kleine Zeitung, the 2007 world champion also sounded more than happy with his new foray in world rallying, and not keen to immediately switch back to the grand prix grid.

During an event for his sponsor Red Bull, the 31-year-old Finn answered “Sure, anything is possible” when asked if he is open to launching a second F1 career.

But when asked if he still feels like ‘Raikkonen, the F1 driver’, he said: “The past is what it is — over.  I don’t miss it.”

And Raikkonen raved about his new job with Citroen.

“I love this job and the whole environment.  But I have much to learn and I want to be good at what I do.  With a relaxed setting you do not go far.”

Asked whether he would like to add a rally title to his F1 championship, Raikkonen admitted: “No one can see into the future, but yes, it is a dream.

“Now it is the time to learn; my formula one past does me no harm.”

He said rally is a more difficult discipline than F1.

“Because it’s constantly changing; the weather, the surface, the track.  You have to be flexible, adjusting and responding quickly.”

When asked which is more fun, he did not hesitate: “Rally!  Because there are always new challenges.”

“I like it when the walls are close to the track and if you can not afford any mistakes, because that is challenging and makes driving more fun,” said Kubica. “Even in the Macau Formula 3 I especially liked or in Formula 1 Monaco. The only street circuit, which I do not like is Singapore. Why am I not there, the track may, but I can not say for sure.”

The discussion is now about to go in the direction the formula 1, for among the fans, the discontent with Bernie Ecclestone’s house and court architect Hermann Tilke increasing. The German has built in recent years superb facilities such as Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, but is criticized for its routes have no character. Many fans believe that the idea of safety is partly already taken too seriously.

But: “That just is not that,” said Kubica. “I’m a fan of street circuits, but also a fan of security, because I had here a serious accident. It depends on the balance between risk and safety. The formula one has become, thanks to the FIA and thanks to the team much more secure. If I would indeed like this happens an accident ten years ago, today I would not be sitting here, maybe more. ”

In discussion forums time and again the argument that run-off should not be paved, as this driving mistake will be punished only lightly. We used to cut the chicane in from Montreal, was quick views of the front wing off, now it is hardly out of the wind shadow of the man in front. But the tarmac run-off areas have their advantages.
Rosberg against gravel beds

“In turn eight in Istanbul, many people took off,” says Nico Rosberg. ‘If there is a gravel and would have had to close the track standing wall, there would have been serious accidents. The risk is mainly that the car in the gravel into place and somersaults. That would be dangerous, so I think it is a good development, in such a tarmac run-off to have curves. ”

Felipe Massa puts it even more plainly: “Turn Eight in Monaco would not be very nice,” the Ferrari driver. The drivers love the one hand the great challenges such as Spa-Francorchamps Suzuka or most are, but at the same time conscious of the fact that the formula is an extremely dangerous and the security therefore must not be left out of sight. Lewis Hamilton is among those who see the rather loose.

“My intention is only to the asphalt between the white lines,” the McLaren star. “The FIA makes this line around a great job in terms of security, so we need to focus not. The most important thing is how cool the track – and that is between the white lines.” Hamilton also insists that it is “a fine line” between safety and danger aspect.

In one fell swoop, Dr Helmut Marko has dismissed the title threat posed by figures including reigning champion Jenson Button, the 2008 runner-up Felipe Massa, Mercedes’ works team, and seven time world champion Michael Schumacher.

Red Bull’s motor racing adviser told APA news agency that the energy drink owned team only fears the challenges of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

“There are two people that we fear for this world title,” said Marko.  “They are Fernando Alonso, because he is at his absolute peak, and Lewis Hamilton.

“What the others are doing bothers us not so much,” revealed the Austrian.

Red Bull’s RB6 car has been clearly the fastest among F1′s class of 2010, so Marko thinks the Milton Keynes based team is rightly the championship favourite.

“With the package that we have, we clearly have to be going for the championship — and in the coming years.

“We have the people we need and the necessary tools to adapt to changes.  We have had a winning car also in 2008 and 2009, so you can’t say that it’s a fluke when you’re building a top car in three consecutive years,” he added.

GMM

In the wake of the USF1 calamity, another American group has signalled its intention to race in formula one next year.

Cypher Group confirmed on Thursday that it has submitted a “letter of interest” about obtaining the 13th and final spot on the 2011 grid.

The company said it consists of “experienced F1 engineers, designers and businessmen” whose objective “is to create a successful US-based F1 team”.

Cypher said it “recognises the significant challenges” of building a team in a short amount of time and will therefore “utilise ‘best of breed’ components throughout the car”.

“In support of this strategy Cypher is in contact with established manufacturers of formula one racing cars and components,” the outfit added.

“Our aims are ultimately to be competitive and provide unrivalled access and interaction for our supporters whilst maintaining high standards of integrity and values, alongside creative out of the box thinking.”

Cypher clarified that it has not yet lodged a formal entry to compete next year.

The outfit said it will only do so “should we achieve fully the budget we believe is necessary to do this properly.

“We are not in this to embarrass America, the fans or ourselves.  We simply want to give America the shot it deserves.”

(GMM)

In order to strengthen the Lotus Racing management group, this Friday was announced the appointment of two stakeholders who will be part of the team. They are S M Nasarudin Kandmarudin Meranun.  Together with the principal, Tony Fernándes the three will be in charge of Lotus Racing.
S M Nasarudin, one of the two stakeholders of Lotus-Cosworth explained: “We turned into reality a simple Malaysian dream, thanks to the passion we put into it, the hard work and the team’s spirit.  As in the case of all the other challenges we have had to get where we  are now, we approached these challenges as a team, and how, we are determined than ever to finish what we started.  We are realistic regarding our goals, but in no way we think that things will be easy from here forward, but our faith is still there.
On his part, Kamarudin Meranun, the other new Lotus-Cosworth stakeholder said: “We still have a long way to go and we do not know what the future might bring, but we are in the way and we have to do the best possible.  We made a great product in a very short period of time and in one of car racing’s most competitive platforms in the world.  Honestly, I think we have the motivation, decision and most importantly than anything else, the passion to take this project to the end, with God’s will.”

Finally, Tony Fernándes, Lotus-Cosworth’s team principal declared: “Our goals and objectives are clear, but as mentioned earlier, we have hard work ahead of us.  There are 19 races and with the mutual help of the three (principal and stakeholders), we thing that management has all the necessary resources to lead the team.”

As we already know, the changes of the regulation will cause the F1 cars to have approximately 100 kilos more at the beginning of the race in comparison to the past.  In addition to this, there are a series of challenges the F1 designers are facing; brakes’ wear, steering wheel’s, weight distribution and tire wear.  Any team that tries to solve these problems will go through difficult times, specially at the beginning of the season, until it’s updated and solutions are found.

 ¿What are the possible solutions?

 The starting point for most of this year’s F1 designers is the prohibition to fill up the fuel tanks.  Instead of cars with a maximum weight of 660-700 kg in the beginning of the race and 605 kg at the end, variation will be greater this year.

 This will not only affect the time per lap, but several other aspects:

 Brakes

 The cars’ brakes will have more presence this year because, carrying more weight, they will have to work harder and the pilots will need to decelerate harder with their cars full of fuel.  The designers will have to do things well so that the single-seaters brake correctly during the whole race and suffer the least wear possible.

 Likewise, they have to face all those who will use the same brakes as last year’s (size).

Last year there were serious problems with the brakes. For instance, in Singapore when Mark Webber crashed due to lack of them, a few minutes after the team had warned him through the radio that there was a problem with the brakes and should go back to the boxes.  The problem to be worked out by the engineers is indeed important.

 Height

 Another problem for the designers is the great weight resulting from the amount of fuel which will cause the single-seaters to be higher at the beginning of the race.  For an optimum performance, cars have to be as low as possible, but as the weight of the fuel decreases their height will increase since there will be less mass pushing the cushion springs down.

 During the last two seasons when filling up was not allowed in the F1 -1992 y 1993-, many teams solved this problem using the active suspension technology, which can be programmed to compensate the lowering amount of fuel through a progressive reduction of the single-seated height.  However, two clauses on the current norms prevent the use of these systems, leaving the option that the mechanics manually adjust the speed’s height during the stops at the boxes.  Then again, this may be too complicated and takes a lot of time to do.  Is it possible that they’re studying the way to simplify this?

 As has been the case since 1994, the teams that race with very low cars risk wearing out their drag blocks (also known as "tables").

 With the fill up ban, the teams now have to adapt to the best performance possible.

 Hence we have to take into account the different engines’ types of fuel consumption; a real challenge.  This year, many cars will have Cosworth engines which performance is a mystery.

 Weight distribution

  Reduction of the front tire’s width combined with bigger fuel tanks imply many changes on weight distribution.  The front tires will be 25 mm thinner in 2010 than last year.  So, while in 2009 designers used to move the weight distribution towards the front, it’s possible that this year they try to move it backwards.

 This might also produce a reversion of the trend to have less distance between axles that we witnessed last year.  In addition to this, this season, Bridgestone will have to supply more lasting tires capable of enduring more weight-wear.

 Rear diffusers

One of the greatest technical achievements of 2009 has been the double diffusers.  The teams might use them again in 2010, even though the FIA is looking for its ban in 2011.

 They offer an increase of the so very valuable aerodynamics downforces and it’s quite unlikely that any team runs without them, this year.  Even though, according to the USF1 technicians’ statements, who declare to be swimming against the tide, we might be surprised.

In 2010, the design engineers will have to work hard again, because the air flow around the rear part of the car will be compromised due to the larger fuel tanks which will demand that the place of the radiators is changed.

Ferrari has confirmed to have integrated the oil reservoir beside the gearbox to give more space to the fuel tank.