HRT Formula 1 Team incorporates Kyocera Document Solutions as its Official Supplier through a collaboration agreement for the 2012 season. The Spanish team will count on Kyocera’s services, which include needs for management and printing of documents, both at the team’s permanent offices in the Caja Mágica and at the mobile offices that travel throughout the world during the Formula 1 season.

Kyocera Document Solutions has a vast experience in the sporting world and, even more so, in the motorsport one, since it’s responsible for the management and printing of documents at the F1 and MotoGP Grands Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya, Valencia Street Circuit and Motorland Aragón. At all of these Kyocera offers high quality devices and services that adapt to the rigurous demands that any F1 Grand Prix has, meeting the demands of the media office and the organization at the circuit itself, including a permanent 24-hour service.

The ceramic components of Kyocera are not only integrated in our printing devices, giving them a greater durability and resistence, but they are also present in many other industries, such as some F1 cars where there are parts incorporating Kyocera’s ceramic components that have to cope with extreme temperatures.

HRT Formula 1 Team continues to progress firmly towards its objective of consolidating itself and growing and it now takes another step forward thanks to the partnership with the multinational Japanese company Kyocera. It’s another support for the young Spanish outfit who, thanks to the seriousness and hard work that it proves day by day, has more national and international companies willing to back HRT, contributing to its consolidation and progress in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Óscar Sánchez, KYOCERA Document Solutions General Manager: “A team such as HRT Formula 1 Team needs to be backed by the most advanced and reliable technology during the most demanding of championships. Kyocera has the latest printing machinery and a highly experimented staff, which makes us a leader in offering documentary services at any sporting events”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal HRT Formula 1 Team: “Count on a renowned multinational company as Kyocera is amongst our partners gives us a confidence and calmness of great value for our day to day work. That calmness enables us to focus on pure competition aspects knowing that our backs are covered. Our needs in terms of printing, copying and scanning are high because the engineering, operations, marketing and communications departments are continuously putting the machines to the test and it is of vital importance that this work is not interrupted. In Formula 1 you work to the limit and Kyocera gives us the support and confidence needed to be able to do it”.

ABOUT KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS

KYOCERA Document Solutions is one of the world’s leading management solutions and document printing companies in the world. With a staff of almost 15,000 employees, its range of products and services includes ECOSYS printers, reliable multifunction printers, high-quality printer supplies, an array of software solutions and managed document services. KYOCERA Document Solutions offers innovative products built with long lasting components. Its clients benefit from the market’s lowest total cost of property and from the highest efficiency in any working environment. Its portfolio of solutions and its managed document services contribute not only to reduce the environmental impact but also to improve the efficiency and reliability of business.

The Italian marque’s F1 boss Paul Hembery has defended Pirelli after the first test of the 2011 pre-season at Valencia.

Several drivers have complained about the consistency but particularly the poor durability of the tyres supplied to teams at the first of four tests before the 2011 season opener.

Hembery said as the test began that the 2011 compounds are now in a “pretty definitive” specification for the first races.

But the subsequent feedback, at best, was mixed.

“Of the compounds available, some were more consistent than others,” Michael Schumacher told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“I had some awkward moments on the track when I was on tyres that I had not been on for long. It was like driving on ice,” admitted the seven time world champion.

Schumacher, who struggled with departed Bridgestone’s tyres last year, hopes Pirelli is still willing to make changes.

“I think they are still in the testing phase and that they will deal with the situation well,” he said.

Hembery responded to the driver feedback of this week by suggesting that the ambient conditions at Valencia were not ideal.

“The tyres don’t like it too cold,” he is quoted by Turun Sanomat, confirming that Pirelli will make some tweaks ahead of the next tests.

“Another thing we have to remember that all tyres wear out, which is something some people seem to have forgotten in the last few days,” he insisted.

Yet another consideration is that, in the interests of the spectacle, Pirelli was specifically asked by Bernie Ecclestone to produce aggressive tyres for 2011 that force multiple pitstops.

“Some teams here have had a new car, some last year’s car. It is very early to draw conclusions,” Hembery said.

He added: “You can’t make decisions based on one set of comments or data or because someone wants something different, you need to have a general understanding.”

Pirelli wants to contribute to the “show” as the new tyre supplier, but acknowledges that 2011 will be a learning year.

The quality of F1′s spectacle is often blamed on aerodynamics and braking distances, but on several occasions this year, it is the allocation and performance of Bridgestone’s tyre compounds that have spiced up the action.

Incoming sole supplier Pirelli has already vowed to attempt to contribute to the “show” in the design and supply of its products.

“We will seek to do this, alongside the needs of the teams,” the marque’s racing chief Paul Hembery said in an interview with O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper.

“To produce durable and high performance tyres is not a problem,” explained Hembery.

“The challenge is to find the right compromise between lifespan and durability, with regards to the show.”

Pirelli has already begun its on-track 2011 tyre development programme, with a schedule through to November including Mugello, Paul Ricard, Jerez, Monza and Abu Dhabi.

Said Hembery: “It could be that because we cannot test at all the (grand prix) circuits that we need to be more conservative at some places, so that the tyres can survive but the show doesn’t benefit as everyone would want.

“It must be understood that 2011 is our first year,” he added.

Rain could affect this weekend’s running of the German grand prix.
Although the preceding days at Hockenheim are expected to be very hot, severe weather – including heavy downpours – is predicted to be delivered by a cold front on Thursday and Friday.

Rain is also possible on Saturday, with only a low chance of scattered showers forecast for race-day Sunday.

Teams will be particularly hoping for a dry three hours of practice on Friday, given Bridgestone’s extreme allocation of the hardest and softest compounds for Hockenheim.

The tyre supplier’s Hirohide Hamashima confirmed that weather at the German venue will be crucial.

“If it is hot then the super-soft will be a challenge to manage for stability and durability. If it is cold then ensuring the hard is in its temperature operating window will be a tough task,” he said.

Williams was able to improve the FW32 in recent days and weeks ahead. In Valencia again to some new parts will be bolted to the car. Is still uncertain is the use of the F-Duct. Fix seems that the system that provides more speed on the straight line is tested in the training sessions. After deciding on a bet in the race. Williams had the system already in use in Shanghai and Barcelona.

With or without F-Duct, the Williams drivers expect from the street circuit in the port of Valencia a good chance. Rubens Barrichello remembers only too happy to return to the last season. “I have fond memories of Valencia. I have won the race here last year, it was my tenth race win to date. He was also outstanding on the ground because he me brought back into the title race,” said the Brazilian.
Just hours before the triumph of the veterans had Nico Hulkenberg his finest hour. Namely, he won the GP2 sprint race. “Valencia is a great track that I like very much. I know them very well from the GP2 and I am already bringing them to drive the FW32, since I feel very comfortable here. As in Monaco and Montreal everywhere walls, but the track is slightly wider, at least I like the challenge, “says the GP2 champion last season.

The Pilotenduo is convinced that the new developments have made their cars faster. “We are coming closer and closer to the top ten, as we showed in qualifying in Montreal. But we must keep up the pressure and take out a few tenths so we end up constantly in the top ten,” says Hulkenberg. Barrichello praises even the least seasoned of engine partner criticism: “Cosworth is making good progress in improving the durability.” His goals for Valencia has formulated the veteran clear: “I will enter into Q3 and points.”

The Technical Director Sam Michael knows the challenge to be made on the car: “At the beginning, the way only little grip. The numerous combinations of corners provide for the tires a not insignificant challenge by the coastal location can also always pay breezes, the affect the balance of the car. ” Michael also formulated the objectives for the weekend clear: “We have in the two previous races ever run in points, which is also the target for this time”

The competition between the development departments of the Grand Prix teams will be played with the same intensity as the position of duels on the track. Indeed, the pressure to succeed, under the working Formula 1 specialists in recent years grown more and more: Who wants to stay competitive and at the top, must evolve continuously. The cars are compared to the season opener in Bahrain has become consistently faster by about one second.

“The racing teams have realized that the incessant development is during the season just as important as the conceptual design of the next car,” said James Allison, Technical Director at Renault. “Today we hold for our R30 to each Grand Prix, a new package ready parts, whose size is roughly equivalent to those improvements we have introduced in the past, every third or fourth race.”
“We are there but no exception. Every team that wants to stay at the top, must rise to this challenge. This means for our colleagues in the workshops that they have to work so hard, and at such a high time pressure than ever before . The new front wing, which will celebrate its debut in Valencia, provides an ideal example of this: He is already the eighth variant, which comes this year for use – in the ninth race of the season! ”

But where does this escalation? A major factor provided by the new technical regulations, which came at the beginning of last year in force, so is still relatively young, always – and therefore much room for improvement, provides the enabling virtually every week important development steps. This applies in particular to the aerodynamics. Furthermore: Since modifications of the engine are not allowed to search for possibilities for improvement focused almost exclusively on the chassis of the cars.
“As further develop all vehicles on the grid with incredibly high speed, always, we need to bring any improvement found immediately able to use in order to remain competitive,” says Allison. “Previously, we have combined the optimization of a package, which is then flowed into a stage of evolution of the car. This we can not allow today. Each Grand Prix that you wait means lost performance.”

“The heavy workload meets each individual,” said Allison. “The workshop is constantly under the high pressure, constantly develop and produce new parts and need. We are therefore constantly faced with the difficult task of finding a healthy balance between major stages of development and reasonable workload.”

It seems almost an irony of fate that this once again increased rates of development associated with the prohibition of testing during the season goes. But while earlier, thousands of miles on the Grand Prix circuit in Barcelona have been scrubbed to run the team today in the central simulation computer at full speed to check for new parts and votes for their usefulness.
“Thanks to this advanced tools we can use the advantage that we bring some modifications on the track, set with an accuracy that is different from the real output by less than 0.5 percent,” said Allison. “For mechanical parts, we rely on computer simulations, whose results are then verified on test stands. With special durability testing arrangements, we can expose those individual components of loads and forces that occur in the context of a Grand Prix.”

Besides the incessant improvement of the current Grand Prix racer to run the latest from the beginning of summer and work on for next year seater. “We stand every time a difficult compromise on how much we already want to invest in the future without losing its competitiveness in the current season,” says Allison.

Bridgestone is taking a radical approach to next month’s German grand prix.

After extreme degradation and graining was credited for spicing up the recent Canadian grand prix, many paddock regulars suggested that it is the sport’s approach to tyres that that should be targeted for producing more exciting races.

F1′s sole tyre supplier announced on Monday that for the Hockenheim round late next month, the compounds on offer will be vastly different.

Both supplied compounds must be used at least once during grands prix, and in Germany, they will be the Montreal-spec ‘super soft’ as well as Bridgestone’s hardest tyre.

It is the first time there have been two hardness steps between the supplied compounds.

“The characteristics of the Hockenheim circuit allow us to bring the compounds from the extremes of our softness range,” confirmed head of development Hirohide Hamashima.

“This will give us very good data for evaluation and will be interesting for those who have called for a bigger difference between the allocated tyres.”

He explained that a similar approach was not possible for the subsequent Hungarian, Belgian, Italian and Singapore rounds.

“The Hungaroring requires a softer allocation as finding grip is always a target there.  Spa and Monza are high speed tests for cars and tyres, needing a harder allocation because of the heat durability requirements.

“Singapore is a high-speed street course where the softer allocation is suited,” said Hamashima.

Bridgestone said the compound allocation for the final five rounds of 2010 will be made later in the year.

(GMM)

Cosworth engine supplier since 2006, has enjoyed his first action in the Formula One racetrack.  This week two of his clients have tested its engines.

The AT & T Williams team carried out the three day test in the Valencia Circuit in Spain, placing the Cosworth V8 CA to seriously give its first steps for the first time in a racetrack.

The new Virgin Racing team unveiled its digitally designed racing car known as the VR-01, with Cosworth engine on Wednesday before the initial sampler session in Silverstone.

This way, Cosworth F1 executives have expressed their first impressions

In an interview with Mark Gallagher, Director General of Cosworth F1 (Business Unit) he was asked about “what relevance have this week’s activities had regarding the World Championship:”
“We are excited to have begun this week the pre-season tests in Valencia with Williams, because it was our first opportunity to see the CA in the rear end of a racing car with all the consequences that has.  The development and test of an engine in our installations in Northampton is one thing, but to see it in the racetrack takes us to a new phase in our program, “ explained Mark Gallagher.

It’s evident that they are thrilled with the debut in the F1, giving credit to their work with Williams, the Director stated;  “Our work with Williams has been very important to collect data, driver’s response and to measure the initial results of the combination of the CA engine to the FW32 chassis.  Our first performance measure will always be the durability, and the fact that Rubens and Nico have completed more than 1.200 kms between both, showed that the engine’s reliability has been up to our expectations. We also paid attention to the global success of the overall installation; see how the engine works together with the Williams gear selection and prove all the associated systems, pressures, cooling system, temperatures.. [...]  Now, we’re waiting for next week’s test in Jerez where we can take our technical program with the team to the next level. “

However, the Director looked particularly excited with the Cosworth VR-01 combination.  “It was very gratifying to see the Virgin-Cosworth VR-01 this week and to welcome the first of our new teams in the Formula One.  We have developed a solid work relationship with Virgin Racing during the last months, and I would like to congratulate Nick Wirth and his design team for the results of their efforts. We’re doing all that is possible to support them since the beginning of their activities in  F1 and when they join with Williams in Jerez, next week we’ll have two teams in the racetrack which will increase our pre-season activities very much.“

What are you specifically involved with? “We were at Silverstone with Virgin Racing for a shakedown session, as a base before the test in Jerez.  Even though the weather conditions were good today, the car worked as expected and it has been a good opportunity to start to understand the new chassis-engine.  This will help to insure that we’re capable of doing most of next week’s important test in Spain.“