Red Bull has devised a “clever” way of reclaiming some of the downforce lost through the banning of blown diffusers.
That is the claim of Jean Francois Caubet, who is in charge of the team’s engine supplier Renault.

Red Bull, the reigning back to back world champions, and Renault Sport F1 have worked more closely than ever before ahead of their 2012 title defence.

“Formula one is about creativity,” Caubet is quoted by Germany’s Auto Bild, “and although the rules have changed, we have worked with Red Bull and found a solution to compensate for the loss of performance.”

Last year, the cars acquired extra downforce through the ‘blowing’ of hot engine exhaust gases into the diffuser, even when the driver was off the throttle.

It is rumoured that, despite the FIA’s ban, some teams have flown close to the letter of the new rules with their new solutions.

“It is not the same as before,” Caubet continued, “but a clever development that could make the difference.”

After the first week of testing at Jerez recently, some observed that Adrian Newey’s new Red Bull RB8 was cornering as though on rails.

“That’s because we all used to play with model trains,” joked team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Added Newey: “The exhaust is one of the areas in which we still have some ideas up our sleeves.”

 Renault is a secret to Red Bull’s recent success in formula one, the French carmaker claims.
The common perception, however, is that the energy drink-owned team has dominated the sport in recent years despite Mercedes-Benz actually supplying a more powerful 2.4 litre V8 engine to Red Bull’s rivals.

“The Mercedes engine is indeed about 15 horse power more powerful than ours,” confirmed Renault Sport F1′s Jean-Francois Caubet.

“But in terms of driveability and fuel economy, it is our engine in front. So when it comes to the bottom line, we are a little bit better than Mercedes,” he claimed to Germany’s Sport Bild magazine.

The most crucial factor, Caubet claimed, is the engine’s fuel economy amid the backdrop of the recent ban on in-race refuelling.

“Because our consumption is lower, Red Bull can start the races with 15 to 18 litres less petrol in the tank than the competition,” he said.

“That makes a big difference.”

Another factor is Sebastian Vettel’s driving, he agreed, with the back to back world champion having a “very fuel efficient” style, and being “extremely interested in the data”.

“They are both key factors when the driver wants to use the engine perfectly,” said Caubet.

Karun Chandhok has warned motor racing that danger and risk must not be removed entirely.
The recent Indycar and MotoGP deaths of Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli respectively has put the spotlight on how to further reduce the danger of premier motor sport.

F1 is regarded as much safer than the aforementioned sports, but Team Lotus reserve driver Chandhok insists no form of racing should be completely safe.

“Enough element of danger is also involved in F1,” he told the Press Trust of India. “But it’s an exciting career and the essence of excitement would get lost thinking of too much safety measures.

“You have to take your chances on the track. No one asked us to join formula one or placed a gun on our head that you have to race. It’s a career we chose,” he added.

Chandhok insisted that global motor racing should not be regarded as in “crisis”.

“It is not like that,” he is quoted by Calcutta’s Telegraph. “What has happened in the last one week is extremely sad but accidents do happen.”

F1 might end a spate of near-constant driver penalties by installing a permanent race steward. FIA president Jean Todt’s new initiative of having a former professional racing driver on the stewards’ panel at every grand prix has been widely praised. But the system may not be perfect, as the last couple of grands prix indicate. Some observers were amazed that Sebastian Vettel’s swerve against Jenson Button at the Suzuka start last weekend was not penalised. “I am not going to lie. At that moment in time, yes, I felt that it was a little bit more than was needed,” said Japanese grand prix winner Button. Alex Wurz, speaking on Austrian television ORF, said he thinks Vettel was lucky not to have his championship celebrations delayed by a penalty. “He was lucky that (1980 world champion) Alan Jones was the driver steward, because someone else might have issued a warning or even a stop and go,” he said. Agreed a report in Speed Week: “Obviously Alan Jones took a tough approach (at Suzuka).” Like Button, also upset at Suzuka was Felipe Massa, angry that Lewis Hamilton’s latest collision went unpunished. “They (the stewards) have penalised people for much less this year and this time they didn’t do it,” said the Brazilian. Force India team manager Otmar Szafnauer agrees that consistency is crucial so that drivers know how to behave. “If something has happened three times before then he knows the way it is and what has to happen,” he told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Robert Kubica was paid by Renault in 2011, team owner Gerard Lopez has revealed.
His comments to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport follow reports that the Enstone based team may be happier to choose between Vitaly Petrov, Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean for next season’s lineup.

Genii’s Lopez however said that with injured Pole Kubica nearing recovery from his horror rally crash injuries, it is wrong to suggest Renault prefers pay-drivers.

“If Robert is on the market then of course we will take him,” he said. “Our commercial model requires success on the tracks.

“Also we paid Robert’s salary this year, although he drove no races with us.”

Last week, some media reports suggested team boss Eric Boullier was firm with an end-of-October deadline, even though Kubica may only be ready to decide his comeback for 2012 some weeks later.

“We will look at the matter at the beginning of November,” Lopez clarifies. “Robert will have a car to show us what he can do.

“The data analysis is now so good that you can see with another car whether he is physically able to return.”

As for paddock suggestions that Genii is running Renault more as a business rather than a racing team looking for results, Lopez firmly denied it.

And the rumours about being late in engine payments to Renault Sport F1?: “We have paid every bill on time,” he insisted.

“We have increased the team from 480 to 520 employees, we have expanded the wind tunnel from 50 to 60 per cent and are about to install a new simulator. These are not things you do if you only have the business in mind.”

F1′s major engine manufacturers want the FIA to drop regulations that guarantee customers for their rivals.
Currently, there are four engine makers on the grid — Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Cosworth.

The latter independent supplier, however, is reportedly fighting for customers for 2012 and beyond, with Williams switching to Renault and rumours HRT could follow Team Lotus in also ending its association with Cosworth.

And for 2014, new supplier Pure intends to enter formula one with a V6 design, but its boss Craig Pollock is reportedly concerned that he too will struggle to compete with the major manufacturers.

In Singapore, figures for Mercedes-Benz – currently supplying McLaren, Force India and its works team – and Renault, with no fewer than four contracted customers for 2012, sounded unapologetic.

“I am pushing for an open market because we are in formula one and regulations cannot solve all the problems,” said Renault Sport F1′s Jean-Francois Caubet.

Mercedes’ Norbert Haug agreed: “If five teams choose ‘engine x’, then they should do so, it should be a free and open market.”

The German sounded uncertain that the fifth supplier, Pollock’s Pure, will ultimately join the party in 2014.

“This would be very pleasing for all of us, even more competition, but maybe we (will) have less than five, we will see,” said Haug.

Williams will not be getting an early taste of its 2012 power plant.

The British team, currently Cosworth powered, will reunite the famous title-winning Williams-Renault alliance next year.

But Renault Sport F1 chief Jean-Francois Caubet played down speculation the new combination will get a head-start on the test track.

“Our philosophy is staying the same,” he is quoted by France’s autohebdo.fr. “We will probably not test before the end of the year, but early next year instead.”

Caubet also revealed that the Williams deal has been on the cards for some time.

“We were in discussion since last season but it was impossible to complete the agreement until now. We were about to sign before the arrival of the V6 (regulations), which delayed us a bit more,” he added.

An off-the-record Adrian Newey was furious on Thursday as the big topic in Valencia was the FIA’s mid-season clampdown on blown exhausts.
“I’m not really a friend of rule changes during a season,” agreed Michael Schumacher, whose Mercedes team as well as Renault and Red Bull are tipped to be the biggest losers of the clampdown that takes effect across this weekend and also the British grand prix in two weeks.

“I don’t know or understand all the background,” added the seven time world champion, indicating the FIA decision has a political flavour.

Schumacher predicted the clampdown will affect all the top teams but is a “big blow” to runaway championship leaders Red Bull, the pioneers of the technology.

Eric Boullier, Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov were also outspoken about the fact the ban is taking place right in the middle of the 2011 season, because the Renault R31 is built entirely around the innovative concept of its front-exiting exhausts.

Red Bull designer Newey said: “Renault is going to feel it because their entire exhaust concept is based on having the exhaust gases (flowing) all the time.”

When talking about the impact on Red Bull, Newey’s private conversation to Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio was off the record.

“Too bad I can’t write what he said. Nor use the tone of his comments,” said the O Estado de S.Paulo correspondent.

Team boss Christian Horner added: “Directly, the FIA’s decision was based on a technicality. Indirectly, you should ask the FIA.”

The ban that takes effect this weekend applies to the aggressive engine mapping settings that some teams, notably Red Bull, have been using in qualifying before reverting a race mode.

Red Bull’s engine supplier Renault admits it is worried.

“If Saturday is 30 degrees and Sunday is 15, the temperature difference requires a very different operation of the engine,” said Renault Sport F1′s Brazilian engineer Ricardo Penteado.

“So (the ban means there could be) a high risk of damage to the engine. We have explained it to the (FIA) officials and they said we will only be allowed to intervene with their consideration.”

The Renault might be more efficient but Norbert Haug says he is happy with the perception that Mercedes’ is the most powerful engine in F1.
Renault Sport F1, powering the Renault team as well as Red Bull and Team Lotus, claimed recently that the RS27 is “extremely good” in the area of consumption, saving 10 per cent more fuel than usual to burn through customer teams’ blown exhausts.

The boast was a counter to the general perception in F1, pressed by Red Bull who have in the past coveted the German power, that it is Mercedes’ V8 that is the best on the grid overall.

“I don’t know the numbers of our competitors,” said the Stuttgart marque’s motor racing chief Norbert Haug, “but our engine as well as our KERS are repeatedly referred to as the yardstick in the industry.

“We haven’t claimed this ourselves, but many have argued it,” he told Auto Motor und Sport.

“That our competitors do highly competent work, whether they are called Ferrari, Renault or Cosworth, there is no doubt,” he said.

But Haug then moved to counter Renault’s claim that it is the most efficient engine that might be described as the best in F1.

“Using less fuel than your competitor is generally because you have less power.

“I think that in specific consumption, we look very good. In absolute consumption, for the reason I gave, maybe I prefer if we are not the very best,” he insisted.

Renault will race in formula one this year with a British license.
It means that if Robert Kubica or Vitaly Petrov win a race, it will be God Save The Queen rather than La Marseillaise that is played on the podium.

Boulogne-Billancourt headquartered Renault SA’s ownership of the Oxfordshire based team was one of France’s last remaining links to F1.

But the team, previously operating under a French racing license, is now co-owned by Luxembourg investment firm Genii Capital and the Malaysian-owned British sports car marque Group Lotus.

There is also no French grand prix or active race driver in F1.

“Lotus is an English manufacturer,” Renault team boss Eric Boullier explained at the Autosport International show in Birmingham, referring to the outfit’s new title sponsor and partner.

He insisted that the change of identity for Lotus Renault GP is “important for everybody inside the team”

“We are rebranding everything inside the company now,” added Frenchman Boullier.

Renault SA’s official involvement in F1 this year will be limited to engine supply, with Renault Sport F1 providing V8s to customers Lotus Renault GP, Team Lotus and Red Bull.

Work began on Thursday to lay the final top layer of asphalt at Korea’s new Yeongam circuit.

The race organisers only have three days to complete the job before the FIA’s Charlie Whiting begins a two-day inspection on Monday.

“Work on the final surface layer will probably be done by Friday,” confirmed spokesman Kim Jae-ho.

But the looming inspection deadline means the fate of the event, scheduled for October 24, could rest on as little as the local weather forecast.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, F1′s governing FIA and commercial body FOM have covered their tracks by requiring the organisers to sign a letter.

The letter guarantees that the asphalt will be properly cured and ready to accommodate F1 cars later this month.

Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chairman Rubens Barrichello said on Thursday: “We are not worried, because we know that the FIA only approves a circuit if all the safety requirements are met.

“I am looking forward to the inspection next week and hearing if it’s a green or red light,” added the Brazilian.

Ferrari will write off the 2010 season if the team does not secure a good result at Monza.

That is the announcement of the famous Italian marque’s F1 boss Stefano Domenicali, referring to Fernando Alonso’s 41 point gap to the championship leader with just six races left to run.

“Should Monza go really badly and Red Bull’s lead continues to increase, then on Monday we will begin to use all of our staff and resources for the project of next season’s car,” he is quoted by the sports daily Corriere dello Sport.

F1 experts and pundits, including Bernie Ecclestone and Niki Lauda, have recently played down expectations that Alonso will be able to emulate the role formerly played at Ferrari by Michael Schumacher.

Domenicali disagrees: “Alonso reminds me very much of Schumacher.

“Since I’ve been with Ferrari, I have not seen a driver who has as strong a presence in Maranello, and follows all of our activities with the same conviction” as the Spaniard, he added.