There was an issue with a lack of lubrication to the bottom of the pistons that they could not replicate back in the labs but this is now sorted and so Renault can push on with upping the power now this is sorted.  

Worth remembering that Mercedes is a much smaller company than Renault (Nissan Alliance and now Nissan is the largest selling Japanese company in Europe) and Goshn has now personally intervened in the F1 issue.

Daimler Benz owns Mercedes, so I would imagine that they're a fairly large company, but I'm not too sure the size of the company relates to the design of an F1 engine

 It was always going to be an issue after the Renault engine cars won 4 manufacturers titles in a row.

Red Bull Blown Diffusers

Hats off for Mercedes engineers getting the quantum leap in turbo design (still much lower power than the Renault engines of 20 years ago but much more efficient of course).  

20 years ago it was different regs, you can only compare engines built to the same regs

Most people would like to see the big manufacturers ie Ford, GM, VAG as well as Renault in F1 as well as the low to medium volume manufacturers such as Ferrari and Mercedes I think.  

Mercedes a medium volume manufacturer?

 

Indeed as they sell their cars, on average for a lot more than Renault, Dacia, Lada, Nissan do.  I do not think Mercedes have yet broken the one million cars a year where Renault make about 3M and Nissan about 5M, I gather Renault actually make the engines for some Mercedes cars ie the some of the smaller models which is not really Daimler's thing.  Renault also own about 2% of Daimler last I heard and they are just about to do a joint venture in Mexico again as Daimler do not have much experience in that sort of thing.

 

All things said I think the Smart is a great idea and if they were lots more Smarts there would be a whole lot less traffic problems.  After just having done a whistle stop tour of 7 European cities traffic is a huge curse and the Smart type design would cure much of the congestion issues.

 

Any road up Daimler/Mercedes are also Daddys of truck world too. Circa $100B businesses and both been pushing the engineering envelope for the last few years.  shame some of the other manufacturers do not follow suit ie still no turbo R8 !!

 

Oh and yes agree the Aero and handling package was as much to do with the winning as the engine of course. 

The size of the parent company doesn't have much relation to F1 engine design does it?

 

After all Mercedes bought out independent engine designer ILMOR rather than build their own motors.

 

ILMOR's previous all conquering motor was named for Chevrolet.

 

Years earlier Ford got a lot of credit (and 155 wins) for work done by COSWORTH.

 

Works Honda engines have come from John JUDD too.

Edited 2 August, 201510 yr by camelspyyder

The size of the parent company doesn't have much relation to F1 engine design does it?    After all Mercedes bought out independent engine designer ILMOR rather than build their own motors.  ILMOR's previous all conquering motor was named for Chevrolet.  Years earlier Ford got a lot of credit (and 155 wins) for work done by COSWORTH.  Works Honda engines have come from John JUDD too.

 

Well you need to spend tens of millions of pounds/Euros to get to a winning streak.  It is reckoned that Toyota spent quarter of a billion dollars and as we know failed, but you cannot do it in a shed with a few thousand quid.  Having a genius like whoever figured out the optimum KERS and related systems and hopefully this will translate in to on the road efficiency for the car.  So sure it has some relationship though is just one factor.

 

Even this "German" owned team is based in England of course as are most the F1 team of course.   Ilmor was tiny compared to the current operation.  It would be interesting to see if Mercedes have quantified any benefits from winning last year, merchandise etc.  The cost of Ferrari products in the Ferrari shop in Milan and all their licensed sales must be many many millions.         

The only reason the big motor manufactures get involved in motorsport is the amount of advertising and 'product placement' that takes place. Ferrari proved this in the 1950's, win on Sunday, sell the cars on Monday. Manufactures can also benefit from the technology from F1 in what is used on the road.

Indeed as they sell their cars, on average for a lot more than Renault, Dacia, Lada, Nissan do.  I do not think Mercedes have yet broken the one million cars a year where Renault make about 3M and Nissan about 5M,

Mercedes sold over 1.7 million cars last year: http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-mercedes-benz-cars-2014-sales-up-114-percent-to-174-million-vehicles-2015-1?r=US&IR=T

 

In 2013 Renault sold just over 2.1 million cars and Nissan 5.1 million.

The only reason the big motor manufactures get involved in motorsport is the amount of advertising and 'product placement' that takes place. Ferrari proved this in the 1950's, win on Sunday, sell the cars on Monday. Manufactures can also benefit from the technology from F1 in what is used on the road.

 

That was not how Ferrari operated in the 1950's.

 

Ferrari only sold road cars (or indeed racers) to finance his works team racing activities.

 

Today, owned by a giant corporation, I think Ferrari has a different business model.

 

 

 

It is alleged that "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday" was coined by a Ford (and Shelby American) dealer, Bob Tasca in the 1960's.

Edited 3 August, 201510 yr by camelspyyder

Mercedes sold over 1.7 million cars last year: http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-mercedes-benz-cars-2014-sales-up-114-percent-to-174-million-vehicles-2015-1?r=US&IR=T

 

In 2013 Renault sold just over 2.1 million cars and Nissan 5.1 million.

 

Mercedes figure sounds like it includes both the Smart cars and the Renault engined Merc A/B class, badged as Mercs but using the 1.5 DCI Renault engine.  Merc even call it 160 and 180s to make it sound bigger than it is.  Doubt most punters know they have a big chunk of Renault in them. Ha, Ha https://youtu.be/rX7wtNOkuHo .

 

The 2.1M sounds like for Renault Group vehicles just badged as Renaults and not the extended family.  There own figures,( http://media.renault.com/global/en-gb/renaultgroup/Media/PressRelease.aspx?mediaid=64911) show 2.1M (2013 and 2014) for passenger and light vans but does not include Dacia half a million cars.  Saw them in several places over Europe over the last couple of weeks ie France, Gibraltar, Italy.  Now being used as Taxis as well as personal cars.  Some UK Dealers are selling more Dacia badged Renault Group cars than Renault badged cars from the joint dealerships.   There is also the Samsung cars and not sure how it works with Lada, very strange arrangement.  Great to see Lada win a WTCC race this year, so funny to pip mighty GM, Honda, PSA.

Not a great deal of "Lada" content in Rob Huff's Vesta though - being an ORECA product through and through.

 

And on another tack, does anybody know why Thommo got the push from the team mid-season.

Edited 3 August, 201510 yr by camelspyyder

Jenson Button believes the proliferation of data in Formula 1 has made it far easier for drivers in recent years compared to the early stages of his career.

 

Former Williams and McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya recently suggested F1 should get rid of gadgets such as the tyre and temperature sensors, claiming "the racing would get better by 10 per cent, I'm certain of that".

 

Button, who raced against Montoya during the Colombian's F1 career that ran from 2001-2006, feels the current IndyCar Series leader has a point.

 

"Juan Pablo, when he raced, there weren't all these sensors," said Button.

 

"When we were both racing back then, when you got into Formula 1, it was about learning about the tyres, about finding your feet, learning stuff for yourself.

 

"It wasn't about the team telling you how hard to push through one corner and how hot the tyres are getting through another.

 

"You had to feel it for yourself. For me that was a lot more fun.

 

"There's a lot more information on offer now, which you're going to take if you're a new driver.

 

"But for me it was an area where you could work and improve yourself, and you could do a better job than other drivers and it could make a difference.

 

"Now it's not the case, so I agree with Juan Pablo, which is very unusual!"

 

Speaking at last month's FIA Sport Conference in Mexico City, current IndyCar points leader Montoya said: "The driver is now lazy. There's no feel.

 

"They see [the temperature] is too much they back off the pace.

 

"Look at the tyres, back off the pace, look at the brakes, back off the pace.

 

"If you take all that away it becomes a feel thing again. If you drive it too hard you're going to wear the tyres.

 

"The driver and the team just have too much information.

 

"It's OK to have the information in practice, but that information shouldn't be there in the race for the drivers. It's got to be a feel thing.

 

"Also it will mean you will start to see the talented people coming through."

 

Taken from Autosport - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120215

Not sure how many on here opted to participate in for the recent F1 fan survey.

 

Check your email Inbox or Spam folder - I received a follow-up survey request this morning.

Not sure how many on here opted to participate in for the recent F1 fan survey.

 

Check your email Inbox or Spam folder - I received a follow-up survey request this morning.

 

Didn't bother with the first. Do you really think that Bernie/CVC/F1 et al will actually listen to what the fans are saying?

 

 

The secretive F1 financial working group is also pleased with the weekend, but insists more needs to be done to satisfy investors, who will in turn be very disappointed if their profit margin stops increasing. To that end, all 21 races of the revised 2016 calendar will comprise solely of the Hungarian GP. This will continue until the race isn’t as interesting, which will prompt another crisis meeting, badgering the drivers to survey fans and investigate why F1 is broken yet again.

 

Didn't bother with the first. Do you really think that Bernie/CVC/F1 et al will actually listen to what the fans are saying?

 

 

 

 

Fair point - no issue with that outcome.... it is to be expected from Bernie & co.

 

I feel better for putting my thoughts down on the survey and sharing my opinion - end of.

If it's ignored - ce la vie.... the Bernie Bus continues on in whatever direction he sees fit.

 

Part of the 2nd survey was very focused on the 2016 Azerbaijan race setup....

If they were sincere about making F1 more interesting, they'd stop fleeing classic tracks like Hockenheim (pre shortening) for things like the Hunboringring and Tilkedromes.

 

The only reason Hungary 2015 was interesting was that both Mercedes, ah, male chickened up their starts!

yes, I got the 2nd survey request, and completed it.

Seemed to be mainly about whether or not it's a good idea to have the EUROPEAN Grand Prix in Azerbijan next year.

Jacques Villeneuve summed it up perfectly for me:

 

"What we are missing is a special Formula 1.

 

"Formula 1 should stop trying to get more fans and concentrate on the fans it already has."

 

When asked what he considered to be a "special Formula 1", the 11-­time F1 race winner replied: "What is special is a car that no-one can drive.

 

"It is a car that only 10 guys in the world can drive properly and 10 others can survive properly in it. Like it used to be.

 

"It is a car that is crazy fast. F1 should be the extremes of everything."

 

And also what Jenson Button said

 

"They see [the temperature] is too much they back off the pace.

 

"Look at the tyres, back off the pace, look at the brakes, back off the pace.

 

"If you take all that away it becomes a feel thing again. If you drive it too hard you're going to wear the tyres.

 

"The driver and the team just have too much information.

 

"It's OK to have the information in practice, but that information shouldn't be there in the race for the drivers. It's got to be a feel thing.

 

"Also it will mean you will start to see the talented people coming through."

 

Somewhere in there is the recipe for proper F1 in my opinion

 

 

 

 

And also what Jenson Button said

 

 

 

 

Think this was actually Juan Pablo Montoya... I read the article, both drivers were mentioned. But this sounds more like JPM's style of speech.

Doesn't stop him being right though.

Think this was actually Juan Pablo Montoya... I read the article, both drivers were mentioned. But this sounds more like JPM's style of speech.

Doesn't stop him being right though.

 

I think you might be right about that. I can't imagine Jenson saying "They see is too much they back off the pace."

News that Jenson Button has been gassed during a burglary in which £300k of property stolen at his French home. Apparently anaesthetic gas canister released into air conditioning vent.

Ferrari have announced they are keeping Raikkonen for 2016.

 

This probably means Buttons F1 career may well be over as McLaren have shown interest in signing Kevin Magnussen or Vandoorne. My guess is either of those two are going to come a lot cheaper than Button and as there seems little prospect of McLaren mixing it with the top teams (unless they're getting lapped) for another year, they may well junk Button and go for a cheapie number two to Alonso.

 

At least we have Spa to look forward to this weekend (though it's not a track McLaren are likely to perform well at).

Ferrari have announced they are keeping Raikkonen for 2016.

 

This probably means Buttons F1 career may well be over as McLaren have shown interest in signing Kevin Magnussen or Vandoorne. My guess is either of those two are going to come a lot cheaper than Button and as there seems little prospect of McLaren mixing it with the top teams (unless they're getting lapped) for another year, they may well junk Button and go for a cheapie number two to Alonso.

 

At least we have Spa to look forward to this weekend (though it's not a track McLaren are likely to perform well at).

And it probably also means that Williams are keeping Filipe and Valteri for another year too, I don't see Mercedes changing from Lewis and Nico unless one or both is out of contract...

^^ I agree Ken, and with jlwah

 

Merc - remain the same

Ferrari - remain the same

Williams - remain the same

McLaren - drop Button for either KMag or Vandoorne

 

The rest of the field is anyone's guess!

This probably means Buttons F1 career may well be over

Clears the way for him to be Chris Evans' new Stig

Interesting suggestions of a return to ground effect cars in 2017 (to a certain extent) - link

 

Would certainly change things quite a bit as there wouldn't be such a reliance on front/rear wings for downforce (with the corresponding problems when another car comes close).

Clearly Ferrari are only chasing the Drivers title now, having not signed a better second driver to chase the Constructors.

 

Raikkonen is past it, and clearly no threat to Vettel.

 

It is obvious the power in the team is with the guy who can pick his own number 2 driver (Senna style), and not with Arrivabene.

 

Vettel has learned that he doesn't like a fast #2 (for instance Ricciardo, but it just as well could be Bo77as or Hulkenberg) and he is happy to have Raikkonen on board since he is no longer a threat.

 

 

 

pros and cons looked at here:

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120369

Edited 20 August, 201510 yr by camelspyyder

It's also how ferrari roll though isn't it? Having a #1 driver that is. I think it's better that way, (incoming flak) although yes, granted it's more tense seeing team mates racing in equal kit, it's not the teams interest. One of them will baulk sooner than if wearing different colours.

 

So having a rear gunner #2 in Raikkonen, who knows how to keep it 'fast' enough, allows them to play team games to get Vettle up the road.

 

I also think JB's time is probably up, he must know it, he was as good as saying it last year. Which is sad as he's one of the better people to be on the telly. never know Alonso might walk... might be quicker.