Vettel: Red Bull's heads held high for Montreal

Red Bull have endured a rough ride in the ten days since May’s Turkish Grand Prix. As well as the furore that surrounded the crash between team mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber at Istanbul Park, the team also know that this weekend’s Canadian race will be a tough test, with many tipping McLaren to dominate.

Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with its slow corners and long straights, should certainly favour the F-Duct equipped MP4-25 of the British team. But rather than feeling downcast, Vettel is optimistic the previously dominant RB6 has enough performance in reserve to overcome the dearth of high-speed corners, in which the car has been particularly quick, to maintain Red Bull’s advantage.

“It’s a very nice track - I like it,” the German told Red Bull’s official website. “On paper it’s probably not the best for our car, but on the other hand our car has been very competitive at every single race this year, so I think we can go there with our heads held high. We will try to do our best.”

“I think the McLarens will be very strong there because, whatever you call them - J-switch or F-duct system - should work there again very well,” added Vettel. “So we’ll see, but I think we have a very good chance. We’ll try to score the maximum amount of points.”

Source: Formula1.com

Alonso: It's hard to match Red Bull

Fernando Alonso admits the Ferrari team are a bit baffled by Red Bull's exceptional pace

The Spaniard, who currently sits third in the Drivers' Championship behind Mark Webber and Seb Vettel, has, along with the rest of the field, struggled to match the Red Bulls, with the Milton Keynes-based team having claimed pole in every race this season coupled with three race wins.

The Ferrari man admits it's tough to work out what is making the Red Bulls so dominant.

"It would be nice if we knew that," Alonso told Die Welt.

"It is incredibly difficult to figure out why the competition is better here and there. And so it is hard to copy them."

As happened with the double-diffusers last year and the f-ducts this year, teams often attempt to copy each other's designs and set-ups in order to emulate their performances.

"But whether it always works is a different matter," Alonso said of the practice.

"Because every team also has its own design philosophy into which fits the next elements. It means that you have to develop better in your own direction," he added.

Source: Planet-F1

F-ducts back on teams' agendas for Turkey

Sauber removed the F-duct from its C29 for Monaco for safety reasons, the Swiss team's boss has revealed.

Ferrari also decided not to run the downforce-spoiling concept in the Principality, but the Italian team argued that the device simply was not effective on the twisty streets.

But Peter Sauber said his team's decision was for a different reason.

"I wanted my drivers to have both their hands on the steering wheel through the tunnel," he is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"Ever since Karl Wendlinger had his accident there in 1994, I have respect for this place," added Sauber.

Like Ferrari, Sauber's system involves blocking an air inlet with the drivers' hand.

The McLaren system is activated by the knee, but Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that the time advantage was just a few hundredths per lap in Monaco.

Ferrari's system will be back on the F10 car in Turkey in two weeks.

"Our system did not work as desired in Barcelona," confirmed team boss Stefano Domenicali. "We are still fine-tuning it."

The red cars were very fast in a straight line in Spain, but the system was also shedding downforce in the corners "when the system was not being activated", the Italian admitted.

Red Bull will also begin experimenting with the concept in Turkey.

"We are doing the research and for sure at the next couple of races we will have a look at it, but we will only introduce it when it earns a place on the car," Christian Horner told F1's official website.

Source: F1 Complete

Controversial F-duct to be banned from F1 by 2011

The contentious, McLaren-Mercedes pioneered F-duct aerodynamic innovation is to be banned from F1 in 2011 following an overwhelming vote against it from the other teams – after Fernando Alonso's one-armed driving in the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend raised concerns both about the system's safety and that it might trigger an expensive new 'arms race' in the top flight in an era of overriding cost-cutting.

Operated by drivers alternately blocking and unblocking a hole inside the cockpit with either their hand or their knee, the F-duct – which cleverly circumvented the regulation that F1 cars may carry no moveable aerodynamic appendages – diverts air flow to reduce drag and thereby improve straight-line speed.

However, after Ferrari introduced their own rather more radical and potentially dangerous interpretation of the concept in Barcelona, double world champion Alonso was seen manually opening and closing the air vent whilst out on the track – thereby meaning the Spaniard had only one hand on the steering wheel at speeds of up to 200mph, and when adjusting his brake bias with his other hand, no hands at all.

Whilst the Oviedo native downplayed any fears that he was not in full control of his car – insisting that he is able to close the hole through a pad sewn into his left glove and that 'this method is now automatic' – during a Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) meeting at the Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday, McLaren was unable to successfully persuade its fellow competitors that the F-duct should stay.

“It is a clever piece of engineering and hats off to the guys who invented it,” Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner told Reuters, “but some of the solutions this weekend look a bit marginal when you see drivers driving with fingertips and no hands. I think there is a safety issue and a cost issue to take into account – and the majority voted through not to have it next year.”

“By the end of this year I know that we – and I'm sure most of the other teams – will have an F-duct on the car and I'm sure that just neutralises the advantage of having it,” added Mercedes Grand Prix CEO Nick Fry, who advocated the need for similar non road-relevant developments in F1 to be 'nipped in the bud'. “I think on the F-duct in particular there are other ideas that one can come up with and that the engineers have already come up with which are even zanier than that.

“When I look at some of the things our engineers have come up with and which on the face of it apply the same principles, they are zany in the extreme and it is difficult to see how they would be used elsewhere – plus they would be expensive. I know it's disappointing for those that invent these ideas, but I think what people have got to get used to is that, like the double-diffuser, they may be fairly short-lived. If it isn't a useful technology then it comes off; what we should be encouraging is stuff that we can use elsewhere.”

The double-diffuser was contentiously introduced by Mercedes' predecessor Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams at the beginning of last season, and played a significant role in the former's early dominance and ultimately title-winning run. The device was officially declared legal by governing body the FIA in April – but by then the Brackley-based outfit had already pulled just too far out of reach to be caught. Double-diffusers have likewise been outlawed from next year onwards.

Source: Crash

Ferrari will not use F-duct in Monaco

Ferrari's F10 car will not feature its new F-duct system on the streets of Monaco this weekend.

The Italian team finally got its hand-triggered blown rear wing concept up and running for the Spanish Grand Prix and set highly competitive straight-line speeds.

But boss Stefano Domenicali said the car will feature the conventional rear wing and engine cover this weekend because Monaco requires the highest levels of downforce at all times.

He also backed Felipe Massa amid claims the Brazilian's struggle at the wheel of the F10 could cost him his seat for 2011.

"He is a great driver and we have to make him feel comfortable again with the car," Domenicali is quoted by Spain's AS newspaper.

He also played down suggestions the issue of tyre supply for 2011 is likely to be finally settled in Monaco this weekend.

"It is going to take another couple of weeks, although we will talk about it again in Monaco," Finland's Turun Sanomat quotes the Italian as saying.

Source: Motorsport.com

Sebastian Vettel Q&A: Red Bull ‘F-duct’ close

The fastest man on the grid but no championship lead - it’s a mathematical equation Sebastian Vettel is struggling to understand. But the German youngster is putting on a brave front, hoping that this Sunday will be his turn again. Speaking to the media in Spain on Thursday, Vettel tackled this and a variety of issues, including Michael Schumacher’s media profile and the latest developments on Red Bull’s RB6…


Q: Sebastian, new game, new luck - or is the Shanghai race still a lump in your stomach?
Sebastian Vettel: Well, to start from pole and end P6 is not as intended by the inventor, but it was a very turbulent race and on top of that we weren’t fast enough at some parts of the race and probably lost the race in those moments. It also might be argued that strategically we could have done better in some situations, but to have a clear vision and judgement is always easy in hindsight…

Q: How do you see the fact that the RB6 was by far the fastest car in the first three races but not in the fourth race?
SV: Well, I think that Sunday in Shanghai was a hot pot - and I don’t mean that in terms of temperature. The conditions were extremely unpredictable - like obviously also this weekend here in Barcelona. Five minutes ago it was raining, now the sun is out again. I hope that is no sign for Sunday! Generally I don’t see anything to worry about because our car has the right pace and we’ve some upgrades on the car, so let’s hope that will do for the race. Hopefully better than P6!

Q: The first European race almost feels like a new start to the season. What have those four flyaway races taught you so far?
SV: One race felt really good: Malaysia was ours. At two races we’ve been en route to the top spot on the podium, but something came between the trophy and the RB6. And then there was that race in Shanghai that was rather chaotic, with a kind of fluctuation in the positions that we weren’t able to use to our advantage. In the end we were able to pocket the points for P6. Shanghai was one of those races where in the end you are just happy to finish and to collect points.

Q: What you’ve just said was a narration - but not an interpretation…
SV: The interpretation I’ve given before: the car is fast and there is no reason to worry. The season is still very young and there are many opportunities for wins ahead. Sure, it’s about time that the car delivers on Sunday and we have a smooth race ahead.

Q: How happy are you that the European season has finally started?
SV: The biggest difference for sure is the distance to the venues. There is no real change in the conditions this weekend, so I was told. It is pretty cold for Spain at this time of the year and there is even a chance of rain on Sunday. But let’s see what the weekend brings.

Q: You are still talked about positively in the media commentaries, in contrast to Michael Schumacher. Is that something that you follow and do you think these commentaries as just?
SV: I think it a bit unjust. Sure, people expected a lot but if would be fairer to give him more time. Sure, everybody has his own window of time so I don’t want to add another commentary to this discussion. All I can say is that I am sure that he knows what he is doing and it is always difficult to comment on internal team matters from the outside. But I am sure that if there is someone to pull it off after three years of sabbatical then it is Michael. I am sure that we will see him fighting for the front in the next couple of races.

Q: If you look at the current pecking order in the paddock - Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and so on - do you think that this will change in the near future to the advantage of Mercedes? Or is the situation rather stalled?
SV: It is possible. If you are able to make a huge leap in development - more than all the other teams - then it is within reach. But of course I don’t believe in a real revolution in the hierarchy of the pecking order. If you bet money on the big four you sure can’t go wrong.

Q: How far along is the development of Red Bull’s ‘F-duct’ system? Wouldn’t that be the huge leap you just mentioned?
SV: We are developing and planning to introduce it at one of the next races, but that’s not so easy as people might think. The chassis are homologated since the first race and to add it to a fully designed chassis does not happen in the twinkling of an eye - but we are close.

Q: A leap forward in a personal way: how huge will your jump be on Sunday? When looking at the standings is there already some sort of pressure when it comes to the championship?
SV: I don’t think that 15 points behind is the end of the world if you get 25 points for a win!

Source: Formula1.com

Fisichella tests new Ferrari rear wing

Ferrari test driver Giancarlo Fisichella was present at Italian track Vairano on Saturday in order to test a brand-new rear wing configuration, which could be used in this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. The test was part of permitted aerodynamic runs, as agreed by all teams.

Although a strict ban is in place on in-season circuit testing, all teams are allowed to conduct straight-line runs for aerodynamics for a total of four days during the season.

With the Maranello-based team having experimented with an f-duct system last time out in China, former Force India racer Fisichella trialled with a 'blown' rear wing, featuring a bubble-like centre section.

Driving Ferrari's latest chassis - code numbered 284 and to be driven by former Sauber team-mate Felipe Massa this weekend - Fisichella is also the first to drive the 2010 Ferrari with in-board cockpit side mirrors, as out-board mirrors are banned from Round 5 onwards for safety reasons.

With the data from Saturday now being analysed by Ferrari technicians, the team will run the new rear wing - including an f-duct system - on both Massa and Fernando Alonso's cars in Friday's two practice sessions at the Circuit de Catalunya; an evening decision will then be made with regards to whether the new component will remain in use for Saturday's qualifying session and Sunday's race.

Source: GP Update