Hamilton: Tyre wear not that dramatic

Lewis Hamilton says tyre wear around the Istanbul Park is not as bad as many drivers initially feared it would be

Prior to the Turkish GP, Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembrey stated that it could be the worst race for the Italian manufacturer as they were expecting high wear.

However, Friday's cooler temperatures, which saw rain in opening practice and a maximum of just 22 degrees in the afternoon session, meant the wear was not nearly as bad as predicted.

And with temperatures expected to remain low with more rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday, Hamilton is predicting just three, or even as few as two, stops in Sunday's grand prix.

"Quite surprised that they felt very similar to the last race," the McLaren driver told Autosport.

"I thought they'd be a lot worse here, but the long run was probably one of the best practice long runs I've ever had, so it was really good.

"I expect something similar to Shanghai, definitely. Two or three stops, no more than that."

Source: Planet-F1

Massa: Barcelona upgrade a step forward

Although Felipe Massa finished ahead of Red Bull at Barcelona on Thursday, the Brazilian reckons the latter is still the team to beat

For Ferrari's second day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, Massa put his upgraded 150° Italia through 132 laps as he tested the team's new upgraded package.

The package includes aerodynamic modifications as well as a new exhaust design, with the 29-year-old revealing that this is the car Ferrari will take to the Australian GP.

"It's better, just more downforce on the car, and the more downforce you have, the better, especially with these tyres that degrade quite a lot," was Massa's verdict.

"It was a big package. It works well. I think it will be more or less the package for the race.

"So now we're working hard for the next improvement, as we know how important that is during the Championship.

"But what we brought here was an improvement and the car is just better - better grip, better downforce."

And although he edged Red Bull's Mark Webber on Thursday, Massa says the reigning World Champions are the favourites to take this year's titles.

"First of all it's the team who won last year. And second, they are very quick here. Yesterday Sebastian did a very quick time. So I point to Red Bull."

Last season, Red Bull dominated qualifying and while Massa reckons the Scuderia have improved their pace over short-distance runs, he feels it race-pace where Ferrari can really match the Bulls.

"That was the case last year, but last year they had a very quick car so even if we improved more in qualifying compared to the race it was not easy to beat them.

"This year it's a little bit more difficult to know, because I saw some long runs from them - degrading as well, but it was quick even at the end.

"So I think it's very difficult to say now. We need to wait until we have everybody together at the same time with the same fuel, the same tyres."

Source: Planet-F1

Lewis Hamilton says new tyres will slow F1 teams down

Formula One is on a go-slow, according to Lewis Hamilton, one of five world champions on the grid when the new season gets under way in Melbourne three weeks time.

The new season will herald a number of technical changes, including the introduction of an adjustable rear wing and the return of the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS), which will make life busier than ever for the drivers.

But it is another change, the arrival of Pirelli as the sole tyre provider, which has made the biggest difference. According to Hamilton it has made the cars slower. As McLaren prepare for their final testing session in Barcelona, Hamilton said: "There is more to think about in the car. But Formula One does seem to have slowed down

"The cars are slower on a race distance. Last year we had to make tyres last with heavier fuel load and now it's even slower. I did run the other day and it was painfully slow, it really was. Just not exciting, to be honest.

"The first run – I didn't think I was pushing very hard – and the tyres were finished after nine laps, down to the canvas. On the next run, I had to go easier. It was almost like doing an out lap and just about made it to 15 or 16 on a soft tyre."

McLaren already have their hands full as they try to close the gap between themselves and the pace-setting Red Bull and Ferrari cars, but all the teams will have to come to terms with the new, fast-wearing tyres, which is likely to result in more pit-stops and more changes in the running order.

"Over the years you have to change your style and adapt, while keeping the important part, which is the speed and aggression," Hamilton said. "Now the biggest step is how we are going to have to look after the tyres.

"You'll see it's going to be just as competitive this year, if not more. The regs are bringing the teams closer, making it more competitive, but not as hard-core competitive. In 2007 and 2008, the teams were so quick and pushing each other so fast at the front. They've now slowed down the cars a little, it's maybe a more even playing field."

Hamilton's team-mate, Jenson Button, has seen a very fast Ferrari in the early testing sessions. Fernando Alonso has been very quick in testing – both drivers have at Ferrari. "And they have been reliable," Button said. "They were doing 140 laps a day and a couple of days we did 55. Big difference.

"They are in a great position. I don't really know how quick they are. I know he [Fernando] did his quick lap on a supersoft tyre in Barcelona. We didn't have one. You can look at their long runs and say they are consistent and so they must have downforce. They look strong.

"Red Bulls are the same as last winter. They didn't look amazingly strong and got to first race and were massively quick. Then you have a gaggle of cars. The Toro Rossos look very competitive, they have done a great job, the Renault is a step behind that, even Force India … There are a lot of quick cars out there."

Source: The Guardian

Alonso: “Important data for understanding the tyres”

Once again a lot of kilometres for the F150th Italia. Today, chassis 287 made its track debut, having previously been used for the crash tests and for bench testing and it too showed a good level of reliability, covering around 470 kilometres without any problems. Once again today, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s main aim, along with that of Fernando Alonso who was driving, was to gather data on the behaviour of the Pirelli tyres, getting their first taste of the very demanding Catalunya circuit.

“Overall, it was a positive day,” said Fernando speaking to www.ferrari.com. “We did a lot of laps and brought home much valuable information. It seems that, on this track too, there is a certain level of tyre degradation, but it is only the first day and we have to see how the track evolves between now and Monday.”

Fernando will be at the wheel of car number 5 again tomorrow, before Felipe takes over for Sunday and Monday.

Source: Ferrari.com

Vettel refuses to be drawn on Bull's pace

Sebastian Vettel believes it's "almost impossible" to know where Red Bull stand in the pecking order based on pre-season testing times

After a dominant display last season, which saw Vettel claim the Drivers' title and Red Bull the Constructors' crown, the German and his team are the ones to beat this season. That, though, has not been evident based on a surface look at the pre-season timesheets.

In seven days of testing, Red Bull have set the pace only once and that was on the very first day of testing at Valencia.

Since then, the Milton Keynes-based team has seemingly dropped down the order with Vettel finishing the final day at Jerez in eighth place, 2.390s off the pace.

However, the German isn't fazed, insisting that little can be deduced from the lap times as the teams are running different programmes with different tyres and fuel loads.

"It is almost impossible to know where we stand," he told the official F1 website. "Especially during the day it is almost impossible to learn what programme and what tyres everybody is on so we definitely focus on ourselves.

"In the evening, when the running is over, for sure you look for information from the other teams, but hardly at all during the time when the session is on."

The first two pre-season outings have given the drivers a taste of this year's regulations, which include KERS, moveable rear wings and the new Pirelli tyres.

The Red Bull driver admits it's a bit of an adjustment as the drivers have more to do than ever before.

"It's rather easy to get used to them, but of course this year you are busier than in the previous years and you have to evaluate where and when you use them.

"With degrading tyres the car's behaviour changes, so you have to understand when it's best to use the wing because it doesn't make sense to use it automatically always at the same spot."

Source: Planet-F1

2011 could be another big year for Button

Jenson Button gave Lewis Hamilton a good run for his money in 2010, but in 2011 Pirelli tyres and McLaren’s new creation could make him a title favourite

Softer tyres will help Button with his main weakness which is one lap speed. Furthermore higher degradation on the tyres will ensure that Jenson’s ability to look after them becomes more of an advantage than it was last season.

In 2010 there is no doubt that Hamilton had more raw speed than Jenson, and there were a few occasions when the margin was substantial.

However Button still remained in title contention for 18 of the 19 races thanks to making the most of his strengths. He could have made a five way fight in Abu Dhabi if he hadn’t been hit by Sebastian Vettel in Spa and his mechanics hadn’t made that error on the Monte-Carlo grid.

These strengths included those great strategy calls in mixed conditions, which won him races in Australia and China.

Also Button didn’t make any big errors worth speaking of all season long. All of the other contenders lost big points due to mistakes.

It should also be remembered that generally his race pace was never far off Lewis’s.

Of the McLaren pair Martin Brundle told fans at the Autosport show: “I think Jenson matched Lewis better than many expected.”

“The two victories he had were tremendous victories, and anybody would like those on their CV.”

He added: “Lewis is possibly the faster of the two in absolute raw speed, but Jenson was the man who got 49 laps on a set of tyres in Abu Dhabi that most parked after 11-15 laps.”

It was mainly qualifying that let Button down badly.

Because his driving is so smooth he struggles to warm up the tyres for that all important qualifying lap on a Saturday afternoon. When you qualify further back it’s always so much harder to score big points.

Incredibly Button only qualified in the top three once all season. This meant that it would have been very hard for him to make full use of his race pace, and ability to look after the tyres.

If he could cure this issue in 2011 then he will have a much more competitive season.

Brundle adds: “If he sorts out his qualifying he will give Lewis even more of a hard time.”

Button is going to be another one of those drivers who benefits massively from the move to Pirelli tyres.

Button already feels very positive about the tyres after his first test with them.

He says: “I like the feeling of the tyre,”

He added: “It has a stable rear when you enter high-speed corners, you have a stable rear when you brake for low-speed corners, and that is something that I really do need with the car. I am happy with that step.”

Although the main benefit for Jenson could be that tyres could help dramatically improve his qualifying form.

Pirelli plan to make softer tyres so it should be easier to get the heat into them in qualifying, even with Button’s smooth style of driving.

If Button can start more races right at the sharp end alongside Lewis, then he stands a much better chance of competing for the title.

In the past Button was a very good qualifier when he used Michelin tyres. In 2004 he beat Michael Schumacher’s much faster Ferrari to pole position at Imola. Two years later he set a scorching lap to beat Fernando Alonso’s pace setting Renault in Australia.

In actual fact during these years qualifying was considered Jenson’s core strength, as opposed to his race pace, which has been his strength in recent times. Just goes to show how much a different tyre manufacturer can change driver’s fortunes.

Not only that, but the high degradation rates will also be music to Button’s ear. In 2010 the Bridgestone tyres were extremely durable.

Therefore Button’s ability to look after the tyres didn’t really become as big an advantage as many anticipated. Nevetheless there were still occasions when Button made his strength count. For instance he did the majority of the Australian GP on a set of soft tyres (after an early change from inters) with relative ease whereas others opted to pit.

On other occasions in Silverstone, Abu Dhabi and Hockenheim he stayed out longer and leapfrogged rivals.

In 2011 the advantage Button enjoys from his ability to look after the tyres is going to be taken up to a whole new level. It’s already been proved in testing that the tyres do go off very quickly. Therefore looking after them is going to be a major decisive factor.

Drivers who manage to keep their tyres in shape the longest are going to be the ones that succeed in 2011 races.

It is likely we will see races with multiple pit stops. We should also see teams trying to adopt different strategies. This means that with his care off the tyres Button could attempt to make less stops than his rivals, or be able to stay out longer than his rivals at the very least.

Whilst Hamilton isn’t as bad at looking after the tyres as many like to make out, he is simply no match for Button in this department.

It’s not just the tyres that could result in a strong season for Button. We know that Button has a much narrower operating window when it comes to the car.

Whilst Lewis will drive the wheels off whatever car he is given, Button needs a perfect car to perform at his absolute peak. We saw in the Honda years how he struggled to extract speed out of a terrible car.

The MP4-25 was certainly better than the dog of a car McLaren produced in 2009, but it still wasn’t one of their best. Particularly in the second half of the season they fell behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Button wasn’t always at ease with the car.

If the innovations on the new MP4-26 work then it has the potential to be an extremely fast car. If it does turn out to be the perfect car then Button can take the fight to any driver on the grid.

As we saw when Brawn GP were formidable in the first third of 2009 Button was absolutely unstoppable. He took full advantage winning six out of the first seven races of the season. He produced form that was comparable to any of the all-time greats in the sport’s history.

The fact that Button doesn’t make many errors will also count in his favour more, if there are four or five teams in this championship fight. In that scenario consistency and being able to score big points in each race will ultimately decide the title.

Hamilton is going to remain very tough to beat as will the likes of Fernando Alonso and Vettel. However Button will be in strong contention if he gels with his car, and can qualify more frequently at the front.

If he can do this he will be in a great position to make the most of his iconic strengths, which he will be rewarded more for in 2011, he is potentially a title favourite.

Source: YallaF1

In pictures: Pirelli tyre testing at Yas Marina Final Day

Test F1 - Abu Dhabi / Pirelli - 20/11

Source: NextgenAuto

In pictures: Pirelli tyre testing at Yas Marina

Test F1 - Abu Dhabi / Pirelli - 19/11

Source: NextgenAuto

Massa denies supporting role to be permanent

Felipe Massa has hit back at suggestions his new supporting role at Ferrari will be permanent.

Although kicking off 2010 on equal footing with Fernando Alonso, the Brazilian was moved out of the race lead at Hockenheim and is now openly aiding his Spanish teammate's title charge.

But he told Germany's Sport Bild magazine that "for sure I am not Ferrari's second Rubens Barrichello".

"If that happens, I will stop driving," said Massa, 29.

"I'm not going to go racing to be eligible for second place," he insisted.

He said his problem in 2010 has been the tyres.

"Fernando is very good, definitely," Massa admitted. "But he is not better than my other teammates," said the Brazilian, who since 2006 has shared Ferrari with Michael Schumacher and then Kimi Räikkönen.

"It's just myself not being as good as usual," added the 2008 runner-up, who mid last year almost died after an horror crash in Hungary.

"I have had big problems with the tyres," he explained. "For my driving style, even the soft tyres are too hard. And I'm sure many other drivers have had the same problem.

"I don't think Michael has forgotten how to drive," said Massa.

He refused to comment at length about Hockenheim, where he was leading until Ferrari controversially intimated he should give way to Alonso.

"For sure I was extremely disappointed," said Massa.

And for the remaining races of 2010, his role is obvious.

"If I am in front of the other drivers, but behind Fernando so that I can take away points from his rivals, that is of course positive for Fernando," said Massa.

"That's what I'll try to do," he revealed.

He denied he has agreed to play second fiddle because of the rumours about Ferrari ousting him at the end of the season.

"No. I have enough experience with these rumours to be relaxed," said Massa.

Source: Motorsport.com

Massa regrets approach to Q3

Felipe Massa stayed out longer than any other driver on his first Q3 run

Felipe Massa admitted he made a mistake with tyre strategy during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix but is expecting to be competitive in Sunday's race.

Massa defied convention by completing two timed laps on his first set of tyre in Q3, forcing him to rush back to the pits for a final attempt. He said he was hoping the soft would offer up more grip on the second lap but it did not pay off.

"I tried a different strategy in Q3 because I was not so sure of the tyres. When I put the soft tyres on in Q2, I couldn't do the best lap on the first lap straight away so it was getting better and better all the laps, so I did three timed laps and the best was the last.

"So I said let's, with the tyres, try and do three laps and we see maybe it's getting better and hopefully the last lap will be the best lap. But then during Q3 it was a little bit the opposite. I tried that but it didn't work as well as I expected with the grip on the tyres. Then I stopped and I was able to go again do a single timed lap on the tyres, but it wasn't enough to fight for the pole."

However, Massa said the majority of his set-up work this weekend had been focused on the race and that he should be in a strong position to fight on Sunday.

"I think we have a good car, I'm happy with the car for the race," he added. "Yesterday we did a very good job finding a good direction for the race and we improved the car massively like we expected and I think we should be very strong tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it."

Source: ESPNF1

Was Räikkönen rather than Heidfeld Pirelli's first choice..?

Whilst it is former Mercedes Grand Prix reserve driver Nick Heidfeld who has been entrusted with helping to develop Pirelli's 2011-spec F1 tyres, sources suggest Kimi Raikkonen was in fact the Italian manufacturer's first choice...

Whilst Nick Heidfeld has been handed a potential lifeline in terms of resurrecting his stalled F1 career next season through his new Pirelli tyre-testing role, it seems the experienced German might not have been the Italian company's first choice – with claims that former world champion Kimi Raikkonen's name was originally at the top of the list.

It was confirmed this week by Mercedes Grand Prix that the Brackley-based outfit has released Heidfeld to focus on his new task, with the hope being that the unique knowledge he will accrue from testing the 2011-spec tyre compounds will make the 33-year-old an attractive proposition to a number of teams next season, after a year spent away from the grand prix starting grid.

Following a series of outings at Mugello, Jerez, Monza and Paul Ricard, Pirelli will subsequently put its compounds through their paces in Abu Dhabi in the immediate wake of the final race of the season in November.

However, according to Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, it was in fact World Rally Championship-convert Raikkonen who was approached first, only for the 18-time grand prix-winner to turn the offer down to instead give his full concentration to the remainder of his debut WRC campaign.

The 30-year-old's manager Steve Robertson had acknowledged back in June that 'if Pirelli approach us, of course we'll talk about it', adding that everything would depend upon whether 'Kimi is interested by this type of challenge' and how it would fit in alongside his rallying programme.

Citroën is known to be keen to retain Raikkonen's services into a second season, whilst there have also been whispers of forays into IndyCar and the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as the continually unanswered question of whether F1 is now a closed book for the Espoo native, or merely unfinished business...

Source: Crash.net
Courtesy: Kriss

Pirelli tyres to make August test debut at Mugello

Pirelli is expected to kick off its Formula One testing programme before the 2010 calendar's August break is out.

The Italian marque recently began testing its new GP2 tyres, and Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport believes Mugello will be the scene of the first F1 prototypes' debuts -- fitted to Toyota's 2009 car, the TF109.

Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld is tipped to be in the cockpit, with a public announcement expected imminently.

Mugello will reportedly be the first of six dedicated Pirelli tyre tests before Abu Dhabi, where in the days after the F1 season finale, the 12 teams will get their first taste of next year's rubber.
Four compounds will be supplied to the teams, with the target being a range of reliable, consistent tyres.

"I do not think companies today can afford hundreds of millions of euros to make their tyres faster," said Pirelli's F1 chief Paul Hembery.

And he added: "We want to stay (in F1) longer than three years."

Source: Motorsport

Pirelli eyes Kimi Räikkönen for F1 tyre testing

Kimi Raikkonen could be asked to test formula one tyres for the sport's new exclusive supplier Pirelli.

It has emerged that the Italian company will supply two sets of tyres to each team at a special Abu Dhabi test immediately after November's season finale.

But Pirelli is also keen to do some testing before then, and - after initially running with a GP2 car - is considering using either an old BMW or Toyota car.

As for the driver, Nick Heidfeld had been touted, but this might have handed an unfair advantage to Mercedes.

According to Finland's Turun Sanomat, Pirelli's racing boss Paul Hembery proposed in Valencia that Finn Raikkonen could be an option. The 2007 world champion left Ferrari at the end of last year and currently drives full-time in the Pirelli-shod world rally championship.

"I don't know whether Kimi Raikkonen would be interested," Paul Hembery is quoted as saying.

The 18 grand prix winner's manager Steve Robertson said: "Currently, Kimi is totally focused on what he is doing. But if Pirelli approaches us, of course we will discuss it. Then, it would depend on whether Kimi is interested in this sort of challenge, and how it would fit into his schedule."

Source: Auto123
Courtesy: luieluv