Motors The Official bit-tech F1 2013 Thread

[alastor]

The Races:

17 Mar - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Victoria - Sky
24 Mar - Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur - Sky
14 Apr - UBS Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai - BBC & Sky
21 Apr - Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir - Sky
12 May - Gran Premio de España - Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona - BBC & Sky
26 May - Grand Prix de Monaco - Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo - Sky
09 Jun - Grand Prix du Canada - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - BBC & Sky
30 Jun - British Grand Prix - Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone - BBC & Sky
07 Jul - Großer Preis von Deutschland - Nürburgring, Nürburg - Sky
28 Jul - Magyar Nagydíj - Hungaroring, Budapest - Sky
25 Aug - Shell Belgian Grand Prix - Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa - BBC & Sky
08 Sep - Gran Premio d'Italia - Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza - BBC & Sky
22 Sep - Singapore Grand Prix - Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay - Sky
06 Oct - Korean Grand Prix - Korean International Circuit, Yeongam - Sky
13 Oct - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka - BBC & Sky
27 Oct - Airtel Grand Prix of India - Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida - BBC & Sky
03 Nov - Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi - Sky
17 Nov - United States Grand Prix - Circuit of the Americas, Austin TX - Sky
24 Nov - Grande Prêmio do Brasil - Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo - BBC & Sky

The Teams:

Infiniti Red Bull Racing
Engine: Renault/Infiniti
Country: Austria
Drivers: Sebastian Vettel (Germany), Mark Webber (Australia)

Scuderia Ferrari
Engine: Ferrari
Country: Italy
Drivers: Fernando Alonso (Spain), Felipe Massa (Brazil)

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Engine: Mercedes
Country: UK
Drivers: Jenson Button (Britain), Sergio Pérez (Mexico)

Lotus F1 Team
Engine: Renault
Country: UK
Drivers: Kimi Räikkönen (Finland), Romain Grosjean (France)

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
Engine: Mercedes
Country: Germany
Drivers: Lewis Hamilton (Britain), Nico Rosberg (Germany)

Sauber F1 Team
Engine: Ferrari
Country: Switzerland
Drivers: Nico Hülkenberg (Germany), Esteban Guitiérrez (Mexico)

Sahara Force India F1 Team
Engine: Mercedes
Country: India
Drivers: Paul di Resta (Britain), Adrian Sutil (Germany)

Williams F1
Engine: Renault
Country: UK
Drivers: Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela), Valtteri Bottas (Finland)

Scuderia Toro Rosso
Engine: Ferrari
Country: Italy
Drivers: Daniel Ricciardo (Australia), Jean-Eric Vergne (France)

Caterham F1 Team
Engine: Renault
Country: Malaysia
Drivers: Charles Pic (France), Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands)

Marussia F1 Team
Engine: Cosworth
Country: Russia
Drivers: Max Chilton (Britain), Jules Bianchi (France)

The Regulation Changes:

Sporting

• With the reduction to 11 teams, 6 drivers will now be eliminated in both first and second parts of qualifying, instead of 7 as in 2012. Q3 will remain as the fastest 10 drivers.
• Use of DRS in free practice and qualifying will be restricted to the designated DRS zones. In response, all tracks will have two DRS zones where feasible.
• The rules of force majeure have been removed to clarify scrutineering. A car stopping on track during qualifying must have sufficient fuel on board to have returned to the pits and provide the mandatory sample - no excuses.
• A new penalty points system is introduced to the driver licensing system. Dangerous driving will incur penalty points on a driver's Super Licence that could lead to a racing ban.
• Overnight curfews during race weekends are extended from 6 to 8 hours, while the allowable exceptions per season reduces from 4 to 2.
• Team entry fees have gone through the roof.

Technical

• Platypus noses can be covered with a non-structural, non aerodynamics influencing "modesty plate"
• Front wing testing standards are more rigorous, requiring a maximum 10mm deflection under a 100kg point load applied at various locations.
• The Mercedes-style 2012 "double DRS" system is banned by the technical regulations, although the Lotus 2012 interpretation technically isn't banned.
• Car minimum weight increases from to 642kg from 640kg, to allow for heavier 2013 specification Pirelli tyres.

[alastor]

Got this going for this year with races and teams confirmed so far. Will add more to the first post after work, technical regulation changes for example.

[Krikkit]

Good work alastor, dedicated as always!

Anyone going to any races this season? I'm going to Spa with my usual crew again, our first repeat!

[Mikee]

Might be useful for those of us without Sky to have a list of which races are on BBC.

Live Grands Prix:
China
Spain
Canada
Silverstone
TBA
Belgium
Italy
Japan
India
Brazil

Gutted no Singapore or Monaco

[BentAnat]

Thanks, Alastor.
Quick adjustment to your list:

Germany is still negotiating, as far as I can tell. The race should be at the Nürburgring, though.
And Turkey (noted as TBA in your list) is out.
http://planetf1.com/driver/18227/838...efused-to-pay-

[crazyg1zm0]

Can't Wait first race of the season is on my birthday again so i will be drunk watching in bed they way it was last year

[Mankz]

Should be going to Monaco, Silverstone and Spa.

Bring. It. On.

Love the fact the 'off-season' is so short.

[rollo]

Surprised force india have not confirmed any driver for 2013 season yet. Expected paul to get confirmed ages ago enough the way hes been talking to press maybe is putting them off taking him on again.

Its like hes using them as a stepping stone to bigger things which is all well and good but its not really what the team that pays your wages wants to here.

[j-a-c-o-b]

Didn't think there would be many or any F1 fans. My immediate family are big F1 fans. they went to Silverstone, Monaco and Abu Dabi in 2011. Silverstone in 2012 and Silverstone and Spa this year.

[TheDodoKiller]

Any opinions on favourite tracks this season?

I really want to go to Malaysia, that track is awesome with those 2 long ass straights and the first hairpin chicane type thing.

I also like the weather changes there- one minute it's bright and sunny, 2 mins later and it's a downpour.

[fix-the-spade]

Originally Posted by TheDodoKiller

Any opinions on favourite tracks this season?

Spa, Montreal, Melbourne. Fast street circuits rule and spa is, well it's Spa.

Who's got a prediction for this year and how precise are they willing to be? I'll start.

Vettel for champion, again. 5-6wins, but podiums at almost every race.
Button runner up, 4 or 5 race wins and some mid field anonymity.
Kimi third.
Perez fourth, two wins, but some crashes, big ones.
Rosberg to beat Hamilton, by exactly one place.
Hamilton to win one (and precisely one!) race, throws toys out the pram after qualifying tenth at Monaco.
Webber to slide into retirement as Dr Marko brow beats him all season.

Ferrari nowhere, Alonso will have to pull out the stops to be competitive again, but this year will Merc and Lotus will be sailing past them like they didn't last year. They're using Toyota's wind tunnel, that'll go well...

[stonedsurd]

I don't want it, but I agree with fix-the-spade. Alonso/Ferrari will probably have a useless year ending with Alonso moving out.

I'm hoping to see some fire from McLaren, but I just cannot be sure. I hope they build the car around Button and we see some serious wins from him.

On the other hand (if wishes were horses etc) Ferrari/Alonso for the WIN!

[rollo]

My top 6

1. Vettal ( will most likely dominate with a car thats already best in class)
2. Alonso ( expect him to drag ferrari into contension might not get many wins but he will be there or there abouts)
3. Hamilton ( Similar story to ferrari expect him to drag them places they have no right to be)
4. Kimi ( lotus have the chance to pass ferrari and Mc this year)
5. Perez ( personally expect him to beat button )
6. Button ( more poor qualifying will see him too far back to do much)

webber and roseberg will both struggle to live with much faster team mates.

I expect vettal to win his 4th title in a row even if id prefer Alonso wins but its not going to happen if Vettal wins the first 4 races the title is done and dusted in truth.

Not expecting any major performance gains by the midfield teams as there has not been alot of changes to regulations.

Lack of DRS in qualifying will make things different again but the Red Bull has always benifited least from it so i expect this to be another advantage that they have.

McLaren will likely struggle without DRS in qualifying as they have gained the most out of this system in the past. And in truth niether Button nor Perez has shown exeptional 1 lap pace in the last few years Button has 1 pole in his career at McLaren.

Ferrari will be realiant on Alonso to drag them towards a title expecting Vettal to arive in 2014 season.

In the midfield expect Hulk and Maldonado to go well, Di Resta to struggle ( if he gets a seat)

Most improved performer for me will be Romain Grosjean i expect him to stay out of trouble and repay the faith Lotus have shown in him.

Will be Mark Webber and Massas last year in Formula 1 with retirement for both.

[alastor]

Added UK live broadcasters to each race, currently confirmed car launches, pre season testing dates and regulation changes to first post, phew.

Originally Posted by BentAnat

And Turkey (noted as TBA in your list) is out.
http://planetf1.com/driver/18227/838...efused-to-pay-

Yeah Turkey is out but there's still a TBA in the official calendar for that weekend, for now - it's getting increasingly unlikely that it will be filled though

[Bindibadgi]

Team entry fees have gone through the roof.

LOL at the description. But, why? MOAR says Bernie?

[alastor]

Originally Posted by Bindibadgi

LOL at the description. But, why? MOAR says Bernie?

I don't think so, it's the entry fee direct to the FIA so Bernie doesn't get a say. Jean Todt thinks it's fairer because the biggest teams, with (theoretically) the biggest budgets, pay the most.

The new structure replaces the flat 309,000 Euros fee with a sliding scale. Each team must now make a basic $500,000 payment, with the constructors' champions then paying $6000 per point scored and every other team paying an extra $5000 per point.

 1. Red Bull Racing   460 points     $3.26 million
 2. Ferrari           400 points     $2.5 million
 3. McLaren           378 points     $2.39 million
 4. Lotus             303 points     $2.015 million
 5. Mercedes          142 points     $1.21 million
 6. Sauber            126 points     $1.13 million
 7. Force India       109 points     $1.045 million
 8. Williams          76 points      $0.88 million
 9. Toro Rosso        26 points      $0.63 million
10. Caterham          0 points       $0.5 million
11. Marussia          0 points       $0.5 million
12. HRT               0 points       $0.5 million

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104658

[Krikkit]

Interesting thoughts from SomersF1 about the tech of the cars for 2013 - pullrod suspension in, probably (if the teams can get it working).

DRD's will be hot property as well this year (i.e. not DDRS, but a passive system that Lotus were developing), which is quite exciting. Hopefully that'll give Lotus a boost for the early season as theirs has already had a lot of development time.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by alastor

I don't think so, it's the entry fee direct to the FIA so Bernie doesn't get a say. Jean Todt thinks it's fairer because the biggest teams, with (theoretically) the biggest budgets, pay the most.

 1. Red Bull Racing   460 points     $3.26 million
 2. Ferrari           400 points     $2.5 million
 3. McLaren           378 points     $2.39 million
 4. Lotus             303 points     $2.015 million
 5. Mercedes          142 points     $1.21 million
 6. Sauber            126 points     $1.13 million
 7. Force India       109 points     $1.045 million
 8. Williams          76 points      $0.88 million
 9. Toro Rosso        26 points      $0.63 million
10. Caterham          0 points       $0.5 million
11. Marussia          0 points       $0.5 million
12. HRT               0 points       $0.5 million

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104658

Ahh so it's not just 'they pay more' This makes more sense, but it's also a LOT more expensive for top teams without being 'lower' for budget teams...

FIA $$$

[jrs77]

This season will probably be as interesting and close as the last one, with 5 or 6 drivers fighting for the title.

Vettel, Alonso, Button, Räikkönen, Hamilton should make the top 5, but for Hamilton it's too far to tell and depends heavily on the new car presented by Mercedes.

I personally am happy to see, that Valtteri Bottas gets a chance to show his talents this year.

Anyways, I'm more excited about 2014 and the new 1.6 litre V6 turbo-motors

[rollo]

DRD will not be on the car at all times its only useful on certain tracks. Lotus /merc both pretty much confirmed this themselves that they could never get it to close or open at the correct speeds so had to set higher safety margins which made it useless on any track with fast bends.

As if it opened on a fast corner could cause a huge accident.