Honda drops the standard.....
 

......but Ross Braun and Sir Richard Branson pick it up!

I know there are possibly two other Formula One addicts here on the CC site, aside from yours truly, but this is just such an exciting story (perhaps to lift our spirits a bit after the tragedy of Warren's passing).

Honda hit the silk and gave up its Grand Prix racing program at the end of last season. Barely two months ago, Ross Braun (ex-Ferrari guru) did a "management buy-out" of Honda, refinanced via Branson and then retooled.

"Braun Gp's" debut just transpired on Speed(NASCAR)Channel (in fact, it's being rebroadcast right now [4:30] EST). The 'Strine GP, and guess what? Button and Baracello (with Braun, how's that for alliteration?)----finished ONE-TWO in a race which was made MUCH more exciting due to the rules changes. Lotsa passing (and lotsa crashes, unfortunately). Braun and Honda took advantage of a rule which allowed massive defusers under the tail of their cars and zippo! away they went.

Outstanding.

You are right, it was a good race.

And congratulations to the new team for pulling off a great start to the season.

Hot Damn...
 

I'll be going to Max's Party tonight...." Cowboys and Indians " !! Whoopee:eek:

F1 Spoiler!
 

I've always been a fan of Barichello. He seems like such a nice guy, and not someone I would ever expect to thrive in the cut-throat world of F1. Glad to see him do well. I'm going to miss Coulthard - I've had the chance to meet him at Goodwood a couple of times - very cool guy with a fantastic sense of humour.
I love the idea of KERS - basically a rubberband that you get to use once a lap to give yourself an extra 80bhp for a few seconds. It's very cool technically, and also has the potential to add in some huge plot twists at various stages in the race.
My hat is off to Brauns guys regarding the rear diffusers - they did what Penske, Yunick and others have done - work within the rules to give themselves that 'unfair advantage'.
It is going to be a very interesting season.:JEKYLHYDE

Steve

2009 Formula 1 Engines
 

FORMULA 1 ENGINES

For a decade F1 cars have run with 3.0 litre normally-aspirated V10 engines, but In an attempt to slow the cars down, the FIA has mandated that as of the 2006 season there will be a new engine package. The regulations specify that the cars must be powered by 2.4 litre naturally-aspirated engines in the V8 configuration that have no more than four valves per cylinder. Further technical restrictions such as a ban on variable intake trumpets have been also been introduced with the new 2.4L V8 formula to prevent the teams from achieving higher rpm and horsepower too quickly. As of the start of the 2006 season most engines on the grid rev up to 19000 rpm, with the Cosworth V8 powering the Williams going up to an astonishing 20000 rpm in qualifying trim.

Once the teams started using exotic alloys such as titanium in the late 1990s, the FIA banned the use of exotic materials in engine construction, and only aluminum and iron alloys were allowed for the pistons, cylinders, connecting rods, and crankshafts. Nevertheless through engineering on the limit and use such devices as pneumatic valves, modern F1 engines have revved up to over 18000 rpm since approximately the 2000 season. Almost each year the FIA has enforced material and design restrictions to limit power, otherwise the 3.0L V10 engines would easily have exceeded 22000 rpm and well over 1000hp (750kW). Even with the restrictions the V10's in the 2005 season were reputed to develop 960hp (715kW) . The new 2.4L V8 engines are reported to develop between 720hp and 750hp (535 to 560 kW), with the Williams Cosworth unit being the most powerful.

The more poorly funded teams (Ferrari spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year developing their car, while the former Minardi team spent less than 50 million) will have the option of keeping the current V10 for another season, but the engines will have their components de-tuned to keep them from having any advantage over the V8 engines.

The engines produce over 100 000 BTU per minute (1750kW) of heat that must be dumped, usually to the atmosphere via radiators and the exhaust, which can reach temperatures over 1000 degrees Celsius (1800 to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit). They consume around 650 litres (23 ft³) of air per second. Race fuel consumption rate is normally around 75 litres per 100 kilometres travelled (3.1 US mpg). Nonetheless a Formula One engine is over 20% more efficient at turning fuel into power than even the most economical small car.

All cars have the engine located between the driver and the rear axle. The engines are a stressed member in most cars, meaning that the engine is part of the structural support framework; being bolted to the cockpit at the front end, and transmission and rear suspension at the back end.

In the 2004 championship, engines were required to last a full race weekend; in the 2005 championship, they are required to last two full race weekends and if a team changes an engine between the two races, they incur a penalty of 10 grid positions.

REGULATION


Engine
Formula One engines must be naturally aspirated, four-stroke internal combustion petrol engines with reciprocating circular pistons and a maximum of two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder. They must be V8 engines and have a 2.4 liters of displacement.

The rules between 1998 and 2005 stated that Formula One engines may be no more than 3 litres engine displacement and must have 10 cylinders. In order to curb increasing power levels, the maximum engine displacement has been reduced to 2.4 litres, and the number of cylinders to 8 for 2006. However, a concession is made in the rules to allow some teams the option of running 10 cylinder 3.0 l engines for 2006. This rule is intended to help poorer teams unable to produce an engine and chassis to comply fully with the new regulations in time for the 2006 season. All teams using the 10 cylinder 3.0l engines will be subject to a rev limiter to decrease power.



Devices designed to pre-cool air before it enters the cylinders are not allowed, nor is the injection of any substance into the cylinders other than air and (petrol) fuel.

Variable-length exhaust systems are also forbidden.

The crankshaft and camshafts must be made of steel or cast iron. The use of carbon composite materials for the cylinder block, cylinder head and pistons is not allowed.

I also follow F1 quite closely and have attended the Canadian Grand Prix for the past 10 years. Unfortunately, F1 is run by Bernie who is only interested in putting more money in his pockets so many traditional race venues have been dumped in favor of middle eastern or Asian races. The fact that there are few race fans at some of these tracks doesn't bother Bernie as long as they pay him the millions he demand.

Some teams have interpreted the new rules in different ways which is making F1 very exciting. It is going to be very interesting to see how some other teams react to Braun's innovative difussers. Some cars are going to use KERS right away while others are reportedly going to wait and see. The major dissadvantage of KERS is the weight.

Wayne

Righto, Wayne.......
 

....I went to as many Watkins Glen Grands Prix as possible----street venues are by far the best. Hence I love Monaco! Ah, back in the day.

I will get mein sister Janie to adopt my slides (or maybe prints thereof) and see if she can post them. Back, as I said, in the days, any galoot (count me in!) could stand around the pits and the paddock. I had "Black Jack" Brabham drive over my foot. Wide tires, soft ground, no problem. I also got a picture of Dan Gurney in a BRM (I think, if I remember correctly). Wild times.

For some of you US Grand Prix veterans, the memories of the annual sh*t-house fire, the "drunker-than-Woodstock" infield craziness, what with tents, etc. must bring smiles!

What do y'all think of the new configuration of the F1 cars? That full-width front spoiler is going to cause 'way too many DNFs, in my humble opinion.

I remember going to the Canadian Grand Prix in Mont Tremblant in the late 60's. Jackie Stewart stopped right in front of us during the warm up lap, brought the revs way up and dumped the clutch. fun, fun, fun. Back in those days you paid to get in, drove until you found a spot that you liked, parked the car, and got out the picnic blanket & lunch.

Those new front end spoilers sure are wide and they are definitely going to be replaced more often than in the past. Each car will need a half dozen spares for each race.:p:p:eek::eek:

Wayne

The new front spoilers look like a snow plow to me.:eek:

Silver......
 

...maybe they're for winter racing! Ar-ar-r.

Wayne:
This also how myself and friends became initiated to the various events held in Monterey at Laguna Seca. On the blanket, sandwiches, chips, etc.....OH and 19 years old too. Rain or shine it was still a good time.

But with the significant extra width they may have more stability with minor damage. Barichello knocked off his endplate and still did OK. Last year they would have been right in for a new nose.

They do look like snowplows though...and they look a bit wrong with the tall narrow rear.

Steve

Dan drove the Eagle in 1967 and a McLaren in 1968 at the Glen. I have pictures of Dan in '68 grinning at our big "Dan Gurney for President" banner. Got us invited to a private party that evening by Max Muhlman, the AAR/ex-Shelby PR guy.:3DSMILE:

Caught every pro race at Watkins (as the locals call it, never the "Glen") from June 1967 till 1980. I missed the last USGP due to business and I still regret missing that race.:mad:

Knew one the principles of McLaren and spent the GP for several years in the McLaren pit. Used to roam the grid pre-race getting lotsa good photos. A buddy who is big time Lotus guy won a Lotus club photo contest with a picture I gave him. Colin Chapman with his "teddy-boy" cap and a turtleneck giving me a very unusual look. Asked how I got the photo, I repleid he was asking me "What the bloody He!! do you think you are doing"........prompted by his discovering me seated upon Emerson Fittipaldi's left front tire on race grid.......................**)

The new spoilers remind me of some of the wild and wonderful wings that appeared on F1 cars about 35 years ago when they were first trying to harness aero down force. I think it was about the same time that they were running huge rear tires and smaller front tires.

One of the big complaints that the NASCAR fans come up with is the lack of very tight finishes in F1. I reply that F1 would also have close finishes if they always made sure that they had the safety car on the track with 2 or 3 laps to go. :eek::eek:

Wayne

Mark......
 

..I look back not-so-fondly at getting maced by the Mountour (Sp?) Falls rent-a-cops during the afore-mentioned Annual Sh*t-house fires. Maybe I oughta send youse the prints of Black Jack and Dan-----then you can post them! I have about exhausted my compootah skills just writing this! (Ask Janie Carter or Ron 61 how bad it REALLY is!).

Since I started this thread I think I can temporarily highjack it!? A million years ago, I ran the student part of the Jason Project (Bob "Titanic") Ballard's show at St. Catherine's looking at the wrecks of the Hamilton and the Scourge. In gathering the kids, we would drive the vans to Buffler Airport and then take the kids to Niagara Falls on the way back to St. Cath's. At the end of two weeks, we'd been to Niagara Falls, the viewing-towers, the Gorge, etc. perhaps 22+ times. We even stood on that tiny island leading toward the Canadian Falls----no fences, nuttin'!!! Roaring torrent right at our toes! Lovely country, but I think I've seen enuff, for a while. Ar-ar-ar-ar.