Renault R30

[raceman]

I've got a snorkel here, I've got a snorkel there, and I've got a snorkel everywhere!

snorkels are the talk of the moment, and not racing and speed.....

[mith]

I've just read that Kubica had funny problem with his car during quali. Renault used steering wheel with differential switch, which wasn't tested before, and something went wrong, as settings began to change at random and car was suddenly changing it's characteristics from understeer to oversteer and then back again.

Still they didn't look that bald today

[manchild]

I've heard today that Renault has asked permission from FIA to tune up their engine, since Mercedes has 30 HP more. Apparently, while Mercedes was allowed by FIA to work on "lower consumption and reliability" it turned out that it brought them additional 30 HP.

Anyone with more precise info?

[mith]

Oh, that's something new! I thought that they had already gap of sth. like 30 HP, so it would be a disaster. But RBR was very fast today.

What I heard is that they asked to change one of the tyres in Kubica's car as it is damaged.

[madly]

That button cost Kubica lost of 0,4s in final measured lap in Q3 - he had incidentally a big oversteer on turn 16.

So he could be on 7th position, as in Q2. It means, that Renault is near to McLaren and Mercedes with qualification peace. Quiet good opening.
We'll see how competitive are all teams with tanks fueled.

[mith]

I think that one track is not enough to measure exact potential of all contenders and we are still before first race so we don't know, how they will perform with high fuel loads. But until now, as I said, they don't look that bald at all. Sauber is slower and what I think is most surprising is Maccas pace. They are way slower than they appeared to be.

[madly]

@mith

So he could be on 7th position, as in Q2. It means, that Renault is near to McLaren and Mercedes with qualification peace. Quiet good opening.

You missed statement "qualification peace".

Today we know much more in context of qualifications. Of course there will be tracks preferable for particular car constructions and in year car development, so it is not constant, but at qualifications all cars main goal is to go as fast, as possible . Without fuel.

Race with real weight and tyre wear is totally different story, and I think it will be much more unpredictable this year.

[mith]

@mith You missed statement "qualification peace".

You're right I was in a rush

So we basically agree with each other I think that race might be full of surprises like sudden tyre wear forcing driver to go to the pit.

[Blackout]

No time to translate...
The R30 has a also a new diffuser

Effectivement, Renault s'est enfin débarrassée de ses encombrants et grossiers moyeux de roues arrières. Ça fait des années qu'on attend ca... Les nouveaux sont plus fins et permettent de réduire la trainée et les perturbations a l'arrière de la voiture et d'installer de plus grosses ailettes sur les roues.
Un gros travail sur les freins a surement été fait pour permettre ca.

Avant:



Après:

[Carlo's]

Where did you find this Blackout? Anyone can translate this? Not google translate of course.

[mith]

That's true. Diffuser is new since FP1, but it was widely known Renault's going to have update at Bahrain. Good pic though

What is not sure is if they will be forced to scrap it for Australia because of the same reason, McLaren has to. I read on different sites opposite opinions, so I really don't know, what's true.

[KeiB]

Renault finally changed the wider and place taking rear wheel hub. Its been quite a while that we have waited for this... The new ones are thinner and this help reduce drag and air disturbance in the rear of the car and now they can install bigger winglets on the wheels.
Much work have been done on the brakes for this to be done.

No time to translate...
The R30 has a also a new diffuser

Effectivement, Renault s'est enfin débarrassée de ses encombrants et grossiers moyeux de roues arrières. Ça fait des années qu'on attend ca... Les nouveaux sont plus fins et permettent de réduire la trainée et les perturbations a l'arrière de la voiture et d'installer de plus grosses ailettes sur les roues.
Un gros travail sur les freins a surement été fait pour permettre ca.

Avant:



Après:

[plailleur]

That's true. Diffuser is new since FP1, but it was widely known Renault's going to have update at Bahrain. Good pic though

What is not sure is if they will be forced to scrap it for Australia because of the same reason, McLaren has to. I read on different sites opposite opinions, so I really don't know, what's true.

RF1 has denied it on Twitter. I guess that only Ferrari and MacLaren will have to modify their diffusers for Melbourne (they use the hole used to plug the engine starter as a way to feed the diffuser).

[mith]

That's true and as far as I understand the rules, there is statement that this hole shouldn't be bigger than necessary.

I thought it was something like in McLaren, where they made another mini-deck. But here (thanks for the good picture, Blackout!) I see the hole is much smaller so it may stick to the rules good enough.

Kubica also said, they will have few minor updates in the car for Australia.

[Blackout]

Where did you find this Blackout? Anyone can translate this? Not google translate of course.

My own post. couldn't translate it, lack of time... sorry.
KeiB translates it well.

Kubica also said, they will have few minor updates in the car for Australia.

Exactly... Boullier said the same thing and J. Allison says that there will be upgrades nearly in every GP.