Lotus E21 Renault

[raymondu999]

Grosjean didnt have the new exhaust/ramp/tunnels spec in Sepang.
And this thread is about the car.

That's my point - in the 1 race where the two specs were both raced, the older spec outfinished the new spec.

[Neno]

Grosjean didnt have the new exhaust/ramp/tunnels spec in Sepang.
And this thread is about the car.

That's my point - in the 1 race where the two specs were both raced, the older spec outfinished the new spec.

It didnt. Kimi on new spec qualified better then Grosjean on older spec. Kimi had problems in race (penalty 3 places, damaged front wing on start, and lousy strategy where he stucked infront slower cars) he was all weekend faster then Grosjean.

[raymondu999]

the older spec outfinished the new spec.

It didnt.

The facts say it did. Qualified better does not equal finished better.

he was all weekend faster then Grosjean.

But, (to my opinion) rather tellingly - he was very unhappy with the balance. He would suddenly get snap oversteer mid-corner, and constantly would go over the grass at the exit of 12.

[Rikhart]

So I just watch the awesome second place Kimi got in qualy, and here everyone is talking as if the car is now worse? Something I missed? One lap pace is their usual downfall, I expect Kimi to win this one...

[Donuts]

Let's not get ahead of events. There's nothing to suggest that Lotus has gone backwards. Kimi Raikkonen mentions that they can improve the setup and that they seem to be more comfortable with the option tyres. That's about it. Romain Grosjean?

[tim]

the older spec outfinished the new spec.

It didnt.

The facts say it did. Qualified better does not equal finished better.

he was all weekend faster then Grosjean.

But, (to my opinion) rather tellingly - he was very unhappy with the balance. He would suddenly get snap oversteer mid-corner, and constantly would go over the grass at the exit of 12.

You can't on the basis of Malaysia say that the upgrades are a backwards step. Kimi had a penalty and contact fw damage into turn 2 on lap 1. Did you even watch the race? Clearly a step forward, if the weather holds out I think we will see another strong result this weekend.

[korzeniow]

Did anyone spot any changes on the fron wing? I can't. But maby those photos show old spec wing from Malaysia. They were taken today in China.

[Blackout]

I didnt notice any difference too on the FW

Grosjean didnt have the new exhaust/ramp/tunnels spec in Sepang.
And this thread is about the car.

That's my point - in the 1 race where the two specs were both raced, the older spec outfinished the new spec.

But Grosjean said that his car was worse when he reverted to the old spec in FP2...
And again, KR's car was damaged during the Sepang race.
Team says new exhaust/ramp/tunnel spec is particulary suited for low speed corners and the car looks indeed (and surprisingly for me) very good in the first sector in Shanghai and good in the 3rd sector.

[rkn]

But, (to my opinion) rather tellingly - he was very unhappy with the balance. He would suddenly get snap oversteer mid-corner, and constantly would go over the grass at the exit of 12.

Still believe RAI was more a victim of circumstance than a victim of a poor upgrade. I think we should at least wait until tomorrow to judge, assuming the race is fairly normal (no rain and a dry track throughout, no damages to the car, no penalties etc.). You also have to remember that towards the end when RAI passed HUL, both he and GRO posted good lap times, while also being able to conserve tyres pretty well.

[Blackout]

Is it me or the front brake fairings are different from the usual ones; they look narrower

[abw]

Seems an unlikely upgrade, but the one on the left in that photo does look narrower than, say, the ones visible from above on page 74 of this thread. Maybe it's just the angle. The page-74 one is about as wide as the "GENI" part of "GENII" on the wishbone advertisement. Can't read the GENII on your picture above. Any top-down photos from the race?

[Blackout]

Yes I think i's just the angle.

[elFranZ]

Is this an hydraulic actuator (yellow circle)?

[beelsebob]

Is this an hydraulic actuator (yellow circle)?

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6857/e21t.png

I'd bet that's the compressed air bottle – same location as it was when it took Heidfeld's car out.

[elFranZ]

Is this an hydraulic actuator (yellow circle)?

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6857/e21t.png

I'd bet that's the compressed air bottle – same location as it was when it took Heidfeld's car out.

Thanks for your clarification. I'm reading speculations about Lotus' "FRIC" pointing to that object as the main actuator. But if I'm not wrong, a passive system doesn't need any actuator, and it should not be located down there.