Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
I was expecting some teams to have problems, but I certainly didn't expect this. This could be a big setback for the Renault teams especially Red Bull. While they are trying to fix these initial issues, the Mercedes and Ferrari teams will be moving on to looking at performance improvements etc.
something's very very wrong with the renault powerplant
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
looks like toro rosso is getting the renault testing thing on their plate. 20 seconds off pace sounds like trying to get any form of intel on this failure of an engine, and by the sounds of it, this is not an easy fix.
i remember having one of my previous cars where i placed a 'performance' chip which turned out to have a flaw. the engine had exactly the same sound, misfiring and essentially damaged the pistons and valves of the car. if it really is 'just' the computer/software, it should be easily fixable. but since that hasn't happened yet, i'm thinking it's either a flaw in the engine itself, or a flaw where the renault engine is unable to correctly work together with the hybrid material.
magnetic resonanse has been mentioned, which essentially could wreck havoc on the computer, resulting in the engine behaving like mad. but in the end that still means there is a huge design flaw.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
I can't see how any of this couldn't be seen on the bench/dyno. It seems to me that there's something wrong on the cooling side as it may be the only parameter that can't be easily simulated on the bench. Although, as a previous poster mentioned, how wrong can they be if they are running into cooling trouble in a winter test, with the engine running at snail pace? Very weird.
i guess it DID come out on a testing bench. no way this couldn't come out before. even if it had cooling things. they surely will have tested cooling.
makes me think caterham's 'bulky' design was in the know.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
Lee McKenzie, BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
"Red Bull's nightmare test continues. I'm told they are done for the day. They were hoping to get out for another installation lap at about 16:30 local but that is now not going to happen. They will be hoping to fix whatever problems they're having with the energy-recovery system overnight in time to get in some miles on the final day on Friday."
In the new F1 power units the electrical motor/generator attached to the turbo shaft is a device intended to provide turbo BOOST CONTROL. There are no wastegates. The video clip of Torro Roso shows most likely the engine lacking this control, therefore you hear pops and cuts.
It is a technical issue, which is in the hands of Renault. Ironically, it was Renault 3-4 years ago as the strongest advocates for a new small turbo engine formula for F1. Fast forward 4 years and they fumble the ball so embarrassingly.
Renault have managed to extract more power from their engines than the other engine manufacturers for some time.
Adrian Newey's success with his RB cars has been mainly from his excellent and tight packaging.
I expected these two facts to result in major problems with cooling for the Renault powered cars and even more for the RBs.
