Renault R27B

[vyselegend]

This article in german seems to say there will be a B spec for the R27 as nearly as Barcelona! (found on Renault blog thanks to user Anna)

http://www.sportbild.de/sportbild/gener ... 00000.html

New front suspention probably. zero keel switch?

@Tomba and Saribro, remember what I said on IRC

still only on this site though... Maybe just a rumor. Can any german-speaking member confirm what the article say, thx.

[Saribro]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves :p.
As far as I can decode the article, the supposed R27B would mostly have a longer wheelbase, nothing is said about switching suspension layout.

[jwielage]

Well I wish that I could read German.... could this article be found in english?

[leomax]

Well I wish that I could read German.... could this article be found in english?

Google to rescue : Google translation of sportbild article

[checkered]

Sheesh,

I'm not very well versed in german either (having been passively subjected to it from time to time I've picked up the basics), but the Google translation comes across as something Yoda's thick second cousin might say.

As what comes to the article itself, I don't know if it's just me, but doesn't it seem a bit ... dramatic for a managing director with no technical backround to demand, roman imperator like: "Your effort has fallen short and left me displeased. Manufacture me a racing chariot anew, make room for 3 and 1/3 unciae more to spare between the front and aft wheels. This, I profess, will gain us speed enough and our tyres preserve to the detriment of our rivals. I decree our praefectus fabrum make haste with his men, for I want this ready for Catalonia. Ave!"

Let's just wait. I would like to hear Symonds' comments about this, too. A team such as ING Renault would continue with aggressive development in any case. Besides, if they manufactured a new chassis, wouldn't it be more logical to call it R28 than R27B?

[bizadfar]

logical to call it R28 than R27B?

Well its not entirely new. It may just re-developed to solve a flaw.
What comes to mind quickest is the Mclarens of 2004. MP4-19 and MP4-19B

[mx_tifoso]

So Renault has designed a completely new chassis with a longer wheelbase? Or has extended their current R27 chassis? to cope better with the new BS's, That’s the main purpose it would serve right ? this based on their comments that they "got it wrong" with this years tyre/chassis combination,

IIRC, only Honda (?) and Ferrari have a longer wheelbase

[DaveKillens]

I'm wondering about the time frame involved in rushing such a radical change onto the track. Renault must have suspected that the chassis and Bridgestone tire combo wasn't a good marriage back when testing was in it's first few weeks. They must have crunched the numbers, and started the process of changing the wheelbase and center of balance back then.
So now we have plan "B", where Renault have had to do a complete makeover because they somehow got it wrong.
A few months ago a thread was pursued concerning whether Ferrari or any other team that had worked with Bridgestone would have any advantage over those coming from the Michelin camp. Considering how well Ferrari look with it's new longer wheelbase car, suspicion still lingers in my mind.
Then there's the political overtones behind Briatore. It sure is a convenient out he has created when the suits at Renault grill him as to the lack of performance. He can point his manicured fingers at the engineers and absolve himself of all the burden for what already appears to be a season where Renault falls out of the top three.

[manchild]

I agree with Dave. If Renault will really make a new car with different suspension and other changes and use it for Spanish GP than it means that they've started developing it after first tests of Bridgestone tyres on R26 in Autumn or early Winter 2006.

If the rumor represents the truth than I'm sure that R27B is already making first laps on some private tests as we speak.

Perhaps that was the plan since day one when Renault realized that they'll be able to test Bridgestones so late in year. Cars for next season are developed as soon as the season starts. Having in mind that Renault had no idea how V keel will work on Bridgestones it is no wonder is development of car to suit Bridgestones drags so much into 2007 season.

[m3_lover]

If it does start on a private track..wouldnt that count towards there testing mileage? If they do bring out a B version.. good for them as they are the last reminding team running a semi single keel suspension. The cost of building the car is not much...it is the cost of researching and development of the car that will bring the cost high. I am just surprised that they still kept the V keel even after the winter testing.

[janus]

when ferrari made a car .longer wheel base e remenber someone at renaul e tkink pat simons saying that as a risk ...bla bla bla... bur look like he was wrong now my question is this :

one of this 2 thing append ...ferrari had to put more balast at the front beacause of the new brigstone and in the 2006 car they were out of space and had to change the wheell base and got lucky or they calculated the risk well

or they new the new tyres need a more long whell base because of brigestone

off topic the car floor movig come on get real 1 second per lap it the tyres only ferrari changed the whell base and that is for a reason .

[vyselegend]

or they new the new tyres need a more long whell base because of brigestone

More something like this imo...


There's only one news on f1live that backs-up this rumor, but it quotes Sport Bild as the source as well.
I find it curious that if the info is right Briatore would have say it clearly, and if he had, the news would be in every mag and website.

If the R27 lapping the malaysian track tomorrow doesn't feature some new fondamental component (revised floor, or new suspention, new keel design ...) then I'll start to think this rumor is bulls*it. Sure they won't introduce the R27B untested! And a totally revised chassis is like a new car, it needs more than a three day test to be validated. And I don't think there's much more track time left between Malaysia and Barcelona (IIRC there's just a three day session planned at barcelona the first week of May).

Which lead me to think that Dave and manchild are right, ie the B spec was already planned as soon as they tested the new tyres on the R26, as probably R27 program had gone to far in its developpement to try and feat some new suspention layout/geometry with the defined wheel base.
So a need for a longer wheelbase lead them to a brand new chassis since the begining.

[vyselegend]

Damn, Renault team's blog administrator just ruled out the B-spec theory.
Here's his answear to a member asking for precisions:

"179. On monday 26 march 2007 at 16:30, by RF1 Paddock Pass



Niki, this is incorrect. The story began on a German website and is misinformed speculation. We are working very hard on new developments for the car - but a B-version chassis would be a very different understaking. I have read the theories on here about what the car needs to suddenly make it into a Ferrari-beater, but rest assured, 1) we're not settling for our current level of performance; 2) it's not as simple as that!"

[manchild]

Renault team's blog administrator must act as diplomat. He only makes official announcements and can't say all the he knows but only what he is instructed to say.

Regarding comment of m3_lover... money in not the issue, time is. It takes almost a year to make new car and Renault had only few months after they've tested Bridgestones for the first time. They simply had to continue developing V keel car because if they've waited for first test they'd be nowhere even with R27 as it is.

[benjabulle]

Photo from Sepang tests, ballast in the front wing for the Renault, don't know if it was already at Melbourne

[IMG:640:502]http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/8295/renaukz2.jpg[/img]