2019 pre season launches, testing, dates, discussion, banter.

[TAG]

Getting itchy...

Launch Dates

Renault R.S. 19 February 12th
Racing Point Force India (RP01?) February 13th
McLaren MCL34 February 14th
Ferrari, internal codename 670 February 15th

Launch dates for all other teams, tbd but given the first test dates, I suspect the 16th, 17th and the first test day itself will be very forum busy days for us. Gone are the days of extravagant launches. Frankly one of the things I do miss from the previous decade. One low hanging fruit things Liberty should bring back to liven up the "show" IMO.

Testing Dates

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Test 1: February 18th to 21st

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Test 2: February 26th to March 1st

[marmer]

Getting itchy...

Launch Dates

Renault R.S. 19 February 12th
Racing Point Force India (RP01?) February 13th
McLaren MCL34 February 14th
Ferrari, internal codename 670 February 15th

Launch dates for all other teams, tbd but given the first test dates, I suspect the 16th, 17th and the first test day itself will be very forum busy days for us. Gone are the days of extravagant launches. Frankly one of the things I do miss from the previous decade. One low hanging fruit things Liberty should bring back to liven up the "show" IMO.

Testing Dates

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Test 1: February 18th to 21st

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Test 2: February 26th to March 1st

The fact that banter is in the title does that allow us to take the piss out of McLaren when they show up with a dog again? Without risk of the all the McLaren fans getting butt hurt?

[TAG]

The fact that banter is in the title does that allow us to take the piss out of McLaren when they show up with a dog again? Without risk of the all the McLaren fans getting butt hurt?

Have the last five years not already been painful enough?

[Just_a_fan]

The reality is that only three reveals matter. Ferrari, Mercedes and RedBull. The others will be interesting to us because we're geeks(!), but those three are likely to be the only winners in 2019.

[dans79]

The reality is that only three reveals matter. Ferrari, Mercedes and RedBull. The others will be interesting to us because we're geeks(!), but those three are likely to be the only winners in 2019.

If the new front wing rules limit sealing the floor as much has people have hinted at, it might only be 2 of the 3.

[LM10]

The reality is that only three reveals matter. Ferrari, Mercedes and RedBull. The others will be interesting to us because we're geeks(!), but those three are likely to be the only winners in 2019.

If the new front wing rules limit sealing the floor as much has people have hinted at, it might only be 2 of the 3.

Them being?

[TAG]

The tire thing has changed so much that frankly I don't really remember what was decided with Pirelli. I know they're only bringing soft, medium and hard to each race with the compounds varying based on compounds used this year but are they keeping the entire "range" of compounds used in the 2018 season?

[Just_a_fan]

The reality is that only three reveals matter. Ferrari, Mercedes and RedBull. The others will be interesting to us because we're geeks(!), but those three are likely to be the only winners in 2019.

If the new front wing rules limit sealing the floor as much has people have hinted at, it might only be 2 of the 3.

Them being?

Mercedes and Ferrari, presumably. RedBull's high rake concept will potentially be most hit by anything that limits floor edge sealing. If floor sealing is heavily compromised then one might expect Mercedes to be quids in at the start of the season.

[Capharol]

The tire thing has changed so much that frankly I don't really remember what was decided with Pirelli. I know they're only bringing soft, medium and hard to each race with the compounds varying based on compounds used this year but are they keeping the entire "range" of compounds used in the 2018 season?

the tyre-range stays as it is i believe, they only called it different.
US, SS, HS names are gone these are now called softs

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13823 ... es-in-2019

[LM10]

The tire thing has changed so much that frankly I don't really remember what was decided with Pirelli. I know they're only bringing soft, medium and hard to each race with the compounds varying based on compounds used this year but are they keeping the entire "range" of compounds used in the 2018 season?

the tyre-range stays as it is i believe, they only called it different.
US, SS, HS names are gone these are now called softs

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13823 ... es-in-2019

They are not called softs. It depends on which of the 3 compounds for every race weekend is the softest and that's gonna be called soft. Hard would then be the hardest of those 3 and medium the one in the middle. Hard, medium and soft are the terms which are gonna be used, regardless of the actual tyre.

To give an example: Let's say the tyres available for Monaco would be SS, US and HS. Even though all of them are softs, in this case SS would be called hard, US medium and HS soft.

Another example: M, S and SS are available. M is the hardest, so it's called hard, S would be medium and SS soft.

[LM10]

If the new front wing rules limit sealing the floor as much has people have hinted at, it might only be 2 of the 3.

Them being?

Mercedes and Ferrari, presumably. RedBull's high rake concept will potentially be most hit by anything that limits floor edge sealing. If floor sealing is heavily compromised then one might expect Mercedes to be quids in at the start of the season.

Makes sense. Though, if it's true that the teams already achieved downforce levels of last year, RBR might not have such a hard time. On the other hand they might have a harder time than others. So yeah, let's see.

[TAG]

Them being?

Mercedes and Ferrari, presumably. RedBull's high rake concept will potentially be most hit by anything that limits floor edge sealing. If floor sealing is heavily compromised then one might expect Mercedes to be quids in at the start of the season.

Makes sense. Though, if it's true that the teams already achieved downforce levels of last year, RBR might not have such a hard time. On the other hand they might have a harder time than others. So yeah, let's see.

It's not a question of DF, with a bigger front wing that couldn't have been too difficult. The biggest benefit to Mercedes IMO is an improved ability to follow closely and attack. They were clearly the most affected of the top three when following other cars. I'm sure the drivers will be quick to note whether or not the regulation change made any significant impact on that.

[marmer]

Mercedes and Ferrari, presumably. RedBull's high rake concept will potentially be most hit by anything that limits floor edge sealing. If floor sealing is heavily compromised then one might expect Mercedes to be quids in at the start of the season.

Makes sense. Though, if it's true that the teams already achieved downforce levels of last year, RBR might not have such a hard time. On the other hand they might have a harder time than others. So yeah, let's see.

It's not a question of DF, with a bigger front wing that couldn't have been too difficult. The biggest benefit to Mercedes IMO is an improved ability to follow closely and attack. They were clearly the most affected of the top three when following other cars. I'm sure the drivers will be quick to note whether or not the regulation change made any significant impact on that.

the fact that red bull got the best out of the floor last year and for a few years makes me think they are still ahead. if all teams have lost out equally on the performance of the floor red bull has a better starting point?

equally with the improved ability to follow (not holding my breath) wasn't the merc issue more of a overheating issue when behind others? due to brake ducts and tight bodywork. and they have already solved the brakes

[Just_a_fan]

To give an example: Let's say the tyres available for Monaco would be SS, US and HS. Even though all of them are softs, in this case SS would be called hard, US medium and HS soft.

When you sit and read that you realise how silly the naming had got. SuperSoft, UltraSoft, HyperSoft. Silly.

Having "Hard", "Medium" and "Soft" makes more sense for everyone except, perhaps, the geekiest tyre geek. And they are still catered for because the headline names the tyres still have the same silly compound names behind them.

[Just_a_fan]

the fact that red bull got the best out of the floor last year and for a few years makes me think they are still ahead. if all teams have lost out equally on the performance of the floor red bull has a better starting point?

If RB makes a higher percentage of their total downforce from the floor and its sealing, then they will be harder hit by any loss of that floor downforce. A team that got more from the wings, in comparison, ought to be happier because the wings are bigger and the floor might be less effective next year - so they win.

Of course, it's not nearly as simple as this as every part of the car affects every other part and we have to look at the car as a whole.