2019 Aston Martin Red Bull Racing - Honda F1 Team

[Snorked]

Tanabe confirms all four drivers will run spec 4 in Monza:

From a PU point of view, the main development is that we plan to run the Spec 4 PU with all four drivers for the first time, after just Albon and Kvyat ran it in Belgium. For their first race with Spec 4, Gasly and Verstappen will therefore take grid penalties and start from the back of grid, but we believe they can still race strongly on Sunday. We gathered useful data in Spa, which we have used to make changes to PU settings and calibration in preparation for this race. We will try to maximize the potential of Spec 4 and hope to get another positive result, maintaining the momentum we gained in Spa.

[Capharol]

There is no such thing as 5 place penalty. The actual penalty is: ''You get the F to the back of the grid''.

there are 5 place grid pen. but only if you change parts of an car or engine

This will be Ricciardo's fifth new ICE of 2019, and Hulkenberg's sixth, both exceeding their allocation of three for the season. They will take five-place grid drops each.

[Pyrone89]

Tanabe confirms all four drivers will run spec 4 in Monza:

From a PU point of view, the main development is that we plan to run the Spec 4 PU with all four drivers for the first time, after just Albon and Kvyat ran it in Belgium. For their first race with Spec 4, Gasly and Verstappen will therefore take grid penalties and start from the back of grid, but we believe they can still race strongly on Sunday. We gathered useful data in Spa, which we have used to make changes to PU settings and calibration in preparation for this race. We will try to maximize the potential of Spec 4 and hope to get another positive result, maintaining the momentum we gained in Spa.

In hindsight they should have taken a penalty for Verstappen as well in Spa. So that they would have had 2 fresh spec 4 engines after Monza for the rest of the year including using one to go to the limit at Suzuka. From practice it was already clear they would get 5th at most and now they decided to risk a first lap carnage which ultimately happened because Max made a judgement error.

[IvailoStefanovBG]

ATM weather forecast is for heavy rain on Sunday - 34mm at 12 o clock and 22mm at race start - I guess this also contributed to taking penalties in Monza...

[Capharol]

Tanabe confirms all four drivers will run spec 4 in Monza:

From a PU point of view, the main development is that we plan to run the Spec 4 PU with all four drivers for the first time, after just Albon and Kvyat ran it in Belgium. For their first race with Spec 4, Gasly and Verstappen will therefore take grid penalties and start from the back of grid, but we believe they can still race strongly on Sunday. We gathered useful data in Spa, which we have used to make changes to PU settings and calibration in preparation for this race. We will try to maximize the potential of Spec 4 and hope to get another positive result, maintaining the momentum we gained in Spa.

In hindsight they should have taken a penalty for Verstappen as well in Spa. So that they would have had 2 fresh spec 4 engines after Monza for the rest of the year including using one to go to the limit at Suzuka. From practice it was already clear they would get 5th at most and now they decided to risk a first lap carnage which ultimately happened because Max made a judgement error.

these are if, whens and buts and easy to say afterwards.....

my hope for now is that it rains in Monza, maybe this way it could be easier for Max to pass the midfields, so he can be 5th - 6th after 2 or 3 laps, this way he has a change of overtaking Bottas and maybe even Vettel at lap 5.....
should the track still be wet by that time he even could get a podium.

problem is .... starting at the back in a rainrace will have a high probabillity of getting into a carnage in front of you or causing one yourself .....

other possibillty would be not taking he penalty, driving with the Spec 3 in a rainrace and pick that penalty up at Sochi, but this would comprimise his possibillity to win at Singapore .....

[godlameroso]

ATM weather forecast is for heavy rain on Sunday - 34mm at 12 o clock and 22mm at race start - I guess this also contributed to taking penalties in Monza...

I'm seeing the same thing. It definitely will be changing conditions on Sunday.

[Michel Vaillant]

Tanabe confirms all four drivers will run spec 4 in Monza:

From a PU point of view, the main development is that we plan to run the Spec 4 PU with all four drivers for the first time, after just Albon and Kvyat ran it in Belgium. For their first race with Spec 4, Gasly and Verstappen will therefore take grid penalties and start from the back of grid, but we believe they can still race strongly on Sunday. We gathered useful data in Spa, which we have used to make changes to PU settings and calibration in preparation for this race. We will try to maximize the potential of Spec 4 and hope to get another positive result, maintaining the momentum we gained in Spa.

In hindsight they should have taken a penalty for Verstappen as well in Spa. So that they would have had 2 fresh spec 4 engines after Monza for the rest of the year including using one to go to the limit at Suzuka. From practice it was already clear they would get 5th at most and now they decided to risk a first lap carnage which ultimately happened because Max made a judgement error.

Captain Hindsight --- redbull is always stronger on race day than what free practice shows and it is still a mechanical sport so to say that p5 was maximum achievable is just a bit short sighted.. marco was convinced that Max could have been in the mix for a podium position
And i can imagine that a team like RB always wants to have at least one of their cars starting at the front in order to be in a position to collect silverware if the opportunity arises... and at Spa it made more sense to let Albon start from the back than Max because firstly it was max his home race and secondly it was Albon his first race in the redbull

[ispano6]

I'm wondering if they will try and squeeze two more races out of their existing engine pool. Something tells me that Spec 4.XX/5 (Spec 4 with revised turbo and intake plenum) should be ready by Sochi along with a fuel upgrade. Maybe skip Spec 4 altogether for Max and Gasly??

Along with new fuel? Won't that be coming around Singapore? After Singapore it's Sochi, that would be the latest they should take any new parts, and then ride that out to the end of the year. It would also give them time to hone the final step for the year.

Mercedes will have a real fight on it's hand and hopefully Ferrari can also join.

Tanabe already said PU and fuel will not be introduced together.

[maguetox]

I'm wondering if they will try and squeeze two more races out of their existing engine pool. Something tells me that Spec 4.XX/5 (Spec 4 with revised turbo and intake plenum) should be ready by Sochi along with a fuel upgrade. Maybe skip Spec 4 altogether for Max and Gasly??

Along with new fuel? Won't that be coming around Singapore? After Singapore it's Sochi, that would be the latest they should take any new parts, and then ride that out to the end of the year. It would also give them time to hone the final step for the year.

Mercedes will have a real fight on it's hand and hopefully Ferrari can also join.

Tanabe already said PU and fuel will not be introduced together.

Technically for Monza we can see the new fuel working with the Spec 4, as the official Spec 4 introduction was at SPA, now how much the new fuel change the calibrations of the PU is a mystery and with the adjustments in calibration after the leanings of SPA I don´t know if we will see it this weekend.

[NL_Fer]

Why didn’t they take the Spec 4 after they noticed troubles with the Spec 3 friday FP. It wasn’t available? Spec 2 was still good enough for Spa ? It was pretty slow in Q.

[Alexf1]

Why didn’t they take the Spec 4 after they noticed troubles with the Spec 3 friday FP. It wasn’t available? Spec 2 was still good enough for Spa ? It was pretty slow in Q.

I think spec1 was in the car on friday at Spa. Spec2 was used on sat and sunday.

[diffuser]

Tanabe confirms all four drivers will run spec 4 in Monza:

In hindsight they should have taken a penalty for Verstappen as well in Spa. So that they would have had 2 fresh spec 4 engines after Monza for the rest of the year including using one to go to the limit at Suzuka. From practice it was already clear they would get 5th at most and now they decided to risk a first lap carnage which ultimately happened because Max made a judgement error.

these are if, whens and buts and easy to say afterwards.....

my hope for now is that it rains in Monza, maybe this way it could be easier for Max to pass the midfields, so he can be 5th - 6th after 2 or 3 laps, this way he has a change of overtaking Bottas and maybe even Vettel at lap 5.....
should the track still be wet by that time he even could get a podium.

problem is .... starting at the back in a rainrace will have a high probabillity of getting into a carnage in front of you or causing one yourself .....

other possibillty would be not taking he penalty, driving with the Spec 3 in a rainrace and pick that penalty up at Sochi, but this would comprimise his possibillity to win at Singapore .....

Be carefull what you wish for. Rain also increases the number of collisions. When you're starting from the back there are more cars who, unvolentarily, can collide with you.

[McMika98]

There is no such thing as 5 place penalty. The actual penalty is: ''You get the F to the back of the grid''.

there are 5 place grid pen. but only if you change parts of an car or engine

This will be Ricciardo's fifth new ICE of 2019, and Hulkenberg's sixth, both exceeding their allocation of three for the season. They will take five-place grid drops each.

I took a lot of flak from Honda zealots when i criticised the design for being rigid and not able to interchange components. Any other manufacturer can simply replace one of the four defective PU component but for Honda they have always opted a new turbo and MGUH with new ICE even if they have pool of components. Hopefully this wil be addressed next year with modular components that can be replaced without needing wholesale refit.

[auv]

A good skills test for Albon here: in case of starting within top 5 will he finish higher than Max?

[Marti_EF3]

They should get another Spec 4 at Sochi. Run it full power at Suzuka. Throw it if it's useless, but win at Japan. It would be massive a win at Honda's home and home track