Formula 1 blog

A Few Tips For Enjoying the 2007 Formula One World Championship
by David B. Simpson

1. News
Keep up to date with current events in F1. Don’t miss any results or new developments. The races are that much more enjoyable if you have a wealth of F1 knowledge. It really makes a big difference to understand the sport. Hopefully you won’t ever miss a race weekend. If you ever do, get on the web and get caught up on all the results as soon as possible. When anyone starts talking racing or Formula one around you, you will be the expert. There’s too many people out there that have the facts all wrong.
2. The Technical Side of F1.
When you understand how the cars work, how much power they have, you can really begin to see just how good the drivers are and that they are truly athletes. Did you know an F1 car generates enough downforce at a certain speed to drive upside down? Likely won’t ever happen, but the theory works. You here about 300kph+ speeds and 150kph cornering speeds, but do you know how fast an F1 car can stop from 300kph? Phenomenal braking power.
3. Teams, circuits and drivers
Which team has the biggest budget for 2007? What circuit has all of its corners named after former F1 drivers? What’s the oldest circuit on the 2007 F1 calendar? Did you know Ferrari had a driver’s suit made for Michael Schumacher this year just in case he wants to drive? How many drivers are on each team? Hint: it’s not two or three.
Learn as much as you can. Stay informed. The sport and the cars are under constant change. Enjoy the rumours. The ‘buzz’. The glamour. The excitement. The races are usually two weeks apart, but alot can happen in those two weeks…and usually does. Thanks for that one Murray Walker. : )
David B. Simpson
Writer, Webmaster and F1 Enthusiast
David is the owner several domains including www.TotallyTopics.com an article site of over 50,000 pages.
Visit and bookmark http://www.formula1grandprix.ca for the latest news, information, photos, and more: http://www.formula1grandprix.ca

Gaining knowledge is the key to enjoying the Formula One race season. For news, technical information and to learn about F1 teams, circuits and drivers visit www.formula1grandprix.ca

David B. Simpson
Writer, Webmaster and F1 Enthusiast
David is the owner several domains including www.TotallyTopics.com an article site of over 50,000 pages.
Visit and bookmark http://www.formula1grandprix.ca for the latest news, information, photos, and more:

Formula One - Grand Prix Cars by Billy Bonds

Modern Formula One cars are mid-engined open cockpit, open wheel single-seaters. The chassis is made largely of carbon fibre composites, rendering it light but extremely stiff and strong. The whole car, including engine, fluids and driver weighs only 605 kg. In fact this is the minimum weight set by the regulations – the cars are so light that they often have to be ballasted up to this minimum weight.

The cornering speed of Formula One cars is largely determined by the aerodynamic downforce that they generate, which pushes the car down onto the track. This is provided by ‘wings’ mounted at the front and rear of the vehicle, and by ground effect created by the movement of air under the flat bottom of the car.

A significant difference in the design of the latest breeds of F1 cars is that they make far greater use of vortex “lift,” or in this case, downforce. Since a vortex is a rotating fluid that creates a low pressure zone at its center, creating vortices lowers the overall local pressure of the air.

Since low pressure is what is desired under the car, allowing normal atmospheric pressure to press the car down from the top, by creating vortices, downforce can be augmented while still staying within the rules.

The aerodynamic design of the cars is very heavily constrained to limit performance and the current generation of cars sport a large number of small winglets, “barge boards” and turning vanes designed to closely control the flow of the air over, under and around the car. The “barge boards” in particular are designed, shaped, configured, adjusted and positioned not to create downforce directly, as with a conventional wing or underbody venturi. They are designed so that air spillage from their edges will create these vortices.

The other major factor controlling the cornering speed of the cars is the design of the tyres. Tyres in Formula One are not ’slicks’ (tyres with no tread pattern) as in most other circuit racing series. Each tyre has four large circumferential grooves on its surface designed to further limit the cornering speed of the cars. Suspension is double wishbone or multilink all round with pushrod operated springs and dampers on the chassis. Carbon-Carbon disc brakes are used for reduced weight and increased frictional performance. These provide a very high level of braking performance and are usually the element which provokes the greatest reaction from drivers new to the formula.

Engines are mandated as 2.4 litre normally aspirated V8s, with many other constraints on their design and the materials that may be used. The 2006 generation of engines rev close to 20,000 rpm and produce up to 740 bhp (552 kW).[10] The previous generation of 3-litre V10 engines are also allowed, albeit with their revs limited and with an air restrictor to limit performance.

Engines run on unleaded fuel closely resembling publicly available petrol. The oil which lubricates and protects the engine from overheating is very similar in viscosity to water. For 2007 the V8 engines will be restricted to 19,000 rpm with limited development areas allowed, following the engine specification freeze from the end of 2006. As outright speed and power are effectively being capped it is widely believed that teams will work on improving reliability, and the torque range of the engine to improve driveability.

A wide variety of technologies – including active suspension, ground effect aerodynamics and turbochargers – are banned under the current regulations. Despite this the 2006 generation of cars can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h (around 220 mph) at some circuits (Monza).A Honda Formula One car, running with minimum downforce on a runway in the Mojave desert achieved a top speed of 415 km/h (258 mph) in 2006. According to Honda, the car fully met the FIA Formula One regulations.

Even with the limitations on aerodynamics, at 160 km/h, aerodynamically generated downforce is equal to the weight of the car and the often repeated claim that Formula One cars are capable of ‘driving on the ceiling’ remains true in principle, although it has never been put to the test. At full speed downforce of 2.5 times the car’s weight can be achieved.

The downforce means that the cars can achieve a lateral force of around four and a half times the force of gravity (4.5 g) in cornering - a high-performance road car might achieve around 1 g. Consequently in corners the driver’s head is pulled sideways with a force equivalent to 25 kilograms. Such high lateral forces are enough to make breathing difficult and the drivers need supreme concentration to maintain their focus for the 1 to 2 hours that it takes to cover 305 kilometres.

Billy Bond’s website brings you all the latest Formula One news, updated several times a day. Find out the latest news and gossip at F1DailyNews

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Good Things To Know About Formula 1 Circuits by Dalvin Rumsey

A Formula 1 circuit usually has a starting grid placed on a stretch of straight road. The teams work on the cars before the race in the place called pit lane. This is where the drivers stop for fuel during the race and it is also situated next to the starting grid.

These are the only things that cannot miss from a typical Formula 1 circuit. The rest can be very different from one location to the other, keeping the clockwise direction of the race though. There can also be some cases when the race runs in the opposite direction, but this is not very comfortable for the drivers at all. They can get serious neck problems due to the enormous lateral forces generated by F1 cars pulling their heads in the opposite direction to normal. Corners like the high-speed Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps, the Parabolica at Monza and the Tamburello corner at Imola have become very well known in their own right.

The circuit in Monaco, which is used for the Monaco Grand Prix, is the only real street circuit around. The rest of the circuits have only been built in the purpose of competition. The fame and the history of the Monaco race are the main reasons why the circuit is still in use, as it is thought not to meet the strict safety requirements imposed on other tracks. No wonder that the three-time World champion Nelson Piquet described racing in Monaco as “riding a bicycle around your living room.”

The new Bahrain International Circuit, which was designed, like most of F1’s new circuits, by Hermann Tilke intends to protect the safety of drivers, unlike the 1950s, when a driver was lucky to find a strategically placed bale of straw to absorb an impact. There are many large run-off areas, gravel traps and tire barriers in the modern circuits, in order for the risk of injuries due to crashed to be reduced. The tragic disappearance of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola during the 1994 season, safety has been enforced even more in all circuits. The main idea is to best match the speed of a car with both the ability of the barriers to safely absorb the energy of a crash and also the available space to slow down in before reaching a barrier.

Redesigns of the Formula 1 circuits will always have the main goal of meeting the safety standards for the drivers.

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Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

1,2,3 places all with 22 points! Hamilton with no race won but still with 22 points, while Alonso and Raikkonen did win each one of them a race. Massa fourth with 17 and winner of the last race! 3 races, 3 different winners. I was hoping today it will be a third winner.
Heidfeld with the BMW did a great job today, finishing in front of Alonso and his McLaren. Renaul very disspaointing, I liked Nico and Wurz from Williams, they were fighting a lot in this race.

01 F.ALONSO 22
02 K.RAIKKONEN 22
03 L.HAMILTON 22
04 F.MASSA 17
05 N.HEIDFELD 15
06 G.FISICHELLA 8
07 J.TRULLI 4
08 R.KUBICA 3
09 N.ROSBERG 2
10 H.KOVALAINEN 1
11 R.SCHUMACHER 1

Here are the result from the Bahrain Grand Prix:
1 F. Massa Ferrari 0:00.000
2 L. Hamilton McLaren 0:05.500
3 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 0:09.300
4 N. Heidfeld BMW 0:14.600
5 F. Alonso McLaren 0:16.700
6 R. Kubica BMW 0:41.600
7 J. Trulli Toyota 0:74.400
8 G. Fisichella Renault 0:76.000
9 H. Kovalainen Renault 0:83.900
10 N. Rosberg Williams 0:85.100
11 A. Wurz Williams 0:94.000
12 R. Schumacher Toyota + 1 lap
13 R. Barrichello Honda + 1 lap
14 C. Albers Spyker + 2 lap
15 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 4 lap
16 A. Sutil Spyker + 4 lap
17 M. Webber Red Bull out
18 D. Coulthard Red Bull out
19 T. Sato Super Aguri out
20 V. Liuzzi Toro Rosso out
21 J. Button Honda out
22 S. Speed Toro Rosso out

Half true my guessing, Massa did it. Hamilton second, I was really thinking Alonso or Raikkonen will be in fornt of him.
1 F. Massa Ferrari 1:33.090
2 L. Hamilton McLaren
3 K. Raikkonen Ferrari
4 F. Alonso McLaren
5 R. Kubica BMW
6 N. Heidfeld BMW
7 N. Rosberg Williams
8 M. Webber Red Bull
9 G. Fisichella Renault
10 J. Trulli Toyota
11 A. Wurz Williams
13 A. Davidson Super Aguri
14 R. Schumacher Toyota
15 R. Barrichello Honda
16 J. Button Honda
17 T. Sato Super Aguri
18 V. Liuzzi Toro Rosso
19 S. Speed Toro Rosso
20 A. Sutil Spyker
21 D. Coulthard Red Bull
22 C. Albers Spyker

Hamilton and Raikkonen are fighiting for the first two places, while Raikkonen was fastest in first 2 session now Hamilton did it. Third session Hamilton with McLaren Mercedes is faster than Raikkonen with Ferrari. Just 0.006 seconds between them!!
Bellow are the results from the third session with Massa and Alonso on 6 and 7-th place. So I said they will be faster in the qualifiyng session. BMW looks pretty good, but let’s see.
About 45 minute until the qualifying.

1 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:32.543 12
2 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 1:32.549 +0:00.006 16
3 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:32.652 +0:00.109 15
4 R. Kubica BMW 1:32.775 +0:00.232 15
5 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:32.900 +0:00.357 20
6 F. Massa Ferrari 1:32.950 +0:00.407 12
7 F. Alonso McLaren 1:33.235 +0:00.692 11
8 M. Webber Red Bull 1:33.399 +0:00.856 14
9 G. Fisichella Renault 1:33.602 +0:01.059 17
10 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:33.605 +0:01.062 21
11 N. Rosberg Williams 1:33.614 +0:01.071 14
12 A. Wurz Williams 1:33.658 +0:01.115 17
13 V. Liuzzi Toro Rosso 1:33.700 +0:01.157 18
14 J. Trulli Toyota 1:33.724 +0:01.181 22
15 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:33.826 +0:01.283 14
16 J. Button Honda 1:34.023 +0:01.480 20
17 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:34.082 +0:01.539 21
18 R. Barrichello Honda 1:34.397 +0:01.854 17
19 S. Speed Toro Rosso 1:34.791 +0:02.248 12
20 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:35.144 +0:02.601 11
21 C. Albers Spyker 1:35.395 +0:02.852 22
22 A. Sutil Spyker 1:35.436 +0:02.893 18

Raikonen fastest in both sessions. Hamilton’s was very close. Don’t know why bother, this sessions doesn’t really counts for the race. It just shows to us which teams are in the first places.

Cool start, good action on the first laps with Massa fighting with Hamilton. I was thinking Raikkonen was a little fastest than Massa but when Massa went offroad, he wasn’t able to overtake Hamilton, not even to get close. And those last laps, with Raikkonen pushing hard and get closer and closer to Hamilton..I don’t really get it, maybe Hamilton wasn’t pushing any more or have some kind of problem. Another few more laps and Raikkonen could really have the cjance to pass Hamilton, why he wait the and of the race to push it?
OK. Here are the result of Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix:

1 F. Alonso McLaren 1:32:14.930 2
2 L. Hamilton McLaren 17.557 2
3 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 18.339 2
4 N. Heidfeld BMW 33.777 2
5 F. Massa Ferrari 36.705 2
6 G. Fisichella Renault 1:05.638 2
7 J. Trulli Toyota 1:10.132 2
8 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:12.015 2
9 A. Wurz Williams 1:29.924 2
10 M. Webber Red Bull 1:33.5 2
11 R. Barrichello Honda + 1 lap 2
12 J. Button Honda + 1 lap 2
13 T. Sato Super Aguri + 1 lap 2
14 S. Speed Toro Rosso + 1 lap 2
15 R. Schumacher Toyota + 1 lap 2
16 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 1 lap 2
17 V. Liuzzi Toro Rosso + 1 lap 3
18 R. Kubica BMW + 1 lap 2
19 N. Rosberg Williams out 2
20 D. Coulthard Red Bull out 2
21 C. Albers Spyker out 1
22 A. Sutil Spyker out

I really, really hope there will be a nice race tomorrow. I was such disapointed after the last one..I didn’t even want to write here. Massa is the favourite for this race IMHO, but who ever is winning I just want to see A RACE.

1 F. Massa Ferrari 1:35.043 16
2 F. Alonso McLaren 1:35.310 16
3 K. Raikkonen Ferrari 1:35.479 16
4 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:36.045 16
5 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:36.543 19
6 N. Rosberg Williams 1:36.829 22
7 R. Kubica BMW 1:36.896 14
8 J. Trulli Toyota 1:36.902 23
9 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:37.078 22
10 M. Webber Red Bull 1:37.345 21
11 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:35.630 12
12 G. Fisichella Renault 1:35.706 12
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:35.766 12
14 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:35.945 12
15 J. Button Honda 1:36.088 15
16 V. Liuzzi Toro Rosso 1:36.145 12
17 S. Speed Toro Rosso 1:36.578 6
18 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:36.816 6
19 R. Barrichello Honda 1:36.827 7
20 A. Wurz Williams 1:37.326 5
21 C. Albers Spyker 1:38.279 6
22 A. Sutil Spyker 1:36.415 6