Conor Daly breaks through with GP3 win

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Conor Daly notched his first win last weekend in Barcelona racing in the GP3 series for  ART/Lotus GP.  Daly is quickly proving himself as a bright, young American prospect among the vast ranks of Formula 1 hopefuls in Europe; the ranks of which are notoriously talent-rich.

Conor Daly is the son of Derek Daly, an Irish-American former-F1 driver and British Formula 3 series champion in 1977.  Derek Daly also won the 12-Hours of Sebring and has a long history in racing sports cars and in Champ Car (or CART).

Conor’s path to GP3 was relatively brief and successful within the American ladder system for open-wheel racers.  After he began karting in 2004, Daly raced in Skip Barber’s regional division and eventually went on to win the Skip Barber National Championship a few years later in 2008.  He then progressed higher in the American open-wheel system to the Star Mazda Series, which boast higher horsepower and significantly higher down force.  In 2011, Daly competed in the Firestone Indy Lights finishing 13th as well as competing in GP3.  He was recently tapped by Sahara Force India to help with aerodynamic testing in the VJM05.  With both Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly rising into test driver positions within Formula 1, it appears that investing in American open-wheel talent is becoming increasingly lucrative.  With the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin later this year in November and a Grand Prix in the works in New Jersey for 2014, perhaps Americans will begin to invest time, money, and talent in stiffly-competitive European junior formula ranks.  Daly’s quick rise is impressive, but his staying power in GP3 and beyond depends on consistency and commitment across the pond.  Of course, competition among American Formula 1 hopefuls will, hopefully, breed a better and better class of driver willing to test themselves among the best open-wheel racers in Europe.  With Daly’s maiden victory in GP3, American Formula 1 fans and sponsors have a lot to look forward to in the next few years.

Lewis Hamilton excluded from Spanish Grand Prix qualifying results

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After a nail biting Q3 session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, Lewis Hamilton appeared to secure pole position in his McLaren MP4-27.  Hamilton set a blistering lap as the only driver to breach the 1min 21sec threshold.  Hamilton’s car stopped on track during his cool down lap and he did not make it to the pits under his own power.  After qualifying, the race officials and stewards determined that because Lewis was unable to travel under his own power back to the pits, the FIA was unable to take a fuel sample as required under Article 6.6.3 of the Technical Regulations.

Does the penalty fit the crime?  Perhaps the team should have been penalized in terms of Constructors Championship points rather than immediately altering the grid order.

The FIA’s 2012 International Sporting Code under Article XI entitled “Penalties” sets forth as follows:

153. Scale of penalties
Penalties may be inflicted as follows in order of increasing severity:
- reprimand (blame);
- fines;
- obligation to accomplish some work of public interest;
- time penalty;
- exclusion;
- suspension;
- disqualification.

Why not asses a penalty in line with an “obligation to accomplish some work of public interest” for the sake of entertainment?  Why not penalize Hamilton with a time handicap instead of a complete exclusion?  This level of race officiating demands consistency and regularity among sanctions.  Whether penalties and sanctions throughout the rest of the season fall in line with this rationale remains to be seen.  With a new Concorde Agreement in the pipeline, a few more infractions and highly controversial calls might compromise McLaren’s patience in the board room with Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Management.

As a result of Hamilton’s draconian penalty imposed by the FIA, he will start from the 24th grid position alongside Nahrain Karthikayan.  Pastor Maldonado secured the first pole position for Williams since back in 2010 and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso will now start on the front row.  In the race for each and every point, it appears that Ferrari’s grind toward the top might pay off later in the season.  Bring on the rain, Lewis!

2012 Spanish Grand Prix: a strange brew

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Formula 1 is back in action in Barcelona after three long weeks and some (rare) in-season testing at the Mugello Circuit near Florence, Italy.  The reports from Mugello seemed mixed with some teams (quite predictably) applying a bevy of modifications and updates, mostly front-end aerodynamics.  Others, like Scuderia Ferrari, worked on the rear bodywork and began the first phase of a testing process that has carried over into the first free practice sessions at the Circuit de Catalunya.  In Barcelona, Ferrari is still performing tests and crunching aerodynamic data as the team has clearly not been bashful in applying Flow Vis paint to rear sections of the F2012.  Red Bull’s RB8 showed signs of the same strategy as streaks of fluorescent green paint streamed back on sections of the front wing and endplates.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso is sounding optimistic as the practice sessions march onward:  ”I am confident that we will do the job and with the updates the first signs are positive; we need to look more at the data but it looks as we suspected . . . [t]omorrow, hopefully we can see some positive signs and we can get into Q3 a little bit more relaxed this time.”  If Ferrari are marching in the right direction at long last, will their progress catch up with and outpace the rest of the Formula 1 field?  Odds are slim, but this is Scuderia Ferrari, of course, and their frontman (sorry Felipe) is the one and only Fernando Alonso–no hidden bias there!

McLaren showed good pace with the MP4-27 and its revised nose height in the hands of Jenson Button with Lewis only sightly behind his teammate’s pace.  With a few changes made in the pit crew, thankfully, this could be a very good weekend for the team that has suffered more SNAFUs in pit lane than others in the most recent grands prix.  If McLaren can execute and show more consistency the Spanish Grand Prix could fall into their hands.  Can Lewis Hamilton start building some momentum and find his stride this weekend in Barcelona?  The circuit’s layout certainly seems to bode well for Jenson’s characteristically smooth driving style.  However, other teams are already talking about sitting out Q3 in order to preserve extra sets of tires for race day, which, as we saw in Bahrain (cue Kimi Raikkonen), could provide some epic battles for the pole sitter.  Now, cue Red Bull, Mercedes, and Sauber.  As the testing continues to shake out with mixed results and speculation, qualifying will lift the veil of uncertainty (at least through Q2) and we should begin to see which teams are developing quicker than others.
Buckle down, Lewis!
And last but not least, do not count rain out of the equation!  There is a decent chance for rain in the race day forecast, which could really throw a curveball into things!  Cue Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Michael, and any other wet condition wizards.  This weekend in Barcelona, we have also witnessed Alexander Rossi get valuable seat-time in the Caterham chassis.  He managed to impress his team with the feedback he provided and brought the car back in one piece–not often an easy task for drivers desperate to prove themselves but fulfill their duties as a test driver.  It is great to see an American on track in the wake of Scott Speed and the American drought in F1.

Mirages in the Middle East?

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Despite tear gas and molotov cocktails flying about, qualifying is in the books at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.  Giving the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix the go-ahead amidst civic and political turmoil was no doubt controversial, but the qualifying sessions today revealed a more enigmatic picture on the competitive side among Formula 1 teams.

Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull racing fetched pole position for the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, but was this more of a bonus for team morale or a genuine snapshot of Red Bull Racing’s race pace?  After all, both Vettel and Webber went out late in Q3 on new sets of prime tires as did the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.  Yet again, the talk of the weekend has been about tire degradation.  With blowing sand, a coarser-than-average racing surface, and high temperatures, the track will be brutal on tires.  With a 3 or 4 lap optimal window before rapid degradation sets in, the prime tires will fade fast for Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Button, and the rest of the Q3 warriors.  Red Bull’s RB8 showed good raw speed in Sector 2, which seems to best suit the RB8 (and RB7) with intermediate speeds and requiring more mechanical grip in corners.  But with prime tires going off so quickly, will Vettel and those who now have to start on used prime tires (most of the Q3 bunch) fall back too quickly to stay competitive?

The big question that remains for tomorrow’s grand prix is how the medium and harder compound tire strategies will come into play.  Alonso (albeit in the “maligned” F2012) and Raikkonen (down in Q2) have a set of prime tires to spare as they ran a more conservative qualifying strategy–choosing to sit back more and conserve tires and keep more radical pit strategies available to them.  Nico Rosberg and Sergio Perez are wildcards in my mind because while they posted lower on the Q3 time charts, their long run strategy and pace on medium and harder compound tires is a big unknown right now (at least for me because U.S. television schedules did not pick up much of FP1-FP3).

In Shanghai, Vettel translated a relatively mundane qualifying effort into a P2 race finish that seemed very unlikely at the start of the day.  While he is the pole sitter for the moment, I doubt very much that Vettel stays in podium contention as the narrow performance window of the prime tires and the mechanical grip the RB8 desperately needs from these tires might not hold up for long.  If Red Bull Racing are steadily improving the RB8 and their understanding of tire degradation rates, this weekend plus last weekend’s results need to match up.  Until then, Red Bull’s pace in qualifying trim appears slightly misleading.  On the heels of a solid, but frustrating podium in Shanghai, I would once again point to Lewis Hamilton and the more consistent MP4-27 to score top honors this weekend in Bahrain.  But then again, this Formula 1 season has been so topsy turvy that a surprise could be in order (again)!  Perhaps Kimi Raikkonen, who was admittedly saving tires with his qualifying effort, could bring Lotus into the fray on the podium?

So, who is ready for some optical illusions courtesy of Pirelli?!?!

Mark Webber goes vertical…again!

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Mark Webber, today we salute you (or at least I am)!  In a 2012 Chinese Grand Prix that saw intensely tight racing across the grid and a few surprises, Mark managed to finish in 4th position after qualifying 7th and ahead of his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, who he nipped for position in the closing lap of the grand prix.

Most importantly, however, we saw the return of Mark Webber’s amazing aerial car control skills.  Mark, that late-race wheelie was pure genius!  Did he keep his right foot in it, or what?!  Mark at least deserves an “attaboy” pat on the back after closing out the Chinese Grand Prix in style on not four, but TWO wheels.  In honor of Webber’s return to acrobatics in a Formula 1 car, here are a few shots of Mark taking to the sky over the years.

2012 Chinese Grand Prix wheelie:

2010 European Grand Prix air assault:

Mid-flight (looking composed as ever–as David Hobbs would say:  ”a large pair of attachments on that Mark Webber”):

1999 LeMans practice in the Mercedes CLK-GTR coming over the hill near the end of the Mulsanne Straight (getting his wings):

And Mark, if you happen to be reading, can you bust out the double-bird salute if you happen to be overtaking while taking to the sky next time?  After all, what fun would Formula 1 be without a little taunting (and some fines from the FIA)?!?!  All kidding aside, it is a miracle Mark survived these “incidents” without serious injury and continues to put on a heck of a show.  Cheers, Mark!

Shanghai soothsaying

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It is never too late for a bit of post-qualifying speculation, right?  Formula 1 has been off for nearly three long weeks and knockout qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit produced more than a few surprises for the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.  Let’s get to it.

Working through the qualifying sessions, HRT, Marussia, Caterham, and Jean-Eric Vergne of Scuderia Toro Rosso failed to advance out of Q3.  This liens up with the performance of these teams and drivers thus far.  Without any significant aerodynamic or chassis upgrades in store through the first three races, there is not much to report (or speculate) on among these teams.  If the circuit stays dry, I would not expect any surprises from these teams relative to their grid positions.

The drivers that did not advance from Q2 brought about the first round of major surprises.  Sebastian Vettel’s radio communications throughout qualifying show a more guarded, less aggressive twice-world champion in the RB8.  On several occasions Sebastian asked his team whether the times he laid down (early in the sessions) were enough to advance him to the next round. For the Chinese Grand Prix, Vettel reverted to an earlier exhaust configuration utilized by Red Bull Racing at the onset of the season while his teammate, Mark Webber, chose the newer configuration.  Whether one configuration and the aerodynamic benefits “suit” one driving style better than another might provide more of a psychological advantage than a technological one.  Vettel was nearly on the bubble in Q1 and he was edged out very late in Q2 by Perez and Grosjean.  From the looks of it, Vettel is searching for balance and comfort with the RB8, and clearly he is falling back on his heels a bit judging from his uncharacteristically conservative qualifying session in Shanghai.  This is not a confident Sebastian Vettel, and the fact that Mark Webber handily out-qualified him in 7th qualifying position (moving to 6th after Lewis takes a 5-place grid position penalty for anticipated gearbox change).  Vettel, who is really searching for speed, could make an unforced error as a result of experimentation, frustration, or impatience.  Gherkins, anyone?

Poor old Felipe Massa put in a relatively uninspiring qualifying performance relegating him to a modest 12th grid position, which puts him at risk for being caught up in a Lap 1, Turn 1 melee or any number of midfield “racing incidents” during the grand prix.  I hope his luck can turn around along with that of Scuderia Ferrari’s F2012.  For Fernando Alonso, I would imagine he is doing reverse rain dances along with Pat Fry at the moment.  They need another field-leveling agent like rain to be competitive, but the gods might not be so generous in Shanghai.  The dry weather pace of the F2012 should still place Fernando in points-scoring position, but his overall points lead will likely diminish or vanish this weekend.

Mercedes are looking bullish in qualifying, but in 2012 we have already seen the team go backwards in race conditions as their rear tires wear out and grip falls off.  Although Nico and Michael put on a good showing in qualifying, I suspect liberal use of DRS (and their DRS F-duct) and the long straights of the Shanghai International Circuit are making the Silver Arrows appear faster than they really are.  The big issue will be how far back and how quickly the W03s fade through the field, or have they really found the speed they were looking for?  Kamui Kobayashi outqualified Sergio Perez by nearly 8 tenths of a second, which is significant, but Kobayashi is a bit of a daredevil behind the wheel.  If Sergio Perez demonstrates the same speed and consistency as he has done already this season, I would count him as a strong contender for a top-5 finishing position.

There was very little discussion of Kimi Raikkonen during the qualifying sessions, but in my mind he is continuing to put together a very impressive season after venturing away from Formula 1 for 2 years.  Next to Alonso, he is one of the more naturally talented drivers in the field.  As with his personality, Kimi is a dangerous dark horse this weekend (as he has been so far) for the regular top contenders.  His qualifying and race results show a lot of parity, and I would not at all be surprised if he capitalizes on mistakes from those who out-qualified him.  This could be the weekend that a consistent and strong Kimi Raikkonen finds his way back to the podium.

Last, but certainly not least, there is McLaren.  Although the team looked uncharacteristically sloppy in Malaysia, Lewis put in a very strong qualifying effort this weekend.  Taking away any qualifying advantages Mercedes enjoyed that might not last in the race, Lewis is the best of the rest and he has won here twice before (2008, 2011).  As much as I like Jenson Button as a driver, he is  behind Lewis’ pace by nearly a half second.  The MP4-27 has the raw speed as we have seen during qualifying in Australia and Malayisia, but the results have not yet come for Lewis.  Although it is still early in the season, Hamilton could start building momentum for a championship-winning season in China.  If he gets the 5-place grid penalty for a gearbox change, Lewis will be hungry and aggressive to get to the front of the field.  If the team and Lewis can minimize mistakes, the true speed of the MP4-27 should carry Lewis through the top of the field and into the lead.  It will be up to Lewis to see whether his grit, determination, and focus can keep him at the front.  If Jenson can catch Lewis, I doubt Lewis will be easy to pass.

Barring rain or the unexpected, this will be Lewis Hamilton’s week to stand on the top step of the podium.

Mercedes AMG F1: hot and cold

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The third round of the 2012 Formula 1 season in Shanghai is just over 3 days away.  Undoubtedly, Formula 1 teams have been scrambling to crunch data and integrate  (or plan) updates based on what transpired in Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur.  Mercedes  is  facing a pivotal year in its Formula 1 program and positive results are becoming absolutely crucial for this team.

The first step for Mercedes will be to stop their drivers from skidding backwards through the field in race conditions.  To do so, Mercedes needs a little magic from Ross Brawn.

It is no secret that most Formula 1 teams are battling the effects of less rear down force thanks to the ban of exhaust-blown diffusers.  Mercedes, however, seem to be battling tire degradation more than other teams.  Both Schumacher and Rosberg have shown good pace in qualifying trim (especially Michael) and on short runs, but nothing could stop the W03s from going backwards on long runs in the first two grands prix.  The gap between qualifying and race  results is too wide at the moment.  In an article appearing today on the Formula 1 website, Ross Brawn identified why Mercedes has struggled with capturing the tires’ operating window:  ”[i]n both races, our problems have been related to getting the tyres into the correct working window . . . However, at each race it was at different ends of the scale: in Melbourne, we overheated the tyres – it was under control on Friday, then we developed the set-up in a direction which did not prove helpful in the warmer conditions. In Malaysia, having done a lot of work in practice to make sure we didn’t suffer from the same problem, the cooler conditions on Sunday dropped us out of the window again.”

Mercedes may be headed for another “hit or miss” type race weekend in Shanghai unless the team has figured out how to manage (or expand) the optimal tire window they have struggled with so far.  With some of the longest straights on the Formula 1 calendar and fewer medium-speed corners than Malaysia, Mercedes should be able to exploit any  straight line speed advantages they may have cleverly concealed within the W03.  With DRS and KERS in play, however, straight line speed is still not as important as managing tire wear.  With some notes in hand from warmer conditions in Melbourne and mixed conditions in Malaysia, Mercedes should have a better shot of managing this fickle tire window that Ross Brawn is trying to get his mind around.

Even if Mercedes cannot quite get ahold of tire degradation rates just yet, weather could play a significant role in this year’s Chinese Grand Prix as the Shanghai International Circuit is not known for consistent, reliable weather patterns.  Typhoons, anyone?  Long runs with dry conditions in Shanghai should reveal whether Mercedes are gaining traction in their battle against tire degradation.

U.S. Grand Prix Update

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While Formula 1 teams scramble (as they always do) to clean, repair, and continue development work on their cars during the lull before the Chinese Grand Prix in a few weeks, officials are making steady progress in the Lone Star State for Austin’s inaugural grand prix.  Like many other states, counties, and municipalities in the great U-S of A (using my best Southern twang), there is a labyrinth of red tape to wade through before the U.S. Grand Prix can get the seal of approval in Travis County, Texas.

A recent article in the Austin Statesman reveals that County and track officials are “working toward completing several items, including traffic and public safety plans, improvements to nearby roads and applying for a mass gathering permit.”  These are  the  sort of mind-numbing issues keeping the lawyers and planners quite busy.  Officials are also working on countless other minutia like appropriating funds for a medical helicopter,  assigning off-duty sheriff’s deputies, and proving overtime for security details needed for the grand prix weekend.  As they say, the devil is in the details.  County Officials appear to be handling the planning process with a steady, calculating approach as they try to eliminate any unforeseen problems well in advance of the proposed grand prix in November.  And with a brand new circuit popping up next to a major metropolitan area with little to no infrastructure near the proposed circuit, the logistics of the upcoming U.S. Grand Prix are daunting.  Cacti will be bulldozed.  Tumbleweeds will, well, tumble, in another direction.    Armadillos and rattlesnakes will relocate to new homes.  But so much of the grand prix in Austin relies on cooperation between track officials, promoters, and municipal officials, who don’t often get along in the United States.  With that in mind, it is quite a relief to see steady progress being made especially considering the public tax dollars that politicians must tactfully release to make this grand prix a reality.

Despite the public struggles so far, the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas continues to take shape without any major roadblocks (fingers crossed).  The grand prix weekend may create traffic jams from Texas to Oklahoma, but who cares at that point!  With V8 Super Cars and MotoGP in the works for the Circuit of the Americas, the momentum might shift forward a bit more if a [rumored] deal can be struck between INDYCAR and the track owners for an additional race weekend in that series.  If so, the Formula 1 prospects in America will continue to brighten marching forward.

So, there it is.  Nothing juicy to report, but that is a good thing!  Now for a few construction images to wake you up:

Looking down from Turn 1 at the Start/Finish and Pit Building:

Garages, anyone!?!

Malaysian Grand Prix scramble: post-race thoughts

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The 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix was a rain-delayed, frenetic battle!  Despite mixed conditions going from damp to dry to wet and back to damp near the end of the race, there was relatively little mechanical carnage.  Ironically, Jenson Button was the only driver to sacrifice carbon fiber from the nose of his MP4-27 during the race–there were more damaged egos than battered chariots last weekend.

Despite Lewis Hamilton scoring a podium finish this weekend, very few things went well for McLaren in Sepang.  For a team looking well polished and glistening during winter testing and in Melbourne, this weekend brought out a sloppier looking team in McLaren.  After blasting his front wing into the back of an HRT, Jenson Button’s day ended on a lowly note finishing 15th and complaining of poor grip for the rest of the race.  Yet again, Lewis Hamilton failed to parlay another pole position into race day triumph.  He seemed to struggle for grip once conditions moved away from longer dry runs, which is consistent with Button’s struggles in the mixed and wet conditions.  Is the MP4-27 turning out to be only a fair-weather machine?  Despite both McLaren cars struggling for grip in wet conditions, McLaren’s pit stops were noticeably sloppy and cost Hamilton significant track time on at least one occasion.  The moral of the story?  McLaren is struggling in less than ideal conditions.  The team made too many mistakes this weekend.  Lewis performed well, but I would imagine he is a bit frustrated at finishing worse than he started in two grands prix so far in 2012.  The finishing positions need to improve relative to qualifying efforts in order get Lewis on a positive wave of momentum.  All in all, a few weeks to rest and regather should help McLaren as the team heads to Shanghai.

Ferrari.  Where do we start?  Fernando Alonso, of course.  He earned his paycheck this weekend, and maybe for the entire season.  For the haters, put down your spears and torches and pay the guy some respect.  He is arguably the most talented grand prix driver on the grid.  His mastery in the rain is unquestionable and he drove long stints in the lead on the intermediate tires even as they started deteriorating in drying conditions.  He made arguably the ugliest duckling–the widely unheralded F2012–a winner in Sepang.  Absolutely spectacular.  Even if Sergio Perez could close the gap to Alonso without making a late race mistake, I am not sure that Alonso would allow an overtaking maneuver without significant risk to Perez!  With major improvements coming in a few races, Fernando’s team-centric attitude and reverence for the Scuderia’s grit and determination tell the story back in Maranello.  Despite having a less-than-competitive car, as a team (minus Massa), Ferrari looked very determined this weekend.  They EXECUTED where other teams did not.  Pit stops were perfect.  Drivers stayed in control.  The F2012 will continue to develop and I think Ferrari are showing championship form even if the F2012 comes up short this year.  The grit and determination was there this weekend.

Unfortunately for Massa, however, his days might be numbered.  He has struggled so far this season and even a brand new chassis, suspension, and God knows what else were not enough to improve his form in Malaysia.  Despite Ferrari’s public support for the Brazilian, I do not believe Felipe Massa will finish 2012 with Ferrari especially considering the brilliant  performance of Sergio Perez this past weekend.  Perez showed tremendous speed in Melbourne and in Malaysia for Sauber F1.  Considering that Massa, himself, came to the Scuderia from Sauber, I would not be shocked if Sauber (using Ferrari engines) allows Sergio Perez to wander elsewhere.

Hopefully, Mercedes AMG can get ahold of their tire degradation woes and lack of rear down force on the W03s.  Despite Michael Schumacher’s known brilliance in wet conditions (and an unfortunate early race spin), he could not muster much speed from the W03.  Equally depressing, Nico Rosberg went consistently backwards all day long.  Mercedes must find some long-run pace from the tires or they will continue to have a good qualifying and poor finishing type of a season.  As for Red Bull, the story seems to be the same:  lack of rear grip.  Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel finished 4th and 11th, respectively, which makes the RB8 an even more difficult riddle to solve.  Is the car better suited to Mark’s driving?  Is Sebastian mentally frustrated?  More  relevant, however, does Adrian Newey have any magic dust left in his shirt pocket to remedy the RB8?

Putting Fernando Alonso aside for the moment, the next best display of raw talent came, again, from Kimi Raikkonen.  After a two-year hiatus from F1, he came from the back of the Melbourne grid and the middle of the Malaysian grid (with more past champions next to him than ever) to finish 5th in the first two grands prix of 2012.  Simply amazing!  With better qualifying runs, Kimi could very well find himself on the podium in the coming weeks and months.  While he may not threaten the championship leaders (yet), he continues to impress and amaze.  I would not count him out from winning another championship looking at how quickly his form has returned despite the obvious disadvantages (tires and  stiff competition in drivers).

And finally, Romain Grosjean needs to get his nerves in check.  Two DNFs in the first two rounds of the 2012 F1 season do not bode well for his prospects with Lotus.  He has clearly found speed in the Lotus chassis, which is evident in his strong qualifying efforts.  But with many drivers’ seats in jeopardy this season, he needs to remember “to finish first, you must first finish” or his stay in Formula 1 might be cut short.

PS–It is nice to see Bruno Senna and Williams F1 back in the points, right?

At least the tires don’t lie

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With the 2012 Australian Grand Prix now in the books, it is clear that early success this season will  depend on teams quickly adapting to Pirelli’s new tire compounds and their degradation rates.  While tires are not the sexiest topic in Formula 1 they are arguably one of the most important variables Formula 1 teams face from season to season.

Paul Hembrey–Pirelli’s man-in-charge of the company’s operations within Formula 1–provided some insight into what it means for a tire company to get “aggressive” in engineering some of the compounds teams will use this season in Formula 1:  ”[t]hat would mean that we would have to put in some special ingredients, probably into the soft tyres, to make them degrade a lot faster. But this is something that we can only do if we understand the true performance of the cars. The tyres that we have this year are much more aggressive than the ones we had last year. For example, last year people thought that with the hard tyres only Red Bull and McLaren got them to work and get them in temperature, whereas this year the hard tyre is softer, like the medium tyres from last year, and the teams are saying that they can get them working within one lap. So when we get to a race like Malaysia this will be a huge challenge for us, with the choice of compounds for a track with up to 50 to 60 degrees Celsius on the tarmac and a very abrasive circuit. Last year in Malaysia it was already tough, even with relatively cool conditions.”  (interview originally appeared on March 20, 2012 and is available at http://www.formula1.com)

While Lewis Hamilton scored pole position at the Australian Grand Prix, the consistently large gap between he and his teammate, Jenson Button, was striking from the very first lap.  As the race wore on and Button switched over to Pirelli’s medium compound, neither Hamilton nor the rest of the field could gain much ground on Button.  And while Button is well know for his smooth driving style and his ability to make tires (and equipment) last longer than others, it was very surprising to see no serious threats to Jenson’s lead using the softer Pirelli compound.  Button was not the only surprise of the day when it comes to tires.  It looked like Fernando Alonso and the seemingly-diabolical F2012 were destined for short term success in race trim using the soft compound tires.  Alonso was able to maintain good pace on both the soft and medium compounds despite the obvious lack of speed in the car, and his defense to Pastor Maldonado late in the race was equally impressive.  On the other hand, Massa was simply unable to generate competitive runs before retiring the car.  Unlike McLaren, the picture seems murkier at Ferrari because of the F2012 design issues.

Despite receiving a relatively bad shake in qualifying, both of the RB8s ran very consistently on the soft and medium compound tires.  With Vettel scoring a podium and Webber not far behind in fourth, the RB8 appears to be slightly twitchier with less rear downforce, but nonetheless responsive to both tire compounds used during the Australian GP.

As Paul Hembrey’s comments suggest, the Malaysian Grand Prix should provide much more insight on what teams can make the best use of the entire range of compounds provided by Pirelli.  Perhaps McLaren and Red Bull can utilize the harder compounds to their advantage with higher track temperatures and a more abrasive racing surface.   Sepang is a high-speed circuit compared to Melbourne, which Martin Whitmarsh admits to be favorable to McLaren’s MP4-27.  Perhaps Ferrari’s pull rod suspension setup, which requires more negative camber (and possibly increased tire wear), will have a better outing on the faster, wider corners in Malaysia.  Pit strategy might come into play more prominently this weekend as some teams might have a better understanding of the Pirelli tire compounds than others.  While the Australian GP was extremely exciting, the Malaysian GP will be much more telling of how teams will maximize their cars’ early potential and on which tire compounds.