It’s official. In 2010, there will be a United States based team competing in Formula 1. Team principals Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor announced that the team’s headquarters will be in North Carolina and will feature engines, chassis and drivers all from America.
The Toyota F1 team may follow fellow Japanese car company Honda and drop out of Formula One if their 2009 campaign is unsuccessful. Toyota is the big team with little results and the incoming Toyota president, Akio Toyoda, is expected to cut costs at the company when he takes control. A Formula One team is huge expense for any company. While a successful team reflects positively upon the brand, a poor-performing team is costly and doesn’t provide enough positive exposure to justify the expense. It looks like Toyota will need to win their first race this season to ensure they continue to race in Formula One.
Source: autoblog.com
There have been a lot of new F1 cars released lately. The style is starting to grow on me. I’ve gone from, “That is ridiculously ugly” to, “That’s not horrible”. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Other F1 Releases: Scuderia Ferrari F60, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-24, Toyota TF109
Check out the gallery below for the Williams-Toyota FW31.
Source: autoblog.com
The Toyota Formula 1 team has released their new car for the 2009 season with high expectations. Its called the TF109 and Toyota and its fans are hoping this is the car that will finally bring them a Formula 1 victory. The car looks very similar to Ferrari’s new F1 Car, the F60, which was recently unveiled. The teams are forced to conform to the new regulations mandated by the FIA this year. Many of the new regulations are intended to make passing easier and create a more level playing field for the smaller F1 teams. New regulations also have also been created in order to cut costs in this very expensive sport.
Source: autoblog.com
Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso was unhurt in a minor plane accident Sunday after his private jet hit a wall at the Malindi Airport in Kenya. No one was hurt in the incident. Alonso was vacationing with his family in Africa. Alonso stayed at the Lion in the Sun hotel, which is owned by Renault team boss, Flavio Briatore.
Source: eastandard.net, iht.com
The majority of production cars use a wet sump oil system. In this system, the oil that lubricates the engine is stored underneath the crankshaft in the oil pan. The pan must be large enough to hold four to six quarts of oil. The oil pump sucks up oil from the bottom of the oil pan and then pumps it to the rest of the engine.
In a dry sump system, extra oil is stored in a tank outside the engine and a large oil pan isn’t necessary. A dry sump system uses at least two oil pumps. One pulls oil from the sump and sends it to the tank. The other pump takes oil from the tank and pushes it to lubricate the engine. The dry sump system allows for the minimum amount of oil possible to be in the engine.
Major racing series such as Formula One and Indy Car utilize the dry sump system. A dry sump system is designed to provide lubrication for the engine’s internal parts and also increase performance. A wet sump system is not practical for racing as lateral G-forces would pull the oil to one side, which would momentarily leave the engine without oil. Because the oil is stored in a separate tank, a large oil pan is not necessary. This allows for the engine to sit lower to the ground, which lowers the center of gravity.
Source: f1technical.net, auto.howstuffworks.com
The inaugural season of the Formula 2 championship will include the beautiful racing star from Switzerland, Natacha Gachnang. The racing series will feature a new car with a Williams chassis and 450 hp engine built by Audi. The 21-year-old has had a promising career so far finishing third in the Spanish Formula 3 championship and second in the Copa de España.
Natacha was previously racing in the U.S. in the Star Mazda series where she had a top ten finish in each race. During her time in the Star Mazda series, she was also racing in the Formula 3 Euro series and Austrian Formula 3. Natacha’s cousin is Toro Rosso Formula 1 hopeful Sebastien Buemi.
She speaks English, French and German and her favorite tracks include Nuerburgring and Ledenon, are you really still reading this? There’s a gallery below.
Source: autoblog.com
Two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso is threatening to quit the sport if the FIA proceeds with the current proposal of having a sole engine supplier starting in 2010. In an attempt to reduce costs in Formula One, FIA President Max Mosley has proposed this along with many other changes. Alonso has also commented on the unimpressive look of the new Formula One cars. “In 2005 we had a V10 engine with 1,000 horsepower,” he said. “That was what was exciting for the driver, motor racing at the limit. We have gone from the futuristic to cars without grip or electronic aids which look like something from the past.” The Toyota and Ferrari teams also have threatened to quit if the idea goes through.
The U.S. ethanol industry is expressing their disappointment in the Indy Racing League’s decision to promote ethanol made in Brazil. The IRL is set to finalize a contract with the Brazilian government in order to secure ethanol for the 2009 IndyCar season. Ethanol groups have stated that the IRL did not alert U.S. corn growers of their plans to go outside of the states to secure a clean fuel for their upcoming racing season. The IRL has recently responded to these statements. The IRL has explained that while they had previous contracts with U.S. ethanol producers, the IRL was notified that these producers would not be renewing the agreement for the 2009 season. No other American-based ethanol organization stepped up with a proposal and as a result, the IRL was forced to look elsewhere.
Source: stltoday.com, insideindianabusiness.com
Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton has designed the ultimate race track. ExxonMobil, a technology partner for McLaren Mercedes, presented Hamilton the challenge of designing the ultimate “Supercircuit”. This fantasy track is a combination of the best sections from Hamilton’s favorite race tracks around the world.
Lewis stated, “I wanted to create a circuit that would be challenging, exhilarating and enjoyable, but most of all somewhere you would love to have the chance to drive and provide the definitive test for any driver, in any car.”
The full story description also includes the levels of performance that are required by the car, auto parts, engine, race lubricant.
Lewis’ Supercircuit starts on the home straight. As Hamilton waits for the red lights to go out, his heart rate climbs to 170bpm in anticipation of the start, for this is going to be no ordinary lap. Suddenly the lights go out; Lewis releases the clutch to let loose in excess of 750bhp through the rear wheels of his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23. He accelerates towards Turn 1…
1. Turn 8, Istanbul Speed Park (5th gear, 260 kph, 5g)
A super fast corner to begin the lap. Lewis withstands up to 5g for six seconds through this quadruple apex left hander, making it the longest and most physical corner on the Grand Prix calendar. The prolonged lateral loads place the engine’s 300 moving parts under enormous stress and make it staggeringly tough on Lewis’s neck muscles. “You have to attack this corner,” says Lewis. “A bump at the first apex destabilises the car and you have to be very careful with how you position it, otherwise you can have a big oversteer moment.”2. Estoril, Magny Cours (5th gear, 200 kph, 3.5g)
Lewis’s neck gets little respite because Estoril, another long and fast corner, comes next. It’s a double apex right hander, through which Lewis has to plant the throttle in fifth gear without being able to see his exit. The track undulates through 180 degrees, leaving him on a high speed rollercoaster. “Due to the high speeds,” he says, “the car generates a lot of downforce through this corner and it feels planted to the track. It’s great fun, but it’s vital to make a good exit because a long straight follows.”3. 130R, Suzuka (6th gear, 295 kph, 4g)
Lewis will have to wait until 2009 to drive a his Grand Prix race car at Suzuka for the first time, but such is the track’s fearsome reputation that he has included two corners from the former Japanese Grand Prix venue on his Mobil 1 Superlap. 130R is a left hander, so called because it has a radius of 130 metres, and it’s taken flat in top gear with the engine screaming at its 19,000rpm limit. Lewis turns in smoothly and lets the car run wide over the smooth exit kerb to ensure that he scrubs off as little speed as possible.4. Eau Rouge, Spa Francorchamps (7th gear, 295 kph, 3.5g)
Like 130R, Eau Rouge is a section that’s taken flat out. The corner is in fact three bends, a left right left flick up the side of a hill, and it sees Lewis experience lateral and vertical g-forces. “This is one of the best corners on the calendar,” says Lewis. “It’s not difficult, but you’re just excited all the way through it. As you climb up the side of the hill, there’s a moment when all you can see from the cockpit is the sky. It’s fantastic because you lose your stomach over the crest at the top.” The car loses a bit of speed as it climbs the hill, but the whole section still takes only one second to complete at 305kph.5. Tabac, Monaco (4th gear, 172 kph, 2.5g)
After a long period on full throttle, Lewis needs to be careful not to out brake himself on this slippery section of street circuit. Tabac is the slowest corner on the lap, through which the Mobil 1 oil inside Lewis’s Mercedes V8 engine travels faster than the car. “At the Monaco Grand Prix we have maximum downforce,” says Lewis, “so the car feels planted to the ground. But with the barriers so close there is no room for error; you have to be very precise.” Some slippery white lines at the exit can induce oversteer as Lewis tries to get back on the power, making it a great test of driver skill.6. Turn 1, Suzuka (5th gear entry, 255 kph, 3.5g)
The car accelerates quickly along the downhill run towards Suzuka’s Turn 1. Lewis is into seventh gear when he turns into this double apex right, through which he has to turn, brake and change down three gears before hitting the first apex. Without changing his steering lock, Lewis hustles the car to the second apex, where he gets back on the power and accelerates uphill towards the exit kerb.7. Pouhon, Spa Francorchamps (6th gear, 260 kph, 4.5g)
The second of Spa Francorchamps’ entries on the Mobil 1 Superlap. Like Suzuka’s Turn 1, Pouhon has a downhill approach, but Lewis doesn’t touch the brakes before he turns into this double apex left. He has a small confidence lift, changes down one gear and then gets back on the power as soon as possible. “You have to carry as much speed through the corner as possible,” says Lewis, “and that means having the guts to get back on the power as soon as possible. You have to be careful because you can’t touch the kerbs.”8. Casino Square, Monaco (3rd gear, 130 kph, 2.5g)
The Casino is the most famous landmark in Monaco. The cars pass to the left of its revolving doors as they enter Casino Square, where they are faced with a blind and bumpy right hander. Lewis slows his car to just over 160kph and positions it in the
middle of the track for the entry. “I really enjoy driving through here,” he says, “because one corner leads to another. There is not rest for the driver.” As soon as he hits the apex kerb he’s back on the power, but he needs to be wary of two bumps at the exit, which induce wheelspin and make it difficult to feed in the power of his Mercedes-Benz V8.9. Mergulho, Interlagos (4th gear, 175 kph, 3g)
It was here, on the final lap of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, that Lewis prepared to pass Timo Glock for fifth place and claim his maiden world title. But that’s not why he’s included it on his Mobil 1 Superlap. “This is a very bumpy left hander,” says Lewis. “It slopes downhill and you can carry more speed than you initially think is possible because a compression in the middle of the corner helps to turn the car. You’re really on the limit and you need amazing car control to keep a hold of it.” A clean exit is vital because Lewis carries that speed all the way to Copse, the final corner on the lap.10. Copse, Silverstone (7th gear, 290 kph, 4.5g)
This is one of the fastest Grand Prix corners and it grabs Lewis’s attention in more ways than one. He approaches it in seventh gear and literally throws the car towards the apex barrier. Yes, a barrier separates the pitlane and the track at this point, which makes the 273kp/h corner completely blind. “You can’t touch the brakes,” says Lewis. “You have to turn in with a small lift and just hope you get round.” The direction of the wind influences car performance through here because a head wind generates more aerodynamic downforce than a tail wind. “If the conditions are right,” continues Lewis, “you can take Copse without a lift, but that’s pretty scary.”
Source: F1sa.com
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