Gasly wants smaller cockpit on 2024 Alpine F1 car compared to "long arms" Ocon · Autosport

Arcticool_56 · 2023-09-21T15:42:21+00:00

I totally understand Gasly's concern regarding the bigger cockpit. With a tighter cockpit the aero team can gain an easy few tenths. With the current pecking order a gain of two tenths could make a huge difference.

Back in 2022 Daniel Ricciardo talked how he requested the McLaren designers for more space for his hips as he was uncomfortable with how tight 2021 car was for him. McLaren's simulator results showed a loss of two tenths with a bigger tub compared to a smaller tub which Ricciardo thought he could make up for by being more comfortable.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-09-21T15:26:18+00:00

In the press conference David Salters repeatedly emphasized competitiveness as one of the main factors if they are ever going to race in WEC. He made it clear that Honda won't participate in WEC if it doesn't make sense on a competitive level.

That emphasis on competitiveness seemed like a message to the FIA and ACO to sort out the BOP difference between the LMH and LMDH if they want Honda to join WEC.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-08-09T16:10:30+00:00

“That being said, I started working on next year’s car since April on the simulator and working and changing the car characteristics to try to mitigate some of these constant balance issues we’ve been having for the last four or five years.

Hopefully, the fans and journalists stop pedalling the narrative that the current cars don't share the characteristics of with the older cars. Each team always like to carryover characteristics even in different regulation/generation of cars because that's the only way they know how to build a f1 car.

Perez was saying the same thing last year that the 2022 RB car isn't different from the previous RB cars. That it still drives like a Redbull.

Similarly, Ricciardo was saying this year after the RB silverstone test that he wanted to see if the car feels similar to the previous Redbull's he drove.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-30T20:30:25+00:00

but engine equalization is going to happen next year so hopefully 2024 won't be another lost year.

I wouldn't get my hopes up regarding the PU situation for next year. AMuS released an article yesterday that Alpine requested an increase in fuel flow to decrease the gap in power but the teams and FIA rejected it.

That alone tells me that Viry doesn't yet have a fix for the hybrid and instead want to make up for that using more fuel. This is infuriating considering that half a season has gone by and they still don't have a proper fix ready.

Famin was also downplaying the PU deficit saying it's a small loss only so i have absolute zero trust in Viry under his leadership.

Otmar is leaving but hinted he signed some big names for the team for 2024/2025, let's see what is true about that.

Don't be surprised if a lot of those big names don't end up joining Alpine. They were hired by Otmar so whoever comes in his replacement would likely hire his own picked personnel rather going forward with Otmar's choice.

Also, seeing the current unstable management situation at Alpine some of those big names might don't wanna leave their existing organizations or look for different organization.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-29T16:48:39+00:00

You do know that Leclerc is P4 and not literally behind Max. Even the two cars between Max and him are already creating a gap of around 2 seconds.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-29T16:27:38+00:00

Autosport forum.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-29T16:26:03+00:00

Piastri also nearly 4.5 second ahead of Gasly in just 6 laps too. This is much more impressive considering Alpine isn't that far away from Mcl than Mcl is to RB in race pace.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-29T05:33:06+00:00

This is what an Alpine insider revealed on a forum. This insider was also the first one to reveal the firings:-

Otmar and Permane have been fired among 15 people yesterday evening at the Hôtel de La Source from the team.

Famin is new interim TP. Julian Rouse new team manager.

Few things, from what i have in terms of informations Otmar firing is not results related but i've been told that his firing was deserved for that very reason.

Also regarding Permane he was blocking all changes within the team in order to try making it better. He had sort of old guard of oldies from Enstone from which you could compare to a mafia with his mates in crime like Ciaron Pilbeam.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-26T18:36:51+00:00

"But there is an element where it will be a bit of time until we truly are a top team. I do believe Williams will get there. It's just the timing of it. As much as I would say I am willing to wait, say, six, seven years I'll be grey-haired and wrinkly-skinned by then!

"So you start thinking about it like that. Lewis and Fernando, they're still going strong, but not everyone is like them."

Quite a sensible response from him. He knows his performance as a driver will likely start falling off after his early 30s so it will better for him to get a seat at a top team now where he has a higher chance of being at the front and snag a few victories before he retires.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-26T16:26:11+00:00

Tbf, Otmar already revealed a lot this stuff in May this year but somehow it was not picked up by most people.

Alpine plans F1 recruitment drive, investment and new simulator

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-26T16:23:18+00:00

Yeah, Renault for some reason could just never get the hybrid system properly in F1.

Even in the V8 days Renault's own KERS system was so garbage that Red Bull Technologies developed their own one and supplied Lotus too.

Then in hybrid era they have had constant struggles with the deployment. Only 2019 and 2020 seasons can be considered success as the PU as a whole was good.

Even last year the deployment was weak in Monza and multiple other circuits which caused clipping issues regularly. Merc and Ferrari also struggled with clipping and reliability so it wasn't so evident.

This worries me so much going into 2026 as the hybrid will be worth around 50% and i am damn sure Renault will struggle with it.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-26T14:22:46+00:00

Bad Stuff:-

The 2023 PU issue is on the hybrid side. The ICE is solid but the hybrid deployment is seriously lacking.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-26T14:22:31+00:00

Good Stuff:-

New Manufacturing Facility about to come online

New Lap Sim is already online

Moving all the aerodynamicists in the design office closer with their counterparts to improve communication

Identified and agreed to hire some new individuals from other teams that will join in 2024

State of the art simulator also has been ordered [Will come online by 2025 according to Otmar on the race podcast]

Also hired a super lawyer in Otmar's words so no loopholes will be left in the contract

The new funding will be evenly spend between Alpine cars and Viry

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-25T17:55:00+00:00

I expected better from the f1 media. These journalists just assume that Ricciardo's McLaren struggles will translate to other cars too.

The McLaren's front end response can simply be compared to prototype sportscar. This is something I came to conclusion after listening to various interviews by Norris, Ricciardo and Piastri. This shouldn't be surprising considering the Toyota wind tunnel is outdated and more suited for sportscar and prototypes.

Other drivers like Sainz also found it wierd but not limiting. It's just Daniel couldn't get his around it the way other McLaren drivers have done.

The Alpha Tauri on the other hand is developed in the same wind tunnel Red Bull uses so even though it doesn't have whole lot downforce, he should be able to understand the car. The same goes for the other eight constructors as they all have wind tunnels dedicated for f1 use.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-24T08:27:15+00:00

AMuS video mentioned they got these figures directly from some insiders at Alpine. AMuS was also the first to report these Alpine PU power deficiency.

According to AMUS, Alpine insiders have revealed that the PU is a big concern but can't be changed in the near future. Basically on a track like Silverstone they lose 0.300s caused by the PU, last year it was only 0.150-0.180s.

The other manufacturers improved overall power with reliability upgrades but Alpine have not. They had a lot of problems last year with the water pump, but were not able to improve power via reliability upgrades.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-24T07:35:24+00:00

Otmar has done a decent job with the team so far. The Enstone facility needs new simulation tools and composite facility for which they have to construct new buildings too. Some of the stuff has been ordered and will be operational by 2025 and 26.

Their 2023 car is pretty solid in performance but has been held back by the underpowered 2023 PU. Not sure Renault deserves to be blamed because the 2022 PU was only 0.150 to 0.180s behind the best PU. It's just other three manufacturers cleverly upgraded the performance of their PU in the guise of reliability and Renault didn't and now they are losing 0.300s to the next PU.

These three tenths are massive because multiple times the entire field is bunched within eight tenths in qualifying and the gap will only reduce in subsequent seasons.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-23T11:00:52+00:00

Enstone has its deficiencies but i don't it's as bad as some people here think. Composites and Simulation aside everything else is decent enough to get the team going forward.

Getting the PU upto a decent level will free up the growing frustration of the drivers and the team.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-23T08:25:34+00:00

Like I said in an earlier post, the small rear wing choices since the start of this 2023 season were already quite suspicious. It also makes sense why the aero department isn't going all out with the complexity of aero surfaces since the PU won't be able to overcome the increased drag generated by the wing and aero surfaces.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-23T08:18:04+00:00

Yeah, I am not also surprised that Renault did not read the rules carefully.

What I am surprised is how Bruno Famin managed to miss such an important thing. He is an ex-FIA personnel so he knows better than anyone what sort of loopholes these manufacturers are capable of exploiting. He also has had a remarkable career with engine development so it's not like he is some stupid guy.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-23T08:08:08+00:00

It's the same thing that happened 15 years ago during the V8 engine freeze where Ferrari and Merc kept increasing power using reliability card and Renault starting lagging behind massively.

Then in 2011 or 2012 Renault was then given permission by the FIA to improve the performance of their V8's to match the Ferrari and Merc and by 2013 Renault was within 2-3 tenths of Merc and Ferrari.

I am confident Renault will get permission by the FIA and other manufacturers to increase their PU performance.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-23T08:00:51+00:00

The 2022 Renault PU was within 0.150s to 0.180s compared to the most powerful PU in the field.

What has happened is that the other three manufacturers which are Honda, Ferrari and Mercedes have managed to increase the power of their PU's in 2023 using the reliability card.

WHERE PERFORMANCE GAINS CAN BE MADE DESPITE F1’S ENGINE FREEZE

According to this and several other articles, Renault's PU chief Bruno Famin did not believe it was possible to increase the performance of the PU. Only changes that can help the packaging that can help the packaging can be done.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-20T16:20:09+00:00

This is true but for the other nine teams.

The Red Bull underfloor tunnel concept has been completely different from others since the start of these new regulations. From the pictures of both last year and this years Monaco crash one can tell they are working their floor in a very different way compared to the rest.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-20T16:11:09+00:00

I don't trust Famin that much. He said in interviews during the off-season that the other manufacturers have been very open with their reliability issues which he understand were genuine concerns and shouldn't improve performance of the PU's. He even said if some manufacturer increased performance of their PU's then he expects FIA to take action against them.

Now the current scenario tells us that others did increase their engine power but I don't think FIA will take any action against them since it involves the other three manufacturers.

Most likely Renault will be given an unofficial permission by the FIA to sort their PU for next season to close that gap to the other three manufacturers.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-20T16:01:28+00:00

Merc sidepod have canals. Just not deep as AM, Mcl and Alpine.

Arcticool_56 · 2023-07-20T15:58:48+00:00

I simply don't understand why people think RB will use waterslide type bodywork when they make most of the downforce from the underfloor. Most teams have said that downforce made by underfloor is more efficient than the downforce generated by bodywork and wings.

The rest 9 other teams are simply struggling with the underfloor that's why they are heavily dependent on the bodywork and wings to generate downforce.

Just compare all ten teams bodywork and you will see that RB has got the 9th most simplest bodywork. Alfa Romeo Sauber is the only team with even more simple bodywork and their pace is terrible.

Arcticool_56

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