Jerez Day 2

[mika]

Difficult conditions on the first day of testing
On Tuesday, the BMW Sauber F1 Team kicked off a three-day testing program in Jerez de la Frontera. Nick Heidfeld and Christian Klien took to the track for the Munich and Hinwil-based team. The session was hampered by heavy fog in the morning and some rain in the afternoon.

With temperatures reaching 16 degrees Celsius, Nick lapped the "Circuito de Jerez" 49 times and clocked a personal best of 1:20.678 minutes. Christian recorded a time of 1:22.098 minutes. The Austrian lapped the 4.428-kilometre circuit 15 times.

Due to heavy fog early in the morning, the BMW Sauber F1 Team did not start today's testing until around 11.00 hrs. Nick and Christian ran two F1.08B interim cars featuring a modified 2008 chassis with some of the bodywork complying to the 2009 regulations. Only Christian's car was fitted with BMW's own KERS device. His test schedule was curtailed by a precautionary engine change. The Austrian stopped off track when sensors indicated a mechanical problem.

Nick today concentrated on setup work with the suspension as well as the new aero package. Although the session came to a premature end when it started to rain at around 15.00 hrs, he collected valuable data with the F1.08B running on 2009 slick tyres. "Based on the results of the last test in Barcelona we changed the mechanical setup of the car," Nick said. "It looks like we are moving in the right direction."

The BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue testing in Jerez for two more days. Tomorrow Nick will again be at the wheel of the BMW Sauber F1.08B, along with Robert Kubica. On Thursday, Robert and Christian will be on duty.


BMW SAUBER F1 TEAM - TEST IN JEREZ - DAY TWO
12/10/2008

Test in Jerez.
December 9th ÔÇô 11th 2008
Day two ÔÇô Tuesday

Weather conditions: Chilly in the morning, but sunny all day.

Temperature: Air: 7 ÔÇô 15 ??C, Track: 9 ÔÇô 20 ??C

Number of drivers participating: 9 from 6 teams

Fastest lap overall: S?®bastien Buemi (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:18.073 min

Circuit length: 4.428 km

Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08B-03 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 386 km (87 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:20.365 min

Robert Kubica
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.08B-06 / BMW 86/9 KERS
Test kilometres today: 169 km (38 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:20.954 min

Programme:
Again the BMW Sauber F1 Team ran two interim cars featuring a modified 2008 chassis, with some bodywork complying to the 2009 regulations. Robert Kubica drove the car fitted with KERS for the first time. His day came to a premature end when his car stopped halfway through testing with a mechanical problem. Because of this, the chassis was slightly damaged and the necessary repairs took up the rest of the day.

Nick Heidfeld concentrated on development work on the F1.08B-03 fitted with the conventional engine. He worked on the set-up of the car, collecting more data on the slick tyres as well as the revised bodywork. ÔÇ£It was a productive dayÔÇØ, Heidfeld said. ÔÇ£With the weather being much better, we were able to catch up on some of the development time we lost yesterday. My 87 laps today with a problem free car gave us the opportunity to try a number of different options.ÔÇØ

What comes next:
Tomorrow for the final and third day of the Jerez test the BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue the development work for the 2009 season.



Kubica tests KERS in Jerez

On Wednesday, the BMW Sauber F1 Team continued testing in Jerez de la Frontera. Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubca were on duty for the Munich and Hinwil-based team. For the first time, the Pole drove his car fitted with KERS.

The second day of testing saw sunny conditions all the day. Temperatures again reached 15 degrees Celsius. On the 4,428-kilometre track, Nick recorded a personal best of 1:20.365 minutes. Robert posted a fastest lap time of 1:20.954 minutes. Altogether, the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers lapped the circuit 125 times.

Again the BMW Sauber F1 Team ran two interim cars featuring a modified 2008 chassis, with some bodywork complying to the 2009 regulations. Robert drove the car fitted with KERS for the first time. His day came to a premature end when his car stopped halfway through testing with a mechanical problem. Because of this, the chassis was slightly damaged and the necessary repairs took up the rest of the day.

Nick concentrated on development work on the F1.08B fitted with the conventional engine. He worked on the set-up of the car, collecting more data on the slick tyres as well as the revised bodywork. "It was a productive day", Nick said. "With the weather being much better, we were able to catch up on some of the development time we lost yesterday. My 87 laps today with a problem free car gave us the opportunity to try a number of different options."

Tomorrow for the final and third day of the Jerez test the BMW Sauber F1 Team will continue the development work for the 2009 season.


bbc.co.uk: Cost-cutting plan agreed for F1

The one engine option is going forward for F-1 but will all the teams agree? The basic proposal is centers around a Cosworth and a standard transmission. This has met with mix response from FOTA members.

The negative responses have been led by Toyota and Ferrari. BMW has remained quiet. A variation on the proposal has been to allow a manufacturer to produce its own engine but limited to the same performance of the standard engine.

The other teams participate for the sport. McLaren and Williams have always been chassis builders. The change to a standard engine impacts them in much the same way as the sports based teams. The challenge to them beyond the attempting to win is generating sponsorship to offset costs. This is a result of the value sponsors see in the sport.

Ferrari, Toyota and BMW are engine builders. What is the value to them in a series where they can not build their own engines? Will 2009 be the last year in F1 for these three?

 

[hlothery]

F1 has been criticized in recent years for being like a parade. Once one wins the start the race is over, is the postulation. I have found, OTOH, it to be extremely exciting. The differences in braking, acceleration (i.e. torque, HP) and fuel mileage have made for some thrilling passing, and phenomenal strategy on pit stops, etc. Put a standard engine in them, with the same torque, HP and fuel economy, and the result will be, unfortunately, the parade they are accused of now. And this possibly without the flare of BMW and Ferrari. What can Bernie be thinking?

 

[mika]

Bernie and thinking in the same sentence.

Bernie is thinking that a parade is more exciting, easier to sell tickets and generate the various revenue streams F1 has than it would be to promote an empty track.

Honda, in the information surrounding their exit, put their F1 budget costs at around $500 million per year. It takes a lot of sponsorship to off set that expense even in good economic times. These are hard economic times even in the champaign and caviar world of F1. Hamilton drove a McLaren to the driverÔÇÖs championship in 08 with a budget that was fully a third larger than he and his team will have at their disposal in 09 at this point.

As a result the number of teams and cars on the grid continue to shrink. 2008 began without a full grid and it became even smaller when Super Aguri made its exit due to finances. Their exit sent a jolt through grid that was in financial denial. The exit of Honda, a leader FOTA, has to have rocked the foundations. Ownership changes involved with the Toro Rossi team make people wonder how long they will field four cars between Toro Rossi and Red Bull. How long before the economic down turn causes Force India to reconsider its expenditures. What happens to Williams when Sir Frank decides to retire?

Race or parade Bernie is out in front with his eyes firmly fixed on the rear view mirrors looking to see if fans/consumers are watching. It is hard to negotiate a road coarse by looking in the rear view mirrors.

 

[hlothery]

Alas, I fear another golden age of auto racing may be passing. I genuinely lament the passing of IMSA still. It was so wonderful, at the 24 Hours of Daytona in the late 80's, to see all the makes racing their prototypes through the night. The Porsche 962, Nissan ZXT, Ferrari 333, Jaguar, Toyota, Ford, Chevy and Mazda cars were great, although quite different (3 liter turbo vs 7 liter normally aspirated V8 or V12). Now, all the chassis and engines in the "Daytona prototypes" are essentially the same. Only the paint is different. The racing is dull, and resembles.........well, I won't go there again. I fear F1 may be in for the same. These are tough times, I realize, but man..........!

 

[mika]

F1 isnÔÇÖt dead, itÔÇÖs just mostly dead.

The end of an era, golden or otherwise, brings with it new possibilities. I have enjoyed the development during this decade of Ferrari, McLaren and who ever is third in any given year. There have been some very interesting races and entire seasons. But

For F1 and the related championships to be viable you need more than an 18 car grid. So how do you get six more teams out there?

The single engine system will not work. We are watching a game of F1 Texas holdem where everyone is bluffing. In the end I believe there will be a standard that will defined by how the engine manufacturing teams are required to supply customer teams.

Dependability is a boring team in most contexts, yet how exciting is a race where half the grid posts a dnf because of failures?

As much fun as I have following, posting and writing about racing for F1 the economic crunch may have come at a good time. The races in the next decade may be decided on the track once again instead of in a CAD program wind tunnel or sponsor deal.

While the F1 circus figures its next act out if you want to see road racing with lots of passing, drama and artfulness watch WSBK.

 

[leeines]

Hello Mika,

I too am concerned over this one engine idea. I see that Cosworth is readying an engine.
What is WSBK that you refer to?
Merry Christmas!
Thanks,
Lee

 

[mika]

Cosworth responded to MosleyÔÇÖs RFP for his single engine idea. I wouldnÔÇÖt be surprised to see them as part of a revised multi engine rule system. I think it will be good for F1.

WSBK ÔÇô World SuperBike

If you want to see exciting wheel to wheel road racing with tons of duels with passing and counter passing and excitement all the way from the green to checkered flag watch a world superbike race. I have followed F1 for more years than I care to admit and love the circus dearly but when I want to watch road racing give me two wheeled events. Right now WSBK is the tops in my book.

 

[hlothery]

I do love the Superbikes.....almost seem to defy physics. I also enjoy ALMS, which mildly resembles the old IMSA. However, if Porsche drops out..........

I'll probably always watch F1, no matter what happens.