2012 Spanish Grand Prix Preview

Traditionally, the race at the Circuit de Catalunya have been pretty snoozy affairs usually resolved between qualifying and the end of the first lap. But the season so far has thrown so many unexpected surprises, there is some hope!

A few things to look out for this week end.

Upgrades

Everyone has been busy since Malaysia and nobody played all their  aces at the Mugello test.   Ferrari's Pat Fry was "caught" carrying pieces from Maranello in his carry on and Ferrari mechanics are said to have shielded the front end of the F2012/evo from prying eyes for as long as possible.
Mclaren will run the new "not so pretty" platypus looking high nose.   Alonso was fastest in the first practice with everyone running on hard tires, a good sign but still, first to eleventh were within just 1 second.

Headers

Much of the tech talk this season has been about placement of the exhausts, inside, outside, high, low,  in relation to what effect the "plume" has in conjunction with one of the F1 buzzwords we gave you before the season started, the Coanda effect, the property of a moving fluid to be attracted to a nearby surface.

What has been discussed less is something more traditional, power.  Headers and exhausts are an area where teams and engine builders are free to ply their arts and a little birdie tells me Lotus Renault have the most efficient system.  Lotus have focused more on power than aero effect.   Ferrari at the beginning of the season had gone the opposite way, now they reconfigured to be more like Sauber and Lotus.

Internal Drag

It's being said Lotus' real secret is on the inside,  the way airflow is being managed as it passes through the car, through the radiators and out the engine compartment is a secret to its low drag.  Look for more talk about that.

Tires and pit stops

Who will play the tires better on a track which is murder on front left.  Will Mclaren finally get their pit stops right.  Will Schumacher stop whining like he's Rubens?