Peter Windsor trots out bizarre Senna theory

Peter Windsor picked a weird day to trot out the bizarre and discredited theory that holding his breath caused Senna to momentarily black out and crash.

Aside from telemetry that showed both steering inputs and braking, why choose this of all dates to blame the one guy who's not here?   Wasn't blaming everything else on "the Italians" enough? I don't get it.

You can see the rest of the clips here

Let this elderly F1 fan tell you how it is.

It's Bullshit!

Yup, Daniel Brühl really had it down pat in Rush.

Once again great stuff from Peter Windsor:  a three part, free wheeling and wide ranging interview with Niki Lauda.

From the beginning, taking out a life insurance policy on himself as collateral for the bank loan that started his racing career to the birth of his twins in 2009 to the state of F1 in 2014,  what is an interesting  recurring theme with Lauda is his understanding of cycles, both in terms of F1 and  his airline business.  The man simply does not panic,  except perhaps when he has to find a black tie.

Andreas Neustifter/Flickr

Sit back and enjoy, it's a must for any racing fan.

"...Don't give me this bullshit..."



"...You have to see what you can achieve without braking everybody's balls unnecessarily..."



"...The money is always important..."

F1 Tech: push and pull in 2014.

In 2012, Ferrari used a pullrod front suspension, gambling the cleaner airflow it allows would overcome the disadvantages in higher loads and difficulty in setup.  Results were mixed but Ferrari stuck with it last season.  Mclaren inexplicably went the same route in 2013 and had their worst season in decades.

There was some logic to that choice with the previous regulations but, with the new lower nose, the aero advantage of a pull rod in the front is negated.   Oddly there have been rumors Ferrari might still choose the pull route in front.

While (ex Ferrari and Williams designer) Enrique Scalabroni may not be the most concise explainer there is, the man can draw and don't  you wish you could be there in the room with him ogling the schematics and discussing roll centers over a couple of bottles of Malbec?

Perhaps, after a few bottles of red, Scalabroni might even tell you why he though it would be a great idea to design an F1 car with the wheels in a rhomboid configuration...

Thanks Peter Windsor.  Part 2 after the break

These May Be The Worst Formula 1 Videos Ever But...

...anyone serious about following the sport absolutely needs to see all three, beginning to end, probably more than once.



Designer Enrique Scalabroni, ex Dallara, Williams, Ferrari and Peugeot, is not shall we say, a natural on camera but, get passed that as I'm guessing you will and be rewarded with knowledge from someone with true command of the language of race car.  
Kudos to Peter Windsor, quietly making his way back from the USF1 wilderness, for making these fantastic pieces available, more please!

You may have noticed we expressly avoided talking about the first tests at Jerez,  it's completely pointless to try and make any guesses, not that that has stopped anyone apparently.

Even if the cars (save for a heavily reworked Ferrari and a very different Mclaren) are mostly evolutions from last year, with the aero rules essentially the same for 2013, some themes have emerged.

The first and maybe most obvious is the move to make the sidepods and the bodywork around the back of the car somehow even smaller and tighter.  Tradeoff for the additional "floorspace" will be cooling and to that end interesting Ferrari did not, as had been anticipated by some, have the the radiators at an angle the way Red Bull has.    Ferrari did make some pretty amazing work creating space under the gearbox and differential.

Another area you will notice more development in are the small vertical fins on the floor just in front of the rear wheels.  Their function is explained in one of the videos.

Finally, if I had to guess, this year a big prize will go to the team that best develops a passive F-Duct or DRD (Drag Reduction Duct), the trick there is finding a way to tune it so that it functions only when you actually don't need the downforce.   Lotus and Mercedes tried all last year without getting it quite right.  
The second test at the Circuit de Catalunya this week might shed a bit more light trough all the sandbagging.

USF1: From Sad to Just Plain Comical.

Like you I opened up my computer to see a confirmation of what I already knew, that USF1 was now officially toast (inevitable pun intended).
None other than Autosport proclaimed it, yet just three hours later a new headline: Ken Anderson claiming USF1 was not dead and in fact still looking for a 2011 entry!

I decided to call USF1 headquarters in North Carolina myself...



So USF1 has no car, no drivers, no factory, no backers and no telephone, of course the FIA will give them a spot on the grid for 2011! That's the comical part. The sad part, if Autosport's first report is correct, is that Windsor and Anderson were not present when USF1 employees were told the operation was officially shut down, lame.



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USF1, Argentina Called: they are sending killer gauchos...

...to get the money the Argentine Automobile Club claims it deposited into USF1's bank account now that Peter Windsor, with tears in his eyes, has supposedly told assembled employees in Charlotte, that USF1 is toast.

Peter Windsor, el director deportivo de la escudería, reunido en la sede de Charlotte con el empresario Felipe McGough y con José López (padre), admitió que no llegará a construir los autos del US F1 en los plazos convenidos y que, con lágrimas en los ojos, no sabe qué hará con su proyecto.

Linked below is the actual original article everyone is referring to. At the meeting, the article reports, were Windsor, JM Lopez's manager Felipe McGough and Lopez' father. A teaful Windsor admitted, the article states, that USF1 will not be able to build cars in Charlotte and has no idea what will become of the project. Money has been so tight at USF1 that the team had been working with a dummy engine as Cosworth never shipped real ones.

But Argentines are especially upset over all the fuss with Windsor getting his picture taken with the president of Argentina and hiring their F1 "hopeful" just on January 25th. Now questions will come up as to the $830K portion of the promised two million from Argentina that came with Lopez' contract.

The Original article from La Voz is HERE

In case you still have doubts , read Mac Morrison from Autoweek HERE


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USF1: Efficiency and Rumors

USF1 is rumored to have asked for special dispensation from participating in the first four races of the 2010 season, only joining the crowd once the series makes it's way back to Europe. Peter Windsor almost immediately denied this but confirmed the team has in fact asked for and was granted by the FIA, two extra days of testing.

"It is an example of how the FIA and the teams have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome." Windsor claims, though one wonders where these rumors are coming from. One might also wonder why if, as Windsor has repeatedly claimed, working in the US in much more efficient than in the UK, the team needs extra testing days.

USF1 has just now hired a team manager and has yet to come up with drivers though they did release a video of a nose cone (not a toaster) being crash tested in the UK. Best of luck to them, hope they make the grid in Bahrein.





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End of the Year Funnies...

Seriously, who gets tuned down by Ralf Schumacher? I can see the next USF1 YouTube cartoon now: "Yes Ken, I've got a brilliant idea on how to capitalize in skunk works way on Michael Schumacher's return to F1 and perhaps a new branding opportunity for our toasters!"
Read this funny article by Joe Saward.



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USF1 Funnies

Have any of you missed the USF1 sendup on YouTube?
Brutal and Brilliant and, here, all on one page for your snickering convenience!

Full series after the jump.

USF1 Replies to Rumors, Blame "Zee Germans"

Formula1Blog.com interviewed Peter Windsor about the rampant rumors on the actual state of affairs at the North Carolina based team.

Windsor rubbished all attributing them mostly to "zee Germans" but also on anti-American feelings, jealousy, bureaucratic delays, internet so called journalists, Sauber and the Swiss and of course.

Mr Windsor called Peter Sauber a close friend and went on to mention how his friend sold out to BMW and should now not complain to the press especially if he is being given special favors and allowed, if Sauber were to join the party in 2010, to run a Ferrari engine rather than a Cosworth as all new teams are obliged to do.

Windsor did not really get specific as to why no American could get an FIA super license but hinted at sinister forces behind it and promised a US based development program for future drivers.

Good luck and see you on the grid in Bahrain? What do you think?

Hear the full interview HERE

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Vaporware...

Vaporware is a term associated with Silicon Valley startups that are not quite what they claim to be. USF1's first major sponsor was a huge coup: YouTube... Or at least that's what everyone thought at first. The truth was somewhat less exciting as you will remember, Chad Hurley, one of YouTube's founders had agreed to invest in the team, an unknown amount of course. In reality once the news went out about YouTube there was little effort to really clarify the situation and that's perhaps understandable for a startup looking to attract attention.

Fast forward to the end of the 2009 season and we start hearing conflicting rumors of the health of some of those new teams who are to step in and fill the gaps left by Toyota and Sauber. USF1 in particular has been at the center of a lot of talk. Yes, they showed pictures of CNC machines and autoclaves but, frankly, they could have just as well been pictures from anywhere.

Then came the announcement that USF1 would not, as was their founding principle, hire American drivers. This was blamed on the delay signing the concorde agreement and on the fact that no available American driver possessed, or is in a position to be approved for, an FIA superlicense. OK right.

Before the final GP in AbuDhabi there was the announcement that USF1 had chosen as a European base of operations, Motorland, a motorsport complex in Aragon, Spain. That is great, where are the trucks, hospitality facilities, tooling, crew...

But what I think really got people talking online is the clip the Speed TV crew (of which Peter Windsor is a part of) slapped together for their Abu Dhabi broadcast.

Ostensively a visit by commentator Steve Matchett to the USF1 headquarters in North Carolina, it struck many as odd, especially the section with the computer modeling. Take a look...

Of course you cannot expect a company to show you their secrets but from that clip it looked to many like USF1 has a different sort of secret to hide.

This week we have a quote from World Champion Ross Brawn about how USF1 has yet to crash test any of their components, "For a beginner that's strange" said Brawn. The same report has Peter Windsor as the only person at a recent FOTA meeting who questioned the rule preventing teams from selling their entry spot.

If it turns out USF1 will not make the 2010 grid was it correct of SPEED TV and Windsor to create segments that perpetuate the illusion there is any fire behind the smoke? Maybe that's what David Hobbs' double take was really about.

UPDATE: USF1 Issue Denial.... more after the jump


Interesting, right after we noticed an increase in "chatter", USF1 has issued a denial. Motorsport-Total.com asked Ken Anderson for a reply to Ross Brawn's comments and about the apparently widespread feeling in F1 circles that the ultimate goal is the sale on their 2010 entry slot at a profit.

"The stories, as usual, are wrong" replied Anderson. "We have passed all necessary tests for the moments and have more planned for November and December" and goes on to say that even if the equipment is not there at USF1, they are within walking distance from many companies work can be outsourced to in Charlotte, NC.

"Ross is right, you have to experiment and that's what we are doing, every team has their own schedule, some will not do their crash tests until February. This is not unusual. You have to spend as much time as possible developing"

Brawn had said that BrawnGP had already crash tested a number of components in preparation for the official FIA tests and was surprised USF1, a novice, had not done the same.

As far as the sale of their 2010 entry Anderson launched a broadside at BMW-Sauber " There are people who hope Sauber can be saved and dream of ways tis could happen. I hope they get Toyota's entry slot and stop annoying us" and goes on to deny the issue of selling entry slots ever came up at a FOTA meeting. "Our entry slot is not for sale and never will be" concluded Anderson. Motorsport-Total's agrees that the entry slot sale is a pipe dream at best: nobody would need to buy it from USF1 if the American team failed to attract proper US based sponsors and make it to the grid, Sauber now has access to Toyota's slot and it's far to late for any other teams to be ready for 2010.

(pardon any bad translation... via Motorsport-Total)


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Peter's Wisdom

If you saw qualifying for the 2009 Malaysian GP on SpeedTV you heard this yourself.

Results and qualifying weights after the jump

Pos  Driver       Team                       Q1        Q2        Q3      
 1.  Button       Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1:35.058  1:33.784  1:35.181
 2.  Trulli       Toyota                (B)  1:34.745  1:33.990  1:35.273
 3.  Vettel       Red Bull-Renault      (B)  1:34.935  1:34.276  1:35.518
 4.  Barrichello  Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1:34.681  1:34.387  1:35.651
 5.  Glock        Toyota                (B)  1:34.907  1:34.258  1:35.690
 6.  Rosberg      Williams-Toyota       (B)  1:35.083  1:34.547  1:35.750
 7.  Webber       Red Bull-Renault      (B)  1:35.027  1:34.222  1:35.797
 8.  Kubica       BMW-Sauber            (B)  1:35.166  1:34.562  1:36.106
 9.  Raikkonen    Ferrari               (B)  1:35.476  1:34.456  1:36.170
10.  Alonso       Renault               (B)  1:35.260  1:34.706  1:37.659
11.  Heidfeld     BMW-Sauber            (B)  1:35.110  1:34.769
12.  Nakajima     Williams-Toyota       (B)  1:35.341  1:34.788
13.  Hamilton     McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  1:35.280  1:34.905
14.  Kovalainen   McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  1:35.023  1:34.924
15.  Bourdais     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  1:35.507  1:35.431
16.  Massa        Ferrari               (B)  1:35.642
17.  Piquet       Renault               (B)  1:35.708
18.  Fisichella   Force India-Mercedes  (B)  1:35.908
19.  Sutil        Force India-Mercedes  (B)  1:35.951
20.  Buemi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  1:36.107

Qualifying weight

Pos. Driver       Team                Car weight (kg)
 1.  Button       Brawn-Mercedes         660
 2.  Trulli       Toyota                 656.5
 3.  Vettel       Red Bull-Renault       647
 4.  Barrichello  Brawn-Mercedes         664.5
 5.  Glock        Toyota                 656.5
 6.  Rosberg      Williams-Toyota        656
 7.  Webber       Red Bull-Renault       656
 8.  Kubica       BMW-Sauber             663
 9.  Raikkonen    Ferrari                662.5
10.  Alonso       Renault                680.5
11.  Heidfeld     BMW-Sauber             692
12.  Nakajima     Williams-Toyota        683.4
13.  Hamilton     McLaren-Mercedes       688
14.  Kovalainen   McLaren-Mercedes       688.9
15.  Bourdais     Toro Rosso-Ferrari     670.5
16.  Massa        Ferrari                689.5
17.  Piquet       Renault                681.9
18.  Fisichella   Force India-Mercedes   680.5
19.  Sutil        Force India-Mercedes   655.5
20.  Buemi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari     686.5

In case you missed the USF1 announcement ...

...yes, Danica Patrick and Scott Speed came up. As did the phrase "Skunk Works"... Very short on details, the biggest surprise is how long this has been in the works.



More clips after the jump.

USF1 preview...

The official announcement will come a 12 noon Tuesday meanwhile, Peter Windsor stopped by to see Dave Despain and discuss... Danica Patrick. Speed TV.







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Key Corners

Amazingly, there was something other than the standard inane banter said at today's post qualifying press conference, something of actual interest to drivers. It came from Kimi prodded by Peter Windsor.



This applies even to autocrossers*, it's the slow technical bits that will get you. A car will spend much more time in a slow corner than in a fast one so there is much more of an opportunity to really screw up your lap time. In Turkey it's turn 9-10 complex and the final 12-13-14 section. Especially true of turns 9-10 which immediately precede the longest straight on the track.






If you are going to the track this fall and want to learn more about line and technique, I can recommend two sources beside the more obvious textbooks:

• The Rookie Chronicles by Jeff Gabel.
• High Performance Driving a one off magazine and DVD.

Both are great starting points and have loads of info in easily digestible form.

Have fun at the track and keep saying to yourself..."what would Kimi do?"

* the US style autocross, not the euro offroad

A real pro...

from F1Racing's video podcast check out how Peter Windsor gently saves Heikki Kovalainen after the finn makes the terrible mistake of saying what he really thinks of the car.

Also amusing is to think that Heikki would be seriously reprimanded by track day instructosauruses for his hand positioning (...wink)

Finally, at the end of the clip you get a measure of the respect Windsor must have among the F1 drivers as Heikki basically asks him if he is driving properly!

amusing to read between the lines here.



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