In the round-up: Pierre Gasly says it takes a long time for manufacturers to make progress with Formula 1’s power units because they are so complicated.
What they say
Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly was asked when the team’s Honda power unit would take a step forward – and how confident he could be that it was coming:
I’m really involved in the development process, in what’s going on in Milton Keynes, in what’s going on in Sakura so I know exactly what they do and also the big picture, the relationship with Red Bull next year so they are pushing massively, that’s for sure.
These engines are so complicated that it takes massive time to understand how much you can extract from everything and honestly it’s crazy money involved, they are really committed and really trying everything and you know it can be painful. Like, in two months they can gain something and you can make really big steps.
It’s difficult to predict but on my side, the best thing I can do – what I try to do – is give the feedback of what we need and I think it’s pretty clear for us what that involves but just trying to find that magic thing that the others have and we don’t have, at the moment.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Posts from @LewisHamilton on Instagram stories post-qualifying #F1 #GermanGP pic.twitter.com/jNxKzhV8Y3
— Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) July 21, 2018
The wet tyres compounds are the same every race so there's nothing wrong with Pirelli bringing a boat load of them to each race (other than… economically, I guess).
If they don't get used, just bring them to the next race.
But don't leave drivers high and "dry"
— Chain Bear F1 (@chainbearf1) July 21, 2018
Well that’s a fair point given your experience but I guess we say it’s cornering like it’s on rails, not like it’s a passenger train. We might also say ‘it goes like a train’ but that’s probably inaccurate too. 🤔 https://t.co/IYbyqmHE4K
— Martin Brundle (@MBrundleF1) July 21, 2018
2 extremes of qualifying as @LewisHamilton car comes back on a flat bed while Vettel celebrates his pole infringement of home fans #F1 @bbcf1 pic.twitter.com/ftJJxqc9iw
— Jennie Gow (@JennieGow) July 21, 2018
That's how bent @ChrisIngramGB's steering is… 😳#FIAERC #RallyDiRoma #GotTalentProveIt pic.twitter.com/udps2xsyZY
— FIA ERC (@FIAERC) July 21, 2018
Hora de descansar 👉 pic.twitter.com/pPinBwTxNK
— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) July 21, 2018
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Qualifying recap (Haas F1 team)
There was no beating the Red Bulls – they’re still too far ahead for us to play with them, but we’re best of the rest again, and that’s our target. Now we just need to get it tomorrow as well, which is the bigger challenge. For tomorrow, you just hope the guys ahead get a good start so we can get some free air and do our own thing.
Quali reaction (Red Bull Racing)
Obviously, I would rather start at the front but there will be some excitement to be had for sure. It’s probably going to be doubly entertaining with Lewis now also starting towards the back too, so both of us coming through the field should make for a good race. Lewis probably isn’t as happy as me right now as I knew this penalty was coming and he had a chance of pole, but tomorrow we’re going to have a good time I’m sure.
Hockenheim and a reminder of a colossus of motor racing's past (ESPN F1)
Should any F1 driver feel life is tough, it might be an idea to make a brief stop en route to Hockenheim. Hidden in the trees, close by kilometre post 508 on the A5 south of Frankfurt, is a cylindrical stone memorial to Bernd Rosemeyer, who died at this spot 80 years ago. It was a motorway accident - but not in the accepted sense. The 28-year-old German was caught up in a ferocious battle for publicity and national pride between Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union as each manufacturer tried to go faster than the other with their streamlined machines.
Ballymena United anger over race car pitch damage (BBC)
A council must be held responsible after race cars drove over a brand new football pitch costing thousands of pounds, an Irish League club has said.
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in here:
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Comment of the day
Tyre degradation is the hot topic of the day, with opinions coming in at blistering speeds but Patrickl points out that the coming changes have been proposed before…
No one was mandated by FIA to make fast degrading tyres. Ecclestone and Pirelli came up with that one. Of course part of that deal whas that they did that, but it was never asked for by the FIA in the original tender.
Michelin was going for the tyre deal at exactly the same time and they wanted 18″ tyres which would be longer lasting (so you’d need less of them) and they wanted the teams to pay them 1 million per year.
Ecclestone insisted on free tyres and he saw the Canada race where tyres strategies spiced things up. Which led him to a last minute Pirelli entrance to come in and take the tyre deal with “tyres must make F1 entertaining” (plus a massive deal to advertise at the tracks to fill Eclestone’s pockets of course).
Patrickl
From the forum
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Phillip C’De Baca and Matthew!
If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is via the contact form or adding to the list here.
Bridge Wilson (@gwbridge)
22nd July 2018, 2:34
Anyone surprised that Merc says Hamilton’s curb excursion just before the transmission failure had nothing to do with the damage?
grat
22nd July 2018, 6:31
Which curb excursion? There were two. The first one, a fairly typical run-off at turn 1, apparently damaged the power steering, which led to the (second) massive curb excursion and took out any hydraulics that might have still been functional.
But, hey, if it makes you feel better, there was only one bounce across the curbs, and it was all Hamilton’s fault, and Mercedes is lying.
ColdFly (@)
22nd July 2018, 8:09
Why does it matter so much to fans (other than HAM haters or aficionados) who/what was to blame?
They’ve agreed great his based on a marvelous car driven by a great driver, and are maybe due a small mistake.
The good news is that we will see 2 drivers who have to come through the field (could be more if the tufins decide to come together).
ColdFly (@)
22nd July 2018, 8:11
Why does it matter so much to fans who/what was to blame?
They’ve agreed great his based on a marvelous car driven by a great driver, and are maybe due a small mistake.
The good news is that we will see 2 drivers who have to come through the field (could be more if the tufins decide to come together).
Bridge Wilson (@gwbridge)
22nd July 2018, 2:37
Anyone surprised that someone who is stuck with a Honda power unit is saying that it takes “massive time” to perfect an F1 engine? Many years or maybe even never…
KG
22nd July 2018, 8:11
Maybe having seen the malaise that McLaren is in this year, we should wait until Red Bull Honda’s first race until we pass judgement on them? Torro Roso also has two relatively inexperienced drivers. So I think it’s hard to say how much it’s the car and how much it’s the drivers. BTW the genuine best chassis with a Renault engine lost half a second just down one long straight. Not sure why some fans (McLaren?) like to jump on any problem TR/Honda has.
ColdFly (@)
22nd July 2018, 8:17
The journalist probably. He/She asked exactly that question :P
Arki (@arki19)
22nd July 2018, 3:42
Fight backs through the field used to be inspiring to watch however DRS has thoroughly diminished the spectacle of such events as it makes the overtakes look way too easy.
I am sure Lewis and Daniel will be doing their best though.
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd July 2018, 6:54
@arki19 The fightbacks through the field by a driver in a top 3-car is much more down to the significant pace advantage they have over the rest than DRS, though. People are always too eager to blame DRS for almost everything even though it’s relatively ineffective these days, and, therefore, most of the time an overtaking move isn’t guaranteed to happen even with it.
ColdFly (@)
22nd July 2018, 8:26
I see it differently @jerejj.
DRS is pretty ineffective for cars with similar performance as the dirty air requires them to come from too far back.
When top cars come through the field DRS robs is of some spectacle. The drivers too often wait for the next DRS straight rather than do an outbrake or coming around the outside maneuver (the RBRs still have to use those skills) and when on the DRS straight the can use DRS to pass the car, get in front, and pick their ideal line and breaking point.
Yes I believe DRS takes the done of the top cars coming through the field.
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd July 2018, 9:34
@coldfly Yes, but they’d still claw back through the field even without DRS thanks to the pace advantage.
grat
22nd July 2018, 6:40
Absolutely. I mean, in spite of the FIA, Ross Brawn, all the drivers and engineers claiming it’s a necessary evil, DRS is completely detrimental to F1, and there would be much better races, if they’d just get rid of that magic push-to-pass button.
All season long, we’ve been watching similarly fast cars just sail past each other with the greatest of ease just as soon as the following driver pushes the magic button, and their car just leaps past the car in front. Every race, there’s been a record number of passes made all season, because as soon as a driver pushes the magic DRS button, they instantly pass the car in front, which can then press it’s magic button on the following lap, and instantly pass the car in front of them!
It’s fantastic! We’ve seen races where the lead changed at least once, without a pit stop being involved! Obviously, we really need to go back to the good old days where the order of the top 5 didn’t change from lights out to the end of the race.
Caution: This post has exceeded it’s sarcasm quota, and may be making a mess as the excessive snark drips onto the floor.
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd July 2018, 6:55
Interesting COTD.
anon
22nd July 2018, 8:13
@jerejj, I’m not sure where some of the claims within that post are coming from though – there do not seem to be any contemporary reports which mention any of the figures stated in that article, so it would be interesting to see what those claims are founded on.
ColdFly (@)
22nd July 2018, 8:33
But all claims are so logical and consistent with proven relationships and behaviours of parties that I don’t even feel the need to check them.
It’s not like the COTD is a flatearther, denies climate change or mixed up would and wouldn’t.
Robbie (@robbie)
22nd July 2018, 13:38
Cotd was a response to something I said, mainly about Michelin wanting to be in F1 with a competing maker, and about marketing impact. I never suggested it was an FIA mandate to make gadget tires. And I doubt Michelin wanted to make longer lasting tires so they could make fewer of them. They just weren’t interested in making tires the drivers would complain about and that would always be spoken of as not lasting. BE even said Michelin were not wanting their tires criticized. I guess Pirelli was happy to do that though. For they sure are criticized.
I see a future F1 with the 2021 changes that will deal with the addiction to too much aero, while reducing wake, such that there won’t be the need for bandage attempts to mask dirty air by artificially spicing up the show with gadget tires and drs.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
22nd July 2018, 10:19
I agree. I made a comment along these lines after the last race.
When a leading car was out of position at or near the start, it used to be exciting seeing them come back through the field and overcoming the challenge this presented. However at Silverstone Lewis could virtually just drive by all of the cars in the DRS zone up to fifth place I think it was. It was just too easy for him.
I think this is a combination of both DRS and the massive speed advantage the top 3 cars have with their engines. I think the layout of the circuit is also a factor of course because coming through the field is going to be easier at Silverstone or Monza than it is at Monaco or Baku. It was not an entertaining spectacle though. Just a matter of timing.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
22nd July 2018, 10:20
Whoops! This should have been a reply to the comment earlier re DRS overtaking! It’s in the wrong thread.
Makana (@makana)
22nd July 2018, 10:15
Gasly and Torro Rosso already fully focused on Honda’s development for RB next year. Even Sundays are Practice sessions for TR from now on. And that’s the absolutely right decision. Honda are still behind Renault and they need to make at least two big steps to catch ’em before March 2019.