Question after the first five races

[F2002]

With the first five races of the season behind us, and having experienced what is probably one of the most interesting season starts of the last years, I just wanted to ask some very simple, perhaps technical, questions:

What has contributed to this interesting variety of performances across circuits? Why have we had five different winners, on five different cars, winning races so far this season?

Alonso himself is quoted as saying that his second place in Spain is probably a tad more than the car could have achieved under neutral conditions. Does this mean that even the Williams result is unrealistic?

Is this all and only a question of tyres then?

[sav_pap]

IMO cost cutting is responsible for this situation we witness this year in general .

Testing ban, engine development ban, spending money ban and all these ridiculous restrictions has brought so many teams close because now :

Same testing, same engine power, same funds etc. ====>>> Same Results.

Big teams suffer because of the above while small teams are happy.

[hakanabi]

Yeah, it is mostly down to tyres. Some cars suits better than others on different tracks and this is down to different characteristics of circuits and lay outs also track temperature etc. Engineers and aerodynamics departments of the teams have not been able master these new tyres yet and I believe they need at least 4-5 races more to have a better understanding of them so they can tune their cars which will help to reduce to tire wear so they can do more laps also improve grip and performance of their cars.

[F2002]

Yeah, it is mostly down to tyres. Some cars suits better than others on different tracks and this is down to different characteristics of circuits and lay outs also track temperature etc. Engineers and aerodynamics departments of the teams have not been able master these new tyres yet and I believe they need at least 4-5 races more to have a better understanding of them so they can tune their cars which will help to reduce to tire wear so they can do more laps also improve grip and performance of their cars.

True, but last year they had the same tyres, and one team still managed to dominate in a way.

IMO cost cutting is responsible for this situation we witness this year in general .

Testing ban, engine development ban, spending money ban and all these ridiculous restrictions has brought so many teams close because now :

Same testing, same engine power, same funds etc. ====>>> Same Results.

Big teams suffer because of the above while small teams are happy.

Similarly, the cost cutting measures didn't come into effect this year. They have been with us for a while.

[Tobes]

If we're to believe what we're told, it is solely down to the tires and their very small operating temperature, due to the very different temperatures and conditions at the first five races this season we've had five different drivers find the right set-up for that given day...
I do think we appear to have a car that Fernando can get to work consistantly in most cases, but not excel in any of them, as i've said already, I think this season will be won by the most consistant driver, i'm thinking there will continue to be different drivers on the top step, Kimi, Michael, Webber... don't think we NEED to win lots of races, but if Fernando can keep getting podiums he'll be there or there abouts by the end of the season, and we appear to have a car capable of that in Fernando's hands...

[WS6TransAm01]

True, but last year they had the same tyres, and one team still managed to dominate in a way.

No, from what I understand Perelli changed their compounds over the winter. Not the same tires as last year.

[Red passion]

If we're to believe what we're told, it is solely down to the tires and their very small operating temperature, due to the very different temperatures and conditions at the first five races this season we've had five different drivers find the right set-up for that given day...
I do think we appear to have a car that Fernando can get to work consistantly in most cases, but not excel in any of them, as i've said already, I think this season will be won by the most consistant driver, i'm thinking there will continue to be different drivers on the top step, Kimi, Michael, Webber... don't think we NEED to win lots of races, but if Fernando can keep getting podiums he'll be there or there abouts by the end of the season, and we appear to have a car capable of that in Fernando's hands...

Average 12-13 pts per race & the title is yours this year. 125pts on the table both leaders have 61pts now not even 50% of the points available.

if this was last year Mr Vettel would probably have 95-100 pts by now and leaving us for dust.

[Tifosi]

No, from what I understand Perelli changed their compounds over the winter. Not the same tires as last year.

+1

[F2002]

So how the tyres react to different temperatures, and their operating window, is that more dependent on the car setup rather than the the tyre itself?

They wanted one tyre supplier to drop costs and avoid the infamous tyre wars, but what you say means that we are back to square one, plus a bit of randomness. Right?

[Tifosi]

The issue this year so far compared to last year (apart from Red Bull's performance advantage) is that the teams appear to be clueless from race to race as to how to maximise the performance of their cars using the tyres (or in truth its the other way around). It's partly driving style, partly how "kind" the balance and set-up of the car is on the tyres and partly the race strategy to best utilise these things in my opinion. They also don't seem to be able to apply the knowledge from one race to improving in the next (and I mean ALL teams).

When you see the effect tyres had on Fernando's race yesterday, 2 things are clear. The first is that tyre management and strategy by driver and team plays way to big a part in the outcome of all races and this seems to be the big unknown for most teams from race to race. The second is that the potential of the cars and drivers is affected by this.

That said, if they were all on indestructable tyres, I have the feeling that Macca would be beating us quite comprehensively at the moment so.... :-\

[Kyss4k]

No, from what I understand Perelli changed their compounds over the winter. Not the same tires as last year.

Isn't it that they only changed the profile of the tyres (they are not so rounded now), scraped the last year's hardest one and add even softer super soft? So it is that last year's super soft is soft now, last year's soft is medium and last year's medium is hard?

[hakanabi]

No, from what I understand Perelli changed their compounds over the winter. Not the same tires as last year.

True they have changed their compound so they are not the same tires as last year. This year tires are more sensitive and wear out much faster so you just have to get everything right over a gp weekend to make the best use out of them.

[hakanabi]

The issue this year so far compared to last year (apart from Red Bull's performance advantage) is that the teams appear to be clueless from race to race as to how to maximise the performance of their cars using the tyres (or in truth its the other way around). It's partly driving style, partly how "kind" the balance and set-up of the car is on the tyres and partly the race strategy to best utilise these things in my opinion. They also don't seem to be able to apply the knowledge from one race to improving in the next (and I mean ALL teams).

When you see the effect tyres had on Fernando's race yesterday, 2 things are clear. The first is that tyre management and strategy by driver and team plays way to big a part in the outcome of all races and this seems to be the big unknown for most teams from race to race. The second is that the potential of the cars and drivers is affected by this.

That said, if they were all on indestructable tyres, I have the feeling that Macca would be beating us quite comprehensively at the moment so.... :-\

+1

[Tifosi]

The "performance gap", as Pirelli put it , between the four dry compounds are closer this year and this seems to be having a bigger effect than the changes to the profile as the gap between the two compounds used over a race weekend is therefore more marginal. Less blistering and better heat distribution maybe but when your tyres fall off the cliff, I fail to see what consolation this brings!!

Found these interesting, especially Mr Hembery's comments. Have they made any changes since the season start does anyone know?