Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing: Paul Ricard Day 1 Report
By Ian Lockwood
May 14 2008
First day of a three day test that sees Mark Webber running today, David Coulthard tomorrow and Sebastien Buemi on the final day. This is one of the most complex tests of the season as the Le Castellet circuit offers a variety of track types.
Today and tomorrow, we are concentrating on Monaco set-up, while for the final day, the activity switches to a different layout with a long straight to prepare for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Mark had a trouble free day, running with high Monaco downforce levels, evaluating some new aero components, as well as working on mechanical set up. The Australian also tried both types of tyre that Bridgestone will bring to Monaco - the "soft" and "super-soft" even though Ricard normally demands a harder tyre. The other difference between the real Monaco track and this fake one is that the Ricard surface, unlike the city streets of Monte Carlo, is very smooth. Tomorrow, David continues with the Monaco programme, which might be affected by rain showers, according to the forecast.
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Quote:Keppel
The suggestion that Buemi is in concerns me. Why does this test seem like some kind of sinister shoot out to me?
Nah. Hope I'm not proved wrong, but I think you're being paranoid Keps. There's no point having Beumi as a 'test driver' unless they let him actually test at some point.
Also, new bridge on the wing!
It has a dual profile like the McLaren bridge:
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:15:05:10:03 by markwebber#1.
Is this what you wanted?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:15:05:56:01 by markwebber#1.
Quote:markwebber#1
What is different to last year as that each test we are, touch wood, turning up with new parts. Development is pushing like it should, and that means we will be much stronger across the middle of the year.
Also, imitation is the greatest form of flattery. It's great to see Renault and Williams copying our fin - shows that we're ahead of the innovation curve in some major areas (even though we're borrowing some other things like wheel covers and wing bridges etc).
It's always good to be ahead in the F1 innovation game.
Last year everyone had to have the McLaren hunch back engine cover, each with their own variation, as with red bull, their was more rounded.
Now this year Newey extents the engine cover to what seems to be the outer limits of the FIA regs. You would have thought that teams would have explored these avenues last year when they were playing with their engine covers. Williams have even now discovered that can put a flip up at the back of their engine cover to create even more downforce.
What I find curious is that there now seems a door of innovation in that area of the car has been opened up when there doesn't seem to be any reason why these areas shouldn't have been explored last year.
I understand the idea behind the fin was cornering stability in the no TC era,...but still,..Williams have found a new place to glue some wings on and for the life of me I can't understand why these things haven't been explored until now.
So,..in a way it kinda reaks of keeping up with the jones or designers being discouraged from concepts to far removed from the traditional until their hand is forced.
