Formula 1 - 2012 Season

[Dave Baumann]

F1 2011 was a season largely dominated by Red Bull and especially Sebastian Vettel, will relative rules stability allow any of the other teams to get close to Newey's designs in 2012?

The few changes that we have so far for 2012 are no off-throttle exhaust blowing, exhausts exiting from the top of the engine cover (no-blown diffusers) and lower nose cones. Pirelli want to add their spice by being more agressive on the compound differences this year.

History threads: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

 

[Kaotik]

Confirmed drivers as far as I'm aware:

Caterham F1 Team:
- Heikki Kovalainen FIN
- Jarno Trulli ITA

Scuderia Ferrari
- Fernando Alonso SPA
- Felipe Massa BRA

Sahara Force India F1 Team
- Paul Di Resta GBR
- Nico Hulkenberg GER

HRT F1 Team:
- Pedro de la Rosa SPA
-

Lotus GP:
- Kimi Räikkönen FIN
- Romain Grosjean FRA


Marussia F1 Team:
- Timo Clock GER
- Charles Pic FRA

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes:
- Jenson Button GBR
- Lewis Hamilton GBR

Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team:
- Michael Schumacher GER
- Nico Rosberg GER

Red Bull Racing:
- Sebastian Vettel GER
- Mark Webber AUS

Sauber F1 Team:
- Kamui Kobayashi JPN
- Sergio Perez MEX

Scuderia Toro Rosso
-
-

AT&T Williams
- Pastor Maldonado VEN
-

--

Recent rumors suggest that...
...Trulli will get booted from Caterham and replaced by Daniel Ricciardo
...Adrian Sutil will replace Barrichello at Williams
...Räikkönen might end up at Lotus (Renault)
...Bottas might get racing spot from Williams

--

Rule changes:
- Off-throttle blowing diffusor -thingies forbidden
- Mid-season testing allowed again, Mugello-track will be used for this

Preliminary schedule:
1. Australian GP, Melbourne, 16.-18. March
2. Malaysian GP, Kuala Lumpur, 23.-25. March
3. Chinese GP, Shanghai, 13.-15. April
4. Bahrain GP, Sakhir, 20.-22. April
5. Spanish GP, Barcelona, 11.-13. May
6. Monaco GP, Monte Carlo, 24.-27. May
7. Canadian GP, Montreal, 8.-10. June
8. European GP, Valencia, 22.-24. June
9. British GP, Silverstone, 6.-8. July
10. German GP, Hockenheim, 20.-22. July
11. Hungarian GP, Budapest, 27.-29. July
12. Belgian GP, Spa, 31. elokuuta - 2. September
13. Italian GP, Monza, 7.-9. September
14. Singapore GP, Marina Bay, 21.-23. September
15. Japanese GP, Suzuka, 5.-7. October
16. Korean GP, Yeongam, 12.-14. October
17. Indian GP, Greater Noida, 26.-28. October
18. Abu Dhabi GP, Abu Dhabi, 2.-4. November
19. United States GP, Austin, 16.-18. November
20. Brazilian GP, São Paulo, 23.-25. November

 

[Bludd]

I love that the EBDs are going away.

 

[DJ12]

Bit of a piss take that Mugello, Ferrari's own track, is being used for mid season testing.

Not heard that before, when was that announced.

 

[Kaotik]

Bit of a piss take that Mugello, Ferrari's own track, is being used for mid season testing.

Not heard that before, when was that announced.

Here's a mention of it http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94068

Woo, what's this
https://twitter.com/#!/InsideFerrari/status/140748963639857152

So, as our old friend Kimi would say, let's wait and see

 

[Dave Baumann]

Merc and Williams took the opportunity to test the new exhaust exits at the recent young driver test after Abu Dhabi:

 

[Bludd]

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/analysis-abu-dhabi-test-2012-exhausts/

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Räikkönen returns on Lotus Renault! YES!

http://www.lotusrenaultgp.com/8034-Kimi-Raikkonen-back-in-F1-with.html

Two year deal.

 

[Gubbi]

Bit of a piss take that Mugello, Ferrari's own track, is being used for mid season testing.

It's a good choice though. Like Silverstone and Suzuka, it has every type of corner and is a proper race track.

Good news wrt. Räikkönen.

Cheers

 

[Bludd]

The word is that the Williams deal was close but that the personalities involved clashed.

How fast can Kimi be up to speed? Now we will see how fast Vitaly is.

 

[Mendel]

Räikkönen returns on Lotus Renault! YES!

http://www.lotusrenaultgp.com/8034-Kimi-Raikkonen-back-in-F1-with.html

Two year deal.

WOOT! Yessss.

I shall celebrate immediately (with Magnum ice cream and a can of Coca cola )

 

[Kaotik]

The word is that the Williams deal was close but that the personalities involved clashed.

How fast can Kimi be up to speed? Now we will see how fast Vitaly is.

I doubt there's much to it, he's a natural born racer after all

But he can start testing as soon as Lotus wants really, as long as he uses 2 years old car, and they happen to have 2009 Renault ready for that (which was kept ready for Kubica in case he could return, so he could test driving a bit first)

 

[DuckThor Evil]

WOOT! Yessss.

I shall celebrate immediately (with Magnum ice cream and a can of Coca cola )

Once you're done with those, go to your home theater thread and finally give us your impressions on the Plasma!

It's great to have Kimi back. I mean watching the races this year was fun and all, but It's definitely more interesting now.

 

[Bludd]

The biggest problem facing Kimi on his return will be the new tyres (can he test with new tyres on the 2009 car?) and all the new functions on the steering wheel (DRS, KERS to a lesser extent, he drove with KERS in 2009). He won't have to learn to drive an EBD car, though.

I like Kimi, he's fast and ruthless, but he has a lazy streak and if that comes bubbling up, Renault may get pissy.

 

[Kaotik]

Former F1 driver Mika Salo said that despite 2 year deal, he expects that Kimi has option to break the deal after 1 year when several positions might open up in "top teams" (Massas, Hamiltons and Webbers contracts all end after 2012 season)

 

[suryad]

Next year the F1 cars are going V6 is that correct or will they have the roaring V8 configuration still? Still wish the V10s were back...*sigh*

 

[Bludd]

Next year the F1 cars are going V6 is that correct or will they have the roaring V8 configuration still? Still wish the V10s were back...*sigh*

Still V8s for next year, V6 turbo from 2014 onward.

 

[Dave Baumann]

The word is that the Williams deal was close but that the personalities involved clashed.

Supposedly he was after an equity stake in the team.

 

[Bludd]

Supposedly he was after an equity stake in the team.

I've heard that too. I'm not so sure Kimi himself wanted it, more like his manager(s) pushed for it.

 

[Davros]

Still wish the V10s were back...*sigh*

No, no no...
We want 24 litre, W12 like the Napier-Railton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier-Railton