F1 tests at Jerez, while I stay off track

23 Feb

Most of the F1 teams had been busy testing their cars
in Spain.

Like any other years, there are quite a number of changes to
the sports AGAIN...  see below for the 2010 changes from wiki

It is very important for the teams to do as much as possible
during these test sessions to assess their cars and all its other
equipments.

For myself, my ambition of doing the 1st race of RMC is very
likely to be hampered since the engine is still not ready from its
repair. That implies I have no chance of testing the kart with
Mojo D2 tyres setup.

So it is very likely that I will have to miss the 1st RMC race in
Sepang on 13/14 March which will be running in the opposite
direction. How exciting!

I would love to join in the fray if I can to just try, but the cost
of participating the race is quite high. Hence, I feel it will be better
if I can be more ready to really race with the field then just to
be there. Although I can gain some experience from just being on
the grid, the cost still a hinder.
Not to forget, I have no idea yet how much the engine repair bill
will come up to!
Gees!!!

Well, I'm doing this for fun (serious fun though) so I will not be
too bother for now. Just have to be more practical on what to
spend on, and how.

Can't kart, so I just have to do more running and swimming to
compensate on the lack of time on the track. Hope I do not
slack off too much in pace once the machinery is ready.

Ok, not forgetting about the F1 2010 rules changes...

• Refuelling during the race is to be abolished for the first time since 1993.[152] Despite the resolution over the budget cap and the decision for 2010 to fall back to the 2009 rules, FOTA have expressed interest in a refuelling ban as it represents a way to cut costs.[153]

• Formula One Management will offer financial support to all new teams from next season, in the form of $10m (£6.25m, €6.8m) along with the free transportation of two chassis and 10,000 kg (22,049 lbs) of freight to each race.[154]

so KERS is not entirely unlaw....

• FOTA has agreed to scrap KERS for 2010 due to poor uptake and pressure from FIA to cut costs, although KERS is not banned in the regulations.[155]

• The minimum car weight will be increased from 605 kg to 620 kg (1,334 lbs to 1,367 lbs) to stop taller and heavier drivers being at a disadvantage if KERS is added to their car, which will still be allowed in 2010, despite FOTA's agreement not to use the system.[156]

• The maximum number of cars allowed to take part in a race shall be increased from 24 to 26 cars.[151]

• The qualifying system will change to accommodate the extra cars: 8 cars will drop out of the first qualifying session, 8 from the second and as in 2009, 10 cars will shoot-out for pole in the third session. The third session will now be run in low-fuel configuration due to the refuelling ban.[157]

• The top ten drivers to qualify for the race must start the race on the same set of tyres that quaified with.[158] In the event that a tyre is damaged in qualifying, the FIA technical delegate will assess the extent of the damage and may allow the car to switch tyres to a set he deems to be safe.[159]

• Wheel covers which have been used by the teams since 2006 are also set to be banned for 2010.

• The front tyres will be narrowed from 270mm to 245mm to improve the balance of grip between the front and rear.

• During negotiations of a new Concorde Agreement at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, several details[160] emerged of cost-cutting proposals by the teams including:

1. A limit on the number of aerodynamic upgrades permitted over the course of a season.
2. A continuation of the ban on in-season testing introduced for 2009.
3. Restrictions on the number of team personnel who can attend a Grand Prix weekend.
4. Complete closures of team factories over the mid-season summer break.

• Teams must homologate certain parts of the car,[160] including the driver's survival cell, roll structures, all impact structures and the front and rear wheels,[159] which will mean they cannot be changed over the course of the season without written approval from the FIA on the grounds of safety.

• A new points system has been ratified for 2010, in response to the increased grid. Since 2003, points had been awarded to the top eight finishers: ten points for first, eight for second, six for third and all the way down to one for eighth place. The 2010 system will see 25 points for first, 18 for second, with third receiving 15, 12 for fourth and then ten, eight, six, four, two, and one for tenth place.[158]

• The 2010 cars are 20-22cm longer than the 2009 versions because of the larger fuel tank.[161]The stewarding system will be overhauled for 2010. Rather than having a rotating line-up of stewards, they will now be drawn from a smaller, fixed pool of permanent stewards that will include former drivers.[162] This is an attempt to make the stewarding process more transparent, following recent controversies involving the stewards. Previously, stewards were only able to issue twenty-five second penalties for infractions that occurred too late in the race for drivers to receive a normal penalty, but for 2010 they will have the power to hand out twenty-second penalties to drivers who would have received a drive-through penalty and thirty-second penalties to those who would have received a stop-go penalty.[159]

• 2009 saw the teams banned from conducting any testing once the season had commenced. This will be amended for 2010, with stand-in drivers being permitted to complete one day of testing (provided they have not participated in an F1 race in the last two calendar years) at a circuit that is not on the calendar.[163] This was introduced in response to a situation arising whereby rookie drivers such as Jaime Alguersuari and Romain Grosjean were unable to physically drive a Formula One car ahead of Friday practice on their debut.

• Drivers will now have just eleven sets of tyres over the course of a weekend, down from fourteen in 2009.[158] Three of these sets must be returned over the course of a weekend.

• Provisions within the Concorde Agreement mean that teams will now be able to miss as many as three races before being ejected from the championship, though the FIA has made it clear that they will not be able to miss races without incurring some kind of penalty.