Slick tyres return to F1

[MWISimmer]

But only for a test at Jerez...

Slicks back to F1

Nonetheless, a step in the right direction  :)

[eno]

What's the betting that in 2009, when they may be reintroduced ...... the power and size of engines will be drastically reduced to compensate for the extra grip.

[MWISimmer]

What's the betting that in 2009, when they may be reintroduced ...... the power and size of engines will be drastically reduced to compensate for the extra grip.

Possibly... I think they'll reduce wing area to compensate. Either way something will give, Bernie has always wanted to slow them down one way or another  :P  

[Craig.]

I not long ago posted what would be happening with F1 for the next few years. Slicks have been a quiet point lately but were planned for 2009 a while back.
Engines are not going to change for the next 10 years. We will have V8's with 19,000rpm for that foreseeable time period. The only change is the renewable energy system thats being designed.

[Craig.]

Slicks back in F1?
well if this is anything to go by I doubt the safety bunch will agree.

1 Jenson Button Honda RA107 1:19.155   0
2 Kimi R

[MWISimmer]

Interesting Craig. Do you know if the slicks are the same size (width) as the grooves?
I presume Jenson was the only slick runner...

[Craig.]

Hi mate, those were mid day times. Few more went out on the slicks in the afternoon, still fastest of the tyres, but the gap wasn't as big.
http://www.itv-f1.com/Popups/Photo.aspx?IM_ID=45655
They appear the same size, and look really odd.

An interesting bit from today, a super aguri driver (i'll get it later with full link) did a test with 2009 regulation downforce on the groove tyres and has said the car is undriveable. He then used the slicks and said it's still bad, but not quite so bad.

[Craig.]

Day one test times, PDR was the fastest of the current tyres.

1.

[expat]

They appear the same size, and look really odd.

No, no, no, Craig, that is how an F1 should look, they looked odd the day slicks where banned

One question though. Slickes where banned in an effort to slow the cars down. That has been clawed back by the teams over the years with varoius bits of technology (whether it was designed or acquired by them or not as the case may be ) What is the idea of bringing slicks back?

Matt

[MWISimmer]

Slick tyres provide the most amount of mechanical grip. When the grooves were introduced the teams soon made up for the loss of grip, as you said Matt, with various aero devices thus increasing the amount of downforce to compensate. This in turn increased the amount of "dirty air" (or wake turbulence as we know it  :D ) behind the car, making close racing virtually impossible (unless you're Lewis....).
The return to slicks, with a decrease in Aerodynamic grip will, in theory, lead to more overtaking, more exciting racing and more people watching F1.

Which in turn equals more revenue for Bernie...

[expat]

Slick tyres provide the most amount of mechanical grip. When the grooves were introduced the teams soon made up for the loss of grip, as you said Matt, with various aero devices thus increasing the amount of downforce to compensate. This in turn increased the amount of "dirty air" (or wake turbulence as we know it  :D ) behind the car, making close racing virtually impossible (unless you're Lewis....).
The return to slicks, with a decrease in Aerodynamic grip will, in theory, lead to more overtaking, more exciting racing and more people watching F1.

Which in turn equals more revenue for Bernie...

But at the end of the day, it will be another to or three season fiddle with the regs by the FIA until they come up with another bright idea. You want overtaking and close racing then the only answer is the removal of all wings and the cars aerodynamics designed to produce a smooth-ish out flow for the car behind. Hardly the correct course of action. No matter what the FIA does, the teams will have caught up by the next season and a half........and Bernie will have made another $Zillion

Matt

[Craig.]

the idea is by 2010 that there will be a freeze on design for a certain time. That has begun with the engine freeze.

Take this for what you will and it was translated from dutch into english so i'll leave you to interpret, but could this mean there are rumors of Mclaren offering Fred a 1 year contract?

The Spanish press communicates that Fernando Alonso new one year old has got contract offered surprisingly enough of McLaren. The Spaniard has reacted then with a list of wishes such as themselves stipulates of the race strategy.

[MWISimmer]

McLaren have denied all kowledge of Alonso returning.
Apparenty, according to other reports, he's demanded different race stategy to Lewis, which to all intents and purposes would be two teams within one.
Not going to happen.

[Craig.]

How so?
Most teams run split strategy, Honda with Ross brawn will now run the adaptable strategy. Mclaren run a very strange strategy in that, the fastest qualifier in session 2 gets the choice of the best strategy. Thats not really fair and equal, plus it doesn't exactly allow wiggle room if something goes wrong.

[MWISimmer]

Maybe I interpreted it wrong.  :P
The way I read it was that FA and Lewis would not share data etc.