1550 replies to this topic

[Craven Morehead]

He's just hedging his bets. It's quite typical for him, actually.

[AFCA]

Van der Garde: ''Of course it was exciting to step in the car, but basically it went fine. But you don't want to see my knees, they're completely blue !''

''I really had to adjust my driving style for this car. The position of the accelerator, the throttle mapping, you have to drive smoothly. The whole day (yesterday - AFCA) I suffered from a lot of oversteer. And it went wrong on the 15th lap and then I damaged my rearwing. Oh well, that can happen: a broken wing. Fortunately they were able to repair the damage quickly and I was able to go out again.''

''I should really regard this test as a present. You also notice that on the possibilities the team is offering me. There for instance is no possibility to go on track with less fuel, change settings or adjust the downforce settings. Furthermore, we're driving with a 2008 car with a 2009 configuration, so with little downforce and slicks. And then we unfortunately have gears that are a bit short. The engine runs high in the 18,000 rpm and then you (only) get to 310 km/h. And you've already reached that speed after the half of the straight. There's a lot moere to gain but you can't change anything to that with the current circumstances. Unfortunately I'm not here to distinguish myself from the other drivers.''

[jigc]

eibe,

thanx for the sharing of the interview

[MichaelPM]

When are they first planning to use an R29? Any shakedown tests which a sneaky photo can be leaked from?

[eibe]

Greetings

You're welcome,guys!

BTW, the last rumour this morning in Barcelona is that Renault will introduce its KERS in the next tests (Early Dec).

MichaelPM, it remains unclear the date of R29's first roll-out. FA last week said that it would be about late January 09, but Pat Symonds long time ago fixed the first roll-out on the second week of January.

Ciao

[MichaelPM]

Cheers for the reply.

So this winter are we all again hoping for a new paint scheme from Renault?

Will Renault be better suited for the rule changes?

Are we ever going to have a Renault thread that is as active as the McLaren and Ferrari ones?

[AFCA]

Symonds confirms once more KERS won't be in the car in December: ''We save ourselves theeffort of building an interim car for KERS. KERS will only be on board when the new car is ready.''

[MichaelPM]

Sounds like they are simulating 2009 aero and weight distribution to concentrate mostly on evaluating the slicks then, I guess.

[AFCA]

Alsono will test the new car on the 20th of January.

[Craven Morehead]

I'm sorry is that the new car, or an interim car?

[AFCA]

The R29 obviously, Renault won't have an interim car.

[postajegenye]

Originally posted by AFCA
Alsono will test the new car on the 20th of January.

And will he test at Jerez in December?

[AFCA]

Originally posted by AFCA
I will certainly be there at the Jerez test on the 11th of December, even if we were still to be driving this year's car. I simply cannot sit out two or three months without driving.''

[Craven Morehead]

Originally posted by AFCA
The R29 obviously, Renault won't have an interim car.

well, it's obvious to me now

[eibe]

Greetings

Last Thursday FA had his first meeting with La Sexta's (Spanish TV) F1 crew and told them one thing that apparently will surprise us: the colours of the overalls and the car next year will be somewhat surprising. Last year's dark blue will be replaced by red. (Goodbye Elf/Welcome Total).


Ciao

[Showty]

Originally posted by eibe
Greetings

Last Thursday FA had his first meeting with La Sexta's (Spanish TV) F1 crew and told them one thing that apparently will surprise us: the colours of the overalls and the car next year will be somewhat surprising. Last year's dark blue will be replaced by red. (Goodbye Elf/Welcome Total).


Ciao

There are already some photoshops around

[AFCA]

Translated Q&A with Briatore:

Q: Why did Renault start off the season in such a bad way and why did they end it so well ?
Briatore: ''I don't think we were all that bad. At the start of the season we've paid for 2007, when the car was really bad. Already the first version of the 2008 car was better than the last version from 2007. And when you're so far off, like we were, then you don't make a big leap overnight. Alonso's experience has accelerated the positive development. He clearly told us were we were.''

Q: Why did Renault glide off so much in 2007 ?
Briatore: ''Nothing that the windtunnel suggested worked. After so many years with reliable figures, it suddenly lied to us. It also had to do with the change from Michelin to Bridgestone. The tyre model was no longer working. After the reconstruction of the windtunnel every single new development made our car faster. Things have come back to normal.''

Q: What was key in coming out of the crisis ?
Briatore: ''We started the development of the 2008 car at a very late stage because we wanted to understand what had gone wrong with the previous car. It took us months to find the answer. Therefore we were not on it right at the start of the season.''

Q: How difficult was it to explain the bad results to the corporate headquarters in Paris ?
Briatore: ''It's impossible to always be in the fore. In 2005 Ferrari was nowhere. It happens to others too. Since 2001 Renault's balance isn't so bad at all. In seven years we've won four titles. Only Ferrari has won more in the last ten years.''

Q: A weak point is still the engine. What went wrong there ?
Briatore: ''When the FIA decided to freeze the engines, all the powerplants were on were more or less within 1 % of the same performance level. Then some teams were having worries over the reliability of their engines. Therefore the FIA allowed development to take place for another four months. We didn't do anything since reliability wasn't an issue for us. Some others have exploited this situation but not just by working on safeguarding reliability but also by finding performance. That was against the spirit of the rules.''

Q: How big is the deficit ?
Briatore: ''In terms of laptimes we lack four tenths to McLaren and Ferrari because of the engine.''

Q: Is it fair that now only you and Honda are allowed to improve ?
Briatore: ''Of course that's fair. We've only obeyed the regulations. Now we're to be punished for it for the next five years. I can't catch up for as long as the engine freeze is in place. We've cut 90 jobs in Viry-Chatillon when the engine freezed was declared. That was actually the whole purpose of the action. The others though, have stuck to their numbers of personnel.''

Q: Why did it take so long for you to announce Alonso's contract extension ?
Briatore: ''Because we always wanted to do it at the end of the season. The speculations that Fernando would go to Ferrari, BMW Sauber or Honda have been going around since Melbourne. That's why we hushed this issue up.''

Q: Are you afraid that Alonso could still be moving to Ferrari one day ?
Briatore: ''We only have to give him a winning car. In 2009 it's our aim to again become worldchampion with Alonso. I think we're well underway in doing that. When you have a bad car you cannot keep any driver in the world.''

Q: ''And why did it take so long to commit to Piquet ?
Briatore: ''You can experiment with the second driver when you have Alonso in the team. We'll never find the new Alonso if we keep lining up the same drivers.''

Q: The driver market is not offering a lot at the moment ?
Briatore: ''That's the problem. GP2 cannot produce drivers like Hamilton, Rosberg or Kovalainen each year. This year the best driver was Romain Grosjean. Formula 1 would have probably come a year too early for him. He still made too many mistakes in GP2. But sometimes you have to take risks. That's how we discovered Alonso, and that's how McLaren has brought Hamilton to the top.''

Q: What do you think about KERS ?
Briatore: ''It would have been better if we had postponed its introduction by a year. Everyone was in favour of that, except for BMW Sauber. I don't understand why. Now everyone is forced to spend a lot of money. Ferrari and Renault are the only two manufacturers that support the private teams with engines (I think the interview was made before the Force India deal but he still forgets about Toyota... - AFCA). For them (privateers) the KERS bill comes on top of the engine bill. BMW Sauber is having an easy time there, they've never supplied engines to a private teams but they do burden them with additional costs for KERS.''

Q: Do you plead for a standard KERS ?
Briatore: ''Absolutely. When we introduce new technology in Formula 1 we should develop it together. It saves money and fulfills the same aim. For a long time this is being done in mass production. If each one of us works just for himself then money is wasted and in the end we're all equally advanced. The best example of that is the seamless gearbox. New machines and testbenches have been acquired for that, new people were appointed and the balloon is expanding into an uncontrollable monster.''

Q: Therefore you're also in favour of a single powerplant ?
Briatore: ''It was the aim of the engine freeze to maintain the engines on the same level. If all the engines are almost the same then why do we not introduce standard ones ?''

Q: What does your model of motorsport looks like ?
Briatore: ''Very simple. We either allow complete freedom in every area or we all drive with the same car.''

Q: Is Formula 1 not running the risk of becoming a better version of GP2 ?
Briatore: ''There's no need to immediately become like GP2. It's absolute madness to employ a 1000 people and spend $ 300 million in order to only let two cars do their laps round a track. A GP2 car is seven seconds a lap slower. The teams accomplish that with $ 3 million a year. So there must be something in between.''

Q: In what way should the Formula 1 teams differ from each other in the future ?
Briatore: ''The team should make the difference. Look at Red Bull and Toro Rosso. Apart from the engine the cars are identical. Nevertheless, the one team is better than the other. Because it works better in detail. Technology is well and good but there should also be marketing for it. We have a lot of great things in the car but nobody knows about them. We should pull together there.''

Q: With which cost saving measures for the future would the corporate headquarters be satisfied ?
Briatore: ''With at least a 50 % reduction. But more than that should be possible.''

Q: How do you mean ?
Briatore: ''I've been looking at the steering wheels of the cars in Brasil. They look as if we're willing to fly to Mars with our cars. In a way though, they all look almost the same. Then I wonder: why do we put so much energy and money into that ? Only the egos of the engineers are being satisfied.''

Q: If you want to save money then why are you against the testlimit of 15,000 km ?
Briatore: ''I'm nowhere if I'm to be punished with the engine not even being allowed to test. We can talk about any testrestriction in case we're allowed to improve the engine.''

Q: How big is the danger of a manufacturer saying goodbye to Formula 1 when there won't be a clever solution to save money soon ?
Briatore: ''We have our fate in our hands and we have to act quickly otherwise the private teams will 'die' and more than one (manufacturer) will step out. We don't live in a golden cage. Around us things are burning. We need solutions for the period of in between 2010 and 2012. My proposal: put everyone that has something to say in Formula 1, in a hotel and at most give them a week. In the end there should be white smoke coming out of the chimney as is the case after the papal conclave.''

Q: Do you want to take over the helm of the FIA ?
Briatore: ''Not at all. I only say that the initiative must come from the side of the teams. The FOTA hasn't declared war against Mosley and Ecclestone. We want to cooperate with them. But when we get nothing done ourselves then Mosley has the full rights to pursue his own ideas. The saviour of Formula 1 is what he's got into his head that and he'll actually be doing it too.''

[FA and RK fan]

Thnx AFCA.

Great interview.

[eibe]

Greetings

I let you a link that IHMO I consider that can be of your interest. You need to download the “cuatro.mp3” file.

http://www.megauploa.../es/?d=3RI1S6I0


This file contains (perhaps a historic document) first FA’s interview. FA was 4 years old and he was interviewed at Asturian Radio.

This is the translation:

Journalist: Fernando, Hola (Hello, Fernando).
FA: Hola (Hello).

J: Fernando, ¿cuántos añitos tienes? (Fernando, how old are you?).
FA: Cuatro [Literally: Cuato] (Four).

J: Y ¿tù corres en car? (And, do you race Go Karts?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I do]).

J: ¿Te gusta mucho correr? (Do you really enjoy racing?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I do]).

J: Tú llevas corriendo desde los tres añitos. Hace un año que corres en los coches, ¿no? (You are racing since you were 3 years old. You have been racing for 1 year, haven’t you?).
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I have]).

J: ¿Y llevas 7 carreras? (And, you ran seven races {that year} didn’t you?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I did]).

J: ¿Vas a correr el próximo año otra vez? (Will you race next year again?)
FA Sí (Yes, [I will]).

J: Con el mismo coche... (With the same car....)
FA: Sí. (Yes).

J: Muchísimas gracias, Fernando. Buenas tardes. Many thanks!, Fernando. Good afternoon.
FA: Good afternoon.



Ciao

[MichaelPM]

Originally posted by eibe
Greetings

I let you a link that IHMO I consider that can be of your interest. You need to download the “cuatro.mp3” file.

http://www.megauploa.../es/?d=3RI1S6I0


This file contains (perhaps a historic document) first FA’s interview. FA was 4 years old and he was interviewed at Asturian Radio.

This is the translation:

Journalist: Fernando, Hola (Hello, Fernando).
FA: Hola (Hello).

J: Fernando, ¿cuántos añitos tienes? (Fernando, how old are you?).
FA: Cuatro [Literally: Cuato] (Four).

J: Y ¿tù corres en car? (And, do you race Go Karts?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I do]).

J: ¿Te gusta mucho correr? (Do you really enjoy racing?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I do]).

J: Tú llevas corriendo desde los tres añitos. Hace un año que corres en los coches, ¿no? (You are racing since you were 3 years old. You have been racing for 1 year, haven’t you?).
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I have]).

J: ¿Y llevas 7 carreras? (And, you ran seven races {that year} didn’t you?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I did]).

J: ¿Vas a correr el próximo año otra vez? (Will you race next year again?)
FA Sí (Yes, [I will]).

J: Con el mismo coche... (With the same car....)
FA: Sí. (Yes).

J: Muchísimas gracias, Fernando. Buenas tardes. Many thanks!, Fernando. Good afternoon.
FA: Good afternoon.



Ciao

Hehe

I'd love to see the British tabloids spin on that one

[pingu666]

didnt know he started at 3 years old

[lettuce]

Originally posted by eibe
Greetings

Last Thursday FA had his first meeting with La Sexta's (Spanish TV) F1 crew and told them one thing that apparently will surprise us: the colours of the overalls and the car next year will be somewhat surprising. Last year's dark blue will be replaced by red. (Goodbye Elf/Welcome Total).


Ciao

I thought ELF were still supplying fuel/oil for the team as ELF merged with TOTAL anyway, so both logos will be on the car.
As for the livery, red does not sit well with the orange :

[Suntrek]

Originally posted by lettuce


I thought ELF were still supplying fuel/oil for the team as ELF merged with TOTAL anyway, so both logos will be on the car.
As for the livery, red does not sit well with the orange :

Psss..prejudice and old-fashioned. Red goes very well with orange.

Beautiful

[Suntrek]

Originally posted by eibe
Greetings

I let you a link that IHMO I consider that can be of your interest. You need to download the “cuatro.mp3” file.

http://www.megauploa.../es/?d=3RI1S6I0


This file contains (perhaps a historic document) first FA’s interview. FA was 4 years old and he was interviewed at Asturian Radio.

This is the translation:

Journalist: Fernando, Hola (Hello, Fernando).
FA: Hola (Hello).

J: Fernando, ¿cuántos añitos tienes? (Fernando, how old are you?).
FA: Cuatro [Literally: Cuato] (Four).

J: Y ¿tù corres en car? (And, do you race Go Karts?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I do]).

J: ¿Te gusta mucho correr? (Do you really enjoy racing?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I do]).

J: Tú llevas corriendo desde los tres añitos. Hace un año que corres en los coches, ¿no? (You are racing since you were 3 years old. You have been racing for 1 year, haven’t you?).
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I have]).

J: ¿Y llevas 7 carreras? (And, you ran seven races {that year} didn’t you?)
FA: Sí. (Yes, [I did]).

J: ¿Vas a correr el próximo año otra vez? (Will you race next year again?)
FA Sí (Yes, [I will]).

J: Con el mismo coche... (With the same car....)
FA: Sí. (Yes).

J: Muchísimas gracias, Fernando. Buenas tardes. Many thanks!, Fernando. Good afternoon.
FA: Good afternoon.



Ciao

Aww, very cute, thank you eibe!

[Suntrek]

Originally posted by Nitropower
-Why do they call him Fred? I still don't know.

Neither do I. But:

"What's in a name?
That which we call a rose,
By any other name
Would smell as sweet."

(Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)

;)

[eibe]

Greetings

Your welcome, MichaelPM, Suntrek!

Ps: Btw Robert Kubika calls FA 'Fredek'

Ciao

[MichaelPM]

Will Renault run KERS on both their cars from Australia?

[AFCA]

It may be what they're targeting but everything will depend how testing goes...

[Craven Morehead]

Great interview with Flavio B. I always find his comments interesting, and I thought he made some good points here as well.

[AFCA]

Alonso on possibly having a single powerplant in F1: ''A standard engine would be the classic drop of water that makes the vase overflow, worth thinking over retirement for. We're moving backwards from a technical point of view. In 2005 we had a 1000 bhp producing V10 engine: that's exciting for a driver, Formula 1 on its limit. We've gone back from motoring of the future to cars without traction control and other electronic aids. Looking at them, they seem to be cars from the past.''

He is happy about the return of slicks but is undecided about the proposed medal rewarding system: ''For me little changes: the important thing is to become worldchampion, either with medals or points.''

[postajegenye]

Originally posted by eibe


Ps: Btw Robert Kubika calls FA 'Fredek'

Fredek?

That's the Polish form of the English form of his name

[MichaelPM]

Originally posted by AFCA
''For me little changes: the important thing is to become worldchampion, either with medals or points.''

Real relentless passion for title glory even though he has done it twice already.

[noikeee]

Renault is likely to debut their new R29 car in the Algarve circuit in the 20th of January.

Source: www.sportmotores.com

[Ioki]

Any pictures/mock-ups of the reportedly new 2009 livery?

[RF1 fan]

Originally posted by paranoik0
Renault is likely to debut their new R29 car in the Algarve circuit in the 20th of January.

Source: www.sportmotores.com

I'm french and a french site said that the launch of R29 will take plkace at HTTT (paul-Ricard) with a press presentation at the circuit.

[quasi C]

Some interesting pics and info from the mock-up seat fitting.

http://my.ing-renaul...9-for-size.html

[undersquare]

Originally posted by quasi C
Some interesting pics and info from the mock-up seat fitting.

http://my.ing-renaul...9-for-size.html

It looks as though the pedals have straps, going over the top of the foot, is that right?

To stop the foot falling off, I suppose, on bumps and lateral g.

[BiH]

alonso looks very low sitting in the cockpit his head is lower then the side support I wonder how he can see the front of the car so well when battling close on track.

[MichaelPM]

Originally posted by BiH
alonso looks very low sitting in the cockpit his head is lower then the side support I wonder how he can see the front of the car so well when battling close on track.

looks a bit lower then usual really, im guessing Piquet is slightly taller so for that fitting they just had a seat for him while checking what they think of the cockpit layout.

Considering he dosent tend to take wings off and run into other people like some others, Alonso does sit amazingly low in the car...instinct I guess.

[BiH]

it has to be..... to me it almost looks like he is looking from up when driving....but it seems to work for him...must have great sense of his surroundings

[Craven Morehead]

The thing that struck me in those photos is the pedal box. Soo different from my distant formula ford days. Clearly a superior layout, no question. Right foot brakers need not apply.

[Leons]

Renault - 19 January (Algarve Motor Park)

[wingwalker]

Uh.. Am I the only one who thought "oh damn, here's the next one?". In the meaning that it's Renault rolling out of F1.



edit: this post was written as a response to "Reanult confirmed roll-out date" thread, which was merged with this one, that's why it looks tad out of place.

[Leons]

Originally posted by wingwalker
Uh.. Am I the only one who thought "oh damn, here's the next one?". In the meaning that it's Renault rolling out of F1.

oops, I'm so sorry

[Bartus Garoulaitis]

Hmmmm...I'd preferred Monaco again....damn, it is CRISIS!

Bartus(who stays away from this roll-out because of the crisis)

[AFCA]

So that's nine days earlier than was originally planned, and at another venue as well. Renault will test at Portimao for three days then.

[Nadsat]

Originally posted by Nitropower


-Why do they call him Fred? I still don't know.

It's the disparaging and contemptuous name that some Alonso's bashers like to use 'against' him. It comes from Fred Flinstone (Pedro Picapiedra in Spanish) and his short neck and strong jawbone. Some other people use it innocently thinking that's a friendly name, the short name for Fernando (in that case, it would be Fer or Nando, or Nano, as he's know in Spain, but never Fred, which is the short name for Alfred).

Anyway, at least it's bad taste.

[MichaelPM]

Renault get to bring their engine up to the standard of the rest of the field!!!

2009 could be the greatest season in F1 history ;)

[Galko877]

Originally posted by MichaelPM
Renault get to bring their engine up to the standard of the rest of the field!!!

2009 could be the greatest season in F1 history ;)

Haven't they already upgraded it once during the season? How many upgrades will they be allowed? Until they catch the teams in front of them? They can call IT standardization of the engines then.

[Suntrek]

Originally posted by Galko877


Haven't they already upgraded it once during the season? How many upgrades will they be allowed? Until they catch the teams in front of them? They can call IT standardization of the engines then.

No they haven't. It's a myth flourishing on this BB that they have, never seen it suggested anywhere else.