Thursday, February 20, 2014

2014 F1 Car Launches: Can it already be time once again to go racing?



While A-L-L of the eleven F1 Constructors have launched their 2014 challengers by now - and the first test's teething problems are well-known, nevertheless I'm ARSE-sumin' that le 'Reggie, (Renault) Red Bull and its 'lil 'Seester Toro rosso and all of the Renault runners will get their engine troubles sorted - which was the major talking point of the season's first winter test, nonetheless, I highly doubt I'd be going too far out upon a limb by proclaiming that all competitors are  feeling the strains of the 'Mega rule changes for 2014, most notably the switch to 1.6-liter V-6 turbocharged engines  vs. the more robust 2.4-liter naturally aspirated V-8 lumps and the new turbo's 'Uber sophisticated Energy Recovery Systems. (ERS) As many have noted how much MORE it'll cost to race in F1 this year - as Toro Rosso's (Team Principal) Franz Tost claimed a 25% increase in budget just to go racing!


Yet I found the unexpected announcement of Eric Boullier's appointment as McLaren's new Racing Director most surprising, as supposedly Gerard Lopez, chairman of GenII Capitol will take over the vacated role of Team Principal, albeit rumours suggest that axed McLaren head honcho Martin Whitmarsh could be in the frame, as I must admit this is the team I feel most in doubt about for 2014 with critical key staff members having made their exit us from the apparently cash strapped Formula 1 team. Yet its radical front nose apparently is making waves in the F1 Paddock and hopefully the team will at least retain its fourth place seeding in the Constructor's Cup, although they'll probably be hard pressed to stem McLaren's intended advances...


Yet I suppose somewhat that I wouldn't have been so surprised if I hadn't been in a virtual Vurld de Motorsporten, Achtun Baby! Blackout the past two weeks and thus read the news that thee Ronster' was returning to lead the charge as the McLaren Group's CEO - effectively freezing out Martin Witmarsh...


CARS LAUNCHED FOR JEREZ
Teams: Caterham, Ferrari, Force India, Marussia, McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Scuderia Toro Rosso and Williams; as only Lotus has failed to appear so far.

As the beginning of the return to turbocharging hasn't been exactly spectacular with the host of reliability issues the teams are facing with the myriad of technical changes, with Renault apparently suffering the most...

Red Bull supplier Renault admits early2014 problem


While apparently one F1 Pundit has even gone so far as to describe the new V6 turbo era as embarrassing!

Embarrassing start to F1's brave newera


Ah, and to think it's still that warm, fuzzy, fresh we can conquer anyone feeling time of the season...