Reason: Ferrari lack of pace
 

For that reason, Todt was unwilling to go deeper into the problem, and it’s not just a matter of more testing. “First we need to analyse because testing for testing’s sake doesn’t make us quicker. We need to analyse why on Friday we are competitive, why on Saturday we may lose performance and why on Sunday we definitely lose a lot of performance. We need to analyse why. To identify the problem is quite easy, to solve the problem is more difficult but that’s what we have to do.”

Source: http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlin...12013630.shtml

I wonder if there are any chance that michellin compound that got laid down on the track is not too competitable with the Bridgestones. On Friday, teams are doing tire evaluation, thus they will not be run each set of tires alot. Saturaday however, after the teams have picked their tires, they will do durability test using what's left over on Fridays.

A racing line is formed when cars continously run on the same line over and over due to the rubber deposit. Since there are more Michellin cars out there then Bridgestone, it should make sense that Michellin contribute more to the racing line then the Bridgestone. If Brdigestone tires are not as gripy over Michellin tire deposit then Michellin themselves, it might explain why their pace keep dropping over the weekend.

I don't know...it might be crazy talk, but that's my thought.

if that was the case though, why has Ferrari/Bridgestone kicked everyone's ass the past couple years?

It really doesn't make a whole lot of sense that this problem would start now and not when michelin first came on board. Especially when the tires themselves are all made up of the same material anyway. the only real variances are cord construction, and manufacturing process :bah:

I totally see what u are saying ZfrkS62, rubber is rubber....and shouldn't react so differently. But if Jean Todt say something like that, it is hard not to think that Ferrari might be running the same fuel load on Friday and Sunday but got a huge difference in laptime.

I just hope they find the reason..........and quick.

Well it would basically point to a sustained racing issue. Fridays and Saturdays they do not run such long stints.

Also the weather played a role here. It was much warmer on Sunday.
I think the Ferrari aerodynamics are not that great. Its not helping the tyres. The Mclarens are very good because the aero package works well with the tyres.
The Mclarens are easy on the tyres and thus are much more stable all the time.

Of course I am not saying Bridgestone is blameless, but as they all say - it's not really a single thing that's wrong. Its the whole package.

well they can't possibly blame schumacher ... so let's blame the tyres ... or better yet, michelin

So you think if Ferrari grafted a pair of wings to the intake tower and made it look like a docked Imperial Shuttle Ferrari would again dominate :D I could just see that discussion at the wind tunnel :lol:

Brawn- "Seriously, if we brought in George Lucas to redesign our intake tower, we might just comeback!"

Todt -"Ross, have you been holding Star Wars marathons again?"

Brawn- "No"

Todt-"Shut up and eat your banana"

:lol:

I think blaming the tires will only go so far. But i think the aero does have something to do with it.

They obviously stuck themselves behind the 8 ball this year on the aero front, but the tires i believe was 75% Bridgestone's fault and 25% Ferrari for not running enough tests to nail down a decent compound.

We want revolution not evolution!!!!! Stop giving us the chicken Ferrari, we want BEEF!!!! :P

In the start of the season, fine, i would have given them the tire excuse, but yes, i do think the aero is their biggest issue. their engines are fine, the gearboxes have had a few little fits here and there, but my god has their aero package screwed them. They might be faster if they lost the wings and opted for parachutes :?

^ But numerous articles had said that Ferrari's car is fine. . . it is actually one of the better cars on the circuit.

This is the first year that they are doing the one tire rule. So it could simply be that Bridgestone could not step up. . .

What else could it be then? I can't think of anything that would be more detrimental to a F1 car's performance than their aero. Unless there is something wrong with the fuel loading from friday to sunday..but that would only account for maybe one or two tenths. Certainly not a full minute or more.

what's the word on their power output compared to Mercedes and Renault? that may have a little to do with it as well, though tests have shown engine power to make negligble differences in lap times compared to downforce.

/\/\/\Im sure Ferrari has no problem with power. They have always had top engines.

I say its Aero and Tyres.

Here you go. . .

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/moto...ne/4670399.stm

But even if it is as simple as aero. . . why would that slow down from Friday through Sunday?

The aero prolly contribute a time offset, and the Friday thru Sunday is prolly due to the durability of the tires, there seems to be blister problems if u look at the post race pictures. Lose of grip means understeer and oversteer, leading to more blistering .... even more understeer oversteer...eventually Ferraribeinglappedsteer. :cry:

because aero can only compensate for so much mechanical grip

After Silverstone and France, I'm pretty sure the tyres are the major concern. Not the only problem, but by far the most important.

I say this because first we had a shitty Qualifying pace, bad first stage of the race and then excellent performance towards the end of the race. (Imola, Spain, Monaco).

Then, with the introduction of the new Bridgestone tyres at the 'Ring, the Qualifying pace and the first stint of the race improved, but the pace towards the end of the race decreased a little bit. (Germany, Canada).

And now, again with the introduction of new tyres in France, Qualifying is okay and so is the first part of the race; the middle part of the race is now the peak, while the last part went from great to poor. (France, U.K.).


Notice a trend?



While trying to improve Qualifying pace (which happened), Bridgestone compromised race pace. I'm not blaming Bridgestone for everything, but I doubt the F2005 is a bad car. Maybe not as good as the McLaren, but ceratainly not as slow as it is showing.

The updates on the car also aren't being as effective as tought, and the reliability in the early races didn't help either, but right now, the tyres are the main reason why Ferrari hasn't been on top.