Formula One 2012

[ctjet]

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The 32-year-old Finn, who spent the past two seasons competing in the World Rally Championship, gave everyone at Lotus a bit of a fright when he crashed during a ski trip just weeks after signed a two-year deal with the team.

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The 31-year-old has been spending time in a F1 driver-position simulator supplied by Technogym at his Swiss home, and Arnell says it is very close to the real deal.

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Edited January 11, 2012 by ctjet

[mad082]

How will the fan boys defend Louise after these gems?

i think that even elton john would say that's too gay to wear

[Roy]

Well, this just strengthens my view that the guy will never be back in an F1 car

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/7423895/Kubica-Breaks-His-Right-Leg-During-Fall

[tweety bird]

looks like kubica might be out for all of this year.

Robert Kubica has injured his leg in a fall near his home, with sources close to the Polish driver suggesting that he has reopened a fracture that he sustained in his rally accident last year.

It is understood that Kubica fell over on ice in Pietrasanta, where he lives, and subsequently complained of pain in the right leg which was broken in his crash. He was driven to the local hospital for checks.

Although there has been no official statement, it is understood that it has been found that Kubica has reopened the fracture in his right tibia.

Kubica's latest injury setback comes on the same day that Ferrari played down talk that it was planning to test the Polish driver later this year once he was fully recovered.

Sources suggested that the injury is likely to delay his recovery by at least three weeks.

"That was not on our plan," said Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali at the annual Wrooom media event.

"For sure Robert Kubica is a great driver that had a very severe injuries and at the moment he is still working very hard to try to go back to his normal living.

"So before any kind of thinking or discussion of whatever could be, we need to wait and see. For sure that kind of injury is taking a long time to recover so I can say we will wait and see if he is going to recover, but at the moment there is nothing in place."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96958

not looking forward to seeing this.

Lotus's rivals look set to be forced to copy its innovative reactive ride height system ahead of the 2012 season, with the FIA happy the concept is totally legal.

There has been much intrigue in recent days about the mechanism that Lotus was reported to have tried out at the Abu Dhabi young driver test last year.

The mechanical system helps maintain a standard ride height during braking - when often the front of the car would dip down.

Rivals teams are understood to have looked into the system and its legality over recent days - with a report in Gazzetta dello Sport this week suggesting it was driver adjusted by the use of a pedal in the cockpit.

However, if the drivers were changing the ride height of the cars under braking then that would be a breach of the rules.

Article 3.15 of the F1 Technical Regulations states: "With the exception of the parts necessary for the adjustment described in Article 3.18 [the DRS], any car system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited."

AUTOSPORT can reveal, however, that the adjustment to the ride height - which improves aerodynamic performance and stability on the Lotus under braking - does not come from the driver.

Instead it is reactive to brake torque and is linked directly to the suspension - so cannot be classified as a moveable aerodynamic device in the way that independent mass dampers were.

Te fact that the driver is not involved, and that the system is a part of the suspension, means it complies fully with the F1 regulations.

AUTOSPORT understands that Lotus has been in liaison with the FIA throughout the development of the brake system, having first been proposed in 2010 and been given an official green light by the governing as long ago as January last year.

With the FIA happy that the brake system is legal, it means that its main rivals will now have to propose their own systems to the governing body if they want to adopt such a concept for the forthcoming season.

AUTOSPORT also understands that at least one front-running team has already submitted plans for a similar ride-height adjustment device to be used in 2012

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96952

[ctjet]

Looks like Trulli is finally going!

This is the best pre-season ever

[ctjet]

Also the Renault reactive ride height system is sort of old news

Mclaren and Ferrari suspected RBR of having it last year, tried to emulate it and were were told that it would breach the tech regs

Now that Renault have blazed the trail im sure everybody will jump on this cheap and effective system

[sh@un]

They always seems to start the season off well so I hope that at least scores them something early on

The development race is what kills them, and now with Mercedes picking up the points as often as Ferrari it doesnt look good. Force India are now actually a force and Renault are starting to look good, I dont see 2012 ending much better than 2011

It'd be quite an achievement if team Willy could amass only 5 points or fewer in '12

[ctjet]

Honestly

Short of a freak result I dont see them doing much better than last year.

Realistically the only team that they could jump above in WCC would be Sauber. Maybe.

[sh@un]

Renault power should improve their chances a bunch

Seriously, you'd assume what Cosworth doesn't know about V8 grand prix engines wouldn't be worth knowing, yet that didn't stop it sucking.

[JAS-25T]

[sh@un]

epik lulz

[N1GTR]

LOL

[sav man]

Renault power should improve their chances a bunch

Seriously, you'd assume what Cosworth doesn't know about V8 grand prix engines wouldn't be worth knowing, yet that didn't stop it sucking.

The engine development freeze is what killed them, their last engine from 2-3? years ago is what they had to run with. they did get to make some improvments, but missing 3 years woth of data hurt them.

[iamhe77]

One of Massa's relatives must've been in charge of that photoshoot

[sh@un]

one to watch in 2012! 'Virgo' F1. even with the old skool grooved tyres, they'll prolly still be more competitive than Virgin Racing

[tweety bird]

this is from monico (2011) many lols.

this is the full version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJvB7FT7VVk

[dezz]

one to watch in 2012! 'Virgo' F1. even with the old skool grooved tyres, they'll prolly still be more competitive than Virgin Racing

They'll need to update those wings to current spec first.

[sh@un]

sneak peak at new season aero!

[mad082]

something about "jazz hands" would've been more appropriate, lol

[ctjet]

i've got my white jeans on!

what a lebo