Spanish GP 2010 - Barcelona

[forty-two]

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_media/Documents/esp-race-report.pdf

Technical report by the FiA is out with a bunch of interesting detail.

Red Bull Racing Renault:
Car 05:
Intercom box
Water system air spring assembly
Keensert in the gearbox
LHS front brake drum segment

Car 06:
Rear quarter panel
Keensert in the gearbox
Rear wing endplate infill
LHS front brake drum segment

So both Red Bulls had work done to their left front brake drum assembly.
I revise my estimate of the failure on Vettel's car from manufacturing/assembly fault to faulty assembly.

Interesting that they make reference to a "Brake Drum Segment". Given that all F1 cars use disk brakes, exactly what do they mean by drum? I've heard reference to the "cake tin" but I thought that this was the part which housed the gubbins for the caliper and electronics for temp sensors etc.

Any ideas?

[RacingManiac]

I am guessing its that shrouding around the upright and brake discs....

[segedunum]

The inside wheels were about a meter away from the curb at the apex. That's redonkulous. But of course no one complained since everyone was doing it.

Ooooo, yes I know. However, after the rather heated debates about what those white lines mean, and on the entry to and exit out of the pit lane, it seems as if any rules and regulations written down are ignored. Frankly, I'm totally bored with it.

So some people wonder why many are turned off Formula One because of the inconsistent and sometimes non-existent rules.

[segedunum]

The latest clarifications were that the inside wheels have to remain on track to be legal.

That's all I've got to say to that. Rules and regulations appear to be twisted one way or the other in driver's meetings and race control paints over what it likes.

I have never seen anything like that clarification actually written down. Certainly where the pit lane exit is concerned if you stick a wheel over the white line then you'll get penalised. I can't make head nor tail of what you need to do to stay on track.

[WhiteBlue]

News from Hamilton's wheel rim failure

We flew the parts back yesterday and had Bridgestone here. We do not believe that the deflation was caused by a puncture or tyre failure. From all the evidence it looks like the rim failed which caused deflation.

The rim failure is being investigated. It could be debris related, it could be an issue of deflection, it could be an issue of tightness or lack of in the wheel nut allowing some flexing.

So what we know is, the rim failed, probably human error somewhere in that process caused that, which led to deflation and the accident.

I believe McLaren are still in denial that their rim design or manufacturing process resulted to repeated failures at similar tracks with the characteristic of high loads on the left front wheel.



2010 Hamilton



2008 Kovalainen

[Poleman]

ENKEI is their supplier and manufacturer,how can the wheel design or manufacturing can be McLarens fault? If someone is to blame for faulty rims is ENKEI and if that is the case maybe McLaren should change its wheel supplier.

[WhiteBlue]

ENKEI is their supplier and manufacturer,how can the wheel design or manufacturing can be McLarens fault? If someone is to blame for faulty rims is ENKEI and if that is the case maybe McLaren should change its wheel supplier.

The licensed competitor (McLaren) has the responsibility for all components of the car to comply with relevant safety standards and be safe for racing regardless of the design or manufacturing being done by the teams or a supplier.

For details regarding my concerns compare the old thread about driver safety and component failures.

[Poleman]

ENKEI is their supplier and manufacturer,how can the wheel design or manufacturing can be McLarens fault? If someone is to blame for faulty rims is ENKEI and if that is the case maybe McLaren should change its wheel supplier.

The licensed competitor (McLaren) has the responsibility for all components of the car to comply with relevant safety standards and be safe for racing regardless of the design or manufacturing being done by the teams or a supplier.

For details regarding my concerns compare the old thread about driver safety and component failures.

Ok WB thanks for the information,ill check it out.

[ISLAMATRON]

2010 Hamilton



2009 Kovalainen

Both failures are clearly because of Hamilton's Driving style... clearly

[ringo]

Some say he body slams the wheels on the kerbs to brake them. He slams them so hard, the air in the tyre compresses to the point it solidifies causing direct contact between ground and wheel rim causing localized cracking of the wheel leading to failure.
If it's not one thing it's another.

Button was outclassed, both in tyre care and speed departments, so it goes without say that a new weakness must be found for Hamilton. He is a wheel rim crusher now. He doesn't know how to make 4 High strength alloy wheels last for 40 laps without busting them open like corned beef tins.

[Paul Oz]

Some say he body slams the wheels on the kerbs to brake them. He slams them so hard, the air in the tyre compresses to the point it solidifies causing direct contact between ground and wheel rim causing localized cracking of the wheel leading to failure.
If it's not one thing it's another.

It could be one of any number of things eh - but he'd only have to catch the rim on the edge of a curb once for it to fracture with the forces involved, surely? And hey... can anyone really criticize lewis' driving style? He's fxxxing fast for a reason.

Button was outclassed, both in tyre care and speed departments, so it goes without say that a new weakness must be found for Hamilton. He is a wheel rim crusher now. He doesn't know how to make 4 High strength alloy wheels last for 40 laps without busting them open like corned beef tins.

Spot on mate. Jens got stuck behind one car - Lewis has spent half the race dicing recently and still brought it home on pace.....

[strad]

He slams them so hard, the air in the tyre compresses to the point it solidifies

You didn't really say that ,,,did you?

[raymondu999]

2010 Hamilton



2009 Kovalainen

Both failures are clearly because of Hamilton's Driving style... clearly

slight correction. '08 Kovy

[Shrieker]

slight correction. '08 Kovy

He was being sarcastic

[raymondu999]

I'm not referring to that. His caption reads '09 Kovy. It's 08.