Silly season 2016

[zorog]

Daniel, it was noted how snug it was in the red bull his last year

from 2013

"It’s not my arse per se," Ricciardo told the Telegraph, "I’ve got wide hips ... I guess it’s genetic. Even when I signed for Toro Rosso we had to do a few seat fits and they did some scans to make that particular part of the cockpit a bit wider. I can’t do much about it. Even if I go on a massive diet my hip bones aren’t going to change."


"Gee Mr Newey, it's a bit tight. Are you absolutely sure I'm going to fit?" Source: Getty Images

[Jonnycraig]

I think Vettel used the weight distribution excuse for his non performance last year

between vettel and ricciado who has a larger butt?

Nah, Vettel has only ever said Ricciardo simply drove much better than him.

Horner claimed he was burnt out and had private issues going on in the background and Webber has since said that Schumachers accident affected him deeply.

It's got nothing to do with Talent, every one knows hulk had it by the bucket, the problem is he's too tall and too heavy.

You only need to see Mark Webber vs Seb Vettel when they were both on form at the same time (pre the Pirelli era), Seb could usually pull 2/10ths on Mark in qually because he weighed 10 kilos less and was quite a bit shorter giving him a lower centre of gravity.

, yet one of the tallest, heaviest drivers on the grid is a WDC...

Even Webber has said in his book that Vettel was simply much better than him.

[SilverArrow10]

As well as the fact that the weight of the drivers only became a real issue when it came to choosing a new driver during this new v6 Turbo era.

[Sniffit]

Sauber will retain both Nasr and Ericsson (provided they don't get a better offer )

Sauber F1 team retains Nasr and Ericsson for 2016
Sauber has confirmed Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson will again drive for the Formula 1 team in 2016.

Brazilian Nasr and Swede Ericsson joined Sauber at the start of the current campaign, and so far they have scored 16 and five points respectively.

More @http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120062

[Phil]

, yet one of the tallest, heaviest drivers on the grid is a WDC...

Excuse me for asking, but whom might you be refering to and a WDC of which era in which car?

Makes it seem as if driver weights and heights are never an issue, yet if this were the case, I find it increasingly odd that driver size and weight are often mentioned in the context of Hulkenberg. If I recall correctly, in one of the past years even in regards to other drivers, like Sutil at Sauber.

Link: http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news ... 32708.html
Link 2: http://www.formel1.de/news/news/2014-04 ... es-gewicht

There are more, but you get the gist. Evidently, there is a minimum weight to help create parity so that F1 drivers weight are not an issue, yet not all drivers are created equal. Some are bigger, some are smaller. Some inherently heavier than others. To a certain point, a driver is also the biggest factor that can't be shaped for aerodynamic gains - a compromise if you want. Who is to say that a car might not be slimmed down to say ~630kg in the assumption that a driver is not over 691kg (the minimum limit) - giving an ideal weight of 61kg per driver - anyone who is above that, well, too bad and anyone under it can actually benefit by adding weight as deep down as possible to keep the CoG low?

Evidently, the Sauber didn't meet the minimum weight with one or both of their drivers in 2014, or Sutil wouldn't have been voicing criticism about it. How many other cars/teams are facing the same problem with some of their driver? How heavy are loaded F1 cars without the driver? I doubt all of them have a high enough tolerance to make the weight of the driver absolutely irrelevant (not to mention the advantage of placing weights deep down vs. a heavier driver who can't).

[joseff]

I believe the giant WDC being referred to is Jenson Button

[Jonnycraig]

, yet one of the tallest, heaviest drivers on the grid is a WDC...

Excuse me for asking, but whom might you be refering to and a WDC of which era in which car?

I believe the giant WDC being referred to is Jenson Button

Is correct. Button along with Hulkenberg are the tallest and heaviest drivers on the grid.

Weight and height have been an issue in the past, last year far greater than in previous years, Vergne was actually hospitalised as he was so gaunt he was unwell, however the minimum weight was raised significantly this off season and so it is no longer the issue that it was.

[Phil]

I believe the giant WDC being referred to is Jenson Button

I thought as much, but quickly disregarded it, as his WDC win were probably least handicapped by any weight differences given the advantage that Brawn had well into the 2nd half of 2009 and immediately assumed Jonnycraig would have surely considered that before making such a comment. Not to mention that his team-mate at the time, Rubens, doesn't seem to have been a lightweight either. In fact, a post pointing to this very forum in 2011 suggests that Rubens in fact is one of the heaviest drivers, at 77kg.

EDIT: Oh I see he has just clarified it himself... ohwell.


Here's something else that I found (though no idea on how accurate it is):

Lightweights
Sebastian Vettel 64kg (10st), 176cm (5ft 9in)

Nico Rosberg 66kg (10st 5lb), 178cm (5ft 10in)

Middleweights
Jenson Button 70kg (11st), 183cm (6ft)

Lewis Hamilton 71kg (11st 2lb), 174cm (5ft 8 1/2in)

Heavyweights
Nico Hülkenberg 74kg (11st 9lb), 184cm (6ft)

Paul di Resta 74kg (11st 9lb), 185cm (6ft 1in)

Mark Webber 75kg (11st 11lb), 184cm (6ft)

Yes, it's from the Telegraph, don't shame me, but I assume they got their numbers from somewhere else to. I clearly remember these numbers (or close to them) floating the web a few years ago...

As for being an issue or not - the issue probably is compounded when you have two team-mates with a rather big difference in driver weight. Without actually knowing how heavy the car is, who knows to what degree it is an issue or how much the benefit is of adding weights in specific locations to lower the CoG?

[iotar__]

As for being an issue or not - the issue probably is compounded when you have two team-mates with a rather big difference in driver weight. Without actually knowing how heavy the car is, who knows to what degree it is an issue or how much the benefit is of adding weights in specific locations to lower the CoG?

- Button 9 cm taller and lighter than Hamilton (174-71)? That does not look right. Why did this weight issue resurface? Again, it has less of an impact this season since they raised minimum weight inc. some more for tyres. 2014 was the better time to talk about it.

- What do you mean "without actually knowing how heavy the car is" Reference point is minimum weight (702? first link I found, I didn't search further hence "?") and more ballast to play with or going over it, no ballast = set up and actual weight penalty. I don't think the second option happens in 2015.

- Why would the penalty be mostly against a team-mate? If you're lighter you benefit against every other heavy driver.

[SilverArrow10]

Hamilton is not 71kg. Think he is 65. I aw an image of all the racing drivers showing height and weight and Hamilton was the lightest of all apart from Vettel. And as said doesn't look correct when compared with Button.

[LookBackTime]

Formula 1: Jenson Button could replace Williams' Valtteri Bottas

By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... ttas_goes/

[ME4ME]

Raikkonen as fast as Vettel - Allison
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120055

Raikkonen hasn't lost it - Vettel
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120071

At this stage, it wouldn't surprice me if Ferrari were to give Kimi a 3rd chance and keep him for 2016. They kept Massa longer then many outsiders expected as well.

[Phil]

Hamilton is not 71kg. Think he is 65. I aw an image of all the racing drivers showing height and weight and Hamilton was the lightest of all apart from Vettel. And as said doesn't look correct when compared with Button.

I actually think Hamilton may have gone through quite a change, physically. When I was at the Belgium GP in 2011 (I won Paddock tickets!), I walked right past him. We're roughly the same height, but I recall noticing that he seemed quite muscular, certainly in comparison with other F1 drivers I saw that day who for the most part are all rather slim (really slim physically!).

BTW: From the article I linked, there's a direct quote from Hamilton himself who states "I weigh about 71kg [11st 2lb]. I was never 65kg [10st 3lb]. I was 68kg [10st 10lb] last year but I have put on three kilos since then. The guys have not told me to do that [lose weight].

"I actually want to put on another kilo of muscle! I think Michael [Schumacher] was 78kg [12st 4lb] with all his kit and Adrian Sutil was 82kg [12st 12lb]. I am not going to be 65kg unless I cut my nuts off.”

-- that article is from 2013. Given that he has been in F1 for 6 years at the time of the article, I'll assume that he was lighter in his earlier days, but by the natural progression of age and fitness (muscle is heavier than fat), he probably gained a bit.

Anyway, the point isn't about if Lewis is 66 or 71 - it's about to what degree driver weights are an issue. I think the issue is more of a factor if you have two team-mates which a large(r) weight differential between them. If both drivers are roughly same in height and build, it probably levels out. If you have one who is 10+kg heavier, how do we know that the car is not targeted (not on purpose of course) so that the lighter driver meets the minimum weight perfectly (without ballast), while the heavier one is over it? There are some teams that apparently do struggle to meet the minimum weight of the regulations - are these only some midfield teams like Sauber or is this an issue across the grid?

I think Kubica in the past demonstrated that an advantage can be gained by losing weight to ridiculous levels - at least, he believed so.

[Cold Fussion]

Horner claimed he was burnt out and had private issues going on in the background and Webber has since said that Schumachers accident affected him deeply.

Webber and Vettel talked outside of Red Bull?

[wickedz50]

Formula 1: Jenson Button could replace Williams' Valtteri Bottas

By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... ttas_goes/

If this happens then Kimi might replace Jenson at Mclaren !!! not a bad proposition, life coming to full circle.. =D>