Made a bit of a flippant remark about a clip that made the Audi sound like it’s got a blown diffuser. Just be watching the VCARB shakedown and it’s actually pretty angry too. Does anyone know of they’ve all gone rally-style anti-lag now? It’s the only thing I can think of
Quite a lot of chat on f1 geek sites about the merc, interesting solution on the diffuser...
https://twitter.com/AndreaGalante__/status/2014397512954618037
Does anyone know of they’ve all gone rally-style anti-lag now? It’s the only thing I can think of
The old hybrid engines had the ERS-H attached to the turbo. That functioned as anti-lag, it could keep the turbo spinning while the driver was off throttle. Without that, they need traditional anti-lag
LIKE!... 🤩 🤩 🤩
Much better use of the HP logo.
https://www.racefans.net/2026/01/23/first-pictures-ferrari-reveals-its-new-f1-car-for-2026/
Like it! Looks a bit like Lauda's 312t.
On the spy shots it looks like they have the diffuser cut like the merc
Yeah, I thought it was a nod to the 70s as well (I wonder if Hamilton wanted a bit of Niki) and also noticed the cut through to the diffuser. Seems quite a different shape to the Merc, from a first glance. I guess this is one area where we’ll see a bit of differentiation and some in-season changes, but it’s going to have implications further up the car as well.
The other notable point is what seems to be a very small top intake. The Merc seems reasonably large, and I did wonder whether whether we might see smaller ones on the cars with the lower-compression ICUs.
Leclerc ahead of Hamilton again in those renders 🙂
The Merc seems reasonably large, and I did wonder whether whether we might see smaller ones on the cars with the lower-compression ICUs.
Talking of which yesterdays FIA meeting didn't go well for those with lower compression ratios. No official announcement yet but it seems their protests were thrown out.
Also read that Mercedes (and RBPT) had been fully open with the FIA from the start about what they were doing and the FIA were fine with it. You'd have to be fully open - you may get away with pushing the boundaries on a flexi-wing which can easily be changed but winging-it and spending hundreds of millions on a iffy powertrain. You need to know it's legal!!
Reports are coming out that Williams won't be at the first test as they've failed the crash tests!
Embarrassing if true as they basically abandoned last season to work on the 2026 car! 🤦♂️
Glad I never signed up with any bookies 🙂
That’s a really painful echo from their worst seasons.
No problem. Williams have their AI assistant on the job.
I like the Alpine too - kind of has an Indycar look from this angle with the way the airbox swoops down and how the rear wing sits. Noticeably higher nose than others too...
Reports are coming out that Williams won't be at the first test as they've failed the crash tests!
Embarrassing if true as they basically abandoned last season to work on the 2026 car! 🤦♂️
It is officially confirmed now. Massive massive **** up, really disappointing.
https://twitter.com/WilliamsF1/status/2014684543119434080
Hasn't it become pretty normal that Williams in recent years have missed the first test?
Hasn't it become pretty normal that Williams in recent years have missed the first test?
They missed the first test at least once in recent times, not sure if they have since James has been there. But anyway James whole thing the last couple of years was getting the backoffice systems up and running so that never happened again.
IIRC they also said they started working on the '26 car early so to run out of time is not great. TBH though, if the car turns out to be a fw-14b-tier rocketship, all will be forgiven rather swiftly...
The times they missed the first test were the times they finished last. They were there last year and finished fifth
I recently heard a Podcast piece on The-Race from their Main Sponson about how their AI systems are driving improved performance across the business makeng them more efficient adn better co-ordinated... Sounds a bit silly now!
Massively diassaapointed/upset about this though, Williams is one of my favourite teams and they were heading towards being able to be genuine giant killers on their day, it felt like. Oh well, another year in the doldrums I guess...
Worth following the official F1 Facebook page today. As they're control everything coming out of the shakedown. But these cars look fantastic. Just hope great racing follows...
Reports coming out today that the Williams is 20-30kg over the minimum weight and has failed the crash tests three times. 😬
Reports coming out today that the Williams has failed the crash tests three times. 😬
That must be a carbon fibre bill on a par with a Logan Sargeant race weekend 😮
Reports coming out today that the Williams is 20-30kg over the minimum weight and has failed the crash tests three times.
Oh, for the good old days when Colin Chapman used a piece of cardboard as the required firewall between the fuel tank and driver.
Pretty sure I read that it failed the crash test but has now passed
I saw the 20-30KG thing, I'm pretty skeptical of those figures though. 30KG would be disastrous.
There is another rumour on twitter that the chassis engine mountings were misaligned which caused something to crack when they fitted the engine.
Again, sounds like nonsense, but who knows.
Shame that the miserable gits at F1 took down the sneaky timing feed!
Shame that the miserable gits at F1 took down the sneaky timing feed!
Reports that RedBull are 2s clear of the field with Hadjar driving, so looks like it's game over for everyone else and an easy ride for Max to his next WDC. Cos we all know the first day of testing brand new rules is such a reliable indicator of form.
Oooh, those tyres up there ☝️ look properly low-profile. I must have missed that bit...
No, no, no! That clearly means that Redbull have changed their development and car set up strategy to keep their number 2 driver competative so they win the manuifacturers championship. That much is obvious on that single point of data and all of the otyher speculation that is possible up to this point.
I'm impressed with the big 3 power units, Ford, Merc and Ferrari PUs all ran well with around 200 laps each.
Audi said they had an issue, not sure if it was PU or not. Still managed 27 laps though.
Oooh, those tyres up there
look properly low-profile. I must have missed that bit...
They've been like that all through the ground effect years. But with the wheel covers it's been hard to see.
That Cadillac will have to have partial wheel covers fitted though. It's not legal in that photo.
I saw the 20-30KG thing, I'm pretty skeptical of those figures though. 30KG would be disastrous.
Big question is, how much over the limit are other teams? When the last rules were introduced, everyone was 10 kg or so over and slimmed down. If everyone is 20 kg over now, it would be normal for Williams to be the same. If everyone else is on the limit then being 10 kg over would be a disaster.
McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin all missing day one of testing too. Surely they can't all not be ready yet?
Big question is, how much over the limit are other teams? When the last rules were introduced, everyone was 10 kg or so over and slimmed down. If everyone is 20 kg over now, it would be normal for Williams to be the same. If everyone else is on the limit then being 10 kg over would be a disaster.
Ferrari have said they are only 2kg over.
McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin all missing day one of testing too. Surely they can't all not be ready yet?
It's a shakedown week - but they can only run for 3 of the 5 days. So no-one will run every day.
I saw the 20-30KG thing, I'm pretty skeptical of those figures though. 30KG would be disastrous.
Big question is, how much over the limit are other teams? When the last rules were introduced, everyone was 10 kg or so over and slimmed down. If everyone is 20 kg over now, it would be normal for Williams to be the same. If everyone else is on the limit then being 10 kg over would be a disaster.
The 'source' has retracted the 20-30KG claim so we can assume that was indeed BS.
F1 cars now have indicators!... 😜
https://twitter.com/F1/status/2016085019081707870?s=20
...they also sound great!!
...and the drivers really think they can play with these cars and make a difference unlike the last era.
...and the Williams has passed it's crash test!! 🎉🎉
No, no, no! That clearly means that Redbull have changed their development and car set up strategy to keep their number 2 driver competative so they win the manuifacturers championship. That much is obvious on that single point of data and all of the otyher speculation that is possible up to this point.
Well today has clearly shown that once again only Max can control the car and Hadjar is out of his depth and will be sacked before the European season starts. Oh and Lewis is so much slower than leclerc so can't handle these cars and will quit before FP1 in Oz. What other valid conclusion could you possibly draw from today's events?
Regarding the Williams situation .... it's all smoke and mirrors! I think they've come up with this regulation's "double diffuser" and don't want to show their cards too early so are pretending they've got schedule set backs ...
I'm off to remortgage the house and bet it all on Williams to win! 😉
In seriousness it's disappointing to see that Williams' have set backs, especially as they started development early. I'm hoping it's just a small bump in the road and they are able to attend the next testing sessions and use them effectively. Hopefully the car is competitive and they are able to regularly fight for points in the mid pack.
I love that were back to this level of detail already - and these are basic test cars!...
I have a vague recollection that the horizontal vanes on teh outsdide of teh front wing endplate were "prescribed parts" of a fixrd design? Similat to the little "mudguards" that were over the wheels on the previous generation of cars. Can anyone confirm? Just I'm seeing a fair amount of commentary on these details, but I thought they were of a fixed design...
Cheers,
Keith
My daughter (an F1 fan too) has just sent me a pic of this picture on sale in The Range - the attention to detail is awesome!!!... 🤣🤣🤣
Bit of tragic irony in that picture. If he'd been driving that car then he might still be alive. 😔
Reports coming out today that the Williams is 20-30kg over the minimum weight and has failed the crash tests three times.
Just a rounding error… 🤷🏼♂️
My daughter (an F1 fan too) has just sent me a pic of this picture on sale in The Range - the attention to detail is awesome!!!... 🤣🤣🤣
Also a nice touch: “This product comes in an assortment of styles and we are unable to guarantee which one you’ll receive.”
So not only could you treat the Senna fan in your life to the AI-generated idea of him driving a car over 30 years ahead of its time, but you could end up giving them an equally crappy—albeit less anachronistic—picture of Max Verstappen instead. How pleased they’ll be 😀
Alternatively:
https://bidlive.budds.com/auctions/9999/srgrah10118/lot-details/cd38cdc8-0331-4a7c-8d54-b3da00c199b4
Just I'm seeing a fair amount of commentary on these details, but I thought they were of a fixed design...
The design isn't fixed as much as their placement and alignment within an imaginary box that is defined by x/y co-ordinates from a central reference. It part is then described, and it's function outlined in the guidelines. The 'art' of the aerodynamicist is the ability to interpret these into the thing you want and how you want it to perform, rather than the thing the FIA wants you to make.
The design isn't fixed as much as their placement and alignment within an imaginary box that is defined by x/y co-ordinates from a central reference. It part is then described, and it's function outlined in the guidelines. The 'art' of the aerodynamicist is the ability to interpret these into the thing you want and how you want it to perform, rather than the thing the FIA wants you to make.
It is a bit like the FIA are using AI, and the aerodynamicist play the part of AI.
The FIA give clear and simple instructions of exactly what they want, and then the AI, or aerodynamicists, comes up with something completely different that just about fits within the limits of what you said.
FIA - Build a 1m wide moat 1m from the castlke walss as quickly as possible.
F1 Team - hold my beer
If these predictions turn out to be accurate then it’s a pretty sorry state for the formula to have got itself into:
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/scary-new-element-to-qualifying-in-f1-2026/
It's another potential mistake generator I suppose, the last thing you really want for entertaining racing is the fastest cars always starting the race at the front.
I just hope regen talk doesn't end up dominating proceedings like porpoising did in 22/23.
I’m not seeing the problem. Outlaps done with max regen to ensure full battery and then warm the tyres up. Sure it might show up drivers who get it wrong but so what
I dunno, if there’s genuinely the possibility of losing half a second per lap to circumstances that could be influenced by traffic then there’s just going to be a constant narrative of frustrations and what-ifs, all the way to the title. And yes, it could randomise the grid a bit, but it all seems like we’re getting further away from finding the fastest driver and the fastest car, and towards finding the car that uses the least rubber and the driver that uses the least juice. The idea that drivers will run out of power halfway down a straight on a qualifying lap because the battery’s gone flat after booting it through the final corner doesn’t quite line up with F1 being the icon of speed that it once was.
Anyway, we shall see. It may turn out to be a total non-issue.
Anyway, we shall see. It may turn out to be a total non-issue.
I think it's definitely going to be an issue in the race itself at some tracks, like Monza where you have long straights with minimal braking.
Qualifying i'm less convinced it will be a problem. (Well Ferrari will cock it up of course but that goes without saying. )
It could make damp/wet quali more interesting as it sounds like it won't be possible to do multiple consecutive push laps so timing will be critical. Though I guess the demands on deployment would be less in those conditions so that might compensate a bit.
There's always been "stuff" to optimise for the best quali lap, tyres, engine modes, finding a gap on track, track evolution, cloud cover etc etc - this just sounds like another item on that list.
Williams livery reveal:
I think the stand out thing is how many decent sponsors they have now. Compare to 2022
The big white panel on the rear wing is a bit ugly, makes it look like it’s dragging a fat arse around. Otherwise… meh.
I’m not seeing the problem. Outlaps done with max regen to ensure full battery and then warm the tyres up
I think part of the issue is that this ^^^^ is maybe not possible because:
"Furthermore, there is no scope in the regulations to simply run a quick outlap on the internal combustion engine alone, as there are strict rules regarding power demand.
Article 5.12.1 of the Technical Regulations states: “At any given engine speed, the driver torque demand map must be monotonically increasing for an increase in accelerator pedal position.”
This effectively means that the trigger for kicking in battery usage is throttle position - not a button on the wheel."
from the article. Unless I have misunderstood what it is saying.
Also - loving that the Haas team boss is the main sponsor of Williams. Very generous! 😄
I think it adds up to a risk that cars which are slow to generate heat in the tyres may be in trouble for qualifying, because they’ll have to choose between firing the tyres up or keeping a full battery. But then they’ll generally have an advantage in the race unless it’s cold or wet, when they might be shafted all weekend.
If that’s how it pans out then subjectively there’s an argument that it’s no bad thing. Still feels a bit contrived to me, but it’s speculation at this stage: the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
It'll be just a different way of prepping the cars.
It's always been said the ground effect era cars had to be in their precise working window to deliver a good lap time, so a bit of a problem on a warm-up lap that dropped tyre temp/pressures would affect lap times.
At least this won't affect Williams. They've got the extra Duracell stuck on top of their car.
That the-race.com article is just click bait. The cars have always required setting up and preparing just right to get the most out of them. New regs means new things to learn and prep. Think back to the start of the ground effect era, some cars lost a bunch of time because they got more porpoising compared to others ... everyone eventually worked out what the sweet spot between running lower ride height and stiffer springs was.
I expect the teams to be running simulations and training the drivers on what the new requirements are so they should all have a fairly good idea what they are required to do ... obviously executing the plan is different story.
Williams aren’t giving much away with a single picture of the car from the front, but… is it just me or does it look a bit… portly?
Yes somebody managed to take a spy video and there are a few interesting bits on it.
It's a different concept to most of the other cars we've seen so read into that what you will! It's running front pullrods, has enormous sidepods with minimal undercut, and appears to be running a metric butt-tonne of rake. It also has a very large airbox, so there's a possibility those enormous sidepods aren't the final bodywork.
The most similar car seems to be the Alpine.
Yeah, from that shot it looks like a full house: deep sidepods, big top air box and big cannons. Should punch quite a hole.
Im hoping we might get to see what the cars are actually going to look like come race day. There seems to be a lot of non race bodywork on display. I presume teams do this to validate CFD. I would have thought they would want as much time as possible with a car very close to race spec.
I think it's because so much has changed this year teams want a shake down test to just check the fundamentals are working and it's all screwed together correctly. As far as I understand the FIA had originally planned just 2 tests (the ones coming up in Bahrain). But the teams wanted more time to test and agreed between themselves and FIA to hire out Barcelona for an extra test.
Progress under pressure. The first Cadillac Formula 1® Team livery is here.
It looks okay but there are positives and negatives to eash side. 😉
Cadillac livery is very poor compared to their striking WEC liveries.
everyone eventually worked out what the sweet spot between running lower ride height and stiffer springs was.
I'm not sure they did TBH, The '25 Ferrari was clearly designed to be run much lower - It actually won a race in that configuration after all. Truoble is, they couldn't stop it from rubbing it's plank (not a euphemism)
That Cadillac livery reminds me of West era MacLarens
Think back to the start of the ground effect era, some cars lost a bunch of time because they got more porpoising compared to others ... everyone eventually worked out what the sweet spot between running lower ride height and stiffer springs was.
It was much more complex than that. Merc designed their first ground effects car to give incredible downforce when it could be run low to the ground, but that just didn't work on most tracks - there simply wasn't a sweet spot to be found. The Red Bull suspension was designed to keep a more stable platform for ground effects and the car was much more consistent on bumpier circuits. The aero was optimized to be run at a higher ride height, the key thing being that the suspension and aero were designed to work together. The other teams had to fundamentally redesign their aero and suspension before they could find any sweet spot.
Well, proper testing is underway and Williams/Sainz are taking it seriously!
interesting sidepods on the new spec audi ...
https://twitter.com/brakeboosted/status/2021496755502948765
...someone had some Playdough for Christmas!! 🤮