Massa details what it's like to drive the 2014 spec F1 car vs. 2013 F1 cars
02-03-2014, 01:01 PM
#1
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Massa details what it's like to drive the 2014 spec F1 car vs. 2013 F1 cars
Good insight on what is going on. One less wing element on the rear axle = less downforce, brake by wire, wider variations between tire compounds, torque steer elements....
Jerez F1 test: There will be more sideways this year - Massa
02 February 2014
Felipe Massa suggests that fans can expect to see more spectacular action following his first couple of days in the latest breed of F1 car.
Felipe Massa reckons that race fans could be in for a more spectacular F1 this season as teams and drivers come to terms with the latest round of technical changes.
Having topped the timesheets on the final day of the Jerez group test, the Brazilian was naturally delighted with his first taste of the revised rulebook, but admitted that there were still a lot of things to learn, both from the new cars and the best way of driving them.
Massa was spotted 'getting the tail out' through the chicane during his two days in Williams' new FW36, and revealed that it wasn't just down to the fact that the track was damp.
“There will be a lot of sideways this year!” he exclaimed to Crash.net, “I think, for sure, you are going to see the cars sliding more because you have less grip. With less grip and more torque sometimes, in the corner, you go sideways because of torque steer. You have wheelspin where the car slides more…
“But it is never very good to go sideways, to be honest, because you are losing time. You need to learn to drive as smooth as possible.”
Asked whether it had been difficult getting heat into the latest breed of Pirelli tyres, Massa confessed that the new car's characteristics actually made it easier in some circumstances, although he also conceded that the conditions in Spain didn't provide the best means of comparing the various compounds.
“[Getting heat into the tyres] isn't that difficult as we have more wheelspin, and that is heating the tyres up,” he revealed, “For sure, today was damp and cold which are not easy conditions, and we were suffering with warm up, but with the hard tyres, not the medium. When I was out on the medium, and Fernando [Alonso] was out on the medium doing high 32s, 33s, another car went out on the super soft and, straight away, was doing 31s, so there is a big difference on the tyres in these conditions.”
There were other elements of the car that were taking a little longer to get to grips with too…
“The brakes work in a different way,” he explained, “This is the famous brake-by-wire and I still need to improve a lot the way I am braking, because it is different and a little bit strange some times. [Braking] is not something it is easy to have 100 per cent confidence in, especially to brake late... but it is something we will learn.
“We still need to understand how to use the engine too, as we have a lot of wheelspin as there is less downforce than last year. The engine isn't as strong but, without the downforce, it makes it difficult to drive, so it is important to know how to use the gearshift.
“The car is much slower than last year. Of course, when you drive on the limit, you are trying to use everything from the car but, when the car is difficult to drive, it doesn't feel slow because it is more difficult. When the car is easier to drive, with the grip and everything, then it feels slow even if you are doing much quicker lap-times, so it depends on the balance.
“For sure, there is much to improve [and] I'll tell you [if i like it] after the first race. It is too early now. It is interesting though. We had a good day today and yesterday, but let's see how we start - if you feel competitive, you'll always like it!”
Although his two days passed off largely without incident, Massa admitted that there was still a long way to go before he could make a guess at how the first race would turn out, but insisted that Williams had to be prepared to pick up the pieces from what could still be an unpredictable opener.
“It is a very challenging season, maybe the most challenging, not just for the drivers, but for the teams too, because it is very difficult to put things together for the first race,” he noted, “I think it will be a big evolution for the championship and maybe, at the first race, you will see a result that you do not see at the end of the championship. It is something we need to be ready for - maybe it is a race where not many cars finish, so it will be important to finish ... and, if you finish, maybe you can even win the race! So many things can happen this year.”
Jerez F1 test: There will be more sideways this year - Massa
02 February 2014
Felipe Massa suggests that fans can expect to see more spectacular action following his first couple of days in the latest breed of F1 car.
Felipe Massa reckons that race fans could be in for a more spectacular F1 this season as teams and drivers come to terms with the latest round of technical changes.
Having topped the timesheets on the final day of the Jerez group test, the Brazilian was naturally delighted with his first taste of the revised rulebook, but admitted that there were still a lot of things to learn, both from the new cars and the best way of driving them.
Massa was spotted 'getting the tail out' through the chicane during his two days in Williams' new FW36, and revealed that it wasn't just down to the fact that the track was damp.
“There will be a lot of sideways this year!” he exclaimed to Crash.net, “I think, for sure, you are going to see the cars sliding more because you have less grip. With less grip and more torque sometimes, in the corner, you go sideways because of torque steer. You have wheelspin where the car slides more…
“But it is never very good to go sideways, to be honest, because you are losing time. You need to learn to drive as smooth as possible.”
Asked whether it had been difficult getting heat into the latest breed of Pirelli tyres, Massa confessed that the new car's characteristics actually made it easier in some circumstances, although he also conceded that the conditions in Spain didn't provide the best means of comparing the various compounds.
“[Getting heat into the tyres] isn't that difficult as we have more wheelspin, and that is heating the tyres up,” he revealed, “For sure, today was damp and cold which are not easy conditions, and we were suffering with warm up, but with the hard tyres, not the medium. When I was out on the medium, and Fernando [Alonso] was out on the medium doing high 32s, 33s, another car went out on the super soft and, straight away, was doing 31s, so there is a big difference on the tyres in these conditions.”
There were other elements of the car that were taking a little longer to get to grips with too…
“The brakes work in a different way,” he explained, “This is the famous brake-by-wire and I still need to improve a lot the way I am braking, because it is different and a little bit strange some times. [Braking] is not something it is easy to have 100 per cent confidence in, especially to brake late... but it is something we will learn.
“We still need to understand how to use the engine too, as we have a lot of wheelspin as there is less downforce than last year. The engine isn't as strong but, without the downforce, it makes it difficult to drive, so it is important to know how to use the gearshift.
“The car is much slower than last year. Of course, when you drive on the limit, you are trying to use everything from the car but, when the car is difficult to drive, it doesn't feel slow because it is more difficult. When the car is easier to drive, with the grip and everything, then it feels slow even if you are doing much quicker lap-times, so it depends on the balance.
“For sure, there is much to improve [and] I'll tell you [if i like it] after the first race. It is too early now. It is interesting though. We had a good day today and yesterday, but let's see how we start - if you feel competitive, you'll always like it!”
Although his two days passed off largely without incident, Massa admitted that there was still a long way to go before he could make a guess at how the first race would turn out, but insisted that Williams had to be prepared to pick up the pieces from what could still be an unpredictable opener.
“It is a very challenging season, maybe the most challenging, not just for the drivers, but for the teams too, because it is very difficult to put things together for the first race,” he noted, “I think it will be a big evolution for the championship and maybe, at the first race, you will see a result that you do not see at the end of the championship. It is something we need to be ready for - maybe it is a race where not many cars finish, so it will be important to finish ... and, if you finish, maybe you can even win the race! So many things can happen this year.”
02-03-2014, 01:47 PM
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Sounds like more driver input is needed, which is what most have been looking for.
I know they look and sound different but I'm really looking forward to this season.
I know they look and sound different but I'm really looking forward to this season.
02-03-2014, 03:54 PM
#4
I'm all for them having to get used to new cars. I don't have anything against Vettel, but I'm glad to see that Red Bull is struggling a little bit. Hopefully a new team, or two, will step up and be really dominant this year. Marussia? Caterham? 
02-03-2014, 09:02 PM
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Sutil with his insight into the 2014 cars
This is in addition to Massa and also good info on what the new cars are like to drive. Without the exhaust heat onto the rear tires, me thinks the Red Bulls are going to have a hard time of it.
Jerez F1 test: Speed to increase by at least four seconds - Sutil
01 February 2014
Adrian Sutil: We have seen over many years with new regulations once it gets going the teams pick up seconds every month or every two months and the cars improve. So, I expect a gain... There will be a huge step [by the end of 2014].
Adrian Sutil has predicted the 2014 F1-spec cars will be at least four seconds a lap quicker by the end of this year.
Pre-season testing commenced this week at Jerez in Spain with rookie Kevin Magnussen topping the combined times in his McLaren on a 1 minute 23.276 seconds. That was, however, a long way off the marker set by Felipe Massa and Ferrari some twelve months ago, when the Brazilian managed a 1m 17.879s in the corresponding test.
Asked if the cars are too slow now and if F1 has lost the thrill it had in 2013, Sutil said the drop-off was only to be expected – given all the changes, including of course, most notably, the switch from V8 engines to turbo-charged V6s.
“It [the new car] is not boring to drive,” he told reporters following the Jerez test. “You have got to do a lot of work to keep it on the circuit. It is just very low grip and the car is always moving around. But it is just a question of time. We have seen over many years with new regulations once it gets going the teams pick up seconds every month or every two months and the cars improve. So, I expect a gain of at least four seconds by the end of the season. There will be a huge step and then hopefully F1 will be fast enough again.”
Sutil struggled to get the heat into the rear tyres during testing at Jerez and he added that this could definitely be a factor during 2014.
“Yes, in cold races for sure - it will be a big problem,” remarked the Sauber pilot. “We have lost the blowing effect and now we really see how much we relied on that. It had a big effect and now it is gone. Also we now have a single wing in the rear. There is so much load missing. The traction has gone down by a big, big step.
“The car is quite tricky on power and the lack of grip and the lack of traction is huge compared to last year. It caught me again today on an installation lap in second or third gear [and that was why I spun].”
Jerez F1 test: Speed to increase by at least four seconds - Sutil
01 February 2014
Adrian Sutil: We have seen over many years with new regulations once it gets going the teams pick up seconds every month or every two months and the cars improve. So, I expect a gain... There will be a huge step [by the end of 2014].
Adrian Sutil has predicted the 2014 F1-spec cars will be at least four seconds a lap quicker by the end of this year.
Pre-season testing commenced this week at Jerez in Spain with rookie Kevin Magnussen topping the combined times in his McLaren on a 1 minute 23.276 seconds. That was, however, a long way off the marker set by Felipe Massa and Ferrari some twelve months ago, when the Brazilian managed a 1m 17.879s in the corresponding test.
Asked if the cars are too slow now and if F1 has lost the thrill it had in 2013, Sutil said the drop-off was only to be expected – given all the changes, including of course, most notably, the switch from V8 engines to turbo-charged V6s.
“It [the new car] is not boring to drive,” he told reporters following the Jerez test. “You have got to do a lot of work to keep it on the circuit. It is just very low grip and the car is always moving around. But it is just a question of time. We have seen over many years with new regulations once it gets going the teams pick up seconds every month or every two months and the cars improve. So, I expect a gain of at least four seconds by the end of the season. There will be a huge step and then hopefully F1 will be fast enough again.”
Sutil struggled to get the heat into the rear tyres during testing at Jerez and he added that this could definitely be a factor during 2014.
“Yes, in cold races for sure - it will be a big problem,” remarked the Sauber pilot. “We have lost the blowing effect and now we really see how much we relied on that. It had a big effect and now it is gone. Also we now have a single wing in the rear. There is so much load missing. The traction has gone down by a big, big step.
“The car is quite tricky on power and the lack of grip and the lack of traction is huge compared to last year. It caught me again today on an installation lap in second or third gear [and that was why I spun].”
02-04-2014, 11:19 AM
#7
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02-04-2014, 12:46 PM
#10
He's a talented driver no doubt....but he's not exactly the most mature person in the world, and has not had a lesson in humility. We'll see how that goes. Hamilton went through the same thing.
02-04-2014, 10:35 PM
#12
02-04-2014, 11:53 PM
#13
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Seb is one of the most dedicated drivers in F1 and he is rewarded for that. He was relaxed and witty in person. Of course he had already closed out his fourth consecutive F1 Championship. I like Seb, but would love to see him have to race for the victories. 
02-05-2014, 10:56 AM
#15
Man, those power systems have gotten really complex (maybe it's tech already used elsewhere, but seems like a step forward). They have the turbo hooked up to a generator/electric motor to capture unneeded exhaust energy, as well as to keep the turbo spooled up. And the driver has to pick the energy recovery/delivery pattern they desire in different situations to make the most of the whole system - KERS + MGU-H....
It really is brake by wire in the rear - the KERS system is so powerful and the conditions over which it pulls energy from the wheels so diverse that the whole thing brakes+kers recovery is modulated electrically and connected to driver by wire.
It really is brake by wire in the rear - the KERS system is so powerful and the conditions over which it pulls energy from the wheels so diverse that the whole thing brakes+kers recovery is modulated electrically and connected to driver by wire.