Formula 1 - 2013 Championship Season


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Red Bull to Unveil 2013 RB9 Formula 1 Car on February 3

The 2012 Formula One season, the 63rd year the series’ history, was an eventful one for Red Bull Racing, which took both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship titles. Sebastian Vettel was the cliche ace up their sleeve, and his end-of-season consistency helped clinch it just before the denouement.

Now, with the 2013 season looming, Red Bull are hard at work preparing their new car, for the new season. Dubbed the RB9, the car will be revealed at the beginning of February, despite the fact that prior information suggested the UK-based crew would not get it ready in time.

The official team statement said: "The RB9 will be unveiled on Sunday 3 February in Milton Keynes ahead of the first test in Jerez. More details to follow.”

Team technical chief, Adrian Newey, said for autosport.com: "We were introducing developments to the [RB8] car right up to the penultimate race [ . . . ] That has made it difficult to introduce all of those and simultaneously develop the next car."

He concluded the idea by adding: "If I'm honest, this has compromised the timescales of the new car more than we would have liked [ . . . ] It was the right trade at the time, because we managed to get the job done but it means a busy winter trying to catch up again."

So, the car will be ready for the Jerez testing session, which is set to take place between February 5-8. It will be followed by yet more testing, on February 19-22, still in Spain, but on the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona.

Red Bull to Unveil 2013 RB9 Formula 1 Car on February 3 - autoevolution
 
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Turbocharged V6 Formula 1 Engines to Retain Trademark Sound

Noise, emissions and fuel efficiency constraints have forced Formula 1 officials to change engine rules, and force all teams to use turbocharged V6 engines, instead of the naturally-aspirated V8 units used until 2013. The new engines displace 1.6 liters and will ‘enter service’ in the 2014 season.

With the move to turbocharging, some may have thought F1 would loose some of its charm, as engines would be not as loud, and this would detract from the overall experience. However, now, according to the Daily Mail, who quoted Andy Cowell, Mercedes F1’s engine boss, the new V6 units are not as loud, but ‘sweeter sounding’.

That could mean any number of things, but if the man behind the project is pleased, then it must be true!

Cowell goes on to say: "I had the privilege of standing in a test cell the first time it was run and I had a big smile on my face," he said [ . . . ] The sound is going to be pleasant, with the volume a little lower, but it's not a problem with the direction we are going."

Furthermore, the move to turbocharging gives cars a lot more low-end torque, so corner exit may be tricky for some drivers - "The engines will deliver much more torque especially on the exit of the corners. Cars with more power than grip coming out of the corners -- that is something that we all enjoy."
 
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Pirelli says 2013 Formula 1 tyres won't cause teams headaches

Pirelli's motorsport boss Paul Hembery believes this year's Formula 1 tyres will not give teams the same headaches that the 2012 rubber caused at the start of last season.

The Italian manufacturer has changed the compounds and the structure of this year's tyres in the hope of continuing to spice up the show.

This comes off the back of an unpredictable start to the 2012 season, in which there were seven different winners in the first seven races.

Teams got their first taste of the 2013 tyres in practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix last year.

Although Pirelli has admitted it is planning to retain an aggressive concept, Hembery reckons that with rules remaining similar, teams will face fewer problems in adapting to the new rubber.

"Because the cars are staying relatively stable, the teams are coming from a pretty solid platform in understanding what they are working with," Hembery told AUTOSPORT.

"We are changing the structure of the tyres, changing all the four compounds and being more aggressive, and that will possibly create some challenges initially.

"But we don't foresee the issues that they had in 2012, when the car changes were so dramatic."

Hembery admitted that people were right to criticise Pirelli for being too conservative in some races in the latter part of 2012, and he is confident that the problem will not arise again in 2013.

"The rules haven't changed, so we are not going to follow exactly the same format," he said. "We are trying to be more aggressive this season.

"There were some races where we were criticised - probably correctly, actually - that we were a little bit too conservative.

"And often when we are conservative it doesn't help the Q2 teams. It creates probably more issues for them because they are missing a little bit of downforce."

Hembery also confirmed the tyres trialed in Brazil have not been modified for the start of the season.

"No, no changes. We used last year's compound in Brazil, but the structure had feedback that was more or less in line with what we had in testing, which is positive."

Pirelli says 2013 Formula 1 tyres won't cause teams headaches - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com
 
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2013 pre-season dates

Car launches

Team Date
McLaren January 31
Ferrari February 1
Force India February 1
Sauber February 2
Red Bull February 3
Mercedes February 4

Testing

Venue Date
Jerez 5-8 February
Barcelona 19-22 February
Barcelona 28 February-3 March
 
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Williams F1 Executive Director Toto Wolff Leaves for Mercedes

The British-based Williams F1 team has just announced that its executive director, Toto Wolff, will be leaving the outfit, to take up a similar position with Mercedes-Benz. There, he will replace a very familiar face, who has been with the company for many years, and was instrumental in the " Silver Arrows' " reentry into the world of Formula 1, way back, in 1993.

Team boss, Frank Williams said: "I would like to thank Toto for his hard work, dedication and commitment to the team during his time as one of our executive directors [ . . . ] He was a key support to me in this role last season, deputising at a number of races when I was unable to attend. However, positions such as the one offered to him by Mercedes do not come around often [ . . . ] Toto has a long history with them and I certainly was not going to stand in the way of him accepting this once in a lifetime opportunity."

Williams added that while they may be well-acquainted, and quite close, that will not make a difference on the racetrack: "Toto will retain his shareholding in Williams and will always have a place at Grove but make no mistake; we will fight him hard on the race track! [ . . . ] I am sure he will be a strong asset for Mercedes and on behalf of the whole team I would like to wish him the best of luck in his new role."

He leaves the team as it gets ready for their first test session of the season, which is actually the second one of the season, as they will be missing out on the first one, due to the fact that their 2013 FW35 car is not yet ready

Williams F1 Executive Director Toto Wolff Leaves for Mercedes - autoevolution
 
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Bianchi feels he has done enough to show he deserves Force India seat

Jules Bianchi believes he has now done enough to prove he is worthy of Force India's second Formula 1 race seat for 2013.

Force India has yet to decide who will partner Paul di Resta this year, with reserve Bianchi vying with former driver Adrian Sutil for the opportunity.

Bianchi tested for Force India at Jerez on Friday and was second quickest behind Kimi Raikkonen.

The Frenchman admitted that there might have been doubts about his ability in his early Force India outings, but reckons performances such as at the Magny-Cours test last year and at Jerez should erase those.

"I think now they know me," he told AUTOSPORT.

"On Friday mornings in the free practice sessions I was not the best at first, it's true.

"After Magny-Cours I was a lot better. At Magny-Cours I showed the team that I was quick, and I did here again.

"So it's positive, but it's not in my hands. I just try to do the best when I drive the car and that's it."

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley told AUTOSPORT last week that the squad had initially wanted to keep Bianchi in the reserve role for one more year before Nico Hulkenberg's departure to Sauber disrupted that plan.

But whatever Force India's previous intentions, Bianchi reckons he has proved he should be racing now, and hopes for some certainty before the second test at Barcelona.

"I do feel ready. I've had quite a bit of mileage in Formula 1 now and I feel ready to drive in a race," he said.

"So even if the plan was to stay a third driver for two years, now the plan has changed and I'm ready.

"I hope by Barcelona it will be decided who the second driver is."

Bianchi feels he has done enough to show he deserves Force India seat - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com
 
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Pirelli wants 2014 tests in Middle East

F1 could be heading to the Middle East for pre-season testing next year.
Pirelli’s Paul Hembery said the Jerez circuit, the scene of last week’s opening test of the 2013 pre-season, is no longer suitable for winter running.

“It is not a good reference,” he told Brazil’s O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, “because of the condition of the asphalt.”

He is referring to the extreme abrasiveness of the Spanish circuit’s surface, which has apparently become even worse than before in more recent times.

“I think next year maybe we should go to Bahrain or Abu Dhabi,” added Hembery.
The good news, however, is that Pirelli is basically satisfied with the outcome of the Jerez test, where the Italian marque’s 2013 tyres were put through their paces.

“The drivers and engineers gave us positive feedback,” said Hembery.

“It seems we have achieved our goals of having faster tyres that reach optimum grip more quickly, and have a wider window of peak performance.

“Our intention was to offer greater mechanical grip, thus reducing the importance of aerodynamics.

“This leads us to predict that there will be less difference between the performance of the big and the middle-sized teams,” he added.

F1 heads to Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya for the second test next week.

Pirelli wants 2014 tests in Middle East
 
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Force India signs Sutil, aims to keep Bianchi

Force India on Thursday completed the 2013 grid by announcing it has signed Adrian Sutil.

The Silverstone based team had weighed up reuniting with German Sutil, its long-time German driver, or promote the Ferrari-linked 2012 reserve Jules Bianchi.

“It was a close call, but ultimately we felt that Adrian’s experience and historic links to the team gave him the edge,” said team boss Vijay Mallya.

Sutil, 30, drove for the team between 2007 and 2011, sitting out last season in the wake of the Eric Lux assault affair.

Mallya added: “As for Jules Bianchi, he has impressed us enormously with his speed and work ethic, and I’m hopeful we can continue working with him this year to help him develop into a future grand prix driver.”

Force India signs Sutil, aims to keep Bianchi
 
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