First laps in the new R29

Mon 19 Jan, 05:37 PM

Renault officially launched its 2009 season today as the new R29 was unveiled to the world’s media at the Algarve Motor Park near Portimao in the south of Portugal.

Both the team’s race drivers, Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet, were on hand this morning to take the covers off their new challenger as they joined Managing Director Flavio Briatore for a photo call with the R29 in front of the team’s pit garage. They were joined by Frenchman, Romain Grosjean, who was announced as the team’s third driver for 2009, and the latest recruits from Renault’s Driver Development Programme: Davide Valsecchi from Italy, Charles Pic from France and Marco Sorensen from Denmark.

With radical revisions to the sport’s technical regulations introduced this year, the R29 incorporates a new design philosophy and looks very different from its predecessor.

Great attention has been paid to maximising the new rules and the team is optimistic about its chances for the year ahead, as Flavio Briatore explained: “We began our preparations for the R29 project early and I am proud of what the team has achieved. There are lots of new things to deal with this year, which could shake things up, but we intend to continue fighting at the front. We will now concentrate on our final preparations for the start of the season so that we can arrive in Australia hopefully fighting for the podium.”

Both Alonso and Piquet were happy to get their hands on the R29 so early in the year. Having followed the car’s progress closely over the winter, they paid tribute to the work done by the staff in the factories in Enstone and Viry. “The team has had a very busy development programme to allow us to be ready for the first January test with the new car,” said Alonso. “Now we are all looking forward to seeing the result of all that effort on the racetrack.”

Team President Bernard Rey also confirmed the commitment of Renault to the sport ahead of the new season. “This team is the proof of the ability of the Renault Group to obtain results and success at the very highest level,” said Rey. “The team will therefore be supported by the whole Group throughout the challenges that lie ahead this year.”

After the photo call, the R29 made its track debut as Nelson kicked off the team’s winter development programme at the Algarve Motor Park. “It feels great to be in the R29, even though the weather was not great,” said Piquet after his first day in the car. “Today was all about adding miles to the car, collecting data and learning as much as we could. Hopefully the rest of the week will allow us to build on the progress we have made today.”

The car featured a fresh new livery in the colours of the team’s principal partner ING, as well as 'eye-catching' Total branding following confirmation of a new three-year technical partnership with Total Group.

"We're very pleased to continue our sponsorship and Technology Partnership with ING Renault F1 Team," said Total CEO Christophe de Margerie. “It's a great partnership for Total group to be aligned with Renault in a legacy of excellence, as well as providing a good global venue for our brand presence. For Total, another key benefit – apart from winning Formula 1 races with a truly outstanding motorsports team – is to use our on-track research and testing to develop and deliver new and more efficient products that benefit everyday drivers under the most demanding driving conditions."

The team will remain in the Algarve until Thursday to continue with its testing programme. Piquet will be in the R29 for a second day tomorrow before handing it over to Alonso for the final two days.

McLaren present the MP4-24

Fri 16 Jan, 11:15 AM

With an unprecedented series of rule changes introduced ahead of the 2009 season, the new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-24 represents a significant departure from its world championship-winning predecessor.

Incorporating new bodywork regulations and the much-heralded return of slick tyres, the team's new challenger not only looks radical but also incorporates a host of new innovative features under the skin, such as a sophisticated kinetic energy recovery system (KERS).

While still retaining the distinctive family look established with both the MP4-22 and MP4-23, this year's car is visually very different from its predecessors as a result of two main factors:

AERODYNAMICS

This year's aerodynamic regulations were framed by the FIA and the Overtaking Working Group (helmed by McLaren Mercedes engineering director Paddy Lowe, Ferrari's Rory Byrne and Renault's Pat Symonds) which met throughout 2007 in order to address the issues affecting passing in Formula 1.

The OWG's influence can be most clearly seen around the front wing, which has been widened, and the rear wing - which is now more compact. Other factors affecting aerodynamics include the banning of ancillary appendages, the addition of driver-adjustable front-wing flaps and a heavily revised diffuser.

KERS

The MP4-24's KERS device has been developed in collaboration with McLaren and Mercedes- Benz HighPerformanceEngines, which has been developing and refining the system for almost two years. The device enables the car to recover energy under braking, store the energy for a lap and release it when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel.

With a fully optimised KERS device's output capped at 400kJ (discharging 80bhp boost for 6.7s per lap), the development team's primary focus has already shifted to further improving the unit's integration within the chassis in order to minimise performance loss elsewhere within the package. An optimised KERS package can be expected to deliver a 0.3-0.5s gain per lap.

WINTER TEST PROGRAMME

With in-season track testing now prohibited, the MP4-24 will undergo an intensive winter programme at the following venues prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 29:

Jan 19-22 Portimao Group test one

Feb 10-13 Jerez Group test two

Mar 1-4 Jerez Group test three

Mar 9-12 Barcelona Group test four

Week 12 Private test ahead of transportation to Melbourne

Ferrari run the new F60

Mon 12 Jan, 03:21 PM

Ferrari on Monday became the first team to reveal its 2009 car.

The 'F60', named in celebration of the fact the Italian marque is the only to have contested all sixty seasons in the sport's history, was launched with a low-key event at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters.

Explaining the name, team boss Stefano Domenicali said: "It was our desire to combine the history of F1 and the fact that Ferrari has always been present."

The car was originally scheduled to be track debuted at nearby Fiorano, but Felipe Massa instead took to the cockpit of the F60 for the first time at Ferrari's other circuit, Mugello.

Massa said he was pleasantly surprised about the appearance of the F60. "With all the new regulations I was expecting something else, like ten years ago with huge wings, but I was surprised."

"I find the new F60 to be nice, small like a F3 car but nice looking," the Brazilian said.

Following an initial shakedown lap, the new car was back on track with Massa at the wheel and is 'happy and excited to take the Ferrari out for its first ride.'