Duma
January 19th, 2006, 20:09
Manufacturer & Designation: BMW P86
V8
2398 ccm
Transmission: 7-Speed Plus Reverse
Wheels: OZ Racing
Tires: Michelin
Exterior Dimensions & Weight
Length × Width × Height in: 179.8 × 70.2 × 39
Weight lb (kg): 1322 (600) - Including Driver and Camera
http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/02/bmwf1_01.jpg
http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/02/bmwf1_02.jpg
http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/02/bmwf1_03.jpg
BMW Sauber F1 Team Rolls Out in Valencia
The BMW Sauber F1 Team steps out onto the Formula One stage. The BMW Sauber F1.06 was unveiled before more than 500 journalists and guests in the futuristic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC) on January 17, 2006.
Also ready to launch into the new team's maiden season in the FIA Formula One World Championship are BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers Nick Heidfeld (28, Germany), Jacques Villeneuve (34, Canada) and newcomer Robert Kubica (21, Poland), who takes on the mantle of test and substitute driver.
New Engine - Two Cylinders are Fired
Revolution, not evolution was the watchword when it came to the Formula One engines for the new season. The 3-litre V10 units of the past are being replaced by 2.4-litre V8 engines. This switch calls for totally new concepts. The new V8 engines are heavier, shorter and, due to a 600 cc reduction in capacity, have lower output and fuel consumption. "Lap times," estimates Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director, "will go up by around two to three seconds, though spectators will hardly be aware of it. The drivers, on the other hand, need to adapt their driving style. To put it simply, they will have to attack corners less sharply to get the most out of the power available."
The different firing sequences and intervals compared to the V10 have led to a completely new situation in terms of vibrations. With a speed range that exceeded 19,000 rpm, the V10 hit a critical zone between 12,000 and 14,000 rpm. However, the engine spent very little time in this problematic band and smoothed itself out again as the revs were stepped up. But it is precisely here that the V8 encounters problems. Its vibration curve enters challenging territory later than the V10, starting at around 16,000 rpm and becoming more critical from there, which can impact on the stability of vehicle components. And, like its predecessor with two extra cylinders, the BMW P86 V8 engine also has to last for two grand prix weekends.
New Chassis
The BMW Sauber F1.06 is an all-new concept. The shorter and more fuel-efficient V8 powerplants exert a decisive influence on the architecture of the car. Due to the minimum dimensions for the design of the chassis as decreed by the FIA, the overall dimensions of the car remain almost unchanged. "For the designers this means more scope in the design of the car thanks to the more compact engine," explains Willy Rampf, Technical Director Chassis at the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The lower tank capacity of the BMW Sauber F1.06 impacted on both the design of the monocoque and the position of the engine. The shorter powerplant, moreover, allowed the engineers to extend the titanium casing of the 7-speed transmission, which favoured the construction of a decidedly slimline rear end.
The engineers turned their focus primarily on aerodynamics, where it was not only a question of optimum downforce but enhanced efficiency as well. The construction, arrangement and design of all sub-assemblies and components followed this premise.
Two Adoptive Swiss in the Cockpit
They've known each other for a long time, they have both driven for Sauber before, they both live in Switzerland - but never before have they been team-mates. Together, drivers Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve have a combined experience of 250 grands prix.
Heidfeld made his Formula One debut at the start of the 2000 season. From 2001 to 2003, he drove for the Swiss racing team. Two second places, which he gained for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team in season 2005, are his best results so far. At another grand prix in 2005 he took pole position. The man from Mönchengladbach, who became father to a daughter in July 2005, looks back on 98 F1 races. "I'm really looking forward to the new season and the new team. I know most of the members from past years, of course," says Heidfeld. "Besides, I can get to Hinwil by car in quarter of an hour, which is also an advantage. As a racing driver one is naturally impatient when it comes to seeing success. But we have to stay realistic. For me the most important thing is for us to work hard and make steady progress."
No other driver to date has been as quick to seize the World Championship title as Jacques Villeneuve. "Setting up a new team is a very complex task," says Villeneuve looking ahead to the 2006 race season. "I've been through it before. But I believe that the prerequisites that have come together here are good. I want to do my best to help the BMW Sauber F1 Team achieve success."
V8
2398 ccm
Transmission: 7-Speed Plus Reverse
Wheels: OZ Racing
Tires: Michelin
Exterior Dimensions & Weight
Length × Width × Height in: 179.8 × 70.2 × 39
Weight lb (kg): 1322 (600) - Including Driver and Camera
http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/02/bmwf1_01.jpg
http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/02/bmwf1_02.jpg
http://www.rsportscars.com/foto/02/bmwf1_03.jpg
BMW Sauber F1 Team Rolls Out in Valencia
The BMW Sauber F1 Team steps out onto the Formula One stage. The BMW Sauber F1.06 was unveiled before more than 500 journalists and guests in the futuristic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC) on January 17, 2006.
Also ready to launch into the new team's maiden season in the FIA Formula One World Championship are BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers Nick Heidfeld (28, Germany), Jacques Villeneuve (34, Canada) and newcomer Robert Kubica (21, Poland), who takes on the mantle of test and substitute driver.
New Engine - Two Cylinders are Fired
Revolution, not evolution was the watchword when it came to the Formula One engines for the new season. The 3-litre V10 units of the past are being replaced by 2.4-litre V8 engines. This switch calls for totally new concepts. The new V8 engines are heavier, shorter and, due to a 600 cc reduction in capacity, have lower output and fuel consumption. "Lap times," estimates Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director, "will go up by around two to three seconds, though spectators will hardly be aware of it. The drivers, on the other hand, need to adapt their driving style. To put it simply, they will have to attack corners less sharply to get the most out of the power available."
The different firing sequences and intervals compared to the V10 have led to a completely new situation in terms of vibrations. With a speed range that exceeded 19,000 rpm, the V10 hit a critical zone between 12,000 and 14,000 rpm. However, the engine spent very little time in this problematic band and smoothed itself out again as the revs were stepped up. But it is precisely here that the V8 encounters problems. Its vibration curve enters challenging territory later than the V10, starting at around 16,000 rpm and becoming more critical from there, which can impact on the stability of vehicle components. And, like its predecessor with two extra cylinders, the BMW P86 V8 engine also has to last for two grand prix weekends.
New Chassis
The BMW Sauber F1.06 is an all-new concept. The shorter and more fuel-efficient V8 powerplants exert a decisive influence on the architecture of the car. Due to the minimum dimensions for the design of the chassis as decreed by the FIA, the overall dimensions of the car remain almost unchanged. "For the designers this means more scope in the design of the car thanks to the more compact engine," explains Willy Rampf, Technical Director Chassis at the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The lower tank capacity of the BMW Sauber F1.06 impacted on both the design of the monocoque and the position of the engine. The shorter powerplant, moreover, allowed the engineers to extend the titanium casing of the 7-speed transmission, which favoured the construction of a decidedly slimline rear end.
The engineers turned their focus primarily on aerodynamics, where it was not only a question of optimum downforce but enhanced efficiency as well. The construction, arrangement and design of all sub-assemblies and components followed this premise.
Two Adoptive Swiss in the Cockpit
They've known each other for a long time, they have both driven for Sauber before, they both live in Switzerland - but never before have they been team-mates. Together, drivers Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve have a combined experience of 250 grands prix.
Heidfeld made his Formula One debut at the start of the 2000 season. From 2001 to 2003, he drove for the Swiss racing team. Two second places, which he gained for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team in season 2005, are his best results so far. At another grand prix in 2005 he took pole position. The man from Mönchengladbach, who became father to a daughter in July 2005, looks back on 98 F1 races. "I'm really looking forward to the new season and the new team. I know most of the members from past years, of course," says Heidfeld. "Besides, I can get to Hinwil by car in quarter of an hour, which is also an advantage. As a racing driver one is naturally impatient when it comes to seeing success. But we have to stay realistic. For me the most important thing is for us to work hard and make steady progress."
No other driver to date has been as quick to seize the World Championship title as Jacques Villeneuve. "Setting up a new team is a very complex task," says Villeneuve looking ahead to the 2006 race season. "I've been through it before. But I believe that the prerequisites that have come together here are good. I want to do my best to help the BMW Sauber F1 Team achieve success."