Mike, there are a lot of engineers who have worked with Lewis to help him get to the best way to use the car to get the best laptime. The engineers have a lot of tools available to them including a very effective simulator (my department developed this and other optimisation tools). This means that the race engineer + controls engineers + strategists can work with any driver to get the best out of the package. This process has worked very effectively with Lewis over the Winter and during the latter stages of last season.
2014 Formula 1 Season Thread (part II)
- Thread starter Tony Lockhart
- Start date
KC Cantiaci
pfm Member
But Lewis is using less fuel than almost everyone and leading/winning. So I thought/believe it's because he is making more use of the energy recovery system which recovers energy, as I understand it, under braking and the other system recovers energy when the turbo is spinning at its fastest and producing heat.
But as someone else has mentioned, could it also help because he is leading from the front and doesn't have an interrupted airflow (other than lapping back markers but this doesn't produce an interrupted airflow for long as they are obliged to let the overtaking cars through)?
jay
built for speed
That's it. The car is more efficient if there's no one in front.
merlin
Avatar changed - Town names deemed offensive.
Thanks Ian.
I think that's my point really. I keep hearing "Nico was quicker" but the truth these days is that his side of the garage were quicker - of vice versa. There are no secrets over the course of a weekend.
It seems a lot easier finding braking limits when an engineer tells you 50m later will be fine because your team mate does it. Certainly different to the Gilles Villeneuve school of exploration.
Should be a fascinating dual throughout the year. Do you feel there is a race engineer who may well have the biggest influence on the destination of the WDC?
Rack Kit
pfm Member
The only thing the engineers can't help with is those race defining overtakes or defences as seen by Lewis in Bahrain. That's pure racers instinct if it comes down to two strategies that are near equal on pace.
teachersrus2
pfm Member
Agreed - even 18 years ago I was racing huge downforce on the shorter long circuits in good old gearbox 250 racing?
I do find it strange that there is this general feeling Nico is amazing at Monoco.
Ham has won there an awful lot more in many formula?
SteveS1
I heard that, pardon?
Cav
pfm Member
That is helpful only if you are on the same tyres. If your engineers have put you on a different "strategy" knowing what your team mate can do on his strategy is nugatory.
Cav
pfm Member
Egineers and strategists dictate the race in almost all aspects even in creating overtaking opportunities. The driver has been a small cog in a very big machine for several years but this season more than ever.
Rack Kit
pfm Member
I'm talking about the moves & counter moves through successive corners like we all saw & cheered. Engineers can help catch then driver in front but after that on a suitable circuit, it'll always come down to the drivers individual talent at that particular moment & Lewis has shown he seems to possess more of the racers skill than Nico so far.
It's trendy to knock Hamilton, nothing more.
Brits knocking a Brit ? Get away.
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
It's trendy to knock Hamilton, nothing more.
Trendy? He's been a polarizing figure from Day 1.
Rack Kit
pfm Member
Mike,
Where do you keep hearing Nico is quicker? The laptimes show that Nico was marginally quicker at 2 out of 5 races this year. But due to a variety of reasons (qualifying, start, closeness of performance and Lewis driving superbly to keep ahead) Lewis is in the lead of the championship.
As stated, for a variety of reasons I am expecting Nico to win at Monaco, but would be surprised if Lewis is not World champion at the end of the season.
I don't think so. There are a lot of engineers working with each driver to optimise the car for the driver in question. Then there are a lot of engineers working to deliver performance to the team.
Where do you keep hearing Nico is quicker? The laptimes show that Nico was marginally quicker at 2 out of 5 races this year. But due to a variety of reasons (qualifying, start, closeness of performance and Lewis driving superbly to keep ahead) Lewis is in the lead of the championship.
As stated, for a variety of reasons I am expecting Nico to win at Monaco, but would be surprised if Lewis is not World champion at the end of the season.
I don't think so. There are a lot of engineers working with each driver to optimise the car for the driver in question. Then there are a lot of engineers working to deliver performance to the team.
SteveS1
I heard that, pardon?
Racers always are. For my part, I think it's great that we have one as good as LH. As much as I like Jenson if there were equally matched cars for all the drivers I'd struggle to think of anyone I'd prefer to Lewis in my team. In wet conditions he would be my choice without hesitation.
Tony Lockhart
Avoiding Stress, at Every Opportunity
And?
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G
Guest432
Guest
Personally I don't like him but then again racing isn't about who you like. He's a great driver and makes for a very engaging watch when he overtakes people. Agree he's a fantastic driver in the wet as well.
One of my favourite drivers ever is Mansell and he's as dull as dishwater.
One of my favourite drivers ever is Mansell and he's as dull as dishwater.
Rico
Bloody Colonials
so having switched on skysports to my cable subscription for a rugby game last weekend, I find myself blessed with F1 coverage of Monaco. Whoohoo!
Anyone else watching practice? I think the in-car (on-car?) shots from Button show a very different style to the others; damn he's smooth and fast. Agressive and carrying large speed, yet inputs are silkyand graceful despite the pace. wow.
Hamilton seems a little closer to Senna, straightening out the circuit.
It'll be an exciting race. Who is favourite?
Before you all flame me, I've not followed F1 for many, many years. (I think the Ferraris sound amazing this year)
The tech quality of the coverage now astounds me!
Anyone else watching practice? I think the in-car (on-car?) shots from Button show a very different style to the others; damn he's smooth and fast. Agressive and carrying large speed, yet inputs are silkyand graceful despite the pace. wow.
Hamilton seems a little closer to Senna, straightening out the circuit.
It'll be an exciting race. Who is favourite?
Before you all flame me, I've not followed F1 for many, many years. (I think the Ferraris sound amazing this year)
The tech quality of the coverage now astounds me!
I like him. He frustrated the hell out of me at McLaren, but now he's grown up.
Because I'm black; It wasn't 'Because I'm black', it was 'Because I'm black (laugh)' i.e. 'who knows'.
What's wrong with that?
Nico should win today - he lives there. If Lewis wins, it'll be because he's on fire at the moment.
Because I'm black; It wasn't 'Because I'm black', it was 'Because I'm black (laugh)' i.e. 'who knows'.
What's wrong with that?
Nico should win today - he lives there. If Lewis wins, it'll be because he's on fire at the moment.