Patrick Dixon
Imagineer
Hmm, I know you're disinterested (enough to post how many times here in the last 24hrs?) but do you actually read what anyone else writes? Or are you just permanently in transmit mode?
The 2017 F1 Thread
- Thread starter Tony Lockhart
- Start date
Hmm, I know you're disinterested (enough to post how many times here in the last 24hrs?) but do you actually read what anyone else writes? Or are you just permanently in transmit mode?
Well I'll definitely be watching the qualifying and race at the weekend. What will the real pace look like, how will the cars behave etc, and of course, how will Bottas get on with LH
Seconded, I'm more excited to watch than I have been for a few years, I suspect I'll just fall further when we realise they're faster but still unable to pass.
Rack Kit
pfm Member
That's my worry. Hopefully the tyres are no longer made of chocolate & the better drivers can make the most of them.
Are they still keeping DRS? Would rather see properly earned passes so long as the cars are able to follow closely without too much of an aero problem.
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
DRS is still present and probably the only thing likely to allow for overtaking. The extra aero will ensure that following closer will be harder than ever. Should have move to wider tyres but further removed aero, that would have reduced the follow effect dramatically.
Ah well.
Rack Kit
pfm Member
I'm sure the aero is designed to cause as much havoc to a closely following car as it is to aid the car itself.
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
Totally agree
It was never a priority in any team I worked for. Making the car as fast as possible gives the best results, trying to mess up the others behind is not needed if they can't catch you. Thinking about doing this is sort of admitting that you are going to be a bit crap so need to keep better cars behind, which is also pointless since they will probably qualify in front of you so never need to overtake you (now the tyres are consistent)
In fact sticky tyres are just as much a hindrance to overtaking as aero (by simulation and track experience) but drivers like using them
Think about it, the aero doesn't change all that much in the rain and the grip is less than half. If more grip helped overtaking wet races would be the most boring processions of them all.
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
It was never a priority in any team I worked for. Making the car as fast as possible gives the best results, trying to mess up the others behind is not needed if they can't catch you. Thinking about doing this is sort of admitting that you are going to be a bit crap so need to keep better cars behind, which is also pointless since they will probably qualify in front of you so never need to overtake you (now the tyres are consistent)
In fact sticky tyres are just as much a hindrance to overtaking as aero (by simulation and track experience) but drivers like using them
Think about it, the aero doesn't change all that much in the rain and the grip is less than half. If more grip helped overtaking wet races would be the most boring processions of them all.
Interesting, thanks Frank.
I had heard from a couple of journo's about the teams designing for disrupted air off the back of their car. I guess they don't really know right ;-)
Tony Lockhart
Avoiding Stress, at Every Opportunity
Well, journalists are fed info by the teams to achieve an effect.
Patrick Dixon
Imagineer
So,
Hamilton
--- 0.5 secs ---
the rest.
No doubt Mercedes will be frantically coaching Botas with Hamilton's data, to try and make things more competitive.
Hamilton
--- 0.5 secs ---
the rest.
No doubt Mercedes will be frantically coaching Botas with Hamilton's data, to try and make things more competitive.
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
I had read that that would not be happening this year but not sure how you could stop it. Probably wishful thinking on Lewis behalf.
Rack Kit
pfm Member
Hence his comments/complaints about driver data sharing a while back. You can't blame him when he probably has little to gain from Bottas side of the garage at the moment.
Nobody in a team tells the journos what they are actually doing to avoid the results of their efforts being offered free to their competitors.
It became clear to me in 1975, when I was working on computer optimisation of suspension geometry, that the only thing which made a big difference was aero gains, so I stopped dicking with suspension (apart from active later - and that was an aero gain) and started using the wind tunnel more.
Nevertheless every time we made a gain I told journos it was a new rear suspension geometry despite the fact we ran the same bits for 5 seasons
Rack Kit
pfm Member
Nobody in a team tells the journos what they are actually doing to avoid the results of their efforts being offered free to their competitors.
It became clear to me in 1975, when I was working on computer optimisation of suspension geometry, that the only thing which made a big difference was aero gains, so I stopped dicking with suspension (apart from active later - and that was an aero gain) and started using the wind tunnel more.
Nevertheless every time we made a gain I told journos it was a new rear suspension geometry despite the fact we ran the same bits for 5 seasons
Cav
pfm Member
I thought it had been established that Senna's steering column failed?