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Crash Protection Systems Mean A Driver Can Survive The Impact of 100 MPH To A Standstill In 2 Seconds
Formula 1 cars aren’t all about speed and performance, with crash protection being a key part of the design philosophy. Making them amongst the safest cars in the world and constantly evolving.
There have been a lot of F1 crashes over the years, with most nowhere near fatal. This is due to the multitude of safety features like the most high-tech helmets, the best race suits, gloves and helmets.
The cars are built around a survival cell that can withstand high impacts and allow the driver to exit the car. Today’s cars have a halo to protect the driver’s head, and cars have tethers on wheels to prevent them from flying off and striking another driver, marshal or spectator.
According to Wired, an F1 driver can survive an impact that involves the car going from 100 mph to a standstill in 2 seconds. There are hundreds of safety regulations that a vehicle has to pass for it to be eligible for Formula 1 racing.
Read the article on wired.com – here
The start procedure is critical to achieving the optimum start. The driver must find the point where the clutch engages and power is transferred to the rear of the car to get it off the line. In a similar way to your road car but with considerably more power and precision.
Near the end of the parade lap, the driver performs a Bite Point Find (BPF), initiated by pressing a button on the steering wheel. The clutch is released, the electronics detect the drop in engine revs and the clutch position is recorded in the software so the clutch paddles can be reset to match the bite point position.
For the start procedure, the car is in neutral. Moments before the start, the driver will then pull in both clutch paddles and selects first gear, while holding the revs at around 13,000 rpm.
When the lights are on, both clutch paddles are partially released to a pre-set position, which moves the clutch to the bite point.
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The regulations state that the driver must be in control of the car, so there is no ABS, launch control, or traction control included in F1 technology.
While these safety systems are used in regular road cars that are now banned from Formula 1. This rule requires drivers to be in complete control of the car and removes any technological aids that could give them an advantage. Bringing a level playing field to the sport, making it fairer and allowing drivers to showcase their skills.
Explore all aspects of F1 technology at f1technical.net – here
Pirelli has been the exclusive tyre supplier to F1 since 2011.
During the season, Pirelli runs a series of special tyre tests to meet the ever-changing demands of the circuits (surface, temperature, downforce level) and ensure the tyres are fit for the coming year.
This is usually held for 30 minutes, added to a free practice session. During this period, teams must run the tyres Pirelli supplies and the run plan they specify. The tyre walls are blank, and the teams do not know what compounds they are running.
This data will be used to develop the prototype tyres that are tested in further tyre test sessions, post-season.
Mercedes’ response to the new 2022 regulations included their innovative “Zero sidepods”.
All images are copyrighted by mercedesamgf1.com
Power and downforce aren’t the only things that dictate how well cars will perform at a track. Teams also have to account for degradation, which is what causes a tyre to lose grip when it gets too hot.
The circuits all use different types of material in the construction of the track surface, so the degradation varies. This requires the team to set the right downforce and the driver to adpt their style to manage the tyres. A fine balance of speed and longevity to maximise the teams tyre strategy.
Degredation, not to be confused with wear, it is the gradual erosion of the tyre tread as a result of friction caused by the track surface. Street circuits like Baku and Monaco are generally considered to the be low degredation tracks and Baharain is considered to be a high-deg track.
A power track is more or less the opposite of a high downforce track.
Most of a car’s performance is tied to the power, acceleration and top speed made possible by the power unit. Long straights and short, slow corners are typical features of power tracks.
Teams will adopt a specific set-up with less downforce to reduce resistance and maximise speed.
A high downforce track is a circuit where most of a car’s performance throughout a lap can be attributed to the aerodynamic downforce it produces rather than the power of its engine.
High downforce tracks will have fewer and shorter straights, with more of an emphasis on corners. Teams will adopt a specific set-up with a larger rear wing to maximise performance through the corners.
