Milestone January 2023 edition

ABOUTOURTEAM

With an aim to revolutionize electric mobility in India while focusing on sustainable future technologies, IIT Bombay Racing is India’s premier Formula Student Electric team. We engineer highperformance electric race cars to compete at Formula Bharat and Formula Student UK, which is Europe’s largest educational engineering competition attended by over 10,000 people and 110+ teams from all over the world and is also covered by the BBC network in the UK.

Started by a small group of motivated engineers in 2012 in a tiny lab in the Mechanical engineering department, the team now comprises 100+ highly enthusiastic undergraduate students from across all departments at IIT Bombay. We started with internal combustion engines, and made the switch to electric powertrains in 2012, after the BAJA competition. Vayu, our premier edition car, bagged the first-ever Indian perseverance award at FS Michigan and also won the best new-entrant award, competing with 25 other debutants.

The first electric Formula student race car in India, Evo was built by us in just six months followed by Evo 2.0, which cleared all the scrutineering criteria to participate in the dynamic events, making us the

first Indian team to achieve such a feat. By the third attempt, we were able to complete both, including the endurance test.

Since then, we have made incredible progress. We have developed Aluminium Honeycomb Monocoque Chassis, Carbon fiber A-arms, a hybrid planetary gearbox, and also incorporated regenerative braking. It has been a long journey ever since, progressing from Agni to the Prithvi series, we then shifted to electric vehicles. This marked a significant milestone in our progress.

Now we are all ready to move on from the EV space to the Driverless space. We have made tremendous progress from the time of the inception of the Driverless subsystem and are looking forward to participating in the FS AI competition. We also plan to go completely autonomous thereby transitioning to a DV team over the next few years to participate in the Driverless Cup Competitions of FS Germany.

As for how our current season has progressed, we have already started the move from a steel spaceframe chassis to a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and are implementing parallel cell configuration in the accumulator. Our immediate goal is to manufacture

and test our car comprehensively and get it ready before the FS competitions.

The impact made by our team cannot be measured by awards alone. We have been at the forefront of Indian mobility and specifically electric mobility. From implementing in-house E-Differentials to making India’s electric formula race car, IIT Bombay Racing’s growth has also pushed the boundaries of what the Indian teams have been able to do.

Needless to say, the team is one of India’s finest, and there is always pressure to represent and perform on the international stage. This last season has been rewarding for the team dominating at FSEV and FSUK: on the national and international stage. Especially after the pandemic, which challenged the team and also each one of us in innumerable new ways.

One of the most revered teams in India today, we are continually striving with the same never-say-never attitude that we started with and are now capable of manufacturing carbon fiber parts entirely in-house. We have designed and built 12 cars, with the 13th one on the way for the next competition.

This year, we stood 1st in System Intelligence and Business Plan Presentation at Formula Bharat 2022, ranked among the top 10 electric vehicle teams at Formula Student UK, and stood 4th in the Business event. We have also been winning the Formula Student Award for having the best year-on-year growth for 6 consecutive years.

This journey is made possible only through the support of our sponsors and Industry collaborations. With their help, the team conceptualized and 3D-printed titanium wheel uprights. Our in-house battery management system and aero package happen to be an innovation to reckon with.

While these victories may belong to the team, the team itself is still dependent on the contributions of many of our supporters. Irrespective of whether they appear in the form of our institute, our biggest supporter, our faculty who inspire us to pursue what we do, or our benevolent sponsors, notably NRB Bearings, PCB Power Market, and Godrej, that enable us to bring our dreams into reality. We thank you for everything, for encouraging us and helping us be the best we can aim to be.

F1 FOR BEGINNERS

by Pranjal Chakraborthy

wall.alphacoders.com

nlike

normal people, who work during the week and take time off during the weekend, F1 teams do the opposite. Most of their work is during extended weekends called ‘race weekends’. Here is a broad outline of all the things that happen during the weekend and all the things you need to look out for.

2022 season onwards, all media activity has been restricted to a two-hour window before practice starts. This decision was primarily taken to reduce the load on F1 teams, which now participate in 22 races in a season.

Practices

There are three free practices on a race weekend: two (FP1 and FP2) on Friday and one (FP3) on Saturday in the morning before qualifying. These practice sessions help the teams and drivers verify that the car is running well and determine the best strategy for the race, all the while figuring out the optimal car setup. Practice gives the driver a feel for the track,

the rest of the team

Typical Race Weekend

FRIDAY Media

All the media activity associated with F1 takes place on Friday morning. Earlier, media sessions used to happen throughout Thursdays. However, from the

U

us

“The length of the race is defined as the number of laps required to complete 305 km (260 km in Monaco).”

“The qualifyings are the most important event on Saturdays, which are crucial for the teams as they significantly affect the outcome of the race.”

and

constantly

analyzes live data to improve their design. If you are into experimentation or want an appetizer for the upcoming race, the practices can make for a fun watch.

SATURDAY Qualifying

The qualifyings are the most important event on Saturdays, which are crucial for the teams as they significantly affect the outcome of the race.

Here’s how qualifying works: In the traditional mode, qualifying has three rounds, Q1, Q2, and Q3. Drivers get 20 minutes and are sorted according to the fastest lap time they can record during that time. The slowest five at the end of Q3 constitute starting positions 16-20 for the main race, and the other 15 take part in Q2. In a similar fashion, positions 11-15 are decided in Q2. Finally, the starting position of the top 10 is fixed by Q3.

The importance of qualifying is self-evident, as teams that start from better positions on the grid have a better chance of winning. There are notable exceptions to that, however.

Another format in which qualifying takes place is called sprint. As the name suggests, It involves the cars taking part in a mini-race, and the outcome decides the positions.

SUNDAY Race Day

Sunday - race day. This is the weekend highlight and what most people think of as F1. The length of the race is defined as the number of laps required

to complete 305 km (260 km in Monaco). The top 10 teams get points according to the positions they finish, while the rest do not get any points. These points are added throughout the year to decide the Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ Championship.

So now you know what comprises an F1 weekend and won’t be confused when your F1 friends throw jargon around. Happy viewing.

ANATOMY OF CIRCUIT

by Akshay Kumar

Aroad

is always seen as a humble civil structure only existing to serve a functional purpose. But when one ventures into the world of racetracks, roads become meandering structures of complex geometry, materials and design. Racetracks are graced by cars built to maximise performance and flaunt high-speed manoeuvres. The sensitive nature of F1 cars adds a whole new layer of complexity. The cars are designed to be speed demons but are delicate machines fine-tuned to excel. F1 circuits must be challenging and perfectly moulded for the cars to flourish.

A variety of circuits exist today in F1. The circuits can be primarily divided into the categories of a race track or race course and a street. Race tracks are built for the sole purpose of racing. Monza and Silverstone are two iconic examples of race tracks. Monaco and Singapore are two famous street circuits. A hybrid of both circuits does also exist. The Abu Dhabi circuit is a mix of street and race circuit characteristics. The circuit type greatly impacts the driving styles employed by the teams. Race circuits are built for overtaking, whereas street tracks can be claustrophobic, which extracts a more conservative approach. Drivers often have to show different traits to win a Monaco Grand Prix than a Silverstone scalp.

This is why circuits are essential to all the drama that unfolds in a Grand Prix. The tarmac is the surface on which drivers paint their talent.

The most striking difference between race tracks and street tracks is the position of walls or barriers. Race tracks are spacious pieces of real estate built to let the cars rip. Errors can go unpunished, as hitting a barrier or wall is less likely. Rejoining races is easy and can sometimes help drivers recover from small mistakes. Street circuits are a different beast. The walls and barriers choke the drivers into tight spaces, and any slight error can end up in a collision with the wall. Drivers have a more cautious driving style and must ace all the tight spaces to remain intact.

“ F1 circuits must be challenging and perfectly moulded for the cars to flourish.”

Even with all the caution, a race must happen, and drivers speed through street circuits displaying great skill. The walls claim their victims but never stop a race from becoming exciting.

The drivers’ field of view is also radically different on these two circuits. Race circuits provide an excellent view to the drivers. Nurburgring or Sepang circuits have open wide spaces that help drivers easily scan their environment. Street circuits are not so gifted with visibility. The nature of these circuits litters

the vision of the driver with blindspots. Drivers have to display a sharp sense of judgement to avoid any unfortunate bump. The corner apex is not visible in street circuits which is a major issue for drivers.

Overtaking is one of the most awe-inspiring manoeuvres drivers try to execute. These are crucial events in race outcomes. Race circuits with their lavish long straight roads, wide and cushioned by slow corners, are ripe for overtaking. The run-off areas are also a safety net which allows drivers to take risks and push their cars to the limit. Sepang and Monza are great examples of circuits ideal for overtaking. Race circuits also have corner exits with wide spaces. Defending against overtaking is tougher, and drivers always fancy their chances. Street circuits are not as forgiving on overtaking.

“ The tarmac is the surface on which drivers paint their talent. ”

“

...The walls and barriers choke the drivers into tight spaces, and any slight error can end up in a collision with the wall. ”

Public roads are humble creatures when compared in this regard. The materials used for street circuits are highly durable and built to last. They are not silky surfaces and often are rugged. The city traffic rumbling on the roads also takes its toll. The wear and tear of the public transport also rob the street circuits of grip. Racing tyres lose grip on the grubby street circuits. This brings with it long braking zones and tricky corner turns. F1 cars are crafted for speed and are delicate designs. Street circuits present a different challenge with their unique design parameters. The stiff suspension and minuscule

ground clearance on F1 cars are better suited to the race circuits and allow drivers to really push their straight line speeds. Rains can also create slick surfaces where road markings have been painted, another complexity of street circuits. These surfaces lack grip drastically and can be dangerous. Teams generally roll out the softer tyres to offset the grip issues at street circuits.

The corners and turns of a circuit are also an interesting dynamic of circuits. Race circuits are blessed with a wider variety of corners. Fast sweep hairpins, medium lefts & rights and all other permutations are expressed well on race circuits. Race circuits often have a nice balance of corners which require specific treatment from the drivers. Since different corners have their characteristics, they help drivers express themselves. Drivers may have a favourite corner or one which bugs them. This adds an extra layer of fun to the races. Street circuits have more jarring corners and turns. Near 90-degree turns constrict the circuits. These turns can give the race an intermittent feel. The drivers have to regulate the power of their cars with precision. The Singapore Grand Prix is a quintessential example of a street circuit.

Hosting an F1 race requires a circuit engineered and designed with great care. The circuits are marvels of civil engineering. Circuits are where the magic happens. We today are fortunate to have a plethora of circuits, all with their own unique traits. The diversity of circuits is an essential spice of the sport.

“ Near 90-degree turns constrict the circuits. These turns can give the race an intermittent feel. ”

racefans.net

There Is Still A Race To Win

24th July 1992, German Grand Prix, Hockenheimring, Free Practice: another practice day for F1 history, all-time legends like Ayrton Senna, Gerhard Berger, Nigel Mansell and homeboy Michael Schumacher all sweating it out before the weekend. Oh, apologies, I missed another great of the sport - a name in the same league as the ones mentioned above - that was present there, just not on the race track.

I doubt anyone else saw him as a legend then, for the history he was going to create for the sport we all love. I’m talking about a young, curious, passionate 5-year-old lad situated on the stands with his father. This would be the first memory of a man who would dominate the sport he had just witnessed years later. Who knew that one day, this boy from Heppenheim, Germany, would be crowned the Quadruple world champion, the way we know him today - ‘baby Schumi’ aka Sebastian Vettel.

This love affair would go on for almost three decades, until as recently as July ‘22, when Sebastian Vettel opened an Instagram account (you must be kidding me, why be so ominous with an IG account). Sebastian had always been a private person, never

one for the sport’s limelight; consequently, he was never a proponent of Social Media. And so the story of this Instagram account had piqued our interest, only to realise that his first post would shock everyone. Sebastian Vettel, the 4-time World Champion, was retiring from Formula 1. And that was it. ‘The marks I left on track will stay until time and rain will wash them away…I believe there is still a race to win’- a poetic ending to a man whose 15-yearlong career has been nothing short of an adventure. Records broken, records created, this F1 driver has seen it all, the sport’s glory and the pain when things

“The marks I left on track will stay until time and rain will wash them away…I believe there is still a race to win”

by Yash Mitkari

don’t work out well enough. But it doesn’t do right to shrink a person’s legacy, especially to the kind of highs this man scaled.

Following in the footsteps of his idol, Michael Schumacher, a person of pure passion and talent, Sebastian has ruled the hearts of millions of fans on track with his tactical intelligence and raw pace on & off track with his wits and standing up for his beliefs. He was the rookie that had it all and got it all. A veteran racer who raced for 5 teams in his career and ended on the podium with 4 of them. He began racing in kart series at the tender age of 8, winning most of them, already touted as a racing prodigy. During this time, the Red Bull racing team had also spotted him as a driver with massive potential and sponsored his karting career post-age 12. He then

shifted to open-wheel racing in 2003 to accustom himself better to the F1 style. His stint as an F1 driver started in 2006 as a reserve for the BMW-Sauber team, topping the lap times in his few practice sessions. This made him the then youngest driver- at 19 years 53 days- to participate in a Grand Prix weekend. Fun fact, he broke another record that day - the least time a driver takes to get himself fined (6 seconds) - for exceeding track limits. However, it was the US GP in ‘07 where he first raced, registering points in his first GP and becoming the then-youngest person to do the same. It was evident from his first few spells on the track that this boy had no limits.

The following season, Redbull called him back into their Toro Rosso (currently Alpha Tauri) team as a driver. Though he initially struggled to get hold of a struggling car, he started delivering once he found his sync. Come the date, 14th September 2008, in a rain-drenched Monza, Sebastian Vettel drove

“Sebastian Vettel will retire from F1 with 53 victories, 122 podium finishes, 57 pole positions and 4 consecutive world championships to his name.”

“His raw speed and thirst for more propelled Vettel into 3 more years of world championships, a perfect synchronism between man and machine.”

2013, he equalled Schumachers’ record of most wins in a single season (13) and is still untouched to this date (look out for this, as this season might change the record stands). The ‘14 season saw the evolution of the turbo-hybrid era and, with it, the dominance of Mercedes. He continued with Red Bull for the 2014 season before joining Ferrari in 2015, fulfilling his childhood dreams.

The era with prancing horses wasn’t what Sebastian had in his mind after leaving the raging bulls. His championship contention used to get hurt by various issues- strategy, car crashes, mistakes of his own and better opponent cars in general. Finishing runner-up behind Lewis Hamilton twice in ‘17 and ‘18 and then being outclassed by his team driver Charles Leclerc in ‘19, it sure felt as if Sebastian had become a surplus in the team and was on the lookout for new, better opportunities. He then joined the Aston Martin Cognizant racing team in ‘21 as the first driver hoping for a turn of fortune and a step in the right direction. But an already disappointing car couldn’t quench the thirst of a still fast Sebastian. Remember the Azerbaijan GP in ‘21 when Vettel stole the show with a podium finish, that’s the kind of stuff he was capable of. He was fast; maybe he still is in the right car; who knows?

“This is the legacy Sebastian will still be fighting for once he leaves. But his absence will still leave a gaping hole in the grid, and F1 will be weaker for it.”

“As director of GPDA, he has voiced for the inclusion of women in F1. This is the legacy Sebastian will still be fighting for once he leaves.”

When all is said and done, Sebastian Vettel will retire from F1 with 53 victories, 122 podium finishes, 57 pole positions and 4 consecutive world championships to his name. He will still be the youngest world champion and hold the record for most wins in a season. If that is not enough to call someone a legend, I don’t know.

Although for Vettel, the friendships and bondings he has created are his most important, meaningful legacies. Everyone on the grid today calls him an icon of the game. But many also talk about how great he was as a person, the driven, curious, passionate, witty, compassionate Sebastian Vettel off the track for which he came to be known. His good nature has also percolated in him using the platform given to him to uphold his voice in the values he believes

in and to use the sport as a medium to drive better change and push for a sustainable future. Over recent years, he has been up and about sustainability issues and climate change, feeling as if this career posed an anti-view to his belief. Voicing issues only gain traction when you have a sense of credibility, and maybe this is Sebastian’s way of fighting for what he believes in. As director of GPDA, he has voiced for the inclusion of women in F1. This is the legacy

will still be fighting for once he leaves. But his absence will still leave a gaping hole in the grid, and F1 will be weaker for it.

But as he said in his farewell message- “the next corner is in good hands as the new generation has already turned in.” Yes, we will miss Sebastian Vettel. His legacy on track is irreplaceable. Yes, he did

Sebastian

“We have to remember these days, because there’s no guarantee that they will last forever. Enjoy them as long as they last.”

..As he said in his farewell message- “the next corner is in good hands as the new generation has already turned in.”

deserve a better end to his career than he might have right now. Will he come back? Maybe yes, maybe not. For all we know, Schumacher, Raikonnen and Alonso did. But there are arguably as many legends who have had such a legacy, on track and off track. And I believe the latter will continue.

Whatever it is, I wish Sebastian Vettel good luck in his race ahead. For now, I leave you with this message of his, when he achieved the record of 9 consecutive Grand Prix wins in the 2013 season. “We have to remember these days, because there’s no guarantee that they will last forever. Enjoy them as long as they last.”

“For all we know, Schumacher, Raikonnen and Alonso did. But there are arguably as many legends who have had such a legacy, on track and off track. And I believe the latter will continue.”

Pikes Peak Hill Climb : A Race to the Clouds

by Vikhyath Vagolu

hips.hearstapps.com

Ahilly highway that takes an average person 1-3 hours to drive, covering it in 10 minutes just seems insane. Add to that no engineering regulations, ridiculous aerodynamics, and 2000-foot drops on barrier-less roads; now that requires some severe nerve. Well...some crazy drivers accomplish that in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Unlimited Division. They race high-powered, crazy-downforce monsters on the 12.5-mile long track up a 14000foot mountain boasting an elevation gain of 4720 feet. Now let’s go back a second to the fact that there are literally no regulations. You just have to satisfy standard safety measures such as a roll cage, harnesses, and HANS device, and you’re good to go. So what does it take for one to break the record at Pikes Peak?

Anyone can compete in the hill climb, from homemade machines to big-money players in the automotive industry. Fascinating designs are seen every year with crazy innovations and, of course, gigantic wings. These cars are made with a meagre

“...no engineering regulations, ridiculous aerodynamics, and 2000-foot drops on barrier-less roads...”

When Pitstops Went Wrong

By

In the last edition of our milestone magazine, we discussed the pitstop and got more profound insights into its future development.

This edition will discuss the weird incidents at the pitstop during F1. A pitstop is a stop where the quick servicing of the vehicle for a brief period. The so-called pit crews are super humans who do the repairing work for a short time, though they train them. For the same, you can’t eradicate the error that would happen. But those errors led to weird and severe incidents, which will be discussed in this article:

Jos Verstappen’s Pit Fire in the 1994 German Grand Prix:

What should have been a regular pitstop for Jos turned out to be a disastrous one, as usual, he opened his visor for fresh air to get in, but that day turned out to be the worst nightmare of his life when fuel sprayed out from the hose pipe and ignited on a still hot car. A frightening moment for Verstappen and watching Formula One fans happened during the Race.

The whole incident happened due to the disconnection of the fueling hose pipe; as the fuel sprayed out on the heated-up racing car, it took just two seconds to engulf the vehicle and Verstappen in the flame.

Verstappen shared the experience as a situation you don’t usually think about: it is like you are suddenly put in a dark room, and then you think, ‘I need to get out. Verstappen had slightly opened the visor of his helmet for the pit stop, but he was uninjured apart from slight burns to his nose. After this incident, the fuel delivery hose was modified to incorporate a failsafe cut-out system.

Verstappen: it is like you are suddenly put in a dark room, and then you think, ‘I need to get out..’

Aparna Ramesh

Mercedes 50s Pitstop Incident that cost Hamilton, 2019 German Grand Prix:

Everything went smoothly for Hamilton over the first half of the German Grand Prix until Charles Leclere Ferrari hit his car, significantly breaking the front wing part of the car. It immediately came to the pits for an unscheduled pit stop, where the crew member had to lift the vehicle to change its wing before changing the tyre. It took a long time, ended up a chaotic pitstop, and turned disastrous for Hamilton.

The reason Mercedes gave was that the guys had a little while to get the different tyres out. But, also, the car had its broken nose, and they couldn’t lift it on that to do the average change with the jack, so they had to get a different kit out.

The car had its broken nose, and they couldn’t lift it on that to do the average change with the jack, so they had to get a different kit out.

Most extended Pit Stop in the History of F1, Valtteri Bottas,2021 Monaco Grand Prix: The time taken to change the right front wheel of a Valtteri racing car was 45 hours and 15 minutes, a record held by Mercedes, the fastest pit stop record holder.

The car came in the lane slightly angled where its wheel socket was directly connected to the nut. It was angled somewhat relative to the socket, so instead of distributing the load across all of the nuts, it was across a small section, tearing the metal clean off.

The scarcity of issues during stops suggests that, on the whole, the teams have a good handle on the design and procedures for a successful ending. And, with the equipment on and off the car covered by the homologation rules for 2021, any lessons Mercedes take away can only be applied to their hardware for next season.

After much speculation and intrigue, Valtteri Bottas confirmed that he would be leaving the MercedesAMG F1 team at the end of 2021

The delay cost him the Race and possibly the championship that year.

racefans.net

CARS ANIMATION FRANCHISE

by Atharva Jadhav

Every year at IIT Bombay Racing, we work together to build a race car and enter the Formula Student competition, competing against other teams worldwide. We design everything from scratch: from the internal mechanics to the sponsorships, over a hundred of us working in synchrony to make the best car we possibly can. It is tough, and there are times when the challenges overwhelm us when we just can’t crack that dream deal or reach the specification we want so badly. In these times, it is our love for cars and our desire to win that drives us. And if there is anything that most of us have in common as the originator of this love, it is the Cars movie franchise.

ranked number 1 at the box office, earning $60 million across 3985 theatres on its opening weekend.”

www.pixar.com

Who hasn’t watched Cars? The movie series has long made its way into our collective consciousness. And back in 2006, when Cars was first released, it became an instant hit. It ranked number 1 at the box office, earning $60 million across 3985 theatres on its opening weekend. It was popular enough that a sequel film was made, and then another: a rarity in the world of animated movies.

www.pixar.com

“Cars

townsfolk. He finds a romantic partner in Sally, the lawyer who had recommended that he gets assigned community service in the first place. And, of course, this is where we meet Mater, the lovable rusty pickup truck. The movie has a simple yet satisfying story arc with beautiful animation especially considering the lack of technology back in 2006.

characters

all came

different setting: this time, there is a separate villainous plot attached to the central race. Created five years after the first movie in 2011, it continues the story of Lightning McQueen, with Mater playing a much bigger role in the movie.

The first movie was made in 2006 when DVDs and CDs were still a thing, and downloading movies off the internet was a tedious process due to slow connection speeds. It is the movie that connected us to Lightning McQueen, the lovable, goofy red car who was to be the protagonist of our story. The story follows the growth of McQueen as he prepares for a tiebreaker race for the Piston Cup. In the beginning, McQueen is not very likable: sure, he is fast, reckless and confident, but he also looks down on others and has no concept of teamwork. His transformation begins when he lands in the dusty town of Radiator Springs, where he is assigned community service due to damage that he caused to a road. As he completes his service, he gets to know and befriends the local

Cars 2 brings back the

that we

to love in a

“It is the movie that connected us to Lightning McQueen, the lovable, goofy red car who was to be the protagonist of our story.”

“Cars 3 is the latest film in the franchise. Released in 2017, it redeemed the series after the abysmal reviews given to Cars 2.”

www.pixar.com

While enjoyable, the movie got mixed reviews, with viewers berating its confusing plot and weak storytelling. It is up till date the only Pixar film that has a ‘rotten’ classification on Rotten Tomatoes, having an approval rating of a mere 39%.

However, no matter what the critics say, the movie did spectacularly in the box office, a large part fuelled by the popularity of its predecessor. It has grossed over $500 million till date, with opening-weekend sales grossing to $109 million.

Cars 3 is the latest film in the franchise. Released in 2017, it redeemed the series after the abysmal reviews given to Cars 2. The story follows Lightning as he realises that he is no longer the most advanced car out there, with the newer-generation rookies being a serious threat to his position as #1. The story is a lot more emotional, showing how Lightning comes to terms with himself as he tries to improve his speed and stay at his number-one position.

While the storyline may leave some wanting, one thing that everyone agrees is that the animation used in the production of Cars was perfect. While animating the movie, the team at Pixar visited

“Cars is in talks for a fourth movie, but with no release date until now, it can be sure that it would be several years before we get Cars 4. ”

“While animating the movie, the team at Pixar visited various car manufacturers to find out exactly how a car moves.”

various car manufacturers to find out exactly how a car moves. The smooth animation and brilliant colours back in 2006 are testaments to the efforts the team went through while working on the movie.

Cars is in talks for a fourth movie, but with no release date until now, it can be sure that it would be several years before we get Cars 4. However, even without a fourth movie, Cars still outperformed several incredible movies and captured a place in the collective consciousness that very few movies manage to reach. It is one of those movies parents still show their baby kids while they grow up. Cars

will forever be the childhood classic that made us fall in love with cars, and in the end, this matters more than any reviews or critics do.

Ensuring that electric vehicles are sustainable is one of two key areas that will have the greatest influence on the automotive industry’s sustainability. The switch to electric vehicles would reduce the entire lifetime greenhouse (GHG) footprint for passenger vehicles by roughly 37% while reducing the operating footprint by 75% when fuelled by renewable sources.

The Circular Economy

Circular economy principles are being applied throughout the whole automotive value chain. The circular economy has the potential to boost the economy significantly and improve the sustainability of EVs. However, just 32% of the supply chains for automotive businesses now contribute to the circular economy.

Along with waste recycling and end-of-life disposal, it is among the top three projects in terms of its

influence on sustainability. The circular economy also addresses sustainability activities that span the entire value chain, from end-of-life disposal to product sustainability. For instance, creating a new engine using conventional methods, using remanufactured engines results in 73% to 87% fewer CO2 emissions; Waste recycling and simple returns for end-of-life disposal: With this method, 85% of a tire is reused, saving 30 kilograms of rubber, 20 kg of steel, and 60 kg of carbon dioxide each tire. Environmentally friendly sourcing of metals, minerals, and products helps reduce CO2 emissions significantly. This prevents a significant amount of rubbish from being dumped in landfills.

These companies, however, must overcome several challenges before they can fully achieve their sustainability potential and provide the advantages they promise. To be truly sustainable, electric vehicles must be powered by renewable energy sources. To extend their life and give them a second chance, EV batteries need a solid circular economy foundation. To reap the benefits of circular economy practices’ lower costs and better resource utilization, the automotive value chain as a whole needs to adopt more of them.

A comprehensive sustainability plan involving Mobility solutions, Decarbonization, Environmental and social standards in the supplier network, Circular economy, Employees and culture, Responsibility, and partnerships will ensure a sustainable future for the automotive industry.

“To be truly sustainable, electric vehicles must be powered by renewable energy sources.”

Highest Fine In Motorsport

by Harsitha Devaraj

The 2007 Formula One espionage controversy was a scandal that rocked the Formula One racing world. It was reported that confidential technical information had been passed between McLaren Ferrari and Renault F1 teams.

The Ferrari Formula One team made accusations of theft of technical information against Mike Coughlan- a senior engineer at McLaren, his wife Trudy Coughlan and Nigel Stepney- a former employee.

Nigel Stepney, along with Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne, were a part of Ferrari’s “dream team” in the late 1990s. Nigel Stepney was part of the team for 15 years, helping them capture five consecutive world championships from 2000 to 2004.

“Ferrari caught Stepney attempting to sabotage Ferrari’s F1 cars. Mechanics found powder around the refueling tank for the car to be driven at the Monaco Grand Prix.”

In February 2007, Stepney publicly stated he was unhappy with the team after Ross Brown’s Departure and was willing to join another team if the opportunity arose.

In May 2007, Ferrari caught Stepney attempting to sabotage Ferrari’s F1 cars. Mechanics found powder around the refueling tank for the car to be driven at the Monaco Grand Prix. They feared someone might have put something in the tank, and the police were called. Stepney was searched, and powder was found in his pockets, which turned out to be the same found around the refueling tank.

An F1 gas tank is an intricate, multichambered system designed to ensure that the car never runs out of fuel before its pit stop. If a powder were to be added into it, it would be disastrous. The police

then raided Stepney’s home and discovered yet more powder matching the residue found in the Ferrari refueling tank and Stepney’s pockets.

In early June 2007, Trudy Coughlan, with the 780 pages containing schematic drawings, technical reports, pictures, and financial information of Ferrari documentation, went to scan them on 2 CDs at a nearby photocopying shop. An employee who was an ardent F1 fan realised what the documents were about and searched Ferrari on google until he found the name and email address of the company’s Formula One sporting director, Stefano Domenicali. The employee asked for Trudy’s name and upon a search also found that she was the wife of Mike Coughlan, McLaurent’s senior engineer. He immediately sent an email to Domenicali informing him about this encounter.

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On 4 July 2007, McLaren publicly announced it had also conducted an investigation, and none of the team members had any of the information pertaining to Ferrari, nor had they incorporated it into their cars. The team also invited the FIA to check its cars and confirm the statement. Since it was revealed that Coughlan was involved in the scandal, McLaren provided a complete set of drawings and development documents to the FIA, detailing all updates made to the team’s chassis since the incident.

On 12 July 2007, the FIA announced it had summoned McLaren to an FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting to answer charges of breaching Article 151C of the International Sporting Code.

Ferrari filed a civil lawsuit, and Ferrari officials suspected the sabotaging of the car by Stepney was the lesser crime, and he might have been involved in the data leak. The police then raided Stepney’s home a second time and started analyzing Stepney’s laptop. Investigators discovered that he had printed out the soul of the 2007 Ferrari F1 car: 780 pages that constituted “technical documents for designing, engineering, building, checking, testing, developing, and running a Formula One racing car.” These included schematic drawings, technical reports, photographs, budget sheets, and planning materials.

Officials put two and two together and realised Stepney most likely leaked all of the information to McLaurent. On 3 July 2007, Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that Ferrari had completed an internal investigation which resulted in Stepney’s dismissal.

At the hearing on 26 July 2007, FIA found that Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes was indeed in possession of confidential Ferrari information. But there was no evidence that they had used the data, so they levied no punishment. However, the FIA reserved the right to reconvene if any evidence came to light.

On 5 September 2007, the FIA announced that it had received new evidence regarding the case and would reopen the investigation on 13 September. This new evidence was the driver’s emails sent to Bernie Ecclestone, F1’s commercial rights holder, who informed the FIA. The FIA reopened the case and requested the three McLaren drivers (Alonso, Hamilton, and de la Rosa) to provide relevant evidence and help in further investigation. In return, the FIA assured that they wouldn’t hold any proceedings against the driver personally under the International Sporting Code or the Formula One Regulations over the information they passed to them.

“McLaren publicly announced it had also conducted an investigation, and none of the team members had any of the information pertaining to Ferrari, nor had they incorporated it into their cars.”

Nigel Stepney Mike Coughlan

On 13 September, the FIA hearing imposed a penalty of exclusion and withdrawal of all points awarded to McLaren in all rounds of the 2007 Constructors’ Championship. A record fine of $100 million, and the team had to submit its 2008 chassis for inspection. However, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton’s points were not affected and were free to contest the Drivers’ Championship because of their cooperation in the investigation. The team was not banned and all drivers points earned only counted towards the driver’s championship points.

Nigel Stepney (left) and Jean Todt inside Scuderia Ferrari box at 2005 Italian Grand Prix

FIA Head- Max Mosely

SAFETY CAR

by Anirudh Kansal

Ardent

fans seek incredible speeds, and F1 delivers on it, but not at the cost of drivers’ safety. Introduced in the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix, the safety car or ‘pace car’ is a prominent precautionary measure taken by F1, limiting the speed of the vehicles in case of ‘an immediate hazard, but the conditions do not require the race to be interrupted,’ for example, bad weather, damaged barrier and obstructed race track. This directly affects the race as the drivers are forbidden from overtaking and must stay in position for this duration. Yes, it may ruin the odd race, but it achieves its purpose very well –keeping drivers safe.

F1 uses Mercedes (supplying since 1996) and Aston Martin (from 2021) for the safety car. The Mercedes F1 safety car is the AMG GT Black Series, while that of Aston Martin is Aston Martin Vantage. These cars have 4-litre V8 twin-turbo engines enabling them to achieve high speeds.

A slow safe car causes competitors to bunch up and disturb the ongoing flow of the race. An F1 car has an aerodynamic advantage over a safety car, which enables it to be faster at turns on the track. This brings us to a question: “Why isn’t the pace car an F1 car?”

This is due to two simple reasons: the pace car is packed with many electronic modules for communication, which would be nearly impossible to fit in a compact F1 car. The second reason is that using an F1 car as the pace car would have defeated its purpose in some sense because it would have been experiencing the same problems as the ones behind it, the cold tyres and the overheating engine.

In case of incidents not taking a long time to fix, say a car going out of the track, a virtual safety car is deployed instead of a physical one, following which

“The Mercedes F1 safety car is the AMG GT Black Series, while that of Aston Martin is Aston Martin Vantage.”

all FIA light panels display “VSC.” This signal also appears on the steering displays of the drivers. After this, the drivers are obliged to reduce their speeds by 30%, leading to penalization if not followed. Many drivers choose to pit during this period due to obvious reasons. Since all the cars are affected by this collectively, they do not bunch up, and thus, results do not deviate a lot from ‘what could have happened’ under the ideal circumstances, making it a better alternative to the on-track safety car whenever possible.

Both types of safety cars were deployed in the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (the physical one being deployed once and the virtual one being deployed four times), demonstrating this system’s reliability. The pace car rules keep getting amended as and when required, the latest change being due to the debated 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix safety car restart in the final lap. It was required that the race was to be restarted “at the end of the following lap” after the message was relayed that lapped cars can overtake, and this was done in the second last lap. Had this been followed, Hamilton, who was leading, would have finished in the first place, but the race director allowed the race to restart at the end of the second last lap itself, enabling Verstappen

to overtake Hamilton thanks to his fresh soft tyres, giving him his first Formula One World Drivers’ Championship victory. In the same race, however, not all lapped cars were allowed to overtake the pace car; only those between Hamilton and Verstappen were allowed to do so. Thus, the rule now states that on relevant signalling, “all” lapped cars must overtake the safety car and join the trail. Earlier, the article said that “any” lapped cars must overtake instead of “all.”

“If it matters, it produces controversy”- Though debated a lot, the safety car has become part and parcel of F1 and will continue to serve as a great protection measure in the race.

“The rule now states that on relevant signalling, “all” lapped cars must overtake the safety car and join the trail.”