July 2021
NO. 5
MILESTONE
1 year
Anniversary Edition
P. 14 CIRCUIT OVERVIEW LE MANS P. 18
FORMULA DRIFT P. 24
FLEXI WINGS
P. 10 “A LEGEND MARRED BY CONTROVERSY” ALAIN PROST
MILESTONE The IIT Bombay Racing Magazine
Editors-in-Chief
Content Creators & Editors
Jagadish A Nikita Dipali Nikhil Challapalli Yash Ganesh Mitkari Kshitij Sovanee Vikyath Vagolu Sahil Kumar Rishi Kanodia Sarthak Jain
Chief Designer
Sanat Prasad
Senior Designer
Limesh Verma
Design Team
Contact us Website: www.iitbracing.org Jagadish A - Editor-in-Chief +91 81043 06430 Email: marketing@iitbombayracing.org
Diganta Biswas Navdeep P Kumar Harshavardhan Patil Abhiram N S
Address IT Bombay Racing Department of Mechanical Engineering IIT Bombay Powai, Mumbai Maharashtra, India - 400076
CONTENTS ABOUT OUR TEAM
02
About Our Team
PER LA TIFOSI
04
When F1 Designers Lose Their Minds
10
Alain Prost: A Legend Marred
FROM THE PRESS ROOM
UNDER THE HOOD
by Controversy
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Circuit Overview - Le Mans
18
Formula Drift: The Olympic Skateboarding Equivalent
24
Flexi Wings: The Hot Gossip in F1 Town
28
F1 Safety: Not Playing with Fire
32
Data Analytics in F1: All about Lap Time
MILESTONE
ABOUT OUR TEAM W
ith an aim to revolutionize electric mobility in India while focusing on sustainable technologies, IIT Bombay Racing is India’s premier Formula Student Electric team. We engineer high performance 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 of 100+ highly enthusiastic undergraduate students from across all departments at IIT Bombay. We started with internal
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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. 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. 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
IIT BOMBAY RACING 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 fibre A-arms, a hybrid planetary gearbox and also incorporated regenerative braking. 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 fibre 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 ranked 4th overall at FSUK, and stood 1st in the Engineering Design event. We also won the Formula Bharat Design event. We have also been winning the Formula Student Award for having the best year-on-year growth for 6 consecutive years.
Among our sponsors, the most notable would be our own institute-IIT Bombay- which has always supported us in our endeavours. However, equally significant are our sponsors, NRB Bearings, Mahle, and Wipro 3D among others. This dream would never shape out into reality if it weren’t for their help. Starting out with no idea of what had to be done to succeed, but with the will to do whatever it took, we have come a long way and, along with the support of our sponsors, hope to achieve new frontiers in the electric vehicle domain, creating unmatched engineers in the process. One of the most revered teams in India today, we are continually striving with the same neversay-never attitude that we started with and are now capable of manufacturing carbon fibre parts entirely in house. We have designed and built 12 cars, with the 13th one on the way for the next competition.
This journey is made possible only through the support of our sponsors and Industry collaborations. With their help, the team conceptualised and 3D printed titanium wheel uprights. We also designed our battery management system and our in-house aero package happens to be an innovation to reckon with.
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MILESTONE
source: www.canepa.com
Nikhil Challapalli
WHEN F1 DESIGNERS LOSE THEIR MINDS
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t all began with the Tyrell P34 in 1976. It featured 4 small wheels in the front and 2 larger ones in the back. This helped reduce drag and provide a larger contact area for better grip. This proved to be pretty successful for Tyrell, with 1 win and 13 podiums in 1976 and 1977. This was later discarded for 1978. Williams and Ferrari caught up with the trend too, with their versions of the 6-wheeled monsters with 4 in the back but they ended up never racing. The FIA eventually banned the use of said extra wheels. Ferrari even went to the lengths of pretending to test an 8-wheeler just to put off their competitors!
source:4www.motorsport.com
“Williams and Ferrari caught up with the trend too, with their versions of the 6-wheeled monsters with 4 in the back but they ended up never racing.”
IIT BOMBAY RACING
source: www.nogripracing.com
“Ferrari even went to the lengths of pretending to test an 8-wheeler just to put off their competitors!”
‘Cool’ Cars! The concept of ‘fan car’ is an old one. It all started in 1978 when one Gordon Murray came up with the ingenious idea of having a fan to cool the engine and more importantly provide tons of downforce. Introduced in the 1978 Swedish grand prix, Niki Lauda drove to the victory by a margin of 30 seconds. No wonder the car was banned soon enough. Fast forward some 40 years and Gordon is back with the Gordon Murray automotive T.50, a car eerily resembling the Mclaren F1, with one small, albeit major difference - a fan at the back! While it certainly is an eyesore from a few angles, the level of downforce achieved is unheard of.
source: www.wikipedia.com
source: www.carmagazine.com
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MILESTONE
source: www.motorsport.com
The X-Factor
source: www.motorsport.com
source:6www.motorsport.com
It all started in 1997 when the guys at Tyrell weren’t happy with the amount of downforce they had. This resulted in the addition of crazy wing-like structures known as X-wings. These were estimated to be providing around 5% more downforce. With the recent rule changes of ‘98, these marginal edges proved to be quite substantial, evident from the fact that 4 other teams: Ferrari, Prost, Jordan and Sauber followed suit. While Tyrell had designed their cars with the x-wing in mind, meant to be used only on tracks that needed the extra downforce, most of the copycats had flimsy designs leading to a few safety concerns. As is with most of the crazy evolutions in F1, the FIA banned these soon enough.
source: www.motorsport.com
IIT BOMBAY RACING
Who needs a nose job? The March 711 had a front wing that can only be described as a ‘flat tea tray’. Or maybe a surfboard. What was probably the most aesthetically displeasing car turned out to be a decent car on track with Ronnie Peterson securing 5 podiums and second in the driver’s championship. source: www.pilotesanciens.blogspot.com
“...the most aesthetically displeasing car turned out to be a decent car on track with Ronnie Peterson securing 5 podiums...” source: www.ultimatecarpage.com
Is that a Halo!? This is the Eifelland type 21. The German team only raced in F1 for a year but surely turned some heads. The car featured a single rear-view mirror right in front of the driver. Looks like the inspiration for the modern-day halo. source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The German team only raced in F1 for a year but surely turned some heads.” source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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MILESTONE source: www.eurosport.com
The Era of Ugly Noses A slew of regulation changes in 2014 saw the introduction of rather long, thin noses from most of the teams. But the true winners were Caterham. It looked as if the nose of their car had been designed too
short and was extended later to meet the regulations. The Toro Rosso car came a close second with its thin, long protrusion.
“It looked as if the nose of their car had been designed too short and was extended later to meet the regulations.” source: www.motorsport.com
Straight out of a cartoon! The Liger JS5 is probably one of the most hilarious f1 cars of all time. It featured a humongous air intake that looked like a teapot. Despite its odd looks, Jacques Laffite managed to secure 3 podiums with it in 1976.
source: www.statsf1.com
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IIT BOMBAY RACING source: www.ultimatecarpage.com
How many wings is too many? The Arrows A22 was introduced at the 2001 Monaco Grand prix. It re-introduced an elevated front wing inspired by the 1968 Brabham B26. The design was significantly more complicated than it seems, with
the wing being significantly adjustable. As one can easily guess, it proved to be of significant risk to the drivers’ vision for the FIA to not let it race competitively.
The Cheese Grater The Ensign N179 in 1979 had its radiators built into the front of the car, resembling a cheese grater. Funnily enough, the car suffered from overheating and could only finish one race that season.
source: www.telegraph.co.uk
The Batmobile The compact nature of an F1 car often proves to be an issue when heating issues come up. In 1971, the guys at brabham came up with a rather interesting design with twin radiators mounted on the nose. The car was nicknamed ‘lobster claw’, rightfully so. Only after the car was built did they realize that it wasn’t after all so useful. source: www.pinterest.com
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MILESTONE
ALAIN PROST
Source: skysports.com
A legend marred by controversy by Yash Ganesh Mitkari
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t’s 1979. This 24-year-old French rookie has astonished everyone with his utter dominance in Formula 3, turning heads from top Formula 1 teams such as the likes of Brabham and McLaren. Approached by McLaren to drive in the U.S Grand Prix of 1979, he turned down the opportunity to race for the team! It was unbelievable that any racing driver would give up their chance to drive in Formula 1, let alone for one of the top top teams. Turns out he was clever enough to resist the temptation of big names, which might hamper his credibility by driving on an unknown track, in a car he’s not familiar with, just to see himself being discredited as a fluke who couldn’t show on the big stage. But as it would turn out, destiny had other plans for this driver. Given a second chance by McLaren team sponsor Marlboro to compete for the 1980 McLaren F1 seat against fellow U.S. racer Kevin Cogan at the Le Castellet circuit in France, he would outshine his competitor fair and square. To quote the then McLaren lead driver John Watson, “You didn’t have
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Source: vz.cnwimg.com
IIT BOMBAY RACING
“...his camaraderie/ rivalry with his teammate/rival Ayrton Senna is seen as one of the greatest F1 rivalries of all time.” to be a rocket scientist to see how good he was. The difference between him and Cogan was night and day.” This ‘him’ and ‘rookie’ I refer to here is the 4-time and the only French World Champion Alain Prost. His strategic tact, as illustrated above, is one of the many reasons why he was nicknamed ‘The Professor’. His sprawling 14-year career features all the spice you need in your life; class, conflict, controversy. In fact, his camaraderie/rivalry (depending on how and when you see it) with his teammate/rival Ayrton Senna was what defined Formula 1’s late 80’s and 90’s, and is seen as one of the greatest F1 rivalries of all time. Born on 24th February, 1955, at Saint Chamond in central France to André Prost and Marie-Rose Karatchian, young Alain was a ball of energy with a natural inclination for athletics, trying his hand at wrestling, roller-skating and football. Legend has it that if it weren’t for racing, he would have become a gym instructor or a professional football player. It was during a family holiday in South France that Prost, then 14, would discover kart racing, which soon became an obsession for him. Winning countless championships and even dropping out of school in 1974 to pursue racing full-time, working as a mechanic and a kart distributor to sustain his passion. He climbed up the ranks quickly to find himself in the radar of Formula 1 teams by 1979. Rookie Prost would astonish everyone by finishing at 6th place in his debut at the 1980 Argentine Grand Prix, being one of the very few drivers at that time to finish in the points on their debut. He finished his rookie season with 4 finishes within points. But several accidents, and what he alleged to be an
unstructured McLaren team, saw him breaking his two year contract with the team to join Renault. This wouldn’t be the only F1 team he’d leave with bitter relations. At Renault, he won his first Grand Prix on home turf. He came very close to his second victory two races later at the German Grand Prix. He started the race from his first ever pole position, but lost the lead to reigning champion Alan Jones. The fight for the lead that ensued between the two showed in Prost the qualities of a future World Champion, his calculated driving earning him the title of ‘The Professor.’ But all was not merry for Prost even at Renault. Constant allegations from the team for failing to win a championship and feuds with his French teammate Rene Arnoux saw him leave the team and once again return to McLaren.
Source: motorsportmagazine.com
Alain Prost (#15) vs Alan Jones (#1)
“This stint with McLaren defined Alain Prost as we know him today: a legend marred by controversy.” 11
MILESTONE
Source: axleaddict.com
Ayrton Senna (left) and Alain Prost (right) at McLaren In his years at McLaren, he won 3 titles, 30 races, twice the runner up, and set several records: in 1985 he became the first, and till date only French driver to win a World Championship, in 1986 he became the first driver in 28 years to win consecutive World Championships. It’s astonishing to note that the McLaren-Honda team pairing of Prost and Senna won 15 out of the 16 races in 1988, a testimony to both its drivers, as well as an early indication of the in-team rivalry that was soon to arise. Senna, the ‘student’, was fast, more so than the Professor, and so Prost had to use his strategic tact to beat him, starting the race conservatively and going all out in the end to compete with his teammate. This rivalry overshadows many others that Prost had, mainly with Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell.
led the race into the first corner. But details started to become hazy when Senna overtook him since he thought that he should be the race leader since he led the first start. Senna went on to win the Grand Prix and the rivalry had started taking shape. The peak of this rivalry came at the ‘89 Japanese Grand Prix, the penultimate race in the season, where Prost was leading Senna in a close championship fight. Prost led most of the race, but Senna started to catch him in the second half. On lap 46, running side-by-side into the final chicane, the two collided, taking Prost out of the race. Senna managed to resume after a push from the marshals. He went on to win the race, but was immediately disqualified for missing the chicane when they had crashed, allowing Prost to win the championship thanks to his existing lead. It was such a controversial moment that Prost immediately left McLaren to join Ferrari for the next season.
The relationship between the teammates began to sour at the 1989 Imola Grand Prix. When teammates are competing directly against each other for position, they usually have an agreement to decide which driver should lead. After qualifying in 1st and 2nd positions, the pair agreed that whosoever crossed the first corner ahead would lead the race. All was fine when Senna led the race at the initial start, but then the fiery accident of Gerhard Berger saw the session red-flagged and the race restarted. And this Prost and Senna’s infamous collision in 1989 time, Prost had a better start and
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Source: formula1.com
IIT BOMBAY RACING The roles at the Japanese Grand Prix of ‘90 reversed that of ‘89 when Prost was competing for the Championship against the leader Ayrton Senna. But as fate would have it, Senna would try to fit into a gap too small to pass, crashing both Senna and Prost into the gravel, only to garner him the Championship. For the coming year in 1991, Ferrari started falling off pace and Prost began to lose races. His relations with the team rapidly deteriorating, he would leave the Prancing Horse and take a sabbatical in ‘92, returning with the far more competitive Williams team in ‘93 to win another World Championship and register a total of 51 Grand Prix victories - the most by any driver at that time. The Senna-Prost rivalry would Prost’s Ferrari and Senna’s McLaren after the 1990 crash Source: f1-motor-und-sport.tumblr.com
take a sweet turn at the end when Senna, the winner of the ‘93 Australian Grand Prix, also Prost’s last, would call Prost, the runner up. up to the top step of the podium as a sign of honour and admiration. Senna would end up calling Prost later after the race as a testament to their repaired relationship. Prost, though, wouldn’t quit F1 altogether. He went on to commentating for the sport, and also buying the F1 team Ligier in 1997 (renaming it ‘Prost Grand Prix’), which he ran till 2001 when they were forced to close shop due to political and financial woes. He is, to this date, an integral part of the Renault Formula One team, giving his valuable advice to the French team. He would end his career with no regrets, as he says in his own words: “I could have won seven titles. There has been bad luck, there have been teams cheating, the scoring system has changed. But I have no regrets. What difference would it make in my life to have one more title?” An illustrious racing career spanning a decade and a half, a 4-time World Champion whose achievements got overshadowed by the controversies he found himself in, Alain Prost’s career is a testament to the highs and lows of Formula 1 life, and the struggle of remaining in the top. While we honour his racing legacy and the joy he has given us watching him, it only fits to end this article with his own words:
“I often tell myself one thing: I come from Saint-Chamond, a small town in the Loire, my parents had no money. I did everything on my own. I didn’t have a manager, I managed my own contracts. I was small with a crooked nose and curly hair. And I remain a four-time World Champion with 51 victories.”
Source: reddit.com/u/Omk4r123 13
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Source: www.pinterest.com/ Peter Dials
MILESTONE
IIT BOMBAY RACING
Le Mans: Circuit & Race Overview By Kshitij Sovanee
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n June 11, 1955, Hour 3 of 24 was on in Le Mans. On the Tribunes Straight, British driver Mike Hawthorn’s car cut into the pits, slowing down in front of Lance Macklin’s Austin Healey. Macklin was forced to make an evasive move away from Hawthorne and ended up pulling across the track, into the path of Pierre Lavegh’s faster Mercedes. The impact led to Lavegh’s car launching into the air, striking a retaining wall, and scattering the car components in the crowd. While Levegh was killed on the spot when he was thrown out of the car and crushed his skull, 84 spectators were killed by the resultant fire and flying parts. The race still continued. Later the race director justified his actions by stating that the move prevented a mass exodus of spectators and kept the public roads for responding ambulances open. Ruthless, isn’t it? Such is the world of endurance racing, and no better city to prove it than the hometown of endurance- Le Mans.
Source: www.carmagazine.co.uk 24 hours of Le Mans start This event represents one leg of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, the others two being the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. Unlike other fixeddistance races where the winner is ascertained by completing a pre-decided distance in minimum time, 24 Heures du Mans allows the driver to complete the maximum distance in 24 hours to claim the title. The challenge is further exacerbated because racing teams must balance the demands of
“The track has been intimidating for many drivers. So much so that the circuit has been modified more than 10 times since 1970.”
Le Mans city during scrutineering
Source: www.abbythetraveler.com
Le Mans is a city in northwestern France, on the Sarthe river, traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, and has been the host of the internationallyframed endurance sports car race- 24 Heures du Mans (the 24 Hours of Le Mans). Started in 1923, this event is considered to be one of the most prestigious races globally, and has been called the “Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency”.
speed with the cars’ capacity to run without mechanical failure for 24 straight hours. The race is organised by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and is held on the Circuit de la Sarthe every year.
The Circuit de la Sarthe, also called the Circuit de 24 Heures du Mans is a hybrid racetrack comprising both private and public sections (the latter of which might not always be maintained well), making it essential for race-cars to improve their reliability. Based on the current configuration, the length of the track is 13.626 km, making it one of the longest semi-permanent circuits in the world.
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MILESTONE Having talked a bit about the track, let us get a complete overview of the Le Mans circuit! The track is primarily a triangle with a broad layout as Le Mans-Mulsanne-Arnage-Le Mans. The initial track was very choppy- it included a lot of twists and turns, long stretches manoeuvred at high speeds ending in sudden braking- leading to the track being intimidating for many. So much so that the circuit has been modified more than 10 times since 1970! Prior to 1990, Le Mans was most famous for its 6 km long straight called Ligne Droite des Hunaudières or the Mulsanne Straight. This consisted of at least half the circuit length which cars spent at full throttle, leading to tyre and engine failures multiple times across the years. Following the FIA decree that straights cannot be longer than 2km, two chicanes were added to the Mulsanne Straight and the Dunlop chicane was tightened as well. Owing to costs and inconvenience caused due to the closure of public roads, many demanded the development of a dedicated, privately owned circuit for Le Mans. Thus in 1964, construction of a privately owned section of the circuit began, which would soon be called the Bugatti Circuit. This uses some part of the main Circuit de 24 Heures du Mans. Just after the Dunlop Tyres bridge and part way along the descent, the new Bugatti circuit turned right through a tight
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hairpin and ran parallel to the main course, back to the paddock village area. The Bugatti Circuit did not run well with the spectators or the drivers, with only a single Formula One event, the 1967 French Grand Prix being conducted there.
Source: www.fimewc.com Racestart at Le Mans in traditional style Bikers, however, took to the circuit more readily, and since then this circuit has been busy arranging a plethora of events like French Superbikes, its own 24 Hour races for bikes and trucks, a VW festival and the V de V Endurance Series. With the Bugatti Circuit becoming increasingly busy, a new circuit named Maison Blanche was opened in 1976. It is primarily used for testing and as a race school, and has never witnessed a professional event.
Source: www.activbike.net
IIT BOMBAY RACING Every June, the Circuit de la Sarthe witnesses one of the unique types of races in the world of motorsports, viz the 24 Heures du Mans. The race begins on a hot, sultry afternoon and ends the next afternoon at the same hour. Owing to the humidity, the drivers often face dire conditions, and rain is observed frequently. Racing teams face an arduous task managing the cars’ speed with fuel, tyres and braking materials. Sometimes, drivers have to race at top speed for over two hours before a relief driver can take over at a pitstop while the drivers eat and rest. According to the current mandate, each car must be shared between three drivers, switching places alternatively. Modern versions of this race have seen competitors covering distances over 5000 km, with the world record being 5410 km, all inside 24 hours!
“The 24 hours of Le Mans has seen competitors covering distances over 5000 km, with the world record being 5410 km, all inside 24 hours.” Each race typically consists of sixty competitors, and the cars are of two major “classes” - prototypes and Grand Tourers. Each car was initially necessitated to have two seats but recently the only requirement is the ability to accommodate the second seat in the cockpit. Owing to the class structure, modern versions of this race have prizes awarded to the winner of each class as well as the overall winner. The number of classes varied over the years, but as of now, there are four main divisions, namely: Le Mans Prototype-1, Le Mans Prototype-2, Grand Tourer Endurance Pro and Grand Tourer Endurance AM. As unique is the race, as unique are its rules. For instance, the ACO views safety very differently from F1 or NASCAR. Cars were required to run for the first hour of the race without refilling any fluids such as oil and/or coolant, with the exception of oil. This was an attempt at increasing reliability and efficiency of the cars that could not last the first hour risked disqualification. Another rule unique to Le Mans, is that cars must be switched off while being refuelled in the pits. Not only does it reduce the fire hazard, but also tests the durability of the car, since vehicles
Source: twitter.com/@PorscheRaces Pitstop during 24 hours of Le Mans with the guaranteed ability to restart multiple times under race conditions are difficult to make. While at the pitstop, mechanics are not allowed to work on the car except to help drivers get in or out. This has led to teams devising innovative strategies to decrease the time of these lengthy pit stops. Thus continues the legacy of endurance racing. Each year the start of the race is signified by a glorious air display featuring jets trailing blue, white and red smoke symbolising the French tricolor. Similarly, the end of the race is signified by the waving of white flags by the race marshals, congratulating the winners and other finishers. With its’ one-of-a-kind concept and immaculate execution, 24 Heures du Mans carries forward a vision to not focus on reliability over speed to not award the quickest but rather the meticulous one and to not focus on the result but the process. As the drivers take in the sylvan beauty of the province of Le Mans, they rush headlong towards the metaphoric Armageddon to decide the last man who is standing. And be assured, it’s not an easy one to win.
Source: www.businessinsider.in 24 hour of Le Mans start
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MILESTONE
FORMULA DRIFT The Olympic Skateboarding Equivalent in Motorsport
-By Vikhyath Vagolu
U
pon hearing the word drifting, the scenes that come to mind are souped-up cars with insane amounts of camber hooning around in empty parking lots. Well, it’s way more than that. It’s an art, a form of competitive driving that demands a lot from the driver. Intricate steering inputs and throttle control topped up with ridiculous g-forces go into what appears to be just a simple slide. The epitome of professional drifting is Formula Drift. It is an incredible competition where drivers can show their amazing skills to the world. Olympic Skateboarding Equivalent in motorsport? The Olympic Skateboarding event will make its debut in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The two events Formula Drift and Skateboarding are very similar in the aspects of the judging and scoring system. Participants are judged quite heavily based on their style. Points are awarded based on the tricks performed by skateboarders. Car control is what professional drifters are judged on during their runs. Both the sports are relatively new and hence have a similarity in this aspect as well.
“Drifting is a style of driving where the driver tries to maintain the car in a constant state of oversteer.” 18
www.wallpaperaccess.com
Drifting, a brief overview: Drifting is a style of driving where the driver tries to maintain the car in a constant state of oversteer. It requires a lot of skill as the car’s wheels are in oppositelock during the drift. Fine steering adjustments are done to keep the car from either spinning around or from losing the slide and regaining traction. In certain scenarios, drifting is the faster way around a turn. It can come in the clutch sometimes in motorsports such as Rally and Gymkhana. Drifting originated in the winding mountain roads of Japan where downhill drift battles were very common to see. The fastest way to go through a hairpin bend or a winding road was to drift through it. This
IIT BOMBAY RACING technique quickly gathered popularity and became a huge trend thanks to a lot of exposure to the drifting scene through various media forms. The iconic Initial D manga series played a major role in uplifting this driving style and presenting it to the world at large.
Upon being rejected by D1 Grand Prix to bring in events to the US, they started their competition, Formula Drift. The pro-drifting competition which was started in 2004 is still running strong today with millions of fans across the world.
“Formula Drift is a championship series played out at racetracks across North America.”
Formula Drift rounds: Formula Drift is a championship series played out at racetracks across North America. It has eight rounds and each round lasts typically for two days. The first day is practice and qualifying.
History of Formula Drift: The D1 Grand Prix series was introduced to cater to the budding drifting talent in Japan. Back in the United States, Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage were building careers in the Japanese automotive aftermarket. They felt a need to bring drifting culture to the Country.
“Formula drift cars are an incredible piece of technology. Each driver’s formula drift car is unique with respect to the body style, the engine, and the sponsors.”
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MILESTONE
“Each judge selects either driver as a winner or elects to run one more time if it’s too close.” The angle: Angle is how sideways the car is driven. If a driver drifts with too much angle, the car will lose speed. So it’s a tough balance between speed and angle.
www.drifting.com
Qualifying day In qualifying, drivers are judged based on a scoring system. Three judges score three different criteria. The line: Each course has an acceleration and deceleration map which the drivers must follow. Proximity to the walls is a very important factor in score determination. This is because it shows how much control over the car the driver has.
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www.teahub.io
The style: This is the X factor, and it’s tough to explain what makes a drift stylish but the formula drift score is based on initiation, fluidity, and commitment. The top 32 drivers are arranged into a bracket based on their score. The second day is race day. Competition day This is the day when drivers compete in head-to-head tandem battles based on the tournament bracket. These battles involve two runs where both drivers have the opportunity to lead and to chase. The responsibility of the lead driver is just what they did in qualifying, drift through the course with high speed,
www.wallpapercave.com
www.carthrottle.com
a lot of angles, and good style. The chasing driver has a much harder responsibility. He must closely follow the lead driver mimicking his every move matching speed, line, and angle maintaining proximity with him. The winner of each round is determined by the judges. Each judge selects either driver as a winner or elects to run one more time if it’s too close. The majority vote wins.
www.wallpapercave.com
www.wallpaperaccess.com
“They are recognized by their car liveries, so drivers put a lot of effort into them.” www.wallpapercave.com
MILESTONE The cars: Formula drift cars are an incredible piece of technology. Each driver’s formula drift car is unique with respect to the body style, the engine, and the sponsors. The competition allows the engines of cars to be swapped. This means a car can have the body of one manufacturer and the engine of another. Some ridiculous swaps have been performed to cars such as Adam LZ’s incredible Toyota 2JZ powered Nissan Silvia S15. If a driver is participating in the Manufacturer’s Cup, he must use an engine from the same manufacturer as the chassis. Front-wheel drive cars aren’t allowed in the championship, but all-wheel-drive cars converted to rear-wheel drive are allowed. The formula drift rules regarding cars are updated every edition to promote healthy and close competition. The Drivers: Drivers from around the world participate in this event showcasing their tremendous drifting talent. They are recognized by their car liveries, so drivers put a lot of effort into them. They have contracts
www.imgur.com
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“...there’s an opportunity to get up close and personal with the cars and drivers.” with sponsors and car manufacturers who help in maintaining their cars. Famous formula drift drivers include Fredric Aasbø, Ryan Tuerck, Vaughn Gittin Jr, Chelsea Denofa, and many more. These drivers are truly incredible at what they do. Vaugn Gittin Jr managed to drift around the legendary 12.9 miles of the Nurburgring circuit in his 900 horsepower Monster Energy Ford Mustang RTR. Conclusion Formula drift is an event not only for sitting on the
IIT BOMBAY RACING
www.autoweek.com
“This event has become a platform for many talented young drivers to venturing into an incredible driving art form.”
professional drifting. It was amazing to see talent being recognized on the big stage. Formula Drift has a YouTube channel where they live stream every round of Formula Drift which is awesome content for motorsport fans to sit back and enjoy.
stands and watching the action unfold, there’s an opportunity to get up close and personal with the cars and drivers. There’s also a car show in every round making the two-day event a very fun one to be a part of. This event helped in molding the drifting scene into what it is now. It has become a platform for many talented young drivers to venturing into an incredible driving art form. Personally, I have seen the growth of Adam LZ in his YouTube channel where he has documented his journey to the top in
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www.wallpapercave.com
MILESTONE
Flexi Wings:
The Hot Gossip in F1 Town -By Sahil Kumar
source: www.racingnews365.com
“The Red Bulls are really fast on the straights. They have this bendy wing on the back of their car which they put on today and they gained at least three-tenths from this wing”.
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his statement from world champion Lewis Hamilton in his post-race interview after this year’s Spanish GP was enough to bring up question marks over the now-controversial rear wing of the Red Bull cars. After the Spanish GP, videos were shared showing the Red Bull car’s rear wing when the car was going down the main straight. On the surface, it’s just a backwards-facing camera shot. But, if you looked closer, there were some very sneaky aerodynamic techniques being used. The thought is that they’ve been running a ‘flexi-wing’. That may have sounded like a dramatic intro, but so it should be as this ‘flexi-wing’ is something from the dark arts of F1. But now arises the question: what are these flexi-wings, and why do F1 teams want them? And what’s the controversy all about? How exactly are these flexi-wings bending the rules? (pun intended)
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source: www.racingnews365.com Lewis Hamilton’s comments on the “bendy wing” at the rear of the Red Bulls raised questions
“The truth is that all teams would dearly love to have infinitely flexing wings on their F1 cars...” Flexi-wings, as the name suggests, are wings that flex in plain language. Strictly speaking, all wings flex as it’s impossible to achieve infinite stiffness, but some do so more than others. Now why F1 teams try to employ them is to reduce the drag caused by these wings. At speed, the front and rear wings produce more drag as the velocity of the car increases. As the speed increases, the force pulling the car back increases exponentially. This, of course, is not ideal for the car in terms of trying to gain maximum speed and reduce the drag as much as possible. Less drag simply means the car is more slippery on the straights
IIT BOMBAY RACING and can get a higher top speed. In Formula 1 terms, this is usually manifested in a tilting action. By tilting the wing back at speed, this can reduce its overall frontal area, and perhaps its drag coefficient entirely. And this is obviously something any team would want to do. The truth is that all teams would dearly love to have infinitely flexing wings on their F1 cars, as the front and rear wings could theoretically straighten out and colossally reduce drag on the fastest sections of a circuit. But under grounds of safety, they simply cannot do so.
“The study of aerodynamics in F1 is often considered as ‘aerospace, but turn it upside-down” But why? Why are flexi-wings discouraged under safety grounds? Now here’s the thing. The study of aerodynamics in F1 is often considered as ‘aerospace, but turn it upside-down’. Because many of the same principles exist between the two fields, they share many of the same problems. One of them being, that of the wings. Aeroplane wings flex very slightly because the structure must be a trade-off between rigidity and weight. Materials with a high torsional strength are often heavy, and the same holds for an F1 car. F1 cars’ wings today are produced from carbon fibre, and often use a lowdensity core to provide further rigidity – so they’re still light and rigid. But the same is true that the more weight you add, the more rigid it becomes. And hence, the tradeoff.
source: www.sportplatforms.com
But if a wing is too light, then it’s likely to lose strength. Under load, this means the wing could break – be it through contact with another car or through effects developed by aeroelasticity. And this is where the safety concerns of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the body that governs Formula One, come into the picture. If the car wing flutters, this means it produces a very unpredictable level of downforce, which can fluctuate between extreme values. If a driver is piloting a car with such unpredictability, there will undoubtedly be instances where they have a very low level of downforce in braking for a corner. Naturally, that can result in a particularly nasty crash if they cannot get the car stopped in time.
source: www.gpblog.com After all, 0mph is different to 180mph
“a flexi-wing is illegal because it moves under aerodynamic influence, which isn’t allowed” There are rules and tests in place keeping these concerns in mind. To put it into a little perspective, Article 3.8 of the F1 Technical Regulations, titled “Aerodynamic Influence”, says: “Bodywork must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom).” This means that the only outside influence on the movement for the bodywork should come from the suspension, not from the aerodynamics. So a flexi-wing is illegal because it moves under aerodynamic influence, which isn’t allowed.
The so-called ‘flexi-wing’ of the Red Bull cars
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MILESTONE This has been the case for years. The FIA has set tests to make sure that wings aren’t flexible, and these are carried out prior to the race weekend, which means they all take place when the car is stationary. The teams know this and have been making the cars legal for the tests with the flexibility only actually happening on track, i.e. during the race. After all, 0mph is different to 180mph. Any vehicle that goes from stationary to 180mph and generates downforce to give it grip with aero parts will always have bodywork that moves just that little bit, and teams try and use this fact to their advantage to gain those extra few milliseconds while on track. While the regulations outlaw flexing bodywork, the fact that everything has to move to an extent because of load variation means there is always a way to try to gain an advantage.
Barcelona, the FIA reminded them that they could increase the loads by 1.5 times the stated amount as a warning for all. It’s also emerged that the FIA will introduce more stringent load and pullback tests very soon (for example, doubling the weight in the push-back and pull-down tests), as well as using on-board cameras to monitor for excessive deflection and this latest clarification of the rules shows that the battle to keep this in check is still going on. The FIA did not suggest any particular team was at fault, but did say the new tests were as a result of them becoming aware of some cases whereby rear wing designs comply with requirements but nonetheless exhibit excessive deflections while the car is in motion.
“...the FIA reminded them that they could increase the loads by 1.5 times the stated amount as a warning.” Deflection testing of wings and other bodywork has been around for a long time in Formula 1. The tests used are pull-back and push-down tests. They apply a horizontal and vertical load to test the rigidity of the wing. But in response to the recent controversy surrounding the ‘flexi-wings’ of teams such as Red Bull, Alpine, Alfa Romeo, in a letter to all teams after
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source: www.racingnews365.com
source: www.racefans.net
Some teams will have to change their rear wings as a result of the latest directive from the FIA.
IIT BOMBAY RACING
source: www.scuderiafans.com As a result of these recent directives, several teams on the grid such as Red Bull, Alfa Romeo and even Ferrari will have to make changes to their rear wing. And because of that, some say they need time to do that, which is why they are supportive of the delay in enforcing the new tests. In the words of Red Bullteam boss Christian Horner, “ “You can’t expect parts just to magick up overnight with the costs that are incurred with that. The car complies with the regulations that have been there for the last 18 months or so with these load tests and then the test or the regulation has been changed or the test has been changed and there has to be a notice period for that.” And of course, there are some teams on the grid that are unhappy with the current scenario, as is McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl who remarked, “They’ve had the advantage already for several races, which we are obviously not happy with. But now, allowing them to have a further advantage for some more races is clearly something we strongly disagree with and where we are in conversation with the FIA.”
source: www.formula1.com Some teams want the rules immediately applied to stop any potential advantage being gained by rivals From a neutral perspective, both sides can be seen as correct in their own rights, but on the overview what is fascinating is just how such a minute detail as that of a little bending of a wing could create such a huge difference at the end of the day. It all seems a bit dodgy and political, to be honest, and it sounds like we’re not alone in feeling this way. The topic is probably going to rumble on for some time. Only time shall tell how things pan out.
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MILESTONE
F1 Safety:
Not Playing with Fire By Nikita Dipali & Jagadish A
Source: Thesportsrush.com
F
ormula racing is undoubtedly one of the most adrenaline-pumping sports ever, period. It is a statement to the heights of mastery of automobile engineering that humans have achieved while also showcasing sportsmanship alongside our competitive nature. But with great (horse) power comes the great danger of an accident. Back in 1950, safety in F1 was whatever you felt. There was no mandated attire. You could find fits that range from cloth helmets and double goggles to trousers and shirts. In 2021, F1 drivers are outfitted with enough gear to make them feel like astronauts before climbing into the cockpit (again, with good reason). The visceral memories of the fireball that engulfed Romain Grosjean at the Bahrain GP still
Source:28 Motorionline.com
haunts us. If it weren’t for the seemingly overbearing safety restrictions, the fastest medical response team on Earth and fire protective racing gear, Grosjean’s tour would’ve been tragic. But why does the best feat of engineering on the planet need to consider the carnage case at all? No matter how advanced we make our braking systems, they will always need time and distance to actuate effectively. In cases of sudden unplanned braking (i.e. an accident), all possible scenarios need to be considered. We cannot control if accidents happen, so we choose to reduce the losses to property and life caused by these accidents. Ironically, it is these accidents that gave rise to the strict codex that is the F1 rulebook.
Source: Pinterest.com
IIT BOMBAY RACING Rindt’s encounter at 1970 Monza gave rise to the 6-point seat belt rule, which turned the seat belts of ye olde times into the same harnesses that military pilots employ. The incident at Imola in 1994 that claimed both Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger gave rise to the HANS system that has saved the lives of countless drivers. The HANS system or the Head And Neck Support system is a U-shaped head restraint that reduces the likelihood and severity of head or neck injuries. Attached ONLY to the helmet,
“Ironically, Grosjean was one of the many drivers who didn’t welcome the Halo in the beginning, but he has since changed his opinion as he owes the rest of his driving career to the thoughtful standards set by the FIA.”
Source: Makformula1.blogspot.com HANS device
Source: Formulaoneinsights.com 6 point safety harness
it goes hand-in-hand with the 6-point harness. The purpose of the HANS system is to prevent the driver’s head from whipping or excessive rotational motion without otherwise stifling neck movement. It also allows the impulse to transfer from the head-neck region to the more robust torso/chest regions of the body. In short, drivers can still turn around within the normal range of their necks but protected against jerks. It is necessary to use a strong but lightweight material to avoid abnormal load on the driver’s shoulders. Carbon fibre reinforced polymer or CFRP is an obvious choice as its light has high rigidity and low conductivity (thermal and electric).
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MILESTONE 1972: The six-point seat belt becomes compulsory to prevent drivers from being thrown out of the car in the event of a rollover
1981: The carbon fibre monocoque becomes established and is extended to include the foot area.
1975: Fireproof clothing made compulsory
1985: The first crash tests for the front section of the racing car find their way into the regulations. Over the years, the rules are further tightened and extended to other components.
1991: Tests for roll bars, seat belts and survival cell.
1994: After the death of Ayrton Senna, who crashed at Imola, 27 corners on various circuits are defused during the current season.
1992: For the first time, the use of the Safety Car is precisely regulated. Previously it had only been used sporadically.
1994: No more racing speed in the pit lane. Only 80 km/h are allowed in practice, 120 km/h in the race. 1997: From now on, every car must have an accident data recorder on board. In addition, the rear end must now also withstand impact tests.
1999: To prevent tyres from becoming a deadly projectile in accidents, they must be secured to the cockpit by means of tethers.
2001: The cockpit walls are raised.
2006: Tecpro barriers are experimented with for the first time as trackside barriers. The plastic blocks absorb 40% more energy than conventional tyre piles.
2003: The Head-and-Neck Support System (HANS) is introduced; it stabilises and protects the driver’s head and neck in the event of an accident.
2011: Helmets must now have a Zylon band over the visor to protect riders from flying parts.
2015: Complete chassis with Zylon protection, a bulletproof material.
2018: Halo cockpit protection becomes compulsory, three instead of two Kevlar retaining ropes on the tyres.
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2016: Virtual SafetyCar phase is introduced after Jules Bianchi’s fatal crash with an excavator at Suzuka.
IIT BOMBAY RACING Hidden away in the suspension system, tyre tethers are the silent heroes protecting tracks from tyres flying away at 150 km/h on accidental impact. Inspired by Spa Francorchamps’ 13 car pile-up on track in 1998, this safety mandate ensures the tyres remain connected to the car in all circumstances. Even this proved insufficient within 2 years of introduction after the Monza in 2000 and Melbourne in 2001. In the modern-day, F1 cars have three tethers per tyre which are made of Zylon. Though lightweight and incredibly strong, the properties of these Zylon tethers deteriorate with exposure to UV light. Thus they are carefully wrapped in opaque tape and hidden away in the suspension systems of the car and aren’t often visible during live races - unless you account for the repeated tyre breaking off 2018 season featuring Max Verstappen.
Made compulsory in 2018, the Halo cockpit protection wasn’t initially well-received and unlike the other inconspicuous safety features like valves, safety cells and fuel connections - it asserted itself pretty visually. With discourse centred around its aesthetics instead of safety assurance in its early days, Halo became controversial. Today, its safety contribution is no longer overlooked as it played a crucial role in both shielding Grosjean (2020 Bahrain GP) from the impact debris and aiding him in a faster escape out of the quickly combusting cockpit. Ironically, Grosjean was one of the many drivers who didn’t welcome the Halo in the beginning, but he has since changed his opinion as he owes the rest of his driving career to the thoughtful standards set by the FIA.
Source: Youtube.com/formula1 Halo Source: Twitter.com/autosport
Zylon in fact, appears in yet another safety feature - the visor. Zylon fibre band over the traditional visor was introduced in 2011 after Felipe Massa’s 2009 encounter in the Hungarian GP with a loose spring ejected from another car. Today, the complete chassis is protected using Zylon which in the form of a coating is near bulletproof.
With the introduction of Virtual Safety Car, Formula1 can limit lap times when their officials feel an incident could be cleared relatively quickly but workers, marshals or recovery vehicles need to be deployed on track to return it to safe racing condition.With instant deployability, ability to maintain car gaps and flexibility in its deactivation timings, Virtual Safety Car holds its water. Given that its core principle is penalising drivers for being faster than the Virtual Safety Car lap times, it enables the race to slow down to 70 percent of its initial speed immediately.
Source: Motor1.com
Even though formula racing’s primary aim is to push the human boundaries on speed, engineering, optimisation, teamwork and countless other aspects - safety is the highest priority. While it is unfortunate that these accidents had to ever happen in the first place, the human spirit of perseverance and adaptability helps us be better and build a healthier racing environment for our beloved gearbox gladiators.
Tyre tethers keeping the wheels intact after crash
Zylon strip on a helmet visor
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MILESTONE
DATA ANALYTICS IN F1: All about Lap Time
-Rishi Kanodia and Sarthak Jain
Information
F
ormula One is a technically demanding sport. There are only six days of pre-season testing, and each race weekend comes with only four hours of practice. That’s why Formula One teams rely on gathering data in the virtual world more than ever before – and a big part of that work is simulation. Fifty years back, things used to be difficult. The lack of coherence between the driver and his engineer added to strategy and decision-making going haywire. However, the world has changed tremendously in the last 50 years. Technological advancements
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have opened new doors for us. Adapting to newer technologies has become significant in recent decades. With the competition being furious in Formula 1, newer technologies have been adapted. With advancements in computer technology, teams have started to record real-time data to understand driver’s feedback and zero down to finer tunings. According to an article in Forbes 2014 - “Race teams at the U.S. Grand Prix collected more than 243 terabytes of data earlier this month according to AT&T, a few terabytes more data than there are in the Library of Congress.”
IIT BOMBAY RACING
www.datanami.com www.redbullcontentpool.com
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MILESTONE
History
The importance of graphical representation and storage of data was realized much earlier. In 1978, Ken Tyrrell hired American physicist, Dr. Karl Kempf to rig the team’s cars up to a bunch of sensors and recorded as much data as possible: speed, suspension movements, directional forces, throttle, braking, and more. This was when Telemetry was introduced to F1.
“In 1991, McLaren was the first F1 team to harness telemetry – the transmission of data from distant sensors or instruments.” McLaren used its system for the wireless transfer of data between the car and pits while the car was out on the circuit, and developed it in conjunction with TAG Electronics. All the teams started to recruit computer experts, rapidly converting data into some readable analysis. What was earlier a gut feel of an experienced strategist, now came down to optimization by race engineers crunching some data. In 1992, FAI allowed bi-directional transmission of data - from car to the pit as well pit to the car! The technology helped teams to remotely adjust variables on their car. McLaren led the way in this pits-to-car telemetry with its MP4/8 in 1993, and the outgoing stream of data would be fired at the car by a laser on the start/finish straight. For 1994, though, the FIA banned car-to-pit telemetry as part of its campaign to reduce the number of driver aids. But in 2002, the window opened again for a year, with FIA banning it again in 2003.
At this point, there isn’t anything that you can’t monitor when it comes to collecting telemetry. Today’s F1 cars are fitted with around 150+ sensors that can take as many as 100 readings per second and gather 1 Mb of data per lap & more. If a part of the car does a thing, that thing can be quantified with data, then analyzed to perfect it. There’s a comprehensive list at Fi.com, but these are some of the basics: Speed of the car, Wheel speed for each wheel, Understeer and oversteer, Steering angle, Acceleration, Braking, both front and back, Gear selection, Brake Balance, Engine revs, Tire pressure for each tire, including puncture warnings, Whether or not DRS is enabled, Engine mode, Torque, Fuel, Delta to the last lap, Centrifugal forces, Clutch position, Downforce, Hydraulic pressure, Oil pressure, Engine temperature, Transmission, Exhaust. It revolutionized the sport. Aspects such as planning strategies, simulating the lap time found concrete support for technology. The data complemented the end-minute decision-making - for example, compounding it to analyze tire wear. An engineer now had a quantitative idea about why the driver’s suggestion for a pit stop makes sense.
How is the data interpreted? The type and amount of real-time data are limited by the control unit that is common for all teams. The majority of the data is only transferred from the car to the engineers when the car comes into the pits either through a very fast wireless connection or with the so-called umbilical cord. f1i.com
Formulaoneinsights.com
Karl Kempf studies the data logging equipment
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Sebastian Vettel
IIT BOMBAY RACING
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MILESTONE During every GP broadcast, we see the drivers sat in the car in the pits, reviewing printouts of the telemetry from previous laps. All of the driver’s inputs into controlling the car are present and organized in a specific manner that allows them to quickly identify where on track they are gaining or losing time relative to a datum. For example, a driver may be able to quickly identify a specific portion of the track containing a comparative loss of lap time and easily identify that they are braking 10 meters too early into a corner compared to a teammate. Using them to understand the car and how to extract better lap times from it.
scarbsf1.wordpress.com
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There are some basic rules: • The graph often represents one lap around a track (that’s the x-axis). • Sectors and turns can thus be mapped onto the graph, enabling you to tell what the car is doing very specifically throughout the lap. • Each line on the graph has its scale, available on the y-axis. This particular type of display is referred to as a “waveform.” A waveform display presents data relative to time or distance as the domain of the plot. The blue car is the primary datum in this comparison
IIT BOMBAY RACING “The software - ‘ATLAS’ (Advanced Telemetry Linked Acquisition System, developed by McLaren Electronic Systems (MES)) is mandated by FIA for this purpose.”
Telemetry sheets, monaco
and the red car is referenced relative to the blue car. Just for the sake of the analysis, let’s call them the blue and red cars. First of all, let’s start with the X-axis - it represents one lap of the Monaco circuit and the unit is meters. The Y-axis contains various scales of different ‘legends’. These parameters from top to bottom, include throttle pedal position (rThrottlePedal), speed (vCar), DRS(positive for activated), KERS(energy discharge/ recovery system), Differential Demand(Mdiff Demand), the rotational angle of the steering wheel(rSteeringWheel) - right turn being positive, gear position (NGear), Brake Pressure (pBrakeR). The only blue line (Tdiff) with decreasing magnitude throughout the plot sums up how the driver loses time concerning the reference driver. In the above example, Tdiff equals 1.650 seconds, meaning the red driver was this slower in the given lap. The analysis is taken from one of the blogs of Brian Jee, an Ex-Race Engine builder/ specialist. Let’s look at turn 1-2 from this lap of Circuit de Monaco. Firstly, we can see the late throttle response by the red driver. It shows his late corner exit. This led to a slow speed corner and losing tonnes of lap-time compared to the reference. scarbsf1.wordpress.com
Blue’s success early in the corner allowed him to return to throttle earlier and activate both DRS and KERS earlier.
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MILESTONE “Slamming on brakes 20 meters earlier cost red increased cornering time.” Further, it can be observed how red achieves the minima of Differential demand each time, surrendering to open differential and less utilization of torque and friction variation on inner and outer tires. He compensated for this by a delayed and greater Steering input.
scarbsf1.wordpress.com
scarbsf1.wordpress.com Snap oversteer is visible in the exit points when he has to give negative steering inputs to balance the steep throttle input he goes for. These are the most easily spottable points in the waveform. Look out for each of them. A smooth and continuous entry and exit from the corner adds elegance to the driving.
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Further differences can be observed in the downshifting of gear. One of the most fantastic observations is how blue doesn't expose his tires to high amounts of braking torque for a prolonged period. A wobbly tire with a flat spot makes you pit stop early and drive the podium further away.
IIT BOMBAY RACING
scarbsf1.wordpress.com
When analyzing data, it is important to remember not to perceive or analyze it as if it was repeatable laboratory data. Racecar data analysis is much more complicated than that. Beyond the mechanical variances of the car and environmental discontinuities of the track, the driver is a human being who adapts, makes mistakes, and never drives a lap the same as a previous one. For example, if a driver complains of corner entry understeer, it won’t be evident in the data because they would have adapted through driving or adjusting available settings. Properly configured data never lies, but it is only truly a useful tool when combined with discussions with the driver and fundamental engineering knowledge.
“This is a snapshot of the Monaco Grand Prix 2021. Comparisons were made for performance evaluation between Leclerc and Hamilton in FP2.”
www.formulapassion.it
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MILESTONE After studying the analysis, it should now be easy to understand what these lines represent.
car reacts when small changes are applied to it using computers.
This was about the driver’s performance. Data analytics is used for making the car track-ready as well. One of the mercedesamgf1 articles reads: “Tyres are a key performance factor in Formula One, so understanding them is crucial. During Friday practice, the team will fit an optical, infra-red tire monitoring system onto the car to get a comprehensive picture of how different tires are working and understand their respective single-lap and race performance.”
“Lap time simulators are effective since it helps develop an entire strategy of racing beforehand by analyzing the best possible way to win the race in the least likely time.”
LTS - Hot or Not? Lap time simulation is defined as a simulation that can hone in on the optimum setup of a vehicle platform analytically, generating virtual data on its response to input measured in the same manner as physical chassis sensors. Certain simulation models are built, and the specifics of the cars are tested virtually. The efficiencies and inefficiencies are taken into consideration on the vehicle physically. The two main types of simulations that F1 teams use are the Driver in Loop and Computer Simulation. The former effectively is a virtual test track, where the car and the tracks are modeled in incredible detail. Latter is essentially a detailed study of how a
While building a simulation model for any race, some physical aspects are to be taken into consideration. To name some -the racecourse on which the car will perform, the tires that are to be used, pitstops were taken, fuel to be carried, top speed, efficacies of the breaks, suspensions, and steering angle. There are several ways of simulating a lap time of sorts. Inspirations have been taken from Reinforcement Learning where each upgrade in the position, with respect to the start, is treated as a reward. States and actions of the car can be explored using Monte Carlo Simulations, but newer and better algorithms have been developed. We would suggest an article on towardsdatascience that builds into the details. www.formula1.com
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IIT BOMBAY RACING
Conclusion In 2017, Mercedes started using a system of two high-tech wireless technologies - 5 GHz 802.11ac and Multi-gigabit 802.11ad Wi-Fi technology, which operates in the millimeter-wave 60 GHz band. This technology is not a standalone Formula One product though. Qualcomm has developed it for the consumer market and used F1 as a high-speed R&D environment, putting their product to the ultimate Formula One is no more just about the physical race, it has made the technology and automobile giants deliver their best refinements and advancements over the century. We didn’t even mention the efforts that go about maintaining transferable servers that the teams use in literally different environments. Nowadays, the sheer amount of data that needs to be
processed locally on the car or sent to the garage make F1 cars a particularly interesting test environment for Autonomous driving.
“Formula One teams today are very datadriven organizations. F1 teams invest heavily in areas like data analysis, data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.”
www.mercedesamgf1.com
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