2021 Formula 1 Thread

[DLSTR]

The secrets of preparing for a new F1 circuit
Autosport Plus
Formula 1 Special feature
The secrets of preparing for a new F1 circuit
By:
GP Racing
Oct 29, 2021, 7:07 AM
No Formula 1 team arrives at a ‘new’ circuit entirely unfamiliar with it. As PAT SYMONDS explains, simulation and artificial intelligence does the hard work even before the driver takes their turn

The 2020 and 2021 seasons will be remembered for many things, including the significant disruption caused by a calendar that often shifted in response to an ever-changing pandemic. While nothing good came out of the global crisis, F1 fans were at least able to enjoy their sport and see some variety compared with the formulaic calendars of the previous few years.

Imola and Istanbul were reintroduced in 2020, while F1 raced at Mugello and Portimao for the first time. This season, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Losail in Qatar have been added, as well as returning again to Imola, Zandvoort, Istanbul and Portimao to help achieve a 22-race championship.

One might argue that Imola and Istanbul are not new to F1, and cars have tested at Mugello and Portimao in recent years, but while historic data provides an indication of what may be expected of a track, cars and the tyres have changed so much in the intervening period that much of the data is comparative and anecdotal, not quantitative.

So how does a team go about preparing for a new circuits? The answer, of course, lies in simulation – but the initial work will not be done on a simulator, it will be done on a computer with a ‘virtual’ driver so that set-ups and driving lines can be optimised without the initial distraction of subjectivity.

In order to start this simulation, the standard car model will be used, generally with a known set-up that might have been used at another circuit with similar corner speeds and lengths of straights. This will provide a good starting point for the iterations that are needed to get close to an ideal set-up. The car model itself will be extremely sophisticated. Such is the computing power available these days, that is no problem. The first lap time simulation I used was in 1986 and, although it only optimised about five different aero levels and the gear ratios, it took all night to run. Today the simulation will analyse a lap in much less time than it takes to drive it.

This first simulation sweep will still concentrate on wing levels to get the right compromise between downforce and drag, but will now be able to adjust all the other settings on the car – such as rideheights and spring stiffnesses – to obtain an optimum. Unlike our early simulations, which always drove the car over a racing line that the engineer would determine by eye, these days the minimum lap time algorithms will seek the ideal racing line for each different set-up to ensure maximum performance.

Of course a good car model and an ‘artificial intelligence’ driver are of no use if we can’t accurately describe the track itself, and in these early runs we may not have particularly sophisticated track information. For a new circuit, the first information the teams will get is a 2D architectural map which they then have to digitise, converting the track limits to X-Y coordinates over the entire area. This early map may or may not have elevation information as well – often this comes in a later version. As the map will generally be based on what the architect intends for the circuit, long before it is actually built, it certainly won’t have all the details of the kerbs so the simulation will generally assume the car stays entirely within track limits.


The first stage of the investigation will generally look at a multi-factor optimisation. For this, the engineer will set certain bounds of a number of parameters that can be altered. For example, they may set the front rideheight to be investigated between 15mm and 20mm, the front roll stiffness between 1 and 1.2 Newton meters per radian, and the downforce to be in the entire range the wings designed for the car can obtain.

It would not be unusual to allow nine or 10 set-up parameters to be investigated this way. The simulation then automatically runs many combinations of the variables and presents the results in a specific type of diagram (below), where each of the input parameters is displayed in multiple axes alongside the output parameters such as lap time, maximum speed and end of straight rideheights. At first sight this might look like a spider's web, but a little inspection shows the trade-offs between lap time and end of straight speed, to name but two.



From this, a basic set-up is adopted and it’s time to move to the full simulator. This is sometimes known as the ‘driver-in-the-loop’ simulator, as the inputs and line seeking algorithms of the first simulations are replaced by a driver using visual and vestibular feedback to drive the car. At this stage a lot more detail is needed, and lidar scans of the circuit are used to give photo-realistic scenery and track markings. This adds a lot to the computing power needed, as does simulating the engine and transmission dynamic responses – which will be done by a control unit identical to that used in the real car.

The driver now works with the engineer to hone the set-up to his or her liking. Lap time is the ultimate goal, but using the same data analysis tools as they would use trackside, the engineering team will also examine factors such as stability, tyre energies and even, if the scenery detail is good enough, practice the pit entry for faster pitstops.

Simulation is a double-edged sword. Teams love it as they strive for perfection in a controlled environment, but that reduces jeopardy, which in turn reduces the appeal for spectators. However, the genie is out of the bottle. Simulations will only become more sophisticated in the years to come.

[axmea?]

Hey Y'all! Been while. What can I say, COTA was awesome! What a FANTASTIC race weekend.

Brought my 15-30mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8, and 200-500 5.6

Warning: Lot's of pics on the way. Hope you enjoy them. And please, let me know what you think about these shots.


[IMG]_8504062-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]_8505790-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]

_8505826-1 by Raf, on Flickr

[IMG]_8504038-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]

[ZontheRocks]

Great pictures!

Definitely looks like an awesome event and I hope to attend someday soon.

By the looks of Austin (and the celebrity show out), Miami is going to be nuts!

[axmea?]

Max


[IMG]_8507110-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8504591-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8506792 (2) by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]




Checo



[IMG]_8507019 (2) by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8506877-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8507018-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]





Red Bull Garage



[IMG]_8505937-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8506063-1-2 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8506067-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8506071-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8506078-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



Practice at the pit


[IMG]_8506196-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


Front left held them back a little bit.

[IMG]_8506553-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]

[JARblue]

Great photos, Raf

[abm89]

That's a killer lens you have there. Whenever i'm done spending a ton of money on car hobbies, I'll pick up a few more lenses for my camera.

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/ne...wolff/6740483/

New manufacturers shouldn’t get free pass to win, says Wolff
By:
Jonathan Noble
Nov 3, 2021, 5:28 AM
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says new manufacturers should not be given a free pass to guaranteed success in Formula 1 as talks continue about future engine rules.
New manufacturers shouldn’t get free pass to win, says Wolff

F1 chiefs and the FIA are in detailed discussions with grand prix racing’s current manufacturers about new power unit regulations from 2026.

While the sport plans to keep the turbo hybrid concept, it is likely that the complicated and expensive MGU-H will be abandoned to prevent it acting as a deterrent to new entrants.

But while the Volkswagen Group is favourite to make the jump in to F1, there still remain some outstanding issues that divide the current car makers and those outside.

As previously reported, Porsche, part of the Volkswagen Group has stated that factors required for the manufacturer to join F1 are "coming true", but it cannot "wait too long" to make its final decision.

The idea of giving new entrants a helping hand by not being restricted in budget or development limits has not received universal support.

Plus there is disagreement over whether Red Bull should be classified as a new manufacturer amid its plans to take over the Honda engine project.

While current teams like Mercedes are willing to make concessions to get new car makers on board, Wolff is clear that there are limits as to how much accommodation should be given.

And he is adamant that, while some help should be offered to ensure newcomers are not consigned to poor performance, he thinks it essential that success in F1 is hard earned and not a given.

“I think it's great that we have strong OEMs that are showing an interest in coming to the sport,” he said. “Obviously, none of these major car companies wants to come in and face a situation that they are highly uncompetitive, and therefore we need to have systems in place that mitigate those very big risks.

“But, on the other side, F1 is the Champions’ League, and nobody can expect to enter the Champions' League for the first time and be straight into the final and go home with the big trophy.

“We've been there since a long time, we've invested lots of money, sweat and blood and terrible results in order to get us where we are.

“Look at Mercedes' history in the first three years of this being a works team. Look at the terrible Honda years that they faced, or the Renault days. All of us had to fight his way up to eventually win races and championships. So it's a fine balance that we need to get right to attract newcomers as power unit manufacturers.”


Wolff believes that the mistake previous manufacturers who quit F1 have made is in not giving their projects enough time to be successful.

“I think everybody recognises that you cannot just come and conquer, but you need to give it time,” he explained. “And that is what in the past many OEMs have just misunderstood.

“When you look at Toyota, Honda and BMW as near past experiences, all the money, all the resource is irrelevant if you don't give the project enough time.

“I think everybody who joins F1 as a team or as a power unit manufacturer needs to understand this. It needs time. And that makes the sport so attractive: that it is just not easy to win.”

[Hotrodz]

That part of F1 needs to remain the same. Hard to get the top and hard to stay at the top!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[axmea?]

Here's the rest. I've got long reach peek shots into their garages and some post qualifying FIA inspection shots. Maybe next time.


[IMG]_8506538-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8506854-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8506908-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8506910-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8506980-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


_8507027-1 by Raf, on Flickr


[IMG]_8506917-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8506952-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8506961-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8507004-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]_8507065 (2)-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8507350-2-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]



[IMG]_8507403-1 by Raf, on Flickr[/IMG]

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/me...eding/6751590/

Mercedes fears over need for Hamilton F1 engine penalty receding
By: Jonathan Noble
Nov 6, 2021, 7:20 AM
Mercedes says fears about Lewis Hamilton definitely needing to take another Formula 1 engine change penalty this year are fading, amid confidence it has now “solved” its main reliability concern.

But speaking at the Mexican Grand Prix, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said that the team was confident it would not need to make a change this weekend – and it was feeling better that it could avoid a penalty entirely before the end of the season.

“I think we're feeling more robust about one particular issue that seems to be solved,” he explained.

Wolff said that with overtaking so hard in F1, Mercedes was especially reluctant to go for an engine change if it could be avoided.

“I think it's never right to take a penalty, because these days it's so difficult to overtake,” he said.

“You can see that Valtteri was absolutely dominant in Turkey, but [in the USA] you just get stuck in traffic with the penalty.

“So we're taking it on the fly. We're deciding, do we need the penalty or are we not needing a penalty? And here certainly we won't take one.

“And maybe we don't need any until the end of the season. That is really something that is being discussed.”

[Ventruck]

Pictures at COTA are awesome.

Not thrilled about today's results, but tomorrow is a new day.

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/fe...urers/6769188/

Ferrari unsure on concessions for potential new F1 manufacturers
By: Luke Smith
Nov 11, 2021, 4:20 AM
Ferrari Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto is unsure concessions should be given to potential new power unit manufacturers amid continued interest from Volkswagen Group brands Porsche and Audi.

F1 stakeholders have been in talks for a number of months about what the next generation of power units will look like upon their planned introduction in 2026, agreeing on a removal of the MGU-H.

It has led to interest from VW brands Porsche and Audi, with discussions continuing over potential concessions to ensure that any incoming manufacturers are not uncompetitive against rivals who have more experience with the existing turbo hybrids.


Ferrari F1 boss Binotto acknowledged that while any newcomer would “need to start from scratch” and that there could be extra allowance for CapEx investments, he did not feel this should also apply to the operational side.

“On other resources like dyno hours or OpEx, I’m not too sure [about concessions],” said Binotto.

“If you are a newcomer, you’ve got an advantage on the fact that you are only focused on the new development, while we as current manufacturers need to split our effort into the current running operations and what will be the new one.

“I think that removing the MGU-H, which has been agreed, implies that it’s a brand new project for everybody.

“So it’s starting from scratch for everybody, and I don’t feel that they’ve got a disadvantage.

“I think they’ve got skills on renewable fuel. They’ve got skills on electrical. I’m not too sure they are lacking the competencies to challenge the current manufacturers.”

pascal-wehrlein-porsche-porsch-1.jpg
Porsche already has a presence in Formula E, and Binotto argues that it shouldn't be given a leg-up due to existing competencies


Newly-appointed Porsche vice-president of motorsport, Thomas Laudenbach, recently said that conditions for an F1 entry were “coming true”, but warned it cannot “wait too long” to decide on a potential entry.

Porsche has been weighing up involvement in F1 for a number of years, and even went as far as beginning an engine project for 2021 before plans were scrapped to overhaul the regulations.

Current McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl previously oversaw Porsche’s motorsport interests, leading the brand’s successful return to the top tier of sportscar racing via the LMP1 programme that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015-17.

“My approach was always that even as a newcomer, for example when we entered Le Mans, I don’t want any concessions,” Seidl said.

“Because I want to compete with competitors on a level-playing field. I guess you have to accept when you are coming into a sport or other sports that it might also take time to build up this competitiveness.

“At the same time, I have no doubt with the timeline also that is in place, when we see regulations come into place, whoever would enter F1, there’s enough time and I guess also enough knowledge around and knowhow, these new manufacturers that they can be in a reasonably competitive position from the first year onwards.”

[DLSTR]

Surprising qualy. I was happy. Not all RedBull all the time. Lets have a race!

[abm89]

Red Bull's lack of pace in Mexico was shocking. If this carries over to the race pace, this is not good for them going forward. Mercedes is notoriously lack-luster in Mexico.

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by abm89

Red Bull's lack of pace in Mexico was shocking. If this carries over to the race pace, this is not good for them going forward. Mercedes is notoriously lack-luster in Mexico.

Mercedes have refined their motor to accomodate more altitude. I would say its on par now with Honda and easily. RedBull were never quicker in Q3 even after they aborted their last effort because one car moving out of the way was hard to deal with LOL!!

The race pace for Mercedes and RedBull is virtually even. Temps were hotter yesterday on track. Tire wear will be key but its not clear who has the real advantage except Mercedes are up to 12kmh faster on the straight!