Garbatellamike

Yes indeed although the Formula 1 mechanics now change all 4 tires and refuel the car in about 3 seconds

If you go to the right Gomista they are top class. The guy who services my car told me, which local gomista to go to and to use the codewords "Gianluca mi manda" and I have had excellent value and service on all 3 times I have used them.

highlander1

[QUOTE=Garbatellamike;11580548]Yes indeed although the Formula 1 mechanics now change all 4 tires and refuel the car in about 3 seconds

Sorry Garbatellamike, no more refuelling on F1car for the last 3 years. ( Grand Prix follower are such a bore, I know !)

Garbatellamike

[QUOTE=highlander1;11580804] good point Highland1, I bow to your superior knowledge and abase myself before you in shame.

Lorna at Vicenza

So - what do they do now then? Haven't watched F1 since my dad was here and watching it...... but he prefers motorbikes. I know more about them. I grew up on the back of dad's Triumph.

Garbatellamike

They only fuel the car before the start, I think a maximum 100 KG of fuel now and that's it for the race - refuelling is now banned as Highlander said.

They have to use at least 2 different types of tyre during a race so must make at least 1 pit stop but often use a 2 stop or 3 stop strategy to achieve the fastest possible time.

HADENOUGHPIZZA

so what happens if they run out then ? Do they get towed off ?

Garbatellamike

Lifed off by crane or in some cases in the past the driver has got out and tried to push it the last few 100m to the line.

They have to have enough fuel left in the tank at the end of the race to be tested to confirm the fuel is legal.

The so what of all this is that the engineers tell the driver to set different engine modes if they need to save fuel or they tell them change driving style (lift and coast - i.e. lift off the gas early and coast into the corners rather than go from maximum acceleration to maximum braking, which uses more fuel).

At least that is my understanding, however, our friend "Connor MacLeod of Clan MacLeod from the village of Glenfinnan" may know more as an F1 follower

HADENOUGHPIZZA

Wierd , but then I'm not a big fan of F1 so it never crossed my mind before this thread .

Lorna at Vicenza

Is this why there are now more camera shots of people with headphones on in the background giving out driving instructions? Sounds like it's getting less about driving and more about computer science.

highlander1

At least that is my understanding, however, our friend "Connor MacLeod of Clan MacLeod from the village of Glenfinnan" may know more as an F1 follower [/QUOTE]

Oh no , I have being rumbled ! How did you know my name or indeed the name of the wee village were I was born and lived as a beirn ?

... maybe some of the posters works for the secret service !?

Garbatellamike

Yes although I would argue engineering not computer science - but I would say that wouldn't I . They are trying to remedy this issue by banning the teams from actually coaching the drivers over the radio (forbidding comments like "you can brake later into turn 4"). But the guys with the headphones will tell them what mode to put the engine in to make sure they don't run out of fuel whilst getting to the finish in the optimal time. For example in the last race of last year Rosberg asked his engineer what lap times do I need to do to finish 5th in case Hamilton fails to finish so that I can win the championship.

The key issue is that the cars do not have enough fuel to go flat out all the way to the finish and different drivers have slightly different styles, which affects fuel useage - for example the first and second finishers in the 2014 season drove the same car (and were supposed to use the same engine modes) but Hamilton consistently used a little less fuel than Rosberg for some reason.

There is also a maximum fuel flow limit (100Kg/hour max) , which is what Redbull exceeded in the first race of 2014 and their driver was, therefore, disqualified for cheating. Very technical.

Some of the top teams also have guys with headphones whose sole job it is is to work out what modes and strategies other teams are using which they then pass to the lead engineer to inform the strategy he gives to the driver.

The driver is, however, the one feeling the handling of the car and for example needs to know when the tyres are starting to degrade and he needs to come in and change them and has to feed this information back to the pits.

The actual execution of the race is, therefore, a close and constant collaboration between the lead engineer and the driver with the engineer being the man who ultimately makes the strategic calls.

Garbatellamike

There can be only one!

HADENOUGHPIZZA

maybe we need a sports thread ?

Garbatellamike

Good idea HEP! Maybe Lorna can cut out all this F1 stuff and start a new sports thread for us??

HADENOUGHPIZZA

I suggest it be called '' you win some you loose some ''