Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2018 i Racecar Engineering

Being on the working side of the track, one gets used to the rhythms of the race. The early start, arriving at least two hours before any session, then settling down to the familiar routines. The day passing in the bowels of the pits, if you are the main event, or tucked away in the backwaters of the support race paddock. But one tends to forget the spectators, who not only brave the traffic jams and queues to get to the track, but probably leave their homes much earlier than the circus members and then pay to get into the circuit. There might be a psychological name for their peculiar derangement, for surely no one in his right mind would do it. Formula 1 events or major iconic races bring…

QUESTION I was reading an article you once wrote on asymmetrical racecars and I was particularly interested when you got to asymmetrical brakes. You were talking about shut-off valves and proportioning valves. I have a valve I have been using on cars for a few years which is supposed to be a mini proportioning valve. I am wondering if you think this valve will work correctly to proportion the brake balance or if you think it is just another type of shut-off valve that will cause the brake to be sluggish? THE CONSULTANT I have learned a bit about proportioning valves over the 18 years since I wrote that article. At the time I was under the erroneous impression that proportioning valves were simple limiting valves that prevent any further…

• Standard impact. Helmet impact at 9.5m/s. Peak deceleration on driver’s head shall • not exceed 275g. Low velocity impact. Helmet impact at 6m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 200g with a • maximum average of 180g. Low lateral impact. Helmet impact at 8.5m/s. Peak • deceleration shall not exceed 275g. Advanced ballistic protection. A 225gm metal projectile fired at 250km/h. The peak deceleration • shall not exceed 275g. Crush. A 10kg weight falling 5.1 metres on to helmet. Lateral and longitudinal tests. The • transmitted force should not exceed 10kN. Shell penetration. A 4kg impactor dropped • on to helmet at 7.7m/s. Visor penetration. An air rifle fires a 1.2gm pellet at the visor. The pellet must not penetrate the interior of the crash helmet. • Visor coating. Transmitter…

‘There is a kind of a perfect storm for our Indy Lights operation right now’ The finish to this year’s Freedom 100 at Indianapolis on the Friday of the Indy 500 weekend was single seater oval racing at its very best. Six Indy Lights cars battled for victory at just under 200mph for the last few laps, sometimes inches apart, with the win not sealed until the chequered flag. The only thing that spoiled the spectacle was that there were only two other cars running. And that’s been the issue with Indy Lights this season. The category that sits just below IndyCar on the Road to Indy ladder – the US F2 in many ways – has seen thin grids all year, which is puzzling when it’s considered that it’s…

McLaren and Williams are in dire trouble, and this shouldn’t please anybody who genuinely recognises the value to the sport of their names and achievements, and the dedication and loyalty of their employees. This is not just sentiment, there’s little room for it in F1, but fans identify with certain teams. Losing them may also lose some of the interest and support that is essential if Liberty’s plans to expand race coverage in areas including social media are to be realised. All sports need recognised star names to attract followers who will know that they are engaging with the best in their chosen sphere. It is immensely hard when down and being kicked to pick oneself up. It is difficult to step back from the inevitable daily fire-fighting to really…

In the last instalment of The Consultant (July issue, V28N7) I promised an actual design proposal, at least as a fairly detailed concept, to convert the swing axle suspension on the snap-oversteering late 1940s 2.6 Lagonda road and track day car we have been looking at to a De Dion system. But this proved to be a bit more challenging than I anticipated, but I do at least have something drawn now. I wanted to make this a bolt-in conversion, so that the car could be returned to original configuration if desired. This helps preserve the resale value of a rare vintage car. I also wanted to provide at least three inches of suspension travel in both directions. And I wanted a minimum of bump steer and a low enough…

The 4.3in TFT display is complemented by a row of 10 shift lights and six alarm LEDs which can be customised for optimum driver feedback Super Formula uses Cosworth’s FIA certified Carbon Wheel (CCW Mk2), a lightweight 280mm carbon steering wheel designed specifically for professional motorsport applications. Incorporating a high resolution, fully customisable display this steering wheel is also used in a number of other series, including FIA LMP2 and IMSA DPi. This configurable aspect allows for individual driver needs to be catered for while adding variety to a spec formula. The 4.3in TFT display is complemented by a row of 10 shift lights and six alarm LEDs which can be customised for optimum driver feedback from both engine and chassis parameters. Clear display The ethernet driven display is fully…

Early brakes, used in carriages and carts, consisted of a wooden block that could rub against the wheel rim. As the beast that pulled the carriage could be depended to provide most of the acceleration and deceleration through its feet, these rudimentary brakes were useful to help the animal when going downhill and to immobilise it when stopped. When the horsepower started coming via a motor, something else was required. Early cars tended to use a bigger version of the wooden block, usually actuated by cable and mostly on the rear wheels. As performance improved, brakes had to follow, evolving from blocks on rim to drum brakes with leather, then asbestos shoes still actuated by wires or rods, then eventually mutating to a hydraulic actuating system on front and rear…

Tyres Flying with Falkens Japanese tyre manufacturer Falken now offers its competition specification tyres to motorsport teams across Europe. The Azenis race tyres, available now in slick, intermediate and wet variants and multiple compounds, can be acquired in sizes ranging from 240/660R18 to 330/710R18 with more size derivatives to be added later on in the year. Developed at the Nurburgring using the company’s BMW M6 and Porsche 991 GT3 cars as well as Subaru’s WRX 4WD racecar, Falken’s Azenis range is derived from the tyre that scored its first overall win in the VLN series last season. Alongside its own fleet of racecars, mentioned above, Falken has already also tested its tyres on a 991 Cup car, a BMW M235i and a TCR SEAT racer. To support N24 and VLN…

Gerald Tyler, who was recently appointed technical director at IndyCar operation Harding Racing, has now taken on a race engineer role within the team, overseeing the car of Gabby Chaves. Veteran engineer Tyler replaces Matt Curry in the post, the latter having been moved to a different engineering position within the organisation. Jeff Pratt has been appointed managing director of the £80m UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), a national facility that will support the UK’s industrialisation strategy for battery R&D. Pratt was previously general manager at Nissan’s Lithium Ion Battery Plant in Sunderland. The UKBIC will enable the development of next-generation battery systems across the full spectrum of R&D activities. The facility is due to open in 2020. Motorsport and automotive PR agency Influence Associates has appointed Christopher Foster as…

Eric Boullier is no longer racing director at McLaren, having resigned from his position as the team continues to struggle for pace this season, while Gil de Ferran has been given a new role in the wake of his departure. McLaren has now ‘simplified’ the organisation of its technical management team, with former Indianapolis 500 winner de Ferran – who joined recently as a consultant – becoming sporting director. While the Brazilian is widely known for his experience in US motorsport he has also held a sporting director role in F1 before, at BAR (then Honda when it changed identities) from early 2005 until mid-2007. Meanwhile, chief operating officer Simon Roberts has been given responsibility for production, engineering and logistics and new performance director Andrea Stella is now in charge…

From the outset this concept has been focussed on exactly what is needed to produce a successful single-seat racecar, and early indications are that this has worked. Primarily due to the speed at Suzuka, comparisons with Formula 1 are bound to be drawn ahead of the publication of the new F1 aero regulations. The chassis and front wing are spec in Japan, which is a shame as variety and opportunity for young designers is on the wane. However, the concept of the new Super Formula car does raise possibilities for the architects of the new Formula 1 regulations. Let’s hope they look east before they rubber stamp them, then ……

Monash M17-C (combustion) Chassis: Spaceframe with bonded composite panel floors, aluminium rear bulkhead; 1020 mild steel frame, 4130 chrome moly roll hoops; carbon fibre and Nomex honeycomb core panels. Bodywork: Wet-laid carbon fibre reinforced polymer sidepods and nosecone, with integrated radiator ducting. Powertrain: 2017 KTM 690 Duke-R; 102mm bore, 84.5mm stroke; 1-cylinder 690cc naturally aspirated unit running on 98-RON fuel. Drivetrain: Spool driven differential. Suspension: Front – double unequal length A-arm, direct acting. Rear – double unequal length A-Arm, direct acting, adjustable anti roll bar. Aerodynamics: Double-element front wing and three-element rear wing. Drag Reduction System for rear wing, adjustable front wing. Dimensions: Overall length, 2936mm; width, 1391mm; height 1185mm.…

QUESTION I recently heard that some people are building shocks with coil springs inside. These are designed to act in droop and sometimes they are called ‘negative springs’. They go on the shaft side of the piston and are located by the shaft. What effect does such a spring have on the overall spring rate? Does it reduce it, since it acts to compress the unit, or does it add spring rate because it’s a second spring acting in parallel with the main spring? And how do such shocks affect a car’s behaviour? THE CONSULTANT In the range where it’s active, a ‘negative spring’ adds rate but reduces force at a given coilover length or displacement. That is, as the coilover extends against the negative spring, the total spring force…

We have had the pleasure of putting the low drag Team Hard VW CC BTCC contender through its wind tunnel paces in recent issues, and have seen the effects of changing wing angle, removing the rear wing altogether (not permitted in the rules and certainly not desirable), altering the front cooling inlet size, and adjusting rake and roll angles. Given that BTCC technical regulations strictly control downforce to very modest levels, drag is said to be the most important aerodynamic parameter when it comes to lap time, and reductions in the car’s already very competitive drag level were found. Team Hard’s technical leader, highly experienced designer and race engineer Geoff Kingston, suggested it would be interesting to try some drafting scenarios, so team boss Tony Gilham’s road-going VW CC with…

Aldo Costa, the engineering director at Mercedes, has decided to step back into a consultancy role within the team. Costa’s decision has sparked a broader tech management shake-up within the Mercedes team which will see chief designer John Owen step up to head the engineering effort, reporting to technical director James Allison. Costa has been with Mercedes since 2011 and before that he was at Ferrari and Minardi – he was the Scuderia’s technical director from 2007. He has been a key element in Mercedes’recent success but has chosen to move into the role of technical advisor to the team from the beginning of 2019 in order to spend more time with his family. Other changes at Mercedes include the upcoming loss of performance director Mark Ellis, who has decided…

Walking the IndyCar paddock at Road America was like stepping back into Formula 3 in 1995, but with more good teams, and drivers who are already world class. Back then British Formula 3 featured the likes of Helio Castroneves, Christiano da Matta, and Gonzalo Rodriguez – and Juan Pablo Montoya a year later. There was even then a knowledge that these guys could go on to greatness, and they all did, in the US racing series. Others found their fame in their own, unique ways; Christian Horner left Alan Docking Racing to run Arden then Red Bull Racing, while David Sears Racing’s James Matthews went on to marry Pippa Middleton. Oliver Gavin and Ralph Firman competed for the title in 1995, Gavin coming out ahead with a win and a…