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Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

wired.com

81–90 of 253 posts

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#81
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when its no longer entertaining

I would argue that it was more entertaining before it was made safe through technological advancements. It would be interesting to see a series that used self driving cars that could take more risks.

I would like to see full size remote controlled cars, that way you could cheer for wrecks without injuries. Maybe include some Spyhunter style weapons (oil slicks) like a hybrid Nascar / Battlebots event.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#82
post #73
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It can't be cheating if they pass inspections. Developing an advantage is not something to be punished for. This is racing after all.

"It can't be cheating if they pass inspections." Same goes for Lance Armstrong, right?

Yes? I'm not a cycling fan, but I consider doping and attempts to evade detection fundamental to the sport. _Every rider is doping_, some are just better at it.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#83
post #14

The smeary tone of this article is really quite obvious and unpleasant, and I don't think qualifying it as a "conspiracy theory" makes up for that. For example the claim that "Christian Horner isn’t saying much", when in fact he's flatly denied any kind of rule breaking.

Indeed, not to mention the very title of the Wired Article. I'm guessing the author has not recently checked into the concessions given to say, Ferrari [1][2].

That all said, to some extent controversies like these are what make F1 what it is...at least since I've been watching. Remember Jenson Button's secret fuel compartment? [3] Crashgate at Singapore? [4] Schumacher....everything? [5]

[1] http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/story/104589.html

[2] http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/motorsport/bernie-blasts-ferr...

[3] http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MOTOR+RACING%3A+BAR+face+fuel+...

[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Formula_One_crash_contr...

[5] Honestly, just google "Schumacher controversies"

edit: formatting

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

when its no longer entertaining

For those that enjoy bicycle racing, check out motorcycle racing. For those that like gocart racing, check out NASCAR (seriously, check it out if you haven't). The number of fans that want to see the top technology vastly outnumber the number of fans that want to see the more limited tech. At this point, most of the limitations are for safety. It seems like a good idea to allow innovation if it is available to all at…

Check out America's Cup. The boat designs are now far different than what they were decades ago - and I don't think they have design restrictions.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#85
Or maybe their technical team is just better. Adrian Newey[1] has designed some very fast cars - at Williams, McLaren and now at Red Bull. Michael Schumacher managed to win seven championships in his career, but he was often racing against a (much) more superior Newey-designed car. F1 was fun in those days. With Vettel, arguably the most talented driver to drive a Newey designed car since Senna, it's no surprise Red Bull is cleaning up.

Red Bull's pace is unfortunate, because with Alonso, Hamilton, Kimi and Vettel you have four incredibly fast drivers. And without Red Bull's dominance, the current era could have been one of the most exciting in F1 history. It doesn't help that Vettel is a bit of a dick, or at least that's the perception. Schumacher was a bit of dick too, but the crowd (or a sizable portion) liked him - the fact that he didn't always have the best car, also helped.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Newey

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#86
post #34

Couldn't it be some sort of new notification system for the driver which gives him instinctive feedback and lets him drive the engine the same way traction control would?

From my (limited) experience in (not even close to F1-level) racing, the physical sensations of the tires being near the limits of grip are fairly obvious. The reason why traction control helps so much is that a computer can adjust power accordingly vastly faster than a human ever could. The drivers are extraordinarily focused professionals during races. I can't imagine adding some signaling system that would let the…

As a person that worked on a traction control system, a driver is not going to notice the difference between 5% slip and 15% slip, but 5% slip is much faster, (and faster than 0% slip) A light that went off at 1% slip would be an enormous advantage. It wouldn't be as good as a traction control system that is making 1000 changes per second, but it would be huge compared to nothing at all.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#87
post #23
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When one guy leads by 30+ seconds, while everyone else fights for fractions of a second, either there's a major breakthrough or somebody is cheating.

Vettel has won races by large margins before, without any accusations of cheating. The time difference of ONE LAP is under a second, but that adds up over the course of an entire race. Red Bull have the best car, Vettel is the best driver, they do the fastest pit stops, and with a little luck this creates big wins.

Vettel was cruising most of the race. That's what he has been doing during all the seasons. He opens a gap in few laps and takes care of tyres and engine for the rest of the race. If needed(as after a Safety Car), he does it again.

He's a great driver, no doubt about it, but he isn't head and shoulders over ALO, HAM or RAI.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#88

I think the BBC's article from Oct 3rd has some good commentary on this topic: "Red Bull's advantage is believed to come largely from a more effective use of the exhaust gases for aerodynamic effect. This creates more rear downforce than the other cars, meaning Vettel has the rear grip to enable him to accelerate sooner." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/24381349

Blown diffusers. They did outlaw hot blown diffusers but blowing cold is still within the sporting regs. Thus the odd sound at low power, they are flowing air through the exhaust when they arent on the power to flow over the diffuser to provide more down force to accelerate quicker.

Seems like there could be some clever uses if kers to bleed off power for traction control like applications though. This is what f1 is all about people... That's the drama and excitement. There is technology, intrigue, and then the real debates start when you simply suggest Vettel is the very best in the world and that's the difference. Fun stuff.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#89
As a fan of the sport, I've so far only read about this unsubstantiated conspiracy theory on forums and low-end blogs.

Wired adds no new insights, no facts, no sources, not even new speculative theories, it just rehashes old gossip. Fuck, this is one step down from Gawker.

I'm so glad I stopped taken Wired seriously since the 90's.

Re: Formula 1′s Leading Team Has a Big Secret

#90
post #59
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From my (limited) experience in (not even close to F1-level) racing, the physical sensations of the tires being near the limits of grip are fairly obvious. The reason why traction control helps so much is that a computer can adjust power accordingly vastly faster than a human ever could. The drivers are extraordinarily focused professionals during races. I can't imagine adding some signaling system that would let the…

Not only that, but the traction control system can control wheel slip at a per-wheel basis. Something the driver can't do, with his single brake pedal.

Has anyone tried an input system that would allow that? I'm thinking some kind of split brake pedal that you can press either side of.
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