2020 f1

[goldnsx]

Even the softest, most specialised road tyres are light years away from those used in F1.

That's certainly true. I don't see a benefit either on the road. Today's sportcars are already fast enough.
In F1 it's all about understanding the tires and keep them in their optimal window. I only see a benefit in F1 and we'll see how big it is. The advantage is having a lower aero restriction and a warmed up tire already at the entry of a turn.

[Pride]

Do you really think this has could conceivably have a tangible benedit in a road car?!

My best guess is that it will be a minimal gain even in an F1 car, with the biggest benefit b/likely to be an enhanced ability to manage tyre temperatures / performance / wear. Even the softest, most specialised road tyres are light years away from those used in F1.

Im sure you're probably right but maybe in this case as an optional extra, albeit very expensive, even if it's just for the ultimate track toy switch on the hyper performance cars that owners love to take to track days or maybe they'd just like to have bragging rights over their friends.

And also another excuse and opportunity for the manufacturer to make a lot of money on the request of the rich consumer as they tick the option extra box and at the end of the day the more it's talked about this year (and I'm sure it will be talked about a lot), the more the seed is set for it to be requested if it's seen to be successful on track.

[Senninha]

So Toto was at Williams till 2013, therefore he may have been aware of, and witnessed the onboard wheel heating innovation they ran for the 14/15 season until it got discovered. Generating extra wheel heat helped the tyres and subsequently the lap times ... is DAS the modern, openly engineered (with the FIA) replacement to that innovation?

Will others copy, I doubt it for a few months running. Could they counter its advantage? Yes. If you listened to some of the practice commentary, one of the commentators whilst admiring the engineering did suggest that a skilled driver would/should be able to work out how to use the ‘standard’ steering to generate extra tyre heat at the end of a straight to help the cornering grip.

If you watched the Mercedes in action and listened to a) the soundtrack and b) the commentators, this car is able to apply power early and keep off the brakes longer so there is very likely some further engineering brilliance at work that isn’t as obvious as the DAS system, that then combined with the rear suspension innovation is providing the drivers a car that (yet) again has raised the bar ....

At the moment it would be a fairly safe bet for 2 x 7th World crowns heading to Stuttgart ...

As for the rest of the field, Max is having fun whilst claiming not to have really pushed the car yet ... the Pink Mercedes could trouble the top 6 this year, along with McLaren who are just being very Mclaren of old, i.e. methodically working through their programme, rather Ron like I thought.

Williams were first off the pit lane which I hope bodes well for a move towards the mid field this year.

Next week may give a ‘slightly’ better indication but as we all know, nothing is clear cut until the lights go out down under ...

[goldnsx]

"No milk today, my love has gone away"

[WhyOne?]

I thought Danny Ric, when asked about his long term future at Renault during the new car launch, saying 'he was taking calls' speaks volumes about his expectations of the year ahead!

I don't think we'll have a real impression of the true pecking order until after quali in Melbourne.

Ferrari can't be as far of the pace as the numbers suggest...can they.

Unfortunately, I struggle to see beyond the silver cars being the ones to beat.

[britlude]

making a DAS rack shouldn't be an issue for the other teams, after all they have the best minds, designers, and engineers at their disposal, and now they have a heads up to the concept idea!

even i sketched a possible solution....
My DAS steering rack idea! by NSX Jon, on Flickr

[WhyOne?]

Good work Jonathan!

Sell that to Ferrari pdq!

Apparently, if the Mercedes system is to be copied, it's not just the steering rack which needs a bit of adjusting. The bulkhead on the driver safety cell has shifted a few inches to accommodate it. That to me doesn't sound like a quick fix?

[WhyOne?]

I have been reading an interesting article on DAS and it seems that there may be scope to challenge it's legality depending on whether it is deemed to be wholly part of the steering system or also part of the cars suspension system...park ferme rules are quite different for the two systems:

"F1's sporting regulations dictate that a car is under parc ferme conditions from the moment it leaves the pitlane during qualifying until the start of the race.

Article 34.6 of the rules adds: "A competitor may not modify any part on the car or make changes to the set-up of the suspension whilst the car is being held under parc ferme conditions.

"In the case of a breach of this article the relevant driver must start the race from the pitlane and follow the procedures laid out in Article 36.2.

"In order that the scrutineers may be completely satisfied that no alterations have been made to the suspension systems or aerodynamic configuration of the car [with the exception of the front wing] whilst in pre-race parc ferme, it must be clear from physical inspection that changes cannot be made without the use of tools."

[britlude]

The irony with 'all wheel steering' is that was automatic with rigid rear axles and leaf springs, body roll induced rear wheel steering, fortunately in the right direction!!!

[WhyOne?]

McLaren withdraw from Australian GP.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

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