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I had to tell that brake magic is a specific name of Nico with his track engineer so much he was subjugated and satisfied with the effect of this button. But you're right, Mattastick, I think, after reading your intervention that it is Brake Migration. Thank you.
Confirmation of the BMIGRATION of Mattastick, BMagic for Rosberg.
Translation :
'' Our engineer Irfane Kazi continues his complete retrospective of the 2018 season with an analysis of Lewis Hamilton's steering wheel on the W09. Each order is listed, and this analysis - exclusive to you, blogger friends - concretely demonstrates all the operations that the reigning world champion could perform in trials and races. Finally, it is an operating manual that you must archive because most of these instruments, controls, switches and push buttons will still be in service this year 2019.
An LCD screen, about thirty buttons and multifunctional controls, and a considerable number of parameters presented in a thick user manual of about forty pages: the steering wheels of modern F1 cars offer an overview of the technological complexity of the queen discipline. In order to make the most of the adjustable parameters on the track, close collaboration between a driver and his race engineer is essential. Each pilot has a personalized steering wheel. Like all the many world champions, Lewis Hamilton takes care of every detail. He worked with his team to optimize the ergonomics of his steering wheel and reduce its weight: often in Formula 1, it is the sum of the marginal gains that make the difference.
DRS: Allows you to operate the Drag Reduction System. This overtaking aid, when activated, allows the pilot who benefits from it to reduce the angle of the flap of his rear spoiler, to reduce the drag force exerted on his car and ultimately to have a higher top speed.
Entry" red ****: Allows you to adjust the differential at the corner entry.
In a bend, the differential allows the drive wheels to turn at different speeds. Indeed, the inner wheel - which has a shorter distance to travel - has a lower rotational speed than the outer wheel. This adjustment makes it possible to control the torque transferred between the two wheels but also to limit tyre wear.
At the beginning of a turn, stability is important, and the differential is then generally set so that it is "locked" (i.e. the degree of freedom between the wheels is low). Hamilton consults with its engineers before the training tour to refine these settings according to the conditions. During the race, engineers may suggest changes in differential values to the driver to manage balance problems. Thus, if the rear tires wear out quickly, the pilot may have to increase the input differential.
"+10": Allows you to add 10 units for a selected value.
Thus, if a sensor no longer works and a value must be entered, the pilot will turn the multifunction purple rotary **** and select mode 1: "DEF" (default) and enter the value requested by the engineer in multiples of "+10" and "+1".
A concrete case in point: during the Canadian GP, a chassis problem caused the Hamilton propulsion unit to overheat. Above a certain temperature threshold, an automatic motor protection mode is activated. This caused intermittent power losses. In an attempt to keep the situation under control before the team intervened during the pit stop (a few laps early), Bonnington asked Hamilton to enter the "Driver Default Chassis 60" mode, which Hamilton set the purple wheel to "DEF" and pressed the "+10" button six times to enter the 60 value.
Similarly, this same button acts as "-1" for a classic configuration.
"N": Neutral. This button is placed on the steering wheel to prevent the pilot from mistakenly selecting neutral by using the paddles. A long press will engage reverse gear.
"BMig": "Brake Migration". Allows you to adjust the dynamic change in the brake distribution according to the load applied to the brake pedal.
During braking, mass is transferred forward. To account for this phenomenon, the pilot adjusts the braking distribution between front and rear with the BBal wheel (in practice, within a range generally between 52 and 65% forward, depending on the circumstances and geometry of the turn. A notable exception: for the start of the Monaco GP, Hamilton set its distribution at 49% only for the first turn).
As the pilot releases the brake pedal, the mass transfer is reduced. The BMig intervenes at this point: it determines the rate at which braking power migrates backwards as the pilot releases the brake pedal and the forward mass transfer is reduced
At the beginning of Bahrain FP2, Hamilton worked with his engineers on the BMig and BBal values for corner 10 where it is easy to lock the left front tyre.
During the Russian GP, four minutes before the formation lap, Hamilton discusses with his engineers the final adjustments to be made (EXIT differentials, INIT etc.). Hamilton consults his team on the fact that Bottas has more downforce at the front (1.5 clicks). Riccardo Musconi, the Hamilton performance engineer, studied Bottas telemetry: discontinuities representing short slipping phases were observed. Bonnington retorts to Lewis that it is also necessary to think about the temperatures of the rear tires. Hamilton having a BBal and a BMig more oriented towards the rear, Bonnington suggests that he add only half a click of the aileron. After considering adding a full click, Hamilton changed his mind and followed the recommendations of "Bono".
"Mark": This button allows the driver to place a marker on the telemetry readings from his car to point out a particular problem. This facilitates communication between pilot and engineer. As a secondary function, Hamilton uses this button during the race to check certain temperatures (tires, brakes, etc.).
At the Japanese GP, with Hamilton comfortably in the lead, Bonnington suggested that Hamilton aim for a carcass temperature (different from surface temperatures) 2°C lower than the ceiling temperature they had calculated. By the very admission of "Bono", a "conservative" objective: Hamilton being comfortably in the lead, and Vettel in the pack, there is no need to risk blistering.
White **** "MID": Allows you to set the differential in the middle of a curve.
Typically, the degree of freedom of the wheels is generally higher, so that the car can easily swivel in the middle of a curve.
"X" (red): This "OK" or "acknowledge" button allows the pilot to confirm a particular message or alert.
"BB-": Allows finer adjustments than the BBal **** on the brake distribution. Pressing the BB- button will reduce the forward brake distribution by 0.5%.
Salut Mike and Sun, I shall send you a a piece of snow lol ! don't worry, I stay warm even if our temperature is not as low as Wisconsin with the polar vortex, thank you God, I was born in a warm region all year round, 0° C (32° F) is already extreme for me, not want to see my blood frozen !
While waiting for the Barcelona tests, I shall translate the most interesting analysis about F1 for you. After this 2nd episode on the Ham V Merco AMG W09 steering wheel, there will be a 3rd and final explanation by Irfane Kazi, the engineer consultant of the AutoPlus newspaper and website, I shall gladly share it with my US F1 fans friends as soon as it is published.
Traditional F1 news : Renault
The new chairman comes from Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand (a city with extinct volcanos around, "Massif Central" area) a serious man, like Michelin loves them : work, efficiency and discretion, the DG, Directeur General, I don't know the exact word in English is Bolloré, it's a pair. No problem for the F1 program but with the Japanese who want to take the lead of the Alliance (Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi), so politic and financial problem, Renault and Nissan are already closely intertwined in the field of purchasing and production (US Nissan for example have Renault parts designed, even if they are made in the USA, in France Renault is building Nissan and parts cars also). Ghosn, the former number one of the Alliance was determined to make it "undetachable" and that some people at Nissan did not want a virtual merger between automakers. Carlos Ghosn seems to indicate that Saikawa was the main opponent of this merger. He faces up to 15 years in prison and Japanese prisons are not hotels like ours !
After recruiting young engineers, captured Marcin Budkowski of the FIA, organizing training, pooling the company's culture, reviewing the organization of internal processes and management, extending the UK ch ssis plant in Enstone, captured Ricci white teeth, it is now the turn of the F1 engine plant in Viry-Chatillon France to receive €10 million for its extension across the street for 3,000 m˛ and, above all, to start operating a new dyno tomorrow.
This dyno will already be in 2021 standards and will be able to accommodate a complete FE engine chassis. All types of engines can be tested and with their complete peripherals: TC, SC, atmo, hybrid, electric. The novelty, testing with the peripherals around the engine is to realize the interactions between the gearbox engine, peripherals before being confronted with problems during the test sessions which are very limited in F1. This type of dyno already exists at Merco, Féfé and AVL, the reference engine consultant in F1, but Renault's dyno, due to the range of engine types and the highest permissible power ratings, is a major advance because it is simply the latest on the market. The lozenge manufacturer seems to be following its progress plan as planned and the engineers seem optimistic about the new engine of the RS19 and the gap to be filled with Merco and Féfé.
McL : according to Spanish paper Marca, Zozo (Alonso) will testing in Catalunya for a half day the new MCL 34. IMO, he can give an opinion but the car should not be designed for him, each driver has his preferred settings.
Pirelli : Pirelli will offer for this new 2019 season a completely new range of rain tyres (intermediate and rain tyres).
These tires will have slightly larger notches to further limit the risk of aquaplaning. This phenomenon was naturally amplified by the switch to wide tyres in 2017, which makes racing in heavy rain more difficult, we all have Hockenheim in the mind with V4 coming out of the barriers miserably !
Pirelli has therefore decided to remedy this situation more radically this season, which means that intermediaries will be a little more "rainy" and therefore less efficient on a track that is close to drying out. It should also result in much better bets in terms of strategy as to when to switch from a dry to an intermediate tire, or "vice versa".
Official : Alfa Romeo Racing
The ownership and management of Sauber remaining unchanged and independent but the name changes The 2019 season will therefore see a historic motorsport brand return to Formula 1. Alfa Romeo had competed in the inaugural F1 championship in 1950, which she had won with Giuseppe Farina.
a changement due to the financial and technical support provided by one of the FCA Group's brands, including of course Ferrari. It would not be surprising to see the Saubers, Alfa Romeo Racing directly on the heels of RBR, Alfa Sauber, a Ferrari B team
Ferrari
Ferrari significantly exceeded financial market forecasts, with a net profit of €787 million, up 46% compared to 2017, wow
CEO Louis Camilleri, revealed that the manufacturer had approved a budget increase for the Scuderia for 2019. According to the transalpine press, la Scuderia had an operating budget (including chassis and engine) of 430 million euros, 20 million euros less than Merco. For 2019, la Rossa wants to align itself with the budget of the reigning world champions in order to win both titles.
Last edited by BKorsaire; 02-01-2019 at 10:24 AM.
Reason: Addendum Féfé Budget 2019
Hey guys, you are like children, you like kind story !
Today, the story of the first auto gearbox in F1, by Mauro Forghieri the genial Italian ingénieur, John Barnard who never went to work in Italy, the only time where Féfé has had an office out Italy, in UK was for his employee ingénieur génial aussi, John Barnard who worked for Mclaren, Ferrari, Benetton
Translation by deepl.com : "During the first Grand Prix of the 1989 season, Nigel Mansell achieved a great first in Formula 1: to win a race without ever taking his hands off the wheel of his Ferrari.
Today, semi-automatic or robotised transmissions are found in almost all competition cars from the very first promotional formulas. Changing gears using paddles behind the steering wheel has become commonplace and commonplace. This device, entirely controlled by an electronic control unit, cuts off the engine ignition, disengages the clutch, changes the gearbox gears, releases the clutch and restarts the ignition; all this is done between 30 and 50 thousandths of a second (not to mention the recent dual clutch devices).
At the end of the 1980s, the F1 pilot had to manually change gears using a lever that he moved according to an "H" grid. In 1986, British engineer John Barnard left McLaren to join Ferrari. While making the inventory of fixtures, he discovers an old transmission under a tarpaulin. It is the vestige of Mauro Forghieri's research almost 10 years ago.
First tests
In 1978, Forghieri estimated that his drivers would waste less time changing gears, be less inclined to make driving errors and would not generate destructive over-revolutions if the cars had a transmission where everything was done automatically.
Forghieri does not have a large budget to produce an automated gearbox, but he manages to graft a first version of this magic gearbox onto a Ferrari 312 T3 that runs on the Fiorano circuit in January 1979, in the hands of Giorgio Enrico, the Ferrari test pilot. The rear of the steering wheel is equipped with a long steel pendulum fixed in the middle. The pilot pulls to the right with his fingers to shift up a gear and pulls to the left to downshift.
Despite obvious youthful shortcomings, the box works relatively well. Shifting gears is a snap and the pilot always has both hands on the wheel. On the other hand, the complete transmission is too heavy by about twenty kilos! Forghieri managed to cut a few kilos to the right and left, then entrusted his development to the starting drivers, Jody Scheckter and Gilles Villeneuve.
After tests at the beginning of the 1980 season, Forghieri made two modifications to its transmission. It adds a sixth gear and replaces the pendulum with two buttons attached to the horizontal arms of the steering wheel. This box is installed at the rear of a 312 T5 and Villeneuve is performing some tests.
However, the Scuderia had to make crucial choices, and the production of the first Ferrari F1 with turbo engine was considered a priority, which forced Forghieri to stop the development of its semi-automatic transmission.
An idea that has been updated
It was this foundry piece that Barnard discovered in Maranello. The engineer is convinced that with the important developments made on solenoid valves, very high pressure hydraulic circuits and electronics, he can adapt this gearbox to his next F1.
Barnard and his team (based in Great Britain) designed the Ferrari 640 (also sometimes called Ferrari F1-89): a magnificent single-seater powered by the new 3.5-litre Tipo 035/5 atmospheric V12 engine that produces 660 horsepower.
Most of the development work for the new seven-speed transmission is being done by Ferrari test pilot Roberto Moreno. And the technical problems are repeated. This box keeps breaking down. Before the first Grand Prix of the 1989 season in Brazil, the Ferrari 640 had never driven more than 15 consecutive laps without getting into trouble.
On the Jacarepagua circuit Rio de Janeiro, Ferrari drivers Gerhard Berger and Nigel Mansell qualified in third and sixth place respectively. During the race, organized over 61 laps and in stifling heat, the Mansell Ferrari 640 works perfectly! It's a real miracle! Not a single glitch disrupted Mansell's triumphant march, as he competed in his first Grand Prix at the prestigious Scuderia.
The British rider finished first with a lead of almost eight seconds over Alain Prost's McLaren-Honda and Mauricio Gugelmin's amazing March-Judd; a car designed by a talented young engineer, Adrian Newey.
The rest of the season was much more complicated for the Ferrari drivers, who were struggling with transmission problems caused mainly by broken alternator belts. Thus, the car's battery discharged to the point where the electronic gearbox control stopped working. Once this problem was solved, the Ferrari 640 started scoring again.
Shortly afterwards, all F1 cars were equipped with semi-automatic transmissions, a revolution."
Tomorrow, a new translation of an article about 3D parts by Renault at Enstone Plant UK, very impressive, I've learned a lot of things I never imagined !
When a part breaks on the circuit, you can't imagine all the logistics and affairement there is at the factory to know if this part is in stock or if it can be manufactured in an emergency and transported. For some parts, 24-hour production is simply impossible if there is no stock and stock is expensive : dilemma....
Today, an article by Nicolas Carpentiers, journaliste ŕ F1i auto-moto, very detailed article on 3D manufacturing at the Renault chassis factory in Enstone UK, in the Northamptonshire region, a place called "the Formula 1 Valley" and where all F1 teams are located. It's a real pleasure to share with you this article so interesting.
Translation : "An F1 factory is not a R&D office. It must make a concrete object, made of carbon, metal and plastic. For the latter material, it is the 3D printing technique that has been used at Enstone for... 20 years.
It is a small room of modest dimensions, animated by a man of rugby player stature. At the time of our visit to Enstone plant, about ten 3D printers were running at full capacity to mould several hundred parts each week.
3D printing - or stereolithography, conceived in France but patented in the United States - is a rapid prototyping technique that allows solid objects to be made from a digital file. The object is obtained by superimposing thin slices of material:
"Our software takes the 3D CAD file of the part and divides it into 0.1 mm layers," explains Pat Warner, the Renault team's digital manufacturing manager. The printer deposits a layer of resin, which is then immediately solidified by the laser passage."
But what is the purpose of the six hundred pieces produced each week?
FIRST APPLICATION: ASSEMBLY CONTROL
The use of 3D printing in F1 has evolved considerably over the years. At first, the stables used it to check the quality of the drawing produced by the design office:
"At first, I worked as a CNC machine operator (for "Computer Numerical Control") for what was then called the Benetton stable," says Pat Warner. In 1987, I moved to the FAO(in French)/CAM department (computer-aided manufacturing).
"That's where we bought our first stereolithography machine in 1998. We didn't know very well that we were going to be able to make them, but our competitors had bought one! [Laughs] We wondered what it could be used for, tried a lot of things, and finally discovered an application: make sure the part connects well to others and has the required dimensions."
"Even today, we still prototype every part of the car and mount it in its environment to make sure it fits perfectly. As a result, possible errors are identified very quickly. We can also run electrical cables and hydraulic lines through the prototypes, so that if there is a problem, we can modify the drawing of the part."
"As general volumes are dictated by aerodynamics and favour compactness, the assembly of the various components - what is known in jargon as "packaging" - is a real headache for designers, who must also allow enough space for mechanics to access all the parts. It's complicated to anticipate these kinds of things just by viewing them on the screen. With 3D printing, you get a better idea of the volumes."
SECOND APPLICATION: THE WIND TUNNEL MODEL
"Little by little," continues Warner, "we realized that with these machines, we could create parts with many holes, galleries, hollow profiles... In short, all kinds of tedious parts that would be difficult to manufacture otherwise."
"Because unlike traditional machining, we are not confined to straight lines. If you machine a part with a CNC machine, you can only drill a hole in a straight line. We don't have that kind of limitation with 3D printing."
"We quickly realized that this technology offered very interesting possibilities for our wind tunnel model. Inside it there is a very dense network of pressure sensors."
"Before 3D printing, these sensors were placed by drilling holes in the metal or carbon parts of the model. We positioned the steel tubes as best we could, but it was sometimes approximate..."
"3D printing has enabled us to produce parts with internal piping on which the sensor ports are located exactly where aerodynamics experts want them."
"But we have thousands of sensors on our model! Thanks to them, our colleagues in the aerospace department map the pressures and velocities of the air flow in real time with great precision.
600 PIECES PER WEEK
The precision also concerns the holding of the parts in the blower. As the technology was still in its infancy, it was necessary to find the right composite inks:
"At first, our materials were not rigid enough. After a while, they twisted, stretched... We added a ceramic coating to our resin, which stiffened the parts and made them less sensitive to moisture."
The wind tunnel activity alone requires the manufacture of six hundred parts per week, carried out by a team of five people. According to our guide, it would take a workshop the size of a small town to produce such quantities using traditional manufacturing methods.
THIRD APPLICATION: PARTS FOR THE CHASSIS
Over time, the parts produced by 3D printers have become so precise, solid and lightweight that they have even begun to be mounted on the race car:
"The number of components made in digital manufacturing and mounted on the car is increasing every year," confirms Nick Chester, the technical director in charge of the chassis. The benefits are considerable for the team in terms of design potential and reduction of lead times and production costs."
As the FIA requires that the composite inks used in F1 be commercially available, Renault has worked with industrial partners to produce materials adapted to its needs.
The ink used for car components is a resin mixed with carbon powder to ensure sufficient rigidity, stability and lightness. In Grand Prix, where it is a question of saving tenths of a second and a few litres of fuel, weight remains a determining factor.
In concrete terms, 3D printing makes it possible to produce parts such as supports, pipes, cooling ducts, pipes, but also small aerodynamic appendages such as fins or deflectors.
Pat Warner lets us handle some prototypes made by his department, whose lightness is indeed striking. In particular, that of metal parts, whose honeycomb structure would be impossible to produce in the manufacturing workshop.
THE METAL ALSO
Scheduled for this year, the next step is to integrate, at the plant, the in-house manufacture of three-dimensional metal parts, currently outsourced to subcontractors (including exhaust pipes):
"Digital printing of metal parts is rapidly evolving," concludes Pat Warner. It makes it possible to manufacture parts with shapes that are impossible to make conventionally, or much lighter than parts machined from aluminium."
The tenths of a second on the track are won on this kind of detail. Everyone in the plant strives for excellence in their field of expertise, no matter how circumscribed.
As time goes by, we have to say goodbye to the voluble Pat Warner, who made a strong impression on us (hey hey hey), to begin the last chapter of our visit to Enstone: the electronics department, as well as the revision areas and logistics."
That is not the case with Leclerc.
He put in some excellent stellar drives all last season and appeared to rarely make a mistake worth remembering.
It might take him a year to find his place in the Scuderia, however, he does look like the real deal and I can't wait to see him driving the red car.
Another teammate battle of interest will be The Hulk vs. Ricciardo.
The US, you're going to have a shock: because of the Haas agreement with the drink can manufacturer Rich Energy (like RB), the livery (la robe) will change and will probably be golden, probably like the Lotus JPS, black gold, colors of Rich Energy and presented on the 7th... but not the real car 2019, which will be presented later.
A projection not validated Haas but with RE colors
The US, you're going to have a shock: because of the Haas agreement with the drink can manufacturer Rich Energy (like RB), the livery (la robe) will change ...
Good to see Haas getting some sponsorship; gives me more confidence they're going to be around for the long term. Haas Manufacturing can only go so long before the ROI gets too small for a mid-pack team.
Good to see Haas getting some sponsorship; gives me more confidence they're going to be around for the long term. Haas Manufacturing can only go so long before the ROI gets too small for a mid-pack team.
Have a good one,
Mike
I think it's safe to say Haas won't be in F1 for the long haul.
Haas will stay if there is an evolution about the capped budget, I think.
Only Williams is missing before the Barcelona tests start in 2 weeks. Maybe Paddy (Lowe) is still hesitating about the chassis design to put around this great Merco engine...what a waste of resources in 2018!
Ferrari:
Hartley will go from roasted lamb or fish and ship to pasta! he joins in the Féfé simulator Wehrlein, Fuoco and Rigon. Féfé gives himself the means against Stuutgart and Ham V's solid rivals. Meanwhile, Vandoodoo (Vandoorne) is in Brixworth in the W10 simulator... The war has already begun, in the shadows and humming of the powerful computers housed in such green and bucolic countryside, a kind of Hi Tech romanticism !
The rest of the visit to the Renault chassis factory, Enstone UK. Part of the article discusses about the steering whell, it was discussed in detail for the Ham V steering wheel, the last explanation of which I will publish tomorrow, Ham V steering wheel, episode III.
Renault Enstone from Nicolas Carpentiers at F1i auto-moto
Translation : " It is time to conclude our visit by exploring the electronics department and the areas dedicated to the maintenance of single-seaters between races.
TINY PARTS WITH A GIGANTIC ROLE
Even if most electronic components are not visible at first view, there are hundreds of them on a Formula 1 car.
The most visible are on the steering wheel, but hundreds of sensors play a crucial role in providing essential data and controlling the car's systems. From brake temperatures to engine temperatures, data acquisition is crucial for real-time analysis and tuning of the car.
On cars, there are more than 200 sensors providing 150,000 measurements per second, including temperature, pressure and acceleration recording, among others:
"In race configuration, the car is equipped with about two hundred sensors," says Jason Rees, the electronics manager, "but in private tests where we are not limited by the regulations, this number can exceed five hundred.
This real-time data provides 4 MB (MO in French, O=octet) of information per second, transmitted to the garage in a few thousandths of a second and to Enstone's operations room in a quarter of a second.
Telemetry data are used during a race weekend to assess car problems, plan strategy, anticipate all possible scenarios and allow Enstone based engineers to measure the performance of the car and the pilot. In addition, they facilitate the development of new parts by supplying the design office, the group responsible for vehicle performance and the seven-cylinder test bench.
Each year, 102 million statistics with 50 billion data points per car and per race lead to the simulation of 1.5 billion strategies per season and 40,000 possible different results per lap.
A STEERING WHEEL AT 45,000 EUROS
These sensors are developed and produced in Enstone by twenty people from the electronics department, led by Jason Rees: eight engineers, seven designers, four racing team members and two in the test team.
They are responsible for radio communications, control systems, telemetry and steering wheel design.
Worth between 35 M and 45 M by the team, it allows you to change direction and control the car with the slightest button. There are about twenty of them, plus various switches and an LCD screen, adapted to drivers' preferences to display information such as lap times and mandatory FIA messages.
Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg can choose from more than a hundred combinations to get the most out of their car, adjusting the differential settings for cornering entry, ERS deployment, energy management and brake balance.
Since the ban on telemetry was introduced in the early 2000s, its role has grown. As engineers can no longer change car parameters remotely, it is up to the driver to carry out the necessary manipulations while driving:
"In the final laps of the 2017 British Grand Prix, telemetry identified a problem with Nico's car when he was sixth," recalls Ciaron Pilbeam, the race team's chief track engineer. A quick analysis of the data by the data engineers allowed Nico to be informed of the changes in settings to be entered on the steering wheel to ensure that the race was completed. Without this intervention, the car would probably have had to give up."
AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING ROOMS
After electronics, mechanics. The inspection areas, visible in particular from the mezzanine of the control room, are real operating rooms for single-seaters. Depending on the location and nature of the next race, the car is dismantled and parts are inspected, maintained, and replaced if necessary.
After the European rounds, the F1 cars return to these areas on Monday or Tuesday in Enstone. From Thursday evening, they are ready to leave for the next event.
Of course, the timing and extent of the review will adapt when the race takes place on another continent or when two Grand Prix races follow one another in a week. In this case, the racing team takes over and can disassemble and reassemble a single-seater in eight hours and change the engine in sixty minutes.
Non-destructive testing and inspection ensure that every element is in the expected condition at this point in its life cycle.
Before leaving the building (the plane is waiting to take us back to the mainland), we take a run in front of the semi-trailers lined up in front of their garage. Enstone also takes care of all the logistics for the race team.
A LOGISTICAL PUZZLE
Depending on the location, the single-seaters and their components are shipped on the circuit by air freight, sea freight or one of the sixteen Renault semi-trailers.
For overseas destinations such as Australia, spare parts are shipped by boat from January to March. A warehouse at the rear of the factory houses containers for the twelve flyaway races (Australia, Bahrain, China, Azerbaijan, Canada, Singapore, Russia, Japan, Mexico, United States, Brazil and Abu Dhabi). For each of them, the team transports 36 tons by air and three containers by sea.
On average, more than 500 elements return from the circuit to be maintained, repaired, inspected or modified before being sent back to the next Grand Prix.
ENSTONE TRAVEL AGENCY
Located in the factory, the travel office organizes all travel and accommodation on the twenty-one appointments on the calendar.
For each of them, between 70 and 90 team members go on site. In accordance with the rules established by the FIA, only sixty have access to the car, the others coming from several departments, such as marketing, communication, acquisitions and catering. During the course of a season, the stable covers approximately 160,000 km.
Our visit to the Enstone site ends, the return flight awaits us. In addition to the wind tunnel, the design office, the simulator, the dynamic test bench, the operations room, the manufacturing workshops and 5 Comments, the plant has support departments: marketing (located in the former CFD underground premises), communication, legal, financial, human resources and other departments.
There is also a sports hall, which all employees are encouraged to use, and not just the regular drivers and those of the Renault Sport Academy. Not to mention the company restaurant, named - in French in the text please - "La Cantine". Its presence seems obvious, but there is none in the Germanic Sauber for example, whose employees go home for lunch.
THE SPEED FACTORY
In many ways, a Formula 1 factory is a racing car. Every gear, however small, must be perfect. Our guides have all impressed us with their quest for excellence, both individually and collectively. For these people who work together, different but in solidarity, it presupposes trust and the same level of demand towards each other.
In this temple of thwarted innovation (where the norm of regulations provokes invention), we had the opportunity to observe well-oiled human machinery. And to touch with one's finger the almost obsessive search for perfection, which is hard to imagine
Here, speed is invented night and day in the green stillness of the countryside, far from the noise and fury of the circuits.
PS : Sauber, now Alfa Romeo Racing is located at Hinwill, germanic region of Switzerland (Italian, French and germanic région in la Suisse/Switzerland).
01-30-2019, 03:32 PM
