The FIA clearly have been looking at Lewis’s misfortune and mistakes during the 2016 season. Several instances of poor starts from the Mercedes driver ‘spiced up’ the season. The regulations for clutch systems next year will therefore be changed to encourage more errors.
Current regulation for 2016 allows a double paddle system behind the steering wheel but only to operate a single clutch.
Previously, the teams used to have two paddles for separate clutches with the net effect of creating a type of traction control. The reasons for this system was to try and eliminate the variables that change the bite point of the clutch, crucial to a good get away. Temperature would change the optimal bite point of the clutch.
2016 saw this eliminated but teams have had a few tricks up their sleeves such as keeping 2 paddles as a means of clawing back the ability to find an optimal bite point. Although the paddles operate just one clutch, unlike pre 2016, the trick for 2016 was for the driver to find the optimal bite with the first paddle when the first red light appears – setting the car ready. Once the last light went out, both paddles were released at that optimal bite point.
This did rely on the driver successfully operating the first paddle but in essence, we returned to a similar launch of years past. Not all drivers 100% successfully nailed the procedure, as demonstrated by Hamilton’s occasional poor get aways.
Also, during practice sessions, teams recorded where the clutch bite points were relative to temperature at each race. This information was then marked as a reference point on the steering wheel giving them the ideal paddle position at race start.
All of this has been eliminated now for 2017. No reference points on the steering wheel are allowed, secondly, only one paddle.
The most important feature is that the position of the clutch paddle no longer determines the position of the clutch but the torque to be transmitted.
The driver must therefore feel how much torque he wants to transmit, via the hand on the clutch and foot on the accelerator pedal. In the opinion of the engineers, it will be much more common that when the engine starts, either the speed falls significantly or the rear wheels spin too much.
So expect all overtaking to occur at turn 1, lap 1 next season since all advice from the overtaking working group has now ignored. 2017 will see much more aero dependance which historically cripples cars ability to follow one another.
Unfortunately for F1 fans, the start will probably the only occasion we’ll see genuine (non DRS) passing during a race next year.
Balls Have No DRS, Yet – That I Know Of.
Bring It On.
GO, 44 !
Yh, maybe too much information, but…
My balls have a Dangle Regulation System – keeps the ‘nads at the optimum temperature, y’know.
The Optimum Temperature Is Cold – That Is Why They Are Outside Of The Body.
GO, 44 !
Alonso is the best starter in the field. This works to his advantage if he is anywhere near the front next year.
No, he’s the best reactive driver in the field.
This system should allow Ferrari to hit the front on occasion…
any excuse 🙂
Meh! Fred’s just copying Max with all that bulk around-the-outside passing in the pouring rain.
When are all these old guys going to go away and let the new blood show them how it’s done?
Hahaha
Bear in mind that, Alonso was fighting Schumacher tooth and nail for a title.
Slightly different to Max’s performance where a mistake counted for nothing..
That’s why I’ve been saying (for a long time now) they should bring back manual gearboxes. That would make the racing much more exciting.
also make them work for it a bit 🙂
exactly. if i have to explain my love for f1 (which i have to do sometimes) i’ll either show em senna onboard in monaco or arnoux vs villeneuve in djion
thanks for the arnoux/villeneuve tip Bruznic, I didn’t know that one, before my time, good to look it up.
great stuff alright…although I’m not sure the modern Pirelli’s would like that abuse…plus fairly sure today’s drivers would be on the radio howling about track limits!!!
Ha – track limits again – not sure GV knew what track limits were.
But then again in the 50s and 60s ignoring track limits could mean meeting something solid, like tree!!!
Oh man. Just in time for me to share then, a must see like nothing else.(good thing I like Villeneuve Sr. so much 😎) I agree with the field now a days they’d be crying and getting a multitude of penalties for leaving the track. Nor would that track be allowed by the fia. But, imo, it’s unbelievable racing. The do or die lock up of GV is something we will never see again.
And what’s more, this is for p2. Nobody minds the winner, Jabouille, a French guy winning in a French car in France, giving Renault it’s first win since they started to use a turbo!
YOUTUBE Has A 28 Minute Video Resume Of That Race.
The Famous Last Laps Are All There, Just As I Saw It Live On JULY 1 1979.
I Saw Them Black And White And Not In Color, And, Of Course, The RTP1 Commentary Was Not Made By Non Other Than MURRAY WALKER Himself.
SALUT, GILLES !
No one is ever going to convince me that what the drivers achieve in the over-engineered current iteration of technocars is in ANY WAY comparable to the way Senna et al wrung the necks of those totally raw racing machines back in the day.
In fact, you can’t even compare the eras – drivers or cars. Just too different.
Yes indeed, Rog. Let me know if you’re doing the OZ GP next year. I’ll let you buy me a beer.
Sure thing RR – it’d be a pleasure to share a brew or four.
Albert Park was absolutely on the cards a month or so ago. But a juicy contract popped up a while back that will require a very well-timed acceptance testing trip or something from up on the NW shelf down and across to Mexico.
You never know though, I’ll keep you informed.
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