Understeer ... the good, the bad & the Technical

[Farnborough]

As a destination for the interesting discussion going on in Ferrari SF24 thread, hopefully to encourage continued debate and examinatory contribution.

I think it should be most specifically about this trait in high speed, high torque/throttle application, avoiding the intricacies of low corner speed dynamics for clarity of topic.

[Greg Locock]

What definition of understeer are you using?

[Tommy Cookers]

,,, I think it should be most specifically about this trait in high speed, high torque/throttle application, avoiding the intricacies of low corner speed dynamics for clarity of topic.

Maurice Olley would have agreed with that

in slow corners accelerations in yaw are large - so dynamic 'understeer' significantly leads steady state steer behaviour

[Farnborough]

What definition of understeer are you using?

Thought I'd exclude slow discussion (as it reduces the need to involve long comparison) but see what is understood by other observers of F1 in regard to how that would be interpreted.

Blunt view would be exaggerated "armful" of lock with vehicle travelling straight on, nuance would need far far more refinement of description and better resolution, to align with what the drivers are doing.

I know what I think and have experienced, that in kart, rally, road car, motorcycle both on and off road there's manifestation of it and driving with it to good and poor effect.

Technically, it could be defined by the wheel spindle trajectory being directed in tighter radius than that which the wheel is following, to ultimately bring the vehicle path below tbat requested.

But in high torque high speed, with rear lateral movement giving yaw to chassis, then with fronts effectively running straight (steering wheel not turned) but gradually moving to wider radius overall .... is that under or over steer .... or the two technically balanced ? Thinking in track terms of 2nd 1/3 Parabolica at Monza to give example.

What do you think, and how would that be described ?

[Sevach]

No one wants understeer they want stable, and what feels stable to some drivers will feel like understeer for others.

I've read a comparison between Hamilton and Button during their Mclaren years, by one of their chief technicians, with how you have to optimize the car for the whole lap, the team could put more front in the car for Hamilton because he would be able to deal with the rear at it's critical points, no complaints whatsover with a setup Button would call undriveable.
And then in tighter corners where a car that rotates faster is beneficial Hamilton would profit.