F1 Timing

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Andi76
Andi76
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Joined: 03 Feb 2021, 20:19

F1 Timing

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Is there anyone who is familiar with the timekeeping technology of F1? I have noticed several times this year that a driver crosses the finish line (have also checked via F1TV in slow motion) and the time is at 1:25.400, for example, but suddenly lights up as the final time 1:25.223. Today I noticed this with Alonso in Q3 2:10 minutes before the end of Q3. I have noticed this several times, also once with Verstappen when it was against Leclerc for the pole. Does anyone have an idea what background this has and how this can be explained? I would like to emphasize that I do not want to imply manipulation here but think of a technical reason.

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hollus
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Joined: 29 Mar 2009, 01:21
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: F1 Timing

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There is a new video in F1TV about how timing works:
https://f1tv.formula1.com/detail/100000 ... tech-works
OK but not great, IMO.

It doesn't directly address your question, but they mention a "quality indicator" on "timing loop passes", perhaps those are the low quality signals that require some extra processing or even checking to produce the official time? Say, if a car passes over he loop while bouncing on the kerb or any other physical disturbance.

It is surprising how manual they describe the system as being, loops, transponders and all that, but also a guy with paper and pen noting the car numbers as they pass the finish line and a 2-lap response time to check, analyze, then write a report on a "possible" jump start which then needs to be manually re-analyzed.

Another interesting tidbit: they are working on bringing timing to the 1/10000th of a second. 0.00001 seconds, at 300 km/h, is 8.3 cm. Better cut those loop grooves straight!
Rivals, not enemies.

AR3-GP
AR3-GP
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Joined: 06 Jul 2021, 01:22

Re: F1 Timing

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hollus wrote:
06 Oct 2023, 20:24

Another interesting tidbit: they are working on bringing timing to the 1/10000th of a second. 0.00001 seconds, at 300 km/h, is 8.3 cm. Better cut those loop grooves straight!
Classic F1. Chasing the unnecessary and ignoring the badly needed. We don't need microsecond precision. We need automated track limit enforcement.
A lion must kill its prey.

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Juzh
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Joined: 06 Oct 2012, 08:45

Re: F1 Timing

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Andi76 wrote:
06 Oct 2023, 19:32
Is there anyone who is familiar with the timekeeping technology of F1? I have noticed several times this year that a driver crosses the finish line (have also checked via F1TV in slow motion) and the time is at 1:25.400, for example, but suddenly lights up as the final time 1:25.223.
This is happening since as long as I can remember. Must be some overhead processing or something like that.