Exhaust blown diffusers and FIA restrictions/ban

[gridwalker]

Ferrari had for example the hole in the nosecone that was banned instantly.

The nosecone hole wasn't banned instantly : the FIA allowed Ferrari to run it for the full season, then banned it when they introduced the new bodywork regulations for 2009.

This is another example of why he's annoyed about a change mid season : most other changes happen when a championship isn't at stake.

[djos]

So true, the only other recent mid season ban was for Renaults TMD front suspension while Alonso was challenging Schumi for the WDC!

<insert conspiracy theory here>

[Lurk]

"Throttle pedal already are like that, more or less."

I wondered if the throttle might not be less sensitive at the fully open end of the throttle range. This would be when the big power kicks in.

Brian

Well, I didn't ask if the throttle is less sensitive at the end too... But I will
All I know is that engines are a lot smoother than before so normally you don't have to manage a sudden big kick. So it should'nt be a necessity...

[hardingfv32]

When would the drive want more engine control, when the engine is making 700 hp or say 400 hp?

I am assuming that the driver is on the edge of the traction circle at all times as he leaves a corner.

Brian

[hardingfv32]

Scarbs is saying that our understanding of what the steering wheel allows in changes to the engine map have been incorrect. The driver can not change a complete map, only limited parameters of the engine map.

Brian

[atanatizante]

Does anybody know what`s in the regs regarding when a driver hits the gas but only PARTIALY, let`s say 8%, in a corner? Because I think they could set up an engine mapping that allows them to get the maximum exhaust regardless the % of the throttle activation ...

[munudeges]

Not sure why he singles out Ferrari.

Well, during practice 3 Anthony Davidson said that after speaking to a few people it was Ferrari who pushed hardest for this ban. That explains Domenicali's hope, more than anything else, of a 'second championship' after Silverstone.

[bill shoe]

As hardingfv32 says, scarbs has good info on engine "maps". I think this is the first significant public info on this topic since the FIA's anti-blown-diffuser campaign started several weeks ago. We should all read this before pondering the topic further.

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/06/2 ... p-changes/

[munudeges]

Mercedes seems to have been quite aggressive with what they're doing in qualifying. That explains the spectacular flames we'vee seen coming out of it.

[Lurk]

@hardingfv32 : I have my response and i was a little mistaking.

On dry track, throttle is generally less sensitive at the end to have a better control on long turns. On wet tracks, it is less sensitive at the bottom because they run on lower revs and they go full gaz only on straight line.
Of course it also depends of the track and the driver

He also add that throttle clearance is generally 3-4cm (depend of driver too) so "less sensitivity" is very relative

[Steven]

More details on the engine mapping rules for Silverstone and beyond (by Charlie Whiting):

"There are a few elements that we have not yet finalised," he said. "We have had meetings with a couple of engine manufacturers, as we only want to target this one particular area for what we feel is the illegal use of engine maps for aero reasons.

"We don't want to influence the perfectly legitimate systems on the cars like engine braking for example, we are happy for them to use it but we don't want it to be abused.

"If a driver comes off the throttle, we are saying that the throttles can be 10 per cent opened at 12,000rpm and 20 per cent open at 18,000rpm. One engine manufacturer is asking for a little bit more and for what appear to be genuine reasons.

"We have the ability to go back to 2009 and look at the maps and records we have and everything. We can refer back to those – if they needed 28 per cent of throttle at 18,000rpm back then it is perfectly legitimate – so that would appear to be a perfectly reasonable request. "

[matt21]

If I read the article by scarbs correctly, they can change the engine maps at their first pitstop.
But it takes too long, as they have to plug in a laptop.

Do you think it may be possible to build something into the steering wheel, that influences or changes the maps and exchange the wheel at the first pitstop? Or is this outlawed by the rules?

If they run the quali-map at the start of the race, it might be possible to establish a gap to next car, which is big enough to have the time to change the steering wheel.

[ianwit]

I'm no expert but I see it like this, the difference between Quali and Race maps is radical. The old map has to be removed (deleted) and the new map loaded (by computer), this takes about two minutes and I don't think it can be done whilst the engine is running. I reckon if you were to switch from one map to the other on the move the engine would end up as shrapnel. I think I'm right in emphasising that the steering wheel engine controls can only alter some parameters of the current loaded map.

[matt21]

What I ment was to install a computer in the wheel which uploads the new mapping.

Is it allowed to change the ECU during the race?
Than maybe it is possible to install a quick disconnect on this and change it during pitstop and restart the engine, assumed it doesn´t take too long.

[i70q7m7ghw]

What I ment was to install a computer in the wheel which uploads the new mapping.

Is it allowed to change the ECU during the race?
Than maybe it is possible to install a quick disconnect on this and change it during pitstop and restart the engine, assumed it doesn´t take too long.

Why? In Silverstone the restriciton is on what the maps can actually do, not when you can use them.