Lotus E20 Renault

[techF1LES]

Here is the sidepod update we were talking about with SRK:

[mx_tifoso]

I find it interesting that they are willing to sacrifice a whole practice to change the steering on the car once again. What's going on in that department, I sure would like to hear some insights.

The main reason why they are having so much setup work on the front suspension and on the steering is because of Raikkonen' driving style. His style requires a very sensitive setup on input, but also on feedback of the steering. Raikkonen is still looking for the perfect setup on that department, and although they found a good solution to the previous problems, Monaco is a very special track for the suspension and steering setup.

I think Raikkonen immediately felt that the current setup wasn't working and switched to an alternate version.

With Monaco you have a very sharp hairpin. A normal road course steering rack most likely won't allow enough turning angle to turn inside of someone in the hairpin but rather just make the radius of the hairpin.

With formula atlantic cars at Long Beach and Trios Riverious (Quebec Canada) we had to change the rack to make passing possible allowing a smaller radius to be driven. A regular road course steering rack didn't have a tight enough radius.
This could be whats happening IMHO...

Having been here tons of times wouldn't it be almost automatically done beforehand? Or tested just in case on the simulator.

[nacho]

I mean the steering was so off they decided to spend the practice session changing it, might be a heavy price to pay we'll see. Would be interesting to know how the current one is different.

[bhall]

One of the problems Lotus has had with Raikkonen in regard to steering is the fact that's he's left-handed, and they've never had a left-handed driver before. They reversed the arrangement of the controls on his wheel as part of the ongoing series of solutions to try and remedy his steering issues, but it seems they haven't quite nailed it down.

Does the dominance of one hand over the other play a role in the setup of power steering?

[mith]

They reversed the arrangement of the controls on his wheel as part of the ongoing series of solutions to try and remedy his steering issues, but it seems they haven't quite nailed it down.

Actually that was April fool's day joke.

[bhall]

Not that I doubt it, but that's an odd joke, considering that every reference I've seen on the matter is dated April 9 or later.

Fair enough.

[mith]

Here's source exactly from prima aprilis: http://www.lotusf1team.com/Keep-Left-Ki ... ml?lang=en

You can also look closely at the carbon fiber pattern. It's exactly the same on both steering wheels, which to me is proof that one of them was just photoshopped from the other.

[korzeniow]

Here is the sidepod update we were talking about with SRK:

Great comparsion photo =D>

But it seems they changed crash structure with this sidepod update, didn't they? This would require to pass new crash test. Am I right?

[madly]

Here is the sidepod update we were talking about with SRK:

But it seems they changed crash structure with this sidepod update, didn't they? This would require to pass new crash test. Am I right?

Crash structure is on top of sidepod. This is rather subtle shape change in bottom profile. It's not necessary to change crash structure. They have them detached from sidepod just to allow change sidopod shape freely.

[xDama]

Having been here tons of times wouldn't it be almost automatically done beforehand? Or tested just in case on the simulator.

Indeed, I don't think the angle of the hairpins etc. is the problem. They've raced on Monaco for years, and they've got accurate simulatorwork to configure those setups.

You can read some intel on his driving style and his steering setup/problems in the next articles:
http://kimiraikkonenspace.com/2012/05/2 ... -champion/

And he more or less confirms this in the next interview:
http://kimiraikkonenspace.com/2012/05/2 ... with-kimi/

[raymondu999]

I don't think it's solely about the way he feels the track through the wheel nor the Monaco steering rack on their own - I think it's combining the Monaco steering rack, with the feedback Kimi wants.

[nacho]

Maybe there is something still "wrong" with the steering and they tried yet another solutions which didn't work and just went back to the one they have been using, which probably isn't there yet but is enough.

[ArchAngel]

A bit curious 'tho that Grosjean can just get on with it and be very quick right out of the box around the Principality.

Would Raikkonen's struggles with the E20 power steering suggest that the "feel" differs considerably from what he was used to back in McLaren & Ferrari?

Surely it can't be because he misses terribly how he can saw the steering wheel off like crazy in a rally car?

[madly]

Alan Permane: ".. The changed steering setup for Kimi was more to his liking for FP2."

Kimi Räikkönen: ".. The steering wasn’t to my liking so the team changed it for me. It’s something you change for Monaco and there’s no way of knowing what it will be like beforehand. The car felt good in the second session, though it was obviously pretty slippery when the track was wet. I would have liked to have had more time in the car, but Monaco’s a track I know pretty well and it hasn’t changed much over the years. Let’s see what happens tomorrow."

James Allison: ".. It was a disappointment to have missed the first session whilst we changed the steering setup on Kimi’s car, but he’s an old enough trooper to get himself up to speed on Saturday. .. All the Monaco upgrades seem to be working well and the E20 is pretty happy around what is a very unique track."

EOT?

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Good look at the E20 front suspension put together in Monaco