Start Procedure

[hardingfv32]

Interesting on-board video with Paul Di Resta at the Monaco GP:

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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xr8jc5_helmet-cam-onboard-paul-di-resta-monaco-2012_auto

Note especially the starting procedure. After driver arrives to his slot on the starting grid, he adjust KERS discharge. We can see dials on the steering wheel display while adjusting - 2 to 3 and back to 2.



After adjusting KERS discharge, he uses central rotary switch to set clutch engagement?



The last values seen on the display before the start are "ENG..........40" which could represent idle RPM x 100, so idle speed is 4,000 rpm. Shortly before red lights goes out, Paul Di Resta press the accelerator and value ENG increases to "ENG..........131" = 13,100 rpm.

Question about the 13,000 rpm launch level:

How does the driver peg 13,000? Is this number fixed before hand and the clutch set to optimize for that rpm?

Brian

[Lycoming]

I would presume that to be the case. From what I've seen, the exact RPM seems to vary mostly depending on the engine. My experience has been that the renault engine, for example, is closer to 12,500.

[techF1LES]

Updated: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=11607&p=349764#p349764

RPM level is validated from bite-point find clutch scrubs during FP sessions. That’s how they also define the number of burnouts for tire temp and clutch surface “cleanliness”.

Clutch paddles have position sensors, they’re not just switches that are “dumped.” As such, their displacement vs rpm is mapped. Clutch maps are tuned for each driver preference and the results of bite-point find data from FP sessions.

[strad]

Read this weeks GPWeek magazine and watch the Flying Lap and they talk about the launch...the put their right foot on ther floor and the computer handles the launch...Tell me that's not a form of launch control.

[rjsa]

Banning TC and launch control was the reason for the SECU.

I'm sure the accelerator pedal has very specific rules preventing the presense of 'bumps' in the travel distance, avoiding the possibility of the team to create an index at the best starting throtle position. Besides that, the SECU greatly limits the inputs that the injection uses to calculate air and fuel intake. I'm pretty sure that no clutchposition, car or wheel speed is factored.

I'd assume that the clutch control is under the same kind of rules. It wil take may be RPM and lever position into account, but won't be able to act in a special manner during race starts.

[strad]

HAHA...The point is they can put in full throttle but on get a percentage anyway...they can play linguistic games they want, It's launch control.

[rjsa]

HAHA...The point is they can put in full throttle but on get a percentage anyway...they can play linguistic games they want, It's launch control.

But hey can't switch mapping for a while. Then the car would be very slow. You're not going to make me go through the rules, are you? [-o<

[rjsa]

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5.5 Engine torque demand :
5.5.1 The only means by which the driver may control the engine torque is via a single chassis mounted foot (accelerator) pedal.
5.5.2 Designs which allow specific points along the accelerator pedal travel range to be identified by the driver or assist him to hold a position are not permitted.
5.5.3 The maximum accelerator pedal travel position must correspond to an engine torque demand equal to or greater than the maximum engine torque at the measured engine speed.
The minimum accelerator pedal travel position must correspond to an engine torque demand equal to or lower than 0Nm.
5.5.4 The accelerator pedal shaping map in the ECU may only be linked to the type of the tyres fitted to the car : one map for use with dry‐weather tyres and one map for use with intermediate or wet‐weather tyres.
5.5.5 At any given engine speed the driver torque demand map must be monotonically increasing
for an increase in accelerator pedal position.
5.5.6 At any given accelerator pedal position and above 5,000rpm, the driver torque demand map must not have a gradient of less than – (minus) 0.030Nm / rpm.

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9.2 Clutch control:
The following applies only to the main drivetrain clutch or clutches, any clutch used exclusively as part of a KERS is exempt.
9.2.1 If multiple clutch operating devices are used, they must all have the same mechanical travel characteristics and be mapped identically.
9.2.2 Designs which allow specific points along the travel range of the clutch operating device to be identified by the driver or assist him to hold a position are not permitted.
9.2.3 The minimum and maximum travel positions of the clutch operating device must correspond to the clutch fully engaged normal rest position and fully disengaged (incapable of transmitting any useable torque) positions respectively.
9.2.4 Designs or systems which in addition to typical inherent hydraulic and mechanical properties are designed to, or have the effect of, adjusting or otherwise influencing the amount, or rate, of engagement being demanded by the FIA ECU, are not permitted.
9.2.5 The amount by which the clutch is engaged must be controlled solely and directly by the driver with the exception of :
] Stall prevention.
] Gearshifts.
] Bite point finder where brake pressure, wheel speed and driver clutch demand safeguards are used.
] De]clutch protections.
] Drivetrain protection on the track outside of any start lockout period or immediately following stall prevention activation only.
] Test signals enabled only when the car is connected to the garage system.
The relationship between the clutch operating device in the cockpit and the amount of clutch engagement may be non]linear but must remain fixed.
9.2.6 When the clutch operating device is released from its maximum travel position it must return to its resting position within 50ms.
The maximum delay allowed, computed from the respective positions as recorded by the ADR or ECU, between the clutch driver control input signal and the corresponding output demand being achieved is 50ms.

[strad]

Go to the GP Week magazine...watch the Flying Lap with Windsor and Connor Daly...listen to how he describes the launch..put you right foot on the floor and pop the clutch...And they don't haze let alone smoke the tires? Why? Becuse the engine map is only letting it make half or less of it's capable horsepower and the clutch has a predtermined splippage...ANYTHING that makes it so the DRIVER doesn't have to modulate the horsepower and the launch, IS launch control.
You can play semantic/linguistic games all ya want but it is out of the drivers control.

[techF1LES]

Go to the GP Week magazine...watch the Flying Lap with Windsor and Connor Daly...listen to how he describes the launch..put you right foot on the floor and pop the clutch...And they don't haze let alone smoke the tires? Why? Becuse the engine map is only letting it make half or less of it's capable horsepower and the clutch has a predtermined splippage...ANYTHING that makes it so the DRIVER doesn't have to modulate the horsepower and the launch, IS launch control.
You can play semantic/linguistic games all ya want but it is out of the drivers control.

Ok, but keep in mind that there is huge difference between successful and bad start! Driver prepares his Sunday launch as early as in First Practice session and then throughout the whole weekend... I partially agree with you, sure drivers nowadays relies too much on their engineers, but I don't think that the only the driver does is "foot on the floor and pop the clutch". It's up to him to perform successful or bad start...

[autogyro]

It is launch control but why use a crude friction clutch anyway?

[hardingfv32]

Based on the stated rules, the driver must control the throttle with the pedal. I can see where the clutch can be set to optimize the launch a 13,000 rpm, so the driver is responsible for pegging the 13k mark. Could the throttle map have a flat or broad step in it at 13k rpm range? Extra pedal travel in this area of the map. How might this effect the normal use of the throttle map during the race? I assume a throttle position of 13k at idle is not the same as 13k under load.

Brian

[rjsa]

Based on the stated rules, the driver must control the throttle with the pedal. I can see where the clutch can be set to optimize the launch a 13,000 rpm, so the driver is responsible for pegging the 13k mark. Could the throttle map have a flat or broad step in it at 13k rpm range? Extra pedal travel in this area of the map. How might this effect the normal use of the throttle map during the race? I assume a throttle position of 13k at idle is not the same as 13k under load.

Brian

Throttle maps are pretty restricted:

5.5.4 The accelerator pedal shaping map in the ECU may only be linked to the type of the tyres fitted to the car : one map for use with dry‐weather tyres and one map for use with intermediate or wet‐weather tyres.
5.5.5 At any given engine speed the driver torque demand map must be monotonically increasing
for an increase in accelerator pedal position.

In recent past teams would have one qualy map which would favour the performance of the EBD and then replace it for the race with another one that would burn less fuel and be gentler on the engine. That was forbidden, now they can't replace map after qualy. Then the car will start with one wet and one dry map. And item 5.5.5 pretty much avoids the existence of such plateau.

[hardingfv32]

Actually 'monotonically increasing' is what I am trying to describe. Increasing with a plateau somewhere along the way.

Brian

[strad]

I'm not sure, but I think one reason they have to go this route and allow it, is because they would burn up those tiny little clutches is they got it even a little wrong. They need it. Same thing the teams have cried many times to get things changed to what they want.