2019 British Grand Prix - Silverstone, July 12-14

[Just_a_fan]

As usual it will be windy, blowing southeast on friday, then southwest for the rest of the weekend. It means a tail wind all the way from Copse to Stowe.

A southwesterly wind means a head wind from Copse to Stowe, a cross wind through Vale, tail wind from Club up the start straight, Abbey kink and in to the Village complex. Tail wind out of Luffield, cross wind in to Copse.

[godlameroso]

With a head wind the esses will be fun.

[Just_a_fan]

I've just checked our local weather on the BBC website and see that the wind is forecast to blow from the north northeast so your original comment was correct. I got confused by you saying it was blowing "southwest" and assumed you meant a "southwesterly wind". My mistake.

A tail wind through Becketts and braking for Stowe - what fun!

[izzy]

With a head wind the esses will be fun.

The Met Office is showing only 10 mph on Saturday and 8 on Sunday, that's not windy really

[yelistener]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

[henry]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pknac2duvU

Flat is an interesting concept with these PUs. It would be entirely legal for the software to reduce the power, like a driver lift on the throttle, through any selected corner where the driver doesn’t lift. I don’t know if they do this but they could.

[Juzh]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pknac2duvU

lol no. with the barn door rear wings this year it's probably flat even with no hands and blindfolded.

Flat is an interesting concept with these PUs. It would be entirely legal for the software to reduce the power, like a driver lift on the throttle, through any selected corner where the driver doesn’t lift. I don’t know if they do this but they could.

They obviously are doing this with the ERS. There's probably zero deployment trough the corner itself, only the ICE is working at full power. After the corner battery starts to assist again. It would be pretty pointless dumping the battery trough this corner and then having to lift as a result. Same story in pouhon in spa, though so far I've only seen hamilton take that corner flat, but it was pretty obvious.

[GPR-A]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pknac2duvU

lol no. with the barn door rear wings this year it's probably flat even with no hands and blindfolded.

Flat is an interesting concept with these PUs. It would be entirely legal for the software to reduce the power, like a driver lift on the throttle, through any selected corner where the driver doesn’t lift. I don’t know if they do this but they could.

They obviously are doing this with the ERS. There's probably zero deployment trough the corner itself, only the ICE is working at full power. After the corner battery starts to assist again. It would be pretty pointless dumping the battery trough this corner and then having to lift as a result. Same story in pouhon in spa, though so far I've only seen hamilton take that corner flat, but it was pretty obvious.

Remember Spa 2017, when Alonso took turn 14 (i guess) flat and the software was configured to deliver boost after a lift for that corner? It was done so as they thought the driver cannot take it flat and would lift, which Alonso didn't.

[henry]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pknac2duvU

lol no. with the barn door rear wings this year it's probably flat even with no hands and blindfolded.

Flat is an interesting concept with these PUs. It would be entirely legal for the software to reduce the power, like a driver lift on the throttle, through any selected corner where the driver doesn’t lift. I don’t know if they do this but they could.

They obviously are doing this with the ERS. There's probably zero deployment trough the corner itself, only the ICE is working at full power. After the corner battery starts to assist again. It would be pretty pointless dumping the battery trough this corner and then having to lift as a result. Same story in pouhon in spa, though so far I've only seen hamilton take that corner flat, but it was pretty obvious.

Remember Spa 2017, when Alonso took turn 14 (i guess) flat and the software was configured to deliver boost after a lift for that corner? It was done so as they thought the driver cannot take it flat and would lift, which Alonso didn't.

I do remember that. I think Honda were still trying to figure out how to program their software and that stratagem didn’t work. That situation suggests that the scenario I suggested would be hard to engineer. A driver might arrive at a corner and decide to go at it a bit harder. So maybe they don’t do it.

[yelistener]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pknac2duvU

lol no. with the barn door rear wings this year it's probably flat even with no hands and blindfolded.

And more importantly they resurfaced the track again this year to a much better quality than last year as the track owner claimed. If it's true, then flat through Copse will be a walk in the park even for Williams. And I expect 2019 pole to be 1.5s faster than 2018.

[Juzh]

I wonder who CAN NOT take Copse flat on Saturday. Last year most of them were already taking it flat.

Williams maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pknac2duvU

lol no. with the barn door rear wings this year it's probably flat even with no hands and blindfolded.

Flat is an interesting concept with these PUs. It would be entirely legal for the software to reduce the power, like a driver lift on the throttle, through any selected corner where the driver doesn’t lift. I don’t know if they do this but they could.

They obviously are doing this with the ERS. There's probably zero deployment trough the corner itself, only the ICE is working at full power. After the corner battery starts to assist again. It would be pretty pointless dumping the battery trough this corner and then having to lift as a result. Same story in pouhon in spa, though so far I've only seen hamilton take that corner flat, but it was pretty obvious.

Remember Spa 2017, when Alonso took turn 14 (i guess) flat and the software was configured to deliver boost after a lift for that corner? It was done so as they thought the driver cannot take it flat and would lift, which Alonso didn't.

Ah yes, alonso did it already in 2017, forgot about that one. However the mclaren had like 10-15 kmh less entry speed with the honda engine compared to mercedes.

[amr]

Most probably they have some logic that looks at steering wheel angle, veh speed, yaw sensor to control how much ers assistance is delivered. Is a mild version of ESP that is not cutting torque at the wheel but it is cutting torque at the PU.

[Just_a_fan]

Does the rule requiring torque to match the driver's demand not apply to the electric side of the PU? If it does, then all of these strategies are illegal.

[ME4ME]

Having just re-watched the 2018 Grand Prix, I must say i'm really looking forward to this years race. One worrying thing is field spread. Last year already after 20 laps the midfield was a minute behind. This year that could be even worse. However I'm looking foward to the Mclaren v Renault battle, although I think that one is already decided.

Also looking forward to see if Bottas sinks or floats. Last year he got saved my his car - his driving was rather average. Hamilton destroyed him pace wise even after his first-lap incident with Raikkonen. This year hopefully Bottas will get eaten up if he performs sub par again.

Last year the PU performance gaps were plain nasty. Hamilton going through the field like the others weren't there. Hopefully Renaults and Hondas progress have reduced that deficiency somewhat.

[izzy]

Does the rule requiring torque to match the driver's demand not apply to the electric side of the PU? If it does, then all of these strategies are illegal.

great point, plus anyway surely drivers need to be able to predict what the throttle response will be all the time, not having the car making its own mind depending on the corner. they have maps that vary modes on their own through the race but that's not the same thing is it?