The life and times of a T-car
For each Grand Prix, most of the teams prepare and transport three complete race cars, and carry enough spares to build a fourth. For each of the Friday free practice sessions, Midland F1 runs one of their development drivers in the third car alongside the race driver pairing.
For MF1 Racing, the responsibility for the third car - often referred to as the T-car - falls to race engineer Oliver Knighton. Oliver travels with the team to each Grand Prix venue, but then travels back to the factory at Silverstone after the Friday practices. We thought it was about time that we found out just how important the role of the T-car, and the role of the third driver, was to the team's Grand Prix weekend.
During Friday free practice sessions, what tasks does the team generally allocate to the T-car and the third driver?"Testing the available tyre options at the race meeting is the one of the most important jobs of the third car. The three cars are limited to 7 sets of dry tyres each during the weekend, but as the third car can run all of its sets on Friday, it can complete the most accurate comparison. The results are then given to the race cars. This minimises the amount of sets they need to use in practice, leaving them more new tyres for qualifying and the race.
The engine in the T-car can be changed. Mileage is not limited, so on Friday, while the race cars run with lower engine performance and limit their mileage to reduce the stress on their engines, the T-car can run more miles with higher power settings. This running, completed with higher power settings, helps to define the race setups, including parameters such as wing level and gear ratios for the race. The T-car also runs development components to prove their performance and reliability before they are used on the race cars, as well as gaining extra setup information with (usually) representative circuit conditions for the weekend. (It also gives the spectators more action on track as the race cars save their engines and tyres on Friday.)"
What role do you, as race engineer, have to play in that process?"Before the practice sessions, it is my job to ensure that the car is built to the correct specification and to define the running programme. During the sessions, I talk to the driver and decide on any necessary changes that need to be made to the setup of the car or the run programme. I also ensure that all test items are fully prepared and carried out as required."
At the next race in Monaco, will the team be using the T-car any differently?"The test items at Monaco are likely to be run in a similar way to other races. The running programme will reflect this."
After the Friday practices are complete, you then travel back to the Silverstone factory. What do you do upon arrival, and how long does it take?"The time spent travelling back to the factory is used to do more in-depth data analysis from the day's running. I usually arrive back at the factory early Saturday morning, having completed the majority of the data analysis and reports. Any outstanding analyses or issues are then addressed before all relevant information is emailed back to the circuit."
Once you've completed your tasks at the factory, do you play any further part in the team's Grand Prix weekend?"During the weekend, it is possible to access the computer network at the circuit from the factory and view a variety of real-time data. This allows additional analysis of the weekend's running to be carried out and any points of interest reported back to the circuit. Plans for the following week's testing may also be adjusted according to findings from the race weekend, and any changes actioned as soon as possible."
From the Saturday free practice onwards, the T-car is set up for one of the race drivers. What factors decide which driver it is on any weekend?"The T-car allocation is alternated between drivers at each race event. Obviously, should the other driver require the T-car, then the pedals, seat, belts and other items can be quickly swapped."
Aside from being the team's third or spare race car, what functions are performed by the T-car and yourself that contribute to the race effort or the development cycle?"Once the T-car has finished running on Friday, it will be rebuilt, ready for possible race use. Because the use of the T-car on Saturdays is limited by the regulations, the T-car mechanics will assist the race car mechanics in quickly turning around the race cars between Saturday's practice and qualifying sessions.
Working in a small team, I find there is always plenty for me to do! Aside from running the T-car, I am the team's test engineer and so prepare and oversee the track tests that MF1 carries out. It is my responsibility to ensure that preparations for the next test are proceeding to plan, including manufacture of test items, availability of car components and development of the test programme. My other responsibilities include writing simulation software code, defining car build specification documents (ensuring they are actioned for races and tests) and liaising with the drawing office and production, to name just a few. Being involved in so many different areas of the team makes the job very interesting."
Source Midlandf1
