Scuderia Ferrari arrives in Las Vegas, the twenty-second occasion of the 2024 Formulation 1 racing season, the third-to-last race of the World Championship. Confidence in potential efficiency is current. On the Nevada monitor, low temperatures and lengthy straights make the tire difficulty central as soon as once more for the race weekend. The primary problem for the Maranello technicians and drivers will probably be on the entrance, the place the automotive’s axis is much less careworn by lateral forces, making it extra vulnerable to dangers of graining and the associated phenomenon of understeering. To handle these points successfully, the Maranello group has carried out “indoor testing” beneath excessive situations on the tires.
The objective was to look at the mathematical mannequin of the tires to make sure that the technique for managing the compounds is as correct as attainable, offering the power to extract the optimum power profile, each in qualifying and within the race. As we speak, we need to analyze the difficulties confronted by Ferrari’s tire and efficiency engineers in defining an correct mannequin to convey to the monitor. Moreover, we are going to attempt to perceive how necessary acceptable tire evaluation is after every free follow run for the setup deliberation.
Within the try and predict tire habits, the issues lie in the truth that the three attribute parameters of every tire, masses, footprint, and temperature, are solely estimated. Basically, there is no such thing as a chance of utilizing a sensor to completely outline vertical load or working temperature; assumptions have to be made. Moreover, tire habits is completely nonlinear. Due to this fact, the outlined fashions might typically be incorrect, offering non-ideal output values.
All of it begins from the assessments carried out throughout the sports activities administration with Ferrari, who, nonetheless within the struggle for the Constructors’ Championship, determined to dedicate appreciable time to this issue throughout the two-week break earlier than Las Vegas. The technicians at Ferrari use a “magic system,” outlined by engineer Hans Pacejka within the Eighties. An equation that requires enter of 18 parameters offered by Pirelli, which outline a kind of id card for the tire. These values have to be mixed with the three standards talked about above by means of dynamic simulations on the circuit.
Since they don’t have the race tires in-house, as every F1 group should return the tires on the finish of each race weekend, simulations are carried out utilizing software program. The Prancing Horse has based mostly its simulations on information collected on the monitor throughout this season, altering the encircling situations to simulate the Las Vegas race, additionally utilizing information gathered throughout the earlier version. Within the dynamic program, vertical forces and the form of the contact patch with the bottom are modified, simulating the camber acquire of the tire all through the lap.
If the load estimation on every tire is appropriate, the software program is mechanically capable of present the best temperature on the tire’s core as output. This fashion, the best working window for the tire in varied situations is outlined. In fact, all of that is thought of with the understanding that, as all the time, sure elements can solely be seen on the monitor, and the group have to be expert in adjusting the technique to totally exploit the compounds. It’s a actually difficult job, one which appears really troublesome throughout the present regulatory framework, particularly in sure aggressive contexts.
In the true world, figuring out vertical pressure, the dimensions of the contact patch, and the temperature on the coronary heart of the tire is way more difficult than within the simulation setting, the place primarily it’s only a matter of inputting a worth. The ensuing vertical forces, for instance, are influenced by the displacement of the lateral load in corners and the longitudinal load throughout acceleration or braking. The same dialogue applies to the footprint, which relies upon each on the vertical pressure because the tire is deformable, however particularly on the camber acquire chosen by the technicians working within the dynamics division.
The rotation of the tire in a nook, across the axis parallel to the movement, subsequently, adjustments the portion of the floor in touch with the monitor floor, and in flip, the distribution modifies the stress contained in the compound. The temperature on the coronary heart of the tire should even be estimated, in search of a worth throughout the vary outlined by the simulations, to maximise grip. This estimate defines the majority temperature, which refers to a woven metallic material inserted between the tread and the carcass. That is essential for making the tires work.
We are saying this as a result of it’s the worth on which the era of grip for the compound relies. The majority is inserted beneath the tread, so it’s not attainable to make use of a sensor to immediately decide its temperature. Technicians should subsequently estimate it by making a prediction derived from the temperature on the monitor floor, crossed with each exterior and inner temperatures throughout the tire. The latter worth is strongly influenced by convective warmth phenomena, generated by the brakes, which cross by means of the rim after which warmth the interior a part of the tire.
The temperature enhance is outlined utilizing a sensor that determines the rise in stress, exploiting the linear relationship between the 2 values. The final parameter measured, by way of an infrared sensor, is the exterior temperature of the tread, the one sure worth out there to the engineers. These two final temperatures warmth the majority by means of convective phenomena: from the within by means of the carcass and from the surface by means of the tread, permitting the estimation of the temperature on the core. Nonetheless, the majority temperature is much less risky than the floor temperature.
A component that permits technicians to measure it immediately on the tire as quickly as it’s faraway from the automotive is the “puncture” carried out by the Pirelli delegate, for Ferrari in addition to for different groups, passing by means of the compound to achieve the majority and measure its temperature. This measurement, which doesn’t puncture the tire, is essential as it’s the solely measurable and true parameter associated to the core temperature of the compound. A price that permits for changes, if essential, to what’s estimated by the mathematical mannequin.
This is a matter that Ferrari has not all the time managed with consideration. One solely must recall the varied race weekends the place the 2 SF-24 automobiles, regardless of having excessive potential, confirmed performances beneath expectations. Due to this, the Italian group was typically compelled, when the values differed from what was assumed, to regulate the estimated information to supply consistency to the mathematical mannequin. Sadly, this work has not all the time been profitable. Nonetheless, expertise helps in these circumstances, and after 21 races, the Scuderia is aware of its issues very nicely.
Limits that stem partly from the traits of the suspension layouts. Regardless of this, Ferrari’s predictions have turn out to be more and more correct, bettering each in-house simulations and the reliability of monitor information. By way of cautious evaluation of the majority temperature after every run, the Italian group has gained related insights into the SF-24. Extra particularly, we’re speaking in regards to the temperatures on the coronary heart of the tire, that are measured on the interior half (close to the suspensions), on the middle, and on the outer a part of all 4 tires.
The objective is to realize uniformity throughout the whole width of the tire. If the temperature within the interior or outer half is just too excessive, it signifies that the static camber angle when stationary will not be optimum. If, alternatively, the temperature within the middle of the tire is analyzed, it signifies whether or not the chilly stress is appropriate or not. In Las Vegas, it’s anticipated that Ferrari’s weight distribution will probably be shifted to the entrance. This fashion, the vertical load on the entrance axle could be elevated, with the clear intention of accelerating the quantity of power utilized to the tires.
Moreover, particularly within the tire preparation laps, Ferrari’s engineers will have the ability to depend on their drivers who, by means of the suggestions offered, will validate a exact warm-up technique. Technically, shifting the brake stability to the entrance can assist. This fashion, the larger braking pressure generates a better temperature on the brake discs, selling convective results and bringing the tire to temperature extra simply. In accordance with our info, Ferrari believes it could possibly handle the tire difficulty nicely, contemplating it essential for the weekend.
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