Formula 1 Essay, Research Paper

Formula 1 Racing General Information Racing Strategies Chassis Aerodynamics

Construction Brakes Wheels and Tires Safety Safety Features of the Car Safety

Devices of the Drivers Powertrain Engine Technology Materials Transmission:

Technology Cockpit Instruments Switches: Displays and lights: Steering wheel and

pedals: Conclusion References Car Specifications and Performance Figures

Comparison with a passenger vehicle: APPENDICES A Technical Specification

-Williams Renault FW19 Formula 1 Racing Car B Technical Specifications -Renault

V10 RS9 Engine Summary Formula 1 racing has become the second most watched

sporting event in the world. Many of the spectators do not know realize how much

research and testing goes into a Formula 1 racing car. Many people are unaware

of how technical and computerized these cars are. These cars are made of new

space age materials and test new types of systems on the car. A Formula 1 car is

one of the safest cars in the world. The cars are constantly being used to test

out new safety features and improving the existing ones. The engines are used to

test new computer systems that control vital functions. There are many aspects

of Formula 1 that go not behind scenes. These might just be more interesting

that watching the Formula 1 cars race. The Technology Behind Formula 1 Racing

INTRODUCTION The sport of Formula 1 racing is one of the most technical and

advanced sports in the world. Formula 1 racing cars utilize new technology to

constantly improve in the areas of performance and safety. This sport is

responsible for the development of safety features that you would find today on

a commercial passenger vehicle. Formula 1 racing is an international sport that

is followed by millions throughout the world. Each year about 10 different race

teams and 20 racing cars compete for the Formula 1 World Championship and

Constructors Championship. The chassis of the current Formula 1 cars is made of

aluminum tubing and composite material of carbon-fiber and aluminum honeycomb.

It supports four wheels, the brakes, suspension and a rear mounted engine. The

chassis contains many safety features. Over the years the safety of Formula 1

cars has increased and as a result, todays cars are superior to previous models

in the 1980’s. Formula 1 cars contain safety features such as a roll bar,

puncture proof fuel cell and a five point safety belt. The drivers wear fire

proof clothing to protect them in case of a fire. A Formula 1 racing car has

many onboard computers to control everything from brakes to the engine. There

are also many restrictions on minimum lengths and weights. Formula 1 racing

remains one of the most technical and computerized sports in the world. This is

a report which provides information on Formula 1 racing in general as well as

the chassis, safety features, engines and electronics in the cockpit of a

Formula 1 car. General Information on Formula 1 Racing Formula 1 racing is an

international sport with races called Grand Prixs being held throughout the

world. These are held in Canada, Japan, Australia and many of the European

countries. The drivers are also from many different countries. Formula 1 races

are held on race tracks that are called "street courses" because there

are both left and right turns. These tracks have an average length of six

kilometers and it takes a Formula 1 car about two minutes to do a lap for an

average speed of 300 km/h. Most of these tracks have long straight sections and

tight turns. A Formula car must have an open-wheel design (Fig. 1-1). This means

that the wheels cannot be covered by sheet metal. The engine is mounted behind

the driver, and it powers only the rear wheels. A Formula 1 racing team consists

of two race cars with crews and drivers for each car. These teams are

responsible for designing the chassis of the car. A separate company makes the

engines. For example, Jacques Villeniuve’s team is Williams and his teammate is

Heinz-Harold Frentzen. The Renault company that supplies the engines for Team

Williams. Each year the teams compete for the Drivers World Championship and the

Constructors Championship. Usually there are about 17 races per year. In each

race the teams have an opportunity to receive points for each of the

championships. The first six positions of each race are awarded points; these

points are given to each driver and team with the winner of the race receiving

the most points. The driver with the most points at the end of the year is

declared the world champion and the team with the most points wins the

constructors championship. (Wilkinson, 1996) In order to win a race, each team

and driver develops a race strategy. One factor in a race strategy, would

determine when the driver would come in for a pit stop. During a race, the cars

will require at least two pit stops for tires and fuel. The teams must determine

how much fuel they need for the race. More fuel means more weight and therefore

will slow the car. A Formula 1 car can be refueled and receive a complete tire

change in about 7 seconds. In order to produce the fastest lap times the driver

must follow a race line. A race line is the straightest way around the track; a

driver makes a race line by "apexing" turns. Apexing is when the

driver comes into the turn on the outside of the track. When the driver enters

the turn he steers to the inside of the turn. When the driver reaches the inside

of the turn, he accelerates out of the turn and swing, wide to the outside of

the track. " Sometimes two- to three-tenths of a second per lap can make

all the difference." (Andretti, 1996) In Formula 1, drivers try to pass

each other. One way they do this is by out braking the other driver. As they

approach the turn they try to brake as late as possible. The driver who brakes

last will usually pass his competitor. However, he is risking entering the turn

at too high a speed and crashing. Another method that Formula 1 drivers use to

pass is called drafting or slip screening. This occurs when a driver follows

another driver closely and is able to build speed to pass him. This occurs

because the driver in front clears all the air out of the way for the driver

behind him. This, in turn, allows the car following to build speed because there

is reduced drag. (Newman, 1994) Figure 1-1: Jaques Villenuve in his Williams

Renault FW19 Formula 1 Racing Car The Chassis Components of a Formula 1 Racing

Car Aerodynamics The aerodynamics of a Formula 1 car is very important to its

performance and handling. Due to it extreme high speeds, the car must be very

streamlined. All the corners are rounded to get the least amount of drag. These

cars are wind tunnel tested to determine the best shape. In Formula 1 racing,

the cars have to make many turns at high speeds. In order to make a Formula 1

car corner well, it must have downforce. Downforce helps to keep the car glued

to the track and it will help prevent the car from skidding off. A Formula 1 car

produces downforce by its front and rear wings. These are similar to airplane

wings that are turned upside down so they will produce lift in the negative

direction. This keeps the car pressed on the ground. The race teams can adjust

the angles of the wings to increase or decrease downforce. The more downforce

the car has, the better the corning ability, but acceleration will decrease. In

order to do well in a Grand Prix, a race team must adjust the wings to fit the

characteristics of the track. In wet weather, the teams will run with greater

downforce. The greater downforce is necessary because the cars need more

traction. (Newman, 1994) Figure 2-1: Model of Aerodynamics Chassis Construction

The chassis of a Formula 1 car is made of many new materials. The frame is made

of aluminum tubing while the side panels are made of a composite of aluminum

honeycomb and carbon-fiber. Aluminum honeycomb is aluminum with holes in it.

Carbon-fiber is twice as light and strong as aluminum. The front nose of the car

is made of Nomex honeycomb. It is twice as light as aluminum but not as strong.

These materials are now being used in cars and mountain bicycles to save weight.

(Ferrari Racing, 1997) Figure: 2-2: Carbon-Fiber Strip Brakes Formula 1 racing

requires a great deal of braking power. Typically, a Formula 1 car will have to

use its brakes 12 times per lap or 900 times a race. On average, Formula 1 cars

have to slow down from 280 Km/h to make a turn at 160 km/h, which puts

tremendous stress on the braking system. If Formula 1 cars had brakes like a

commercial passenger vehicle, they would wear out in a lap. A Formula 1 racing

car use a four wheel disc brake system which means that each wheel has a disc

brake to help it stop. A disc brake consists of a rotor (Fig. 2-4), caliper and

brake pads. When the driver hits the brake pedal, the caliper which contains the

brake pads squeezes the rotor from either side and slows the car. The car is

slowed down because there is friction between the pads and the rotor. This

friction causes the brakes to become very hot. When disc brakes get hot, they do

not function very well. To help reduce this problem, Formula 1 teams now use

carbon brake pads. The new carbon pads wear less and work better at higher

temperatures. These carbon brakes work most effectively at temperatures of

350-500 degrees Celsius. (Fig. 2-3) To keep these brakes cool, Formula 1 cars

have brake cooling ducts that channel air over the pads and rotors. These

cooling ducts are made of carbon fiber to save weight. Formula 1 cars employ

dual circuit brakes. Dual circuit brakes allow the front and rear brakes to work

independently of each other. This system allows the driver to adjust how much

braking force goes to the front and back. The driver can adjust the brake

balance in the cockpit of the car while moving. Formula 1 racing is responsible

for improving the effectiveness and durability of the brakes that you would find

on the commercial passenger vehicle. (Williams Racing, 1997) Figure 2-3: Glowing

Hot Rotor Figure 2-4: Brake Rotor and Caliper (Ferrari Racing, 1997) Wheels and

Tires One of the most important parts of a Formula 1 car are the tires. The

tires are the only contact with the track. They are responsible for the handling

of the car. Formula 1 cars use two types of tires depending on the weather. In

dry weather, the cars use a dry weather slick (Fig. 2-6). The slick has no

treads on it and it has a smooth surface. When this tire gets hot due to the

friction of the track, it becomes sticky and that helps to grip the track. This

gives Formula 1 cars superior corning ability. The rubber of these slick tires

are rated from "A" (hard) to "D" (very soft). The harder the

tires, the less it wears but it is not as sticky. A very soft tire would be used

for qualifying because the tire only has to last for one or two laps. A dry

weather slick can be damaged by braking too hard. If the tire locks when

braking, the rubber will instantly overheat and stick to the track, causing a

"flat spot" on the tire. Such a tire will not be round, causing it to

slow the car down. For optimum performance, the tire temperature should be

around 100 degree Celsius. In wet weather the cars will use a wet weather tire.

This tire has grooves that force water out from beneath the tire so it can grip

the track better. This wet weather tire can clear up to 26 liters of water a

second. These tires do not have the performance of a dry weather slick. The lap

times of the cars will be slower and they will not be able to corner or

accelerate as fast in wet conditions. The tire sizes on a Formula 1 car are

provided in the following figures: Figure 2-5: Tire Sizes Figure 2-6: Dry

Weather Slick (Renault Racing, 1997) Safety In Formula 1 Racing Safety Features

Found in a Formula 1 Racing Car In the past few years, the cars of Formula 1

have been going faster and crashing harder than ever before. The safety features

on a Formula 1 car are very complex and are constantly being improved. Many

safety features on a commercial passenger vehicle have been tested and first

used in Formula 1.The new Formula 1 cars are now safer than they have ever been.

Like most race cars, a Formula 1 car has a roll bar. This will prevent the

driver from being crushed in an event of a roll over. The roll bar on a Formula

1 car is located behind the driver, where the air intake for the engine is

placed. Another safety feature of Formula 1 is the puncture-proof fuel cell.

This fuel cell is designed to withstand a crash by deforming; this will reduce

the chance of fire in a crash. The fuel cell is covered in Kevlar which is the

same material used in bullet proof vests. This makes the fuel cell very strong.

To absorb energy in a crash, the chassis is made of impact-absorbing body

panels. These panels will crumple in a crash and absorb most of the energy. This

same technology is now used on commercial passenger vehicles and is called a

"crumple zone." In the event of a crash, the wheels of the car are

designed to break off. This will make the car slide along the ground, making it

slow down more quickly. This also helps to prevent the car from tumbling or

rolling. One of the most important safety features of a Formula 1 car is the

five point seat belt. It is called a five point belt because it connects to five

points on the car. This belts restrains a driver’s shoulders and lap in the

seat. The first application of seat belts was in Formula 1 racing; now they are

a standard safety item in commercial vehicles. If there should be a fire in the

car, the onboard fire extinguishers will automatically activate to extinguish

any fire. The driver can also manually turn on the fire extinguishers with a

switch in the cockpit of the car. When racing in wet weather, the cars throw up

a large spray of water from the tires. Each Formula 1 car has a bright red light

mounted on the rear which makes it visible to drivers following behind. Another

safety feature on Formula 1 cars are the rear view mirrors. These mirrors allow

drivers to see cars behind them that might try to pass. This will help prevent

drivers from cutting off other drivers and causing a crash. Young, J. (1995).

Figure 3-1: Formula 1 Car Crashes. Driver is able to Walk Away. (Ferrari Racing,

1997) Safety Equipment Drivers Use The most important safety device for the

driver is his driving suit. A driver suit consists of a one piece outer layer,

shirt, pants, socks, racing boots and gloves all made of Nomex. Nomex is a

flame-resistant cloth that will protect the driver for up to 12 seconds in a 700

degree Celsius fire. The driver wears a full face helmet. The helmet protects

the driver’s head in the event of a crash. The visor of the helmet is very

strong and is capable of absorbing a rock traveling at 500 km/h. This is

important because these cars travel at very high speeds, and the open wheel

design will throw debris at other cars. If the car does start on fire, the

driver can breathe using an oxygen bottle. This bottle is attached to the helmet

by an air hose. The oxygen bottle is located behind the driver. Under the helmet

the driver wears earplugs and a balaclava. Earplugs are used to protect the

driver’s hearing because Formula 1 engines are very loud and can damage hearing.

The earplugs are also used as a speaker so that the driver can hear his pit crew

talking to him. The balaclava is made of Nomex which will protect the driver’s

face in a fire. (Young, 1995) Figure 3-2 Five Point Seat belt; Figure

3-3:Driving Gloves; 3-4: Helmet and Driving Suit (Ferrari Racing, 1997)

Powertrain of a Formula 1 Racing Car Engine Technology One of the most important

parts in a Formula 1 racing car is the engine and transmission. Formula 1 teams

must try to find the right mix between power and reliability from their engines.

A Formula 1 engine can have between 8 and 12 cylinders. The maximum displacement

of a Formula 1 engine is 3 liters. Displacement is calculated by measuring the

total volume in each cylinder and then multiplying it by the number of

cylinders. A commercial passenger vehicle can have a displacement between 1.0

and 5.7 liters. A Formula 1 engine produces about 700 horsepower. A normal

passenger vehicle with a displacement of 3 liters produces about 140 horsepower.

A Formula 1 car is able to produce so much more power because it uses many new

technologies. These engines have four valves per cylinder, two valves are for

the intake and two valves for the exhaust. The four valves allow more efficient

flow of fuel and exhaust gases. The camshafts are gear driven instead of belt

driven to eliminate slippage. The computerized fuel injection system allows the

fuel to enter the combustion chamber efficiently to produce the most power. The

fuel injection system is controlled by the Engine Control Unit or ECU. This

computer controls all the vital functions of the engine. The ECU will adjust the

engine to ever changing conditions in atmospheric pressure and humidity. The

camshaft opens and closes valves using a new system called air timing. Air

timing uses compressed air to open and close the valves; this eliminates the

need for valve springs which can break. In order to keep the engine running

cool, a Formula 1 engine uses dry-sump lubrication. This system pumps the oil

under pressure all over the engine and transmission. Formula 1 teams also

wind-tunnel test their combustion chambers to identify the best design for

maximum efficiency. (Renault Racing, 1997) Materials Used In the Construction of

the Engine (Renault Racing, 1997) Aluminum- Cylinder heads, sump pump, pistons

Magnesium-Oil pump housing Carbon Fiber- Air box, coil shield Steel- Camshafts,

crankshaft, timing gears Titanium- Connecting rods, fasteners (Renault Racing,

1997) Transmission Specifications and Technology The transmission on a Formula 1

car is very complex. The transmission or gear box is semi-automatic, which means

the driver does not have to push in the clutch for shifting gears. The only time

the driver has to use a clutch is to start the car from a stop. The clutch is

located on the left side of the steering wheel and is operated by fingers on the

left hand. On the right side, there is the paddle which is used to switch gears

using the fingers of the right hand. The driver will pull the paddle towards him

to switch up a gear and move it away to downshift. The engine will automatically

disengage the clutch when the gears are being changed. This type of shifting is

called sequential and is similar to a motorcycle. This means that you have to

switch through all the gears when downshifting. All Formula 1 cars must also

have one reverse gear. The race teams try to find the right gearing to suit each

track. The racing teams must find the right match between top speed and

acceleration. They do this by changing gear ratios. An example for these ratios

is 3:14:1. This means that the wheels will turn once when the driver shaft

rotates 3.14 times. A 4:10:1 ratio would mean it would have better acceleration

than 3:14:1, but a lower top speed at the same engine speed. (Renault Racing,

1997) Cockpit Instruments Buttons The cockpit of a Formula 1 car is very complex

with many switches and buttons. There are four buttons on the steering wheel of

a Formula 1 car. The first button is the engine kill switch which turns off the

engine; the second is the neutral button that puts the car in neutral from any

gear; the third button is the pit lane speed limiter. The fourth button is used

for the radio. The driver pushes this button when he wants to talk to his crew.

(Young, J 1995) Switches and Adjustments On the dash of a Formula 1 car there

are many switches. The switch marked "Fire" is used to activate the

onboard fire extinguishers in case of a fire. Another switch is the oil pump

switch. The driver would use this switch if there was an oil pump failure and

this would activate the backup system. On the right side of the dash there is

the brake balance adjustment. The driver would adjust this to give more braking

power to the rear or front wheels. The switch marked "Light" on the

dash is used to turn on the rear safety light on the car. This would be used

when the visibility is bad or it is raining. On the floor of the cockpit are

three dials. The throttle sensitivity adjuster allows the driver to control the

sensitivity of the throttle pedal. The second dial, the transmission strategy

adjuster, allows the driver to adjust the revolutions per minute for the engine

and the shift points. The third dial, the air/fuel mixture, adjusts the mixture

of fuel and air entering the engine. (Young, J. 1995) Displays The cockpit of a

Formula 1 car has many displays; the largest is the liquid-crystal display. This

display shows the current gear the car is in, last complete lap time and the

current lap time. On the left side of the dash is the RPM indicator for the

engine’s speed. The right side of the dash contains warning lights for the high

temperature, low oil pressure and fuel pump. (Young, J 1995) Controls As in a

commercial passenger vehicle, a Formula 1 car has a steering wheel and foot

pedals. The stressing wheel is flat on the top so the driver can see over it. As

described earlier, the clutch is located behind the wheel on the left side. The

driver would only use the clutch to start the car from a stop. The two pedals

are the accelerator and brake pedals which are located on the floor and operated

by the drivers feet. The accelerator is used to make the car go faster and the

brake pedal is used to slow the car. (Young, J 1995) Comparison Specifications

Between a Formula 1 car and a 1995 Dodge Caravan (Ferrari Racing, 1997; Dodge,

1995) Conclusion Formula 1 racing is one of the most technical and computerized

sports in the world. Formula 1 racing is constantly changing and improving in

the areas of chassis construction, brakes, tires, aerodynamics, safety, engine

reliability and power. Formula 1 racing is in the forefront of development of

safety features and technology found on a commercial passenger vehicle. Formula

1 racing cars are the safest cars in the world. They can crash at 300 km/h and

the driver can still walk away. Over time, these cars have become faster and

safer. This is due to extensive research done by each race team. All the parts

of the car go through many tests and modification to find the best possible

design. Formula 1 also uses many computers to control many functions on the car.

In the past few years, normal passenger vehicles are using the computer to

operate the engine and electronics in the vehicle. This allows the engines to

run more efficiently, and this in turn is better for the environment. Formula 1

racing will continue to be the most technical and entertaining sport in the

world.

Automobile racing. (1994). In Microsoft Encarta multimedia encyclopedia [CD-

ROM]. Redmond: Microsoft. [1994, Nov.5] Boddy, W. & Labab B. (1988). The

history of motor racing. Hong Kong: Witsmith. Chimits, X. (1994). Renault

formula 1. New York: DK Publishing Book. Ford Racing. (1997, November 2). Ford

Motorsport [Online]. Available: http://www.ford.com/motorsport/2-10techtr.html

[1997, November 15]. Graham, I. (1989). Racing cars. New York: Gloucester Press.

Grant, H. D. (1997, November 25). [Personal interview]. Winnipeg. Lerner, P.

(1995, September). The state of racing. Automobile, pp. 66-70. Mansell, N.

(1993). Nigel Mansell’s Indy car racing. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.

Renault Racing. (1997, November). Renault/Williams/Bennton [Online]. Available:

http://www.renaultf1.com [1997, November 15]. Schtegelmilch, R. (1993). Grand

Prix fascination formula 1. Germany: Konemann. Sullivan, G. (1992). Racing Indy

cars. New York: Cobblehill Books. Team Ferrari. (1997, October). Team Ferrari

racing [Online]. Available: http://www.ferrari.it/comsport.e/formula1.html

[1997, November 15]. Wilkinson, S. (1996). Automobile racing. In World book

encyclopedia (Vol. 1, pp. 977-980). Chicago: World Book. Young, J. (1995). Indy

Cars. Minneapolis: Capstone Press. APPENDIX A Technical Specifications: Rothmans

Williams Renault FW19 Formula 1 Racing Car Engine: Renault V10, RS9, 3 liter

normally-aspirated

Management System: Magneti Marelli Transmission: Six-speed Williams transverse

semi-automatic Chassis: Carbon Aramid epoxy composite, manufactured by Williams

Suspension: Williams. Torsion bar front, Helical coil rear with Williams-Penske

dampers Cooling System: Two Secan water radiators, two IMI oil radiators Brakes:

Carbone Industrie discs and pads operated by AP calipers Lubricants: Castrol

Fuel: Elf Wheels: Oz; 13 x 11.5 front, 13 x 13.7 rear Tires: Goodyear Eagle

radials Spark Plugs: Champion Cockpit Instrumentation: Williams digital data

display Seat Belts: Five point Williams Steering Wheel: Personal Driver’s seat:

Anatomically formed in carbon/epoxy composite material Extinguisher Systems:

Williams, with Metron actuators and FW 100 extingishants Paint System: DuPont

Front Track: 1670 millimetres Rear Track: 1600 millimetres Wheelbase: 2890

millimetres Weight: 605kg Overall car length: 4150 millimetres Figure A-1:

Rothmans Williams Renault FW19 Formula 1 Car (Williams Racing, 1997) APPENDIX B

Technical specifications Renault V10 RS9 Engine Engine Type: piston driven,

normally-aspirated Horsepower: 700 Number of cylinders: 10 cylinders V-shape (71

degree angle) Displacement: 3 liters 2998.1 cc Cam Shafts: 4 gear driven Fuel

Injection: Magneti Marelli digital injection Timing: Air Timing Number of

Valves: 40 Electronic ignition: Magneti Marelli solid state Engine Length: 623mm

Engine Height: 542 mm Engine Weight: 121 Kg Engine Height to Cylinders Heads :

395 mm RPM Redline: 18,000 rpm Transmission/Gearbox: Six-speed Williams

transverse semi-automatic Limited slip Figure B-1: Renault V10 RS9 Engine Figure

B-2: Wire Outline (Renault F1, 1997)