Track testing is a very limited commodity for Formula One teams. In 2013, they are limited to just four pre-season tests – the three free practice sessions before a Grand Prix and a single young driver test. The recent furore surrounding Mercedes’ test session with Pirelli highlighted the importance of track time and the potential impact it can have on car development. Ultimately, there is no substitute for real-world running and teams need to maximise the volume and quality of...
It is vital for any Formula One team wanting to remain competitive to maximise its research and testing resources. Whether it is because of financial limitations, regulatory constraints or a simple lack of hours in the day, there is never as much testing data available as they would like. To this end, teams are constantly assessing new technologies and methodologies that could help draw more data from a given testing scenario. One such development in the sphere of aerodynamics testing...
In Formula One, every decade sees new off-track technologies pushing car performance on track. In the 1980s, wind tunnels became the ‘must-have facility’; in the 1990s CAD and CFD systems revolutionised car design, while the first decade of the 20th century has seen simulators emerge as a vital development tool. Initially introduced as driver training aids, simulators are now at the stage where they can also be used to actually develop a car, referred to as ‘driver in the...