Scuderia Ferrari arrives in Las Vegas, the twenty-second occasion of the 2024 System 1 racing season, the third-to-last race of the World Championship. Confidence in potential efficiency is current. On the Nevada observe, low temperatures and lengthy straights make the tire problem central as soon as once more for the race weekend. The principle issue for the Maranello technicians and drivers will likely be on the entrance, the place the automobile’s axis is much less harassed 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 purpose was to look at the mathematical mannequin of the tires to make sure that the technique for managing the compounds is as correct as doable, offering the power to extract the optimum power profile, each in qualifying and within the race. Right now, we wish to analyze the difficulties confronted by Ferrari’s tire and efficiency engineers in defining an correct mannequin to convey to the observe. Moreover, we’ll attempt to perceive how essential acceptable tire evaluation is after every free apply run for the setup deliberation.
Within the try to predict tire habits, the issues lie in the truth that the three attribute parameters of every tire, hundreds, footprint, and temperature, are solely estimated. Primarily, there isn’t a risk of utilizing a sensor to completely outline vertical load or working temperature; assumptions have to be made. Moreover, tire habits is fully nonlinear. Subsequently, the outlined fashions might typically be incorrect, offering non-ideal output values.
All of it begins from the exams carried out throughout the sports activities administration with Ferrari, who, nonetheless within the battle for the Constructors’ Championship, determined to dedicate appreciable time to this issue through the two-week break earlier than Las Vegas. The technicians at Ferrari use a “magic components,” outlined by engineer Hans Pacejka within the Eighties. An equation that requires enter of 18 parameters offered by Pirelli, which outline a kind of identification card for the tire. These values have to be mixed with the three standards talked about above by way 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 observe throughout this season, altering the encircling situations to simulate the Las Vegas race, additionally utilizing information gathered through 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 right, the software program is routinely in a position to present the perfect temperature on the tire’s core as output. This fashion, the perfect working window for the tire in numerous situations is outlined. After all, all of that is thought-about with the understanding that, as at all times, sure components can solely be seen on the observe, and the group have to be expert in adjusting the technique to totally exploit the compounds. It’s a actually sophisticated job, one which appears actually tough throughout the present regulatory framework, particularly in sure aggressive contexts.
In the true world, figuring out vertical power, the scale of the contact patch, and the temperature on the coronary heart of the tire is rather more sophisticated than within the simulation atmosphere, the place basically it’s only a matter of inputting a price. 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 power 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, modifications the portion of the floor in touch with the observe floor, and in flip, the distribution modifies the strain contained in the compound. The temperature on the coronary heart of the tire should even be estimated, searching for a price throughout the vary outlined by the simulations, to maximise grip. This estimate defines the majority temperature, which refers to a woven metallic cloth 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 is predicated. The majority is inserted beneath the tread, so it isn’t doable to make use of a sensor to straight decide its temperature. Technicians should subsequently estimate it by making a prediction derived from the temperature on the observe floor, crossed with each exterior and inside temperatures throughout the tire. The latter worth is strongly influenced by convective warmth phenomena, generated by the brakes, which cross by way 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 strain, 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 accessible to the engineers. These two final temperatures warmth the majority by way of convective phenomena: from the within by way of the carcass and from the surface by way of the tread, permitting the estimation of the temperature on the core. Nonetheless, the majority temperature is much less unstable than the floor temperature.
A component that permits technicians to measure it straight on the tire as quickly as it’s faraway from the automobile is the “puncture” carried out by the Pirelli delegate, for Ferrari in addition to for different groups, passing by way of the compound to succeed in 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 worth that permits for changes, if vital, to what’s estimated by the mathematical mannequin.
This is a matter that Ferrari has not at all times managed with consideration. One solely must recall the varied race weekends the place the 2 SF-24 vehicles, 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 at all times been profitable. Nonetheless, expertise helps in these instances, and after 21 races, the Scuderia is aware of its issues very effectively.
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, enhancing each in-house simulations and the reliability of observe 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 concerning 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 purpose is to attain uniformity throughout all the width of the tire. If the temperature within the interior or outer half is just too excessive, it implies that the static camber angle when stationary shouldn’t be optimum. If, however, the temperature within the middle of the tire is analyzed, it signifies whether or not the chilly strain is right or not. In Las Vegas, it’s anticipated that Ferrari’s weight distribution will likely be shifted to the entrance. This fashion, the vertical load on the entrance axle might be elevated, with the clear goal of accelerating the quantity of power utilized to the tires.
Moreover, particularly within the tire preparation laps, Ferrari’s engineers will be capable of depend on their drivers who, by way of the suggestions offered, will validate a exact warm-up technique. Technically, shifting the brake stability to the entrance might help. This fashion, the higher braking power generates a better temperature on the brake discs, selling convective results and bringing the tire to temperature extra simply. Based on our info, Ferrari believes it may well handle the tire problem effectively, contemplating it essential for the weekend.
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