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 monitor, low temperatures and lengthy straights make the tire situation central as soon as once more for the race weekend. The principle problem for the Maranello technicians and drivers might be on the entrance, the place the automobile’s axis is much less confused by lateral forces, making it extra inclined to dangers of graining and the associated phenomenon of understeering. To handle these points successfully, the Maranello crew has carried out “indoor testing” beneath excessive circumstances on the tires.
The aim 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 flexibility to extract the optimum vitality profile, each in qualifying and within the race. In the present day, we need to analyze the difficulties confronted by Ferrari’s tire and efficiency engineers in defining an correct mannequin to deliver to the monitor. Moreover, we are going to attempt to perceive how necessary applicable tire evaluation is after every free follow run for the setup deliberation.
Within the try and predict tire conduct, the issues lie in the truth that the three attribute parameters of every tire, hundreds, footprint, and temperature, are solely estimated. Basically, there is no such thing as a risk of utilizing a sensor to completely outline vertical load or working temperature; assumptions should be made. Moreover, tire conduct is solely nonlinear. Subsequently, the outlined fashions could generally be incorrect, offering non-ideal output values.
All of it begins from the assessments carried out inside the sports activities administration with Ferrari, who, nonetheless within the combat 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 method,” outlined by engineer Hans Pacejka within the Eighties. An equation that requires enter of 18 parameters supplied by Pirelli, which outline a form of identification card for the tire. These values should be mixed with the three standards talked about above by dynamic simulations on the circuit.
Since they don’t have the race tires in-house, as every F1 crew 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 encompassing circumstances 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 achieve 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 perfect temperature on the tire’s core as output. This fashion, the perfect working window for the tire in varied circumstances is outlined. In fact, all of that is thought of with the understanding that, as at all times, sure components can solely be seen on the monitor, and the crew should be expert in adjusting the technique to completely exploit the compounds. It’s a actually difficult job, one which appears really tough inside the present regulatory framework, particularly in sure aggressive contexts.
In the actual world, figuring out vertical pressure, the dimensions of the contact patch, and the temperature on the coronary heart of the tire is rather more difficult than within the simulation surroundings, the place basically 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. An identical dialogue applies to the footprint, which relies upon each on the vertical pressure for the reason that tire is deformable, however particularly on the camber achieve 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 involved with the monitor 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, looking for a worth inside 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 relies. 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 monitor floor, crossed with each exterior and inner temperatures inside the tire. The latter worth is strongly influenced by convective warmth phenomena, generated by the brakes, which move by the rim after which warmth the internal 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 out there to the engineers. These two final temperatures warmth the majority by convective phenomena: from the within by the carcass and from the skin by the tread, permitting the estimation of the temperature on the core. Nevertheless, 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 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 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 crew was usually pressured, when the values differed from what was assumed, to regulate the estimated information to offer consistency to the mathematical mannequin. Sadly, this work has not at all times been profitable. Nevertheless, expertise helps in these circumstances, 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 develop into more and more correct, enhancing each in-house simulations and the reliability of monitor information. By cautious evaluation of the majority temperature after every run, the Italian crew 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 internal half (close to the suspensions), on the middle, and on the outer a part of all 4 tires.
The aim is to attain uniformity throughout all the width of the tire. If the temperature within the internal or outer half is just too excessive, it implies that the static camber angle when stationary isn’t optimum. If, alternatively, the temperature within the middle of the tire is analyzed, it signifies whether or not the chilly strain is appropriate or not. In Las Vegas, it’s anticipated that Ferrari’s weight distribution might be shifted to the entrance. This fashion, the vertical load on the entrance axle could be elevated, with the clear goal of accelerating the quantity of vitality 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 the suggestions supplied, will validate a exact warm-up technique. Technically, shifting the brake stability to the entrance may also help. This fashion, the larger braking pressure generates the next temperature on the brake discs, selling convective results and bringing the tire to temperature extra simply. Based on our info, Ferrari believes it could actually handle the tire situation effectively, contemplating it essential for the weekend.
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