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 subject 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 automotive’s axis is much less pressured by lateral forces, making it extra inclined to dangers of graining and the associated phenomenon of understeering. To handle these points successfully, the Maranello group has carried out “indoor testing” underneath 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 attainable, offering the flexibility to extract the optimum power profile, each in qualifying and within the race. At the moment, we need to analyze the difficulties confronted by Ferrari’s tire and efficiency engineers in defining an correct mannequin to deliver to the observe. Moreover, we are going to attempt to perceive how necessary applicable 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, masses, footprint, and temperature, are solely estimated. Primarily, there isn’t any chance of utilizing a sensor to completely outline vertical load or working temperature; assumptions should be made. Moreover, tire habits is fully nonlinear. Subsequently, the outlined fashions could generally be incorrect, offering non-ideal output values.
All of it begins from the checks carried out inside the sports activities administration with Ferrari, who, nonetheless within the battle for the Constructors’ Championship, determined to dedicate appreciable time to this issue in the course of 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 should 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 primarily based 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 in the course of 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 routinely 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. After all, all of that is thought-about with the understanding that, as at all times, sure elements can solely be seen on the observe, and the group should be expert in adjusting the technique to completely exploit the compounds. It’s a actually difficult job, one which appears actually troublesome 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 far 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 because the 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, due to this fact, modifications the portion of the floor involved 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 worth inside the vary outlined by the simulations, to maximise grip. This estimate defines the majority temperature, which refers to a woven steel 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 attainable to make use of a sensor to immediately decide its temperature. Technicians should due to this fact estimate it by making a prediction derived from the temperature on the observe 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 means of the rim after which warmth the inside a part of the tire.
The temperature improve is outlined utilizing a sensor that determines the rise in strain, exploiting the linear relationship between the 2 values. The final parameter measured, through 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 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 unstable than the floor temperature.
A component that enables 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 enables for changes, if needed, 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 assorted 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 usually pressured, 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 circumstances, and after 21 races, the Scuderia is aware of its issues very properly.
Limits that stem partly from the traits of the suspension layouts. Regardless of this, Ferrari’s predictions have develop into more and more correct, bettering each in-house simulations and the reliability of observe information. Via 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 inside half (close to the suspensions), on the heart, and on the outer a part of all 4 tires.
The purpose is to attain uniformity throughout the complete width of the tire. If the temperature within the inside or outer half is just too excessive, it implies that the static camber angle when stationary isn’t optimum. If, then again, the temperature within the heart 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 will likely be shifted to the entrance. This fashion, the vertical load on the entrance axle may be elevated, with the clear purpose 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 means of the suggestions offered, will validate a exact warm-up technique. Technically, shifting the brake steadiness to the entrance may help. This fashion, the better 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 will possibly handle the tire subject properly, contemplating it essential for the weekend.
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