Autonomous drive technology

Normally when the leader of a Grand Prix has a problem on the power unit that costs him 160hp, over two seconds a lap of pure performance, the pursuing drivers will find a way past. Had Daniel Ricciardo’s problem occurred anywhere other than Monaco, they would have done. And had it occurred before the only round of pit stops in the race, then he might have been vulnerable to a strategy move, like an undercut, from Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton. But Ricciardo had made his only stop of the afternoon before his MGU-K failed. Although he had to play with the controls of the car, shifting the brake bias forward, for example, to help the rear brake temperatures, his car’s gentler treatment of the softest tyres in the Pirelli range was superior to Ferrari and Mercedes. And that proved to be enough to keep him in position on this most difficult of tracks on which to overtake. Because it’s Monaco; track position is everything, as Lewis Hamilton learned to his cost in 2015 … [Read more...] about Strategy Report: Why Ricciardo’s pursuers played it ‘ultra’ safe

After similar festivals in London, Shanghai, Marseilles and Milan, this time the fast-paced entertainment was presented to fans in Miami, and according to Formula 1 figures, 80,000 people flocked to Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami on Saturday to enjoy the free entertainment program. The focus was on show runs by Formula 1 cars from different eras. Renault test driver Jack Aitken drove a Renault-liveried Lotus E20 from the 2012 season. Patrick Friesacher steered a Red Bull RB7 from the 2011 season. And while these two Formula 1 cars with V8 engines thrilled the fans especially thanks to their noise, there was much more to admire and listen to. IndyCar driver Takuma Sato, the 2017 Indianapolis 500 winner, drove a 50-year-old Honda RA301 as piloted by John Surtees in the 1968 Formula 1 season. "Back in 1968, there's no seat belt!" Sato said in an interview with Motorsport.tv, and then waxed lyrical about the car’s V12, commenting: "The engine is simply beautiful – a … [Read more...] about Miami F1 Festival thrills 80,000 fans

Porsche progress personified. The Porsche 911 Turbo S is one of the quickest cars money can buy. With every generation, Porsche somehow finds a way to improve the performance figures of the 911 Turbo S with the latest 992 generation representing the latest peak of Porsche acceleration. So, what happens when you drag race the new 992 911 Turbo S against its predecessor, the 991.2 Turbo S? Well, on paper we know the answer, but what happens in the real world? The 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S debuted in 2020 replacing the previous generation 991.2 911 with a large and more capable car. Many critics complain about the ballooning size and updated styling of the new car, but you cannot argue with the insane performance figures of this hypercar slayer. The 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S is power by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-6 engine that produces 640 horsepower (477 Kilowatts) and 590 lb-ft (800 Newton Meters) of torque. The insane flat-6 is mated to Porsche’s 8-speed PDK dual-clutch … [Read more...] about Porsche 911 Turbo S Drag Races Itself In New Vs Old

As part of a push by the FIA to slow cars down for this year, a number of changes were made to the regulations to cut downforce. A section of floor has been removed ahead of the rear wheels, plus new restrictions have been imposed on brake ducts and diffuser dimensions. With downforce cut by up to 10%, the cars have been slowed – and Leclerc has noticed a change in approach even if the 2021 challengers do not require an all-new style. "In terms of driving [style] there were no changes, but there is something different," he said in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com's Italian site. "You have to push a little less when entering corners, because the rear of the car is more difficult to manage due to the modified floor." Leclerc is a driver who likes the rear end of his cars to be loose, as it allows him better rotation in the corners. It was believed to be a factor in why he struggled much less with last year's Ferrari than then teammate Sebastian Vettel. … [Read more...] about Leclerc: 2021 cars more difficult to manage on corner entry

Hakkinen rocketed away at the start, as Schumacher suffered huge wheelspin and veered across the nose of David Coulthard’s McLaren, which allowed Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello up to third at the expense of Coulthard, with Jacques Villeneuve’s BAR at the head of the chasing pack. The race developed into two distinct McLaren v Ferrari duels. Hakkinen and Schumacher pitted together at the first round of stops, with Schumacher taking on more fuel. Hakkinen pitted earlier for his second pit visit, and Schumacher’s rapid pace in the intervening laps meant he rejoined well ahead of Hakkinen – who complained of his engine cutting out – when Michael stopped again. “These four laps were crucial,” Schumacher said later. Mika Hakkinen, Mclaren MP4-15 leads at the start Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F1 2000 Photo by: Motorsport Images Hakkinen had previously run over some debris in his first stint – “a metal piece of … [Read more...] about Remember when: F1 was “like qualifying from start to finish”