Ferrari on straightaways...

[gloomyDAY]

I've noticed that on long straights that Kimi and Felipe reach down towards the left or right side of the car and adjust something. Does anyone know what they are adjusting or if it's something else?

Thank you.

[truefan72]

hmm I not sure, any video out there?

[gloomyDAY]

hmm I not sure, any video out there?I have the video on pause with Kimi reaching down, but not sure how to get the picture uploaded.

Oh yeah, I'm using Windows MP to watch the torrent.
Any ideas would be very helpful.

[Giuseppe F1]

Quite simply they are adjusting the brake balance lever

[gloomyDAY]

Quite simply they are adjusting the brake balance leverCool! Just wanted to know.

Here's the picture if anyone is wondering what I'm on about.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/kimi.png

[Hawkmoon]

I can't really tell from the picture if Raikkonen's hand is turning a dial on the wheel but if it is then I'd agree that he's probably adjusting the brake balance. If he's taking his hand completely of the wheel and reaching down into the cockpit then I'd say it's something else as all the cars controls are on the steering wheel these days, are they not?

[gloomyDAY]

I can't really tell from the picture if Raikkonen's hand is turning a dial on the wheel but if it is then I'd agree that he's probably adjusting the brake balance. If he's taking his hand completely of the wheel and reaching down into the cockpit then I'd say it's something else as all the cars controls are on the steering wheel these days, are they not?Exactly! Kimi's hand is completely off the wheel and adjusting something. It looks as if Kimi is yanking on some apparatus. Check out the footage from Canada GP. These images are from just prior to the first caution.

On:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/Kimi1.jpg

Off the wheel and adjusting:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/kimi.png

Back on the wheel:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/Kimi2.jpg

[CaptainRaiden]

Maybe it's an 8th gear. :p

[Tazio]

Brake bias! You guys should know that. By rule, it is a manual mechanical adjustment!
They used to show Mike on that thing one, two or even three times a lap!

[wmcot]

Perhaps the belts from the harness are binding up in the wrong place? :)

[Zico]

Brake bias! You guys should know that. By rule, it is a manual mechanical adjustment!
They used to show Mike on that thing one, two or even three times a lap!

Yep, almost... I posted a link to an article about the F12007 recently that explained how it worked. Correct me if Im wrong but It seems to be more than just a simple brake bias adjuster, more like a mechanical version of active brake bias control?... if it is, it looks like it was situated on the opposite side on the F12007 ?

"a fascinating insight into Ferrari's use of variable brake bias on its cars. It was again sent to Alonso by De La Rosa on March 25 2007 and says, 'They [Ferrari] have this system which delays the rear braking initially then proceeds to increase it gradually.'
The benefits of this are not as obvious as they might first appear. In the first instance it is easy to assume that because an F1 car generates much higher braking forces with the aid of downforce at high speed that at lower ones, the weight transfer is also much greater at high speeds. That would suggest the need for a greater forward brake bias, gradually migrating rearward as speed and downforce reduce. However, even at 5.0g deceleration, the long wheelbase and low centre of gravity of an F1 car mean the weight transfer is dwarfed by the aerodynamic downforce that enables such high deceleration. So the relative loads on the front and rear tyres do not necessarily correlate directly with braking force and weight transfer.
Why, then, would the Ferrari be attempting to migrate its brake bias rearward during the braking period? Perhaps the most likely explanation is the aerodynamic balance is also shifting greatly under braking. If the team has been successfully shedding downforce at high speed to reduce drag then this may well be from the rear of the car. For instance, despite the organisers' attempts to prevent it, teams have been finding ever more sophisticated ways of allowing their cars' rear wings to drop efficiency at high speed. This will both reduce drag and also cause a significant forward shift in the centre of lift.
Obviously a brake bias set to prevent the rear wheels locking at these speeds would have a heavy forward bias, but this would seriously compromise the braking efficiency at lower speeds, with the rear brakes only working at a fraction of their potential. So, to bias the braking effort to the front then move it rearward during the braking event would seem desirable, but how could it be achieved? Mention was made at the hearing of a spring that Ferrari uses to achieve the effect. Obviously a spring on its own cannot effect a change over time, but combined with input from the driver it could.
Under the highest downforce, driver brake effort is at the maximum, as is displacement of the pedal. But as downforce reduces, so does the pedal effort and displacement and this can be used to vary the brake bias during the brake event. A spring could be placed in the system to resist the force on the rear master cylinder, reducing the rear braking effort at maximum force. However, as downforce diminishes and the driver modulates his braking effort to prevent wheel locking, pedal displacement would reduce gradually, taking the spring out of action and allowing the rear cylinder a greater proportion of the total force relative to the front cylinder.
In fact Ferrari has been observed to employ a three-position lever on the right-hand side of its cockpit that the drivers are seen to change several times during a lap. This could well be changing the bias profile for different corner scenarios. It could give different settings for high and low-speed corners or different levels of stability under high-speed braking to aid turn in. Put simply, it could insert a wedge between the pedal linkage and the spring, altering the pressure at which it starts to have an influence.
With the information from this email, McLaren installed and tested its own version of the system. But unlike the Ferrari version, it is said to use a valve instead of a spring and is a direct development of a system the team was using in 2001 and 2002. This may have been part of the brake steer system subsequently banned by the FIA, leading F1 regulations to now state: 'The brake system must be designed in order that the force exerted on the brake pads within each circuit are the same at all times.' In its current form the valve is most likely an interconnect between the front and rear circuits that, via a connecting piston, allows the pressure in one circuit to affect the other. To what degree will be determined by the fluid pressure in the system ie how hard the driver is braking."

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/164927/secrets-of-the-f2007.html

[Tazio]

Yep, almost... I posted a link to an article about the F12007 recently that explained how it worked. Correct me if Im wrong but It seems to be more than just a simple brake bias adjuster, more like a mechanical version of active brake bias control?... if it is, it looks like it was situated on the opposite side on the F12007 ?

"a fascinating insight into Ferrari's use of variable brake bias on its cars. It was again sent to Alonso by De La Rosa on March 25 2007 and says, 'They [Ferrari] have this system which delays the rear braking initially then proceeds to increase it gradually.'
The benefits of this are not as obvious as they might first appear. In the first instance it is easy to assume that because an F1 car generates much higher braking forces with the aid of downforce at high speed that at lower ones, the weight transfer is also much greater at high speeds. That would suggest the need for a greater forward brake bias, gradually migrating rearward as speed and downforce reduce. However, even at 5.0g deceleration, the long wheelbase and low centre of gravity of an F1 car mean the weight transfer is dwarfed by the aerodynamic downforce that enables such high deceleration. So the relative loads on the front and rear tyres do not necessarily correlate directly with braking force and weight transfer.
Why, then, would the Ferrari be attempting to migrate its brake bias rearward during the braking period? Perhaps the most likely explanation is the aerodynamic balance is also shifting greatly under braking. If the team has been successfully shedding downforce at high speed to reduce drag then this may well be from the rear of the car. For instance, despite the organisers' attempts to prevent it, teams have been finding ever more sophisticated ways of allowing their cars' rear wings to drop efficiency at high speed. This will both reduce drag and also cause a significant forward shift in the centre of lift.
Obviously a brake bias set to prevent the rear wheels locking at these speeds would have a heavy forward bias, but this would seriously compromise the braking efficiency at lower speeds, with the rear brakes only working at a fraction of their potential. So, to bias the braking effort to the front then move it rearward during the braking event would seem desirable, but how could it be achieved? Mention was made at the hearing of a spring that Ferrari uses to achieve the effect. Obviously a spring on its own cannot effect a change over time, but combined with input from the driver it could.
Under the highest downforce, driver brake effort is at the maximum, as is displacement of the pedal. But as downforce reduces, so does the pedal effort and displacement and this can be used to vary the brake bias during the brake event. A spring could be placed in the system to resist the force on the rear master cylinder, reducing the rear braking effort at maximum force. However, as downforce diminishes and the driver modulates his braking effort to prevent wheel locking, pedal displacement would reduce gradually, taking the spring out of action and allowing the rear cylinder a greater proportion of the total force relative to the front cylinder.
In fact Ferrari has been observed to employ a three-position lever on the right-hand side of its cockpit that the drivers are seen to change several times during a lap. This could well be changing the bias profile for different corner scenarios. It could give different settings for high and low-speed corners or different levels of stability under high-speed braking to aid turn in. Put simply, it could insert a wedge between the pedal linkage and the spring, altering the pressure at which it starts to have an influence.
With the information from this email, McLaren installed and tested its own version of the system. But unlike the Ferrari version, it is said to use a valve instead of a spring and is a direct development of a system the team was using in 2001 and 2002. This may have been part of the brake steer system subsequently banned by the FIA, leading F1 regulations to now state: 'The brake system must be designed in order that the force exerted on the brake pads within each circuit are the same at all times.' In its current form the valve is most likely an interconnect between the front and rear circuits that, via a connecting piston, allows the pressure in one circuit to affect the other. To what degree will be determined by the fluid pressure in the system ie how hard the driver is braking."

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/164927/secrets-of-the-f2007.htmlYea' that's what I meant :p :

[trumperZ06]

Doesn't Ferrari also have an active rear end set-up with their F-1 cars...

now also being used (with electric control) in their sports cars. The drivers could be changing the "limited slip" ratio as well as brake bias.

[MAX_THRUST]

Its to adjust the wings on straights so they have less down force.

They also have a button that changes the Traction Control settings on their cars.

They also have a button that changes pitt lane lights.

They also have a button that serves ice cool vodka staight into Kimis brain.

A mouse for sending emails.

A phone for calling the FIA directly if they need the rules changing......again!!!

A red button like on your satelite remote for weather forecasts.

Actually it might be there just to change the break balance, but why would you change break balance from a hairpin into a tight chicane. Your still breaking hard. I'm sure its not illegal, but lets kick them out of the championship just in case...........

Is it a button to "release the hounds" on Bernies calll.............

[gloomyDAY]

What the hell is your problem? ^^^

I was just curious as to what Kimi was adjusting.

[ioan]

Its to adjust the wings on straights so they have less down force.

They also have a button that changes the Traction Control settings on their cars.

They also have a button that changes pitt lane lights.

They also have a button that serves ice cool vodka staight into Kimis brain.

A mouse for sending emails.

A phone for calling the FIA directly if they need the rules changing......again!!!

A red button like on your satelite remote for weather forecasts.

Actually it might be there just to change the break balance, but why would you change break balance from a hairpin into a tight chicane. Your still breaking hard. I'm sure its not illegal, but lets kick them out of the championship just in case...........

Is it a button to "release the hounds" on Bernies calll.............

:rolleyes:

[F1boat]

Its to adjust the wings on straights so they have less down force.

They also have a button that changes the Traction Control settings on their cars.

They also have a button that changes pitt lane lights.

They also have a button that serves ice cool vodka staight into Kimis brain.

A mouse for sending emails.

A phone for calling the FIA directly if they need the rules changing......again!!!

A red button like on your satelite remote for weather forecasts.

Actually it might be there just to change the break balance, but why would you change break balance from a hairpin into a tight chicane. Your still breaking hard. I'm sure its not illegal, but lets kick them out of the championship just in case...........

Is it a button to "release the hounds" on Bernies calll.............

And a button to unleash the terrible power of the Death Star against the Mclaren team, the integrity of which is on par with that of great Lando Calrisian.

[W8&C]

A dead man´s button? Especially for him? :D

[Garry Walker]

Its to adjust the wings on straights so they have less down force.

They also have a button that changes the Traction Control settings on their cars.

They also have a button that changes pitt lane lights.

They also have a button that serves ice cool vodka staight into Kimis brain.

A mouse for sending emails.

A phone for calling the FIA directly if they need the rules changing......again!!!

A red button like on your satelite remote for weather forecasts.

Actually it might be there just to change the break balance, but why would you change break balance from a hairpin into a tight chicane. Your still breaking hard. I'm sure its not illegal, but lets kick them out of the championship just in case...........

Is it a button to "release the hounds" on Bernies calll.............

The one I like most is "make Louie crash in pitlane, again" button :D

[ioan]

The one I like most is "make Louie crash in pitlane, again" button :D

:rotflmao:

[wmcot]

The one I like most is "make Louie crash in pitlane, again" button :D

They haven't worked out the bugs. It will probably require the addition of a "make sure I'm out of his way button" too!

[MAX_THRUST]

well at least two of you realised I joking........damn some of you guys are so uptight and tense.

[SGWilko]

What the hell is your problem? ^^^


He has a sense of humour, more than can be said for some of the charisma bypass candidates on this ere forum guv'nor! :laugh:

[SGWilko]

well at least two of you realised I joking........damn some of you guys are so uptight and tense.

Yep, puckered up tighter than a snare drum some of them....! :rotflmao:

[Azumanga Davo]

Its to adjust the wings on straights so they have less down force.

They also have a button that changes the Traction Control settings on their cars.

They also have a button that changes pitt lane lights.

They also have a button that serves ice cool vodka staight into Kimis brain.

A mouse for sending emails.

A phone for calling the FIA directly if they need the rules changing......again!!!

A red button like on your satelite remote for weather forecasts.

Actually it might be there just to change the break balance, but why would you change break balance from a hairpin into a tight chicane. Your still breaking hard. I'm sure its not illegal, but lets kick them out of the championship just in case...........

Is it a button to "release the hounds" on Bernies calll.............

Thank you for posting this. I shall now head off to Place de la Concorde with 'Exhibit A' as quick as I can. ;) :D