What the 'Fric' is it?

[Godius]

So is Mercedes or any of the other teams using FRIC this year, I havent heard anything about it.

I know that Force India is racing the Fric-system since the GP of China and has tested the system on several occasions in the past years before. Hülkenberg reported to AMuS that FRICS on the VJM07 wasn't yet optimal to race in general because it still doesn't react properly in changeable track conditions but they are racing it anyway to gather information and develop the system on the fly.

[Powerslide]

Is FRIC a Formula One version of Tenneco's? They seem to work very well for the MP4-12C's ride yet have a minimal roll although the mP4-12C's lack of rocking support or heave support has made it rather edgy on weight transfer during braking.

[Stilesdc]

Very green to F1 but wanted to float a hypothetical:
1. Mechanical / hydraulic linkage between diagonal wheels--front left and rear right for this hypo
2. Braking into a turn (R for the hypo) dives the nose & turning takes pressure off all right suspension, so in combination the greatest drop effect of of both actions are on right rear wheel
3. That allows the greatest stimulus to apply force to tighten the left front suspension
-to fight the pitch effect, keeping even/max airflow to the rear diffuser &
-give a bit more grip via the front tire

Hazard is if the inside clips a curb (which happens often in tracks like Monaco) that jolt could make the outside front suspension all wobbly under the simplest model of this mechanism.

Would this be banned under active suspension restrictions? Would it even be a useful mechanism?

[DaveW]

Very green to F1 but wanted to float a hypothetical...

Confining my remarks to an hydraulic linkage, I think that you make the assumption that fluid can be passed between the actuators sufficiently quickly to make a difference. I doubt that this will be the case for a passive system, but it would certainly be true for a well designed active system (with pressurized fluid & local accumulators).

Would it be useful? Probably, but there are several alternative control strategies for an active system, I think.

[Powerslide]

Just read an article on FRIC, seems pretty straight forward and not quite roll related but more towards interconnecting third springs for stabilizing heave and pitch.

[trinidefender]

Just read an article on FRIC, seems pretty straight forward and not quite roll related but more towards interconnecting third springs for stabilizing heave and pitch.

Can you provide a source?

[OrangeArrows]

Fric allowed in 2015?

[tuj]

My understanding of Mercedes work with FRICS was that the setup was highly specific per track. I thought Merc spent most of last year (and maybe even the year before?) setting up the system and gathering data for each track. Again, my understanding was that '12 and '13 were both 'prep' years for the 2014 rule change WDC/WCC run we are witnessing this year.

So I wonder how the other teams could have copied the FRICS system apparently so quickly? Yes, we have seen hydraulically linked suspension systems in FSAE and described in detail in Racecar Engineering and in SAE papers, but again, is the setup and tuning of the system not highly track specific?

[thisisatest]

Have been watching the Canadian GP and noticed how lightly loaded the Mercedes inside fronts were in the corners, especially in corner exit. It occurred to me:
Could the FRIC system be set up in a manner that allows the roll rate to be highly ride height dependent? What if the front roll rate was determined by the rear ride height? Or it was dependent on the relative ride height difference between the front and rear? Lastly, and I guess this is the big one: would such interlinking be desirable?

[hardingfv32]

Is the proposed banning of FRIC systems by the FIA for the next GP realistic?

Brian

[nismo]

Is the proposed banning of FRIC systems by the FIA for the next GP realistic?

Brian

It was proposed onward from the German GP

... I believe.

[ian_s]

i would have thought that at this stage of development, the FRIC systems for at least Merc and maybe some others would be so intertwined in their suspension setup that they cant just remove it. i guess it all depends on whether Ferrari or RedBull are reliant on FRIC, if they are it wont get banned.

[Scania]

just like make hydraulic to replace ARB, but how's the center valve works