The secrets of Brembo brake system

[Kiril Varbanov]

Video and nice graphics:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH2hcF0I-bo[/youtube]

[Lycoming]

Not much in the way of actual secrets there, not to mention they aren't secrets anymore, but interesting that they log stroke as well as pressure at the MC.

By the way, what does it mean when they show a number, a slash, a second number and then a unit?

[Juzh]

How often do they change brakes on an f1 car anyway? What's their longevity?

[AnthonyG]

New brakes each race I guess.

[Lycoming]

I kind of doubt it's necessary to replace the carbon brakes for every race due to wear, though they may swap different rotors or pad compounds for different circuits.

[beelsebob]

I kind of doubt it's necessary to replace the carbon brakes for every race due to wear, though they may swap different rotors or pad compounds for different circuits.

It absolutely is necessary. Why would you carry extra weight in the breaks that you don't need to? I mean, the teams even put different thicknesses of disks on depending on circuit to minimise weight where breaking is light.

[bhall]

Like other parts of the Formula 1 car, the brakes are built not for endurance but primarily for speed. In general, the brakes are designed to last a little longer than a single race. Teams use a different set of brakes on the car for the Friday practice sessions, and then add new brakes for Saturday's practice, qualifying and the race the next day.

I read something else a while back that stated teams typically treat brakes as a disposable commodity, just like engine oil or coolant. Part of the reasoning is that drivers often have different manufacturer preferences for different circuits. Hamilton, for one, apparently switched back and forth between Hitco and Carbon Industries when he was at McLaren.

[Juzh]

Like other parts of the Formula 1 car, the brakes are built not for endurance but primarily for speed. In general, the brakes are designed to last a little longer than a single race. Teams use a different set of brakes on the car for the Friday practice sessions, and then add new brakes for Saturday's practice, qualifying and the race the next day.

I read something else a while back that stated teams typically treat brakes as a disposable commodity, just like engine oil or coolant. Part of the reasoning is that drivers often have different manufacturer preferences for different circuits. Hamilton, for one, apparently switched back and forth between Hitco and Carbon Industries when he was at McLaren.

Aren't mclaren using akebonos specially tailored for them?

[bhall]

I have no idea what's currently in use at McLaren, but they used Akebono calipers and Hitco discs in 2012.

(Only the French translation of that page seems to work. It's difficult to miss the relevant entry, though.)

[Kiril Varbanov]

I have no idea what's currently in use at McLaren, but they used Akebono calipers and Hitco discs in 2012.

(Only the French translation of that page seems to work. It's difficult to miss the relevant entry, though.)

Mclaren have extended their partnership with Akebono, who became Technology partner - http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/partner ... -mercedes/

[langwadt]

I kind of doubt it's necessary to replace the carbon brakes for every race due to wear, though they may swap different rotors or pad compounds for different circuits.

It absolutely is necessary. Why would you carry extra weight in the breaks that you don't need to? I mean, the teams even put different thicknesses of disks on depending on circuit to minimise weight where breaking is light.

yes they would want to go as light as possible, making them last shouldn't be a problem. I believe some teams do a whole
Le Mans with out replacing brakes

[beelsebob]

I kind of doubt it's necessary to replace the carbon brakes for every race due to wear, though they may swap different rotors or pad compounds for different circuits.

It absolutely is necessary. Why would you carry extra weight in the breaks that you don't need to? I mean, the teams even put different thicknesses of disks on depending on circuit to minimise weight where breaking is light.

yes they would want to go as light as possible, making them last shouldn't be a problem. I believe some teams do a whole
Le Mans with out replacing brakes

The point is that if your breaks last longer than a race (or rather, longer than a race and a few laps), then you are carrying around more break material than you need to, and that's unsprung mass that you could do without. It doesn't matter how resilient you make the material, you don't want to carry around more than you need to.

[AnthonyG]

This is a break


This is a brake

[langwadt]

It absolutely is necessary. Why would you carry extra weight in the breaks that you don't need to? I mean, the teams even put different thicknesses of disks on depending on circuit to minimise weight where breaking is light.

yes they would want to go as light as possible, making them last shouldn't be a problem. I believe some teams do a whole
Le Mans with out replacing brakes

The point is that if your breaks last longer than a race (or rather, longer than a race and a few laps), then you are carrying around more break material than you need to, and that's unsprung mass that you could do without. It doesn't matter how resilient you make the material, you don't want to carry around more than you need to.

indeed, almost anything on a race car (that you are allowed to change) that'll last longer that a race is made too heavy

[riff_raff]

While I am not intimately familiar with the CRC materials used on current F1 cars, I do know that a few years back the CRC brake rotor and pad materials used had a fairly similar wear rate. And the thickness of each was just adequate to last the race distance without becoming thin enough to fail structurally. Of course, one issue resulting from the pads and rotors becoming thinner as the race progresses is that their thermal mass is reduced, and this will affect their heat transfer properties and operating temps.