2010 Gearboxes for New Teams

[scarbs]

I've never seen that footage before.

If you look at 2.47, you can see they've pixelated the second selector shaft, on the left in a mirror position to the selector shaft on the right. Its this shaft and the associated selector drum and forks, that creates the seamless gearshift. If this was taken in 2004, then this was still a secret technology for Honda (and McLaren).

Until 2007 when a picture emerged of a stripped Red Bull gearbox, there was a more common belief that the seamless mechanism was in the dog rings (ala zeroshift or weissmann etc) but in fact it was a simple as alternating the gears engagement between two selector drums. since then I've seen the front end of several F1 gearboxes (inc Ferrari, McLaren, Force India, BMW) and they all employ two seelctors...

[sticky667]

I love speed for these Steve Machette pieces, does ITV and BBC get this type of in depth look into the tech of the cars or is it even better?

And if they do where can I access them?

BBC and ITV coverage have always been superior to Speed. It helps they have more than 1 person at the circuit and in and around Europe.

How silly is it Speed broadcast from NC? It really shows the interest in America isn't really there being they can get away with remote broadcasting and most of the fans are clueless.

[ISLAMATRON]

I love speed for these Steve Machette pieces, does ITV and BBC get this type of in depth look into the tech of the cars or is it even better?

And if they do where can I access them?

BBC and ITV coverage have always been superior to Speed. It helps they have more than 1 person at the circuit and in and around Europe.

How silly is it Speed broadcast from NC? It really shows the interest in America isn't really there being they can get away with remote broadcasting and most of the fans are clueless.

I've watched both SpeedTV and the BBC/ITV Brooadcasts(taped) and can not call one definitly superior to the other... but that was not my question... I asked if they do indepth technical pieces regularly like this one and if so does anyone know where In can access them?

Everyone I know that watches SpeedTV knows they are reporting from NC... its really not that big a deal.

[safeaschuck]

I've watched both SpeedTV and the BBC/ITV Brooadcasts(taped) and can not call one definitly superior to the other... but that was not my question... I asked if they do indepth technical pieces regularly like this one and if so does anyone know where In can access them? Everyone I know that watches SpeedTV knows they are reporting from NC... its really not that big a deal.

That may be your opinion, it is not fact. I have never watched speed coverage but that peice was very much comparable with the kind of segments on the BBC raceday coverage, if anything BBC coverage has been 'dumbed down' since last time they held the TV rights, albeit offset by better access. Obviously the technology used in presentation has moved on also.

Given that this clip was broadcast about 6 years ago I would say it also compares well with ITV coverage of the time too.

Admitedly BBC do collect and disseminate an awful lot of knowledge via their website and other background channels, this does make a lot of sense if you want to broaden your audience on raceday to include the everyday person, no need to go mad with levels of detail and loose the wider audience. We have places like this to revel in the detail!
I don't know much about speed's suplemental coverage, I'm guessing that Motorsport is what? 7th? 10th? 15th most popular sport in the states? and F1 is like 4th or 5th most popular motorsport? You would be lucky to convince anyone to throw more money at it than one of the crown Jewels of BBC sports coverage. Looks like they do very well with the resources available too them, I could watch that without throwing a beer can at the T.V.

[PlatinumZealot]

I watch both Speed and BBC. Speed has better sounding commentators; they are easier to listen to IMO. The only problem I had with speed was the delayed coverage and pop in commercials, that's when I switch over to BBC coverage. BBC commentators tend to "sell" the show too much so their raves seem fake sometimes, but to their merit they get in more on track interviews though.

[Fil]

New for 2010
Lotus – Std transmission and case
Campos Meta – Std transmission
USF1 – Not known, but confirmed not Weismann
VF1 – Not known

From the USF1 site..

And did you know that we're the only one of the four new teams designing our own gearbox...?

Scott Bennett is a furniture designer for Housefish. (oh & one of USF1's lead designers too)

No mention of who they are working with though.

[FW17]

(11/02/2009) - EMCO Gears was selected this week as the gearbox supplier to the newest Formula 1 competitor ... Team US F1.

This is from http://www.emcogears.com/index.cfm

The casing manufacturer however is unconfirmed.

[tok-tokkie]

In ZA we get the BBC race feed. I am very pleased they did not take James Allen from ITV (though he was much improved by the end of the ITV era from what he was like when he started).

The BBC feed we get is all about the drivers. They don't even mention what car they are driving. There is nothing at all about the engineering & technicalities during the race broadcast.

I don't watch the long practice session & qualifying broadcasts. When I looked at those years ago the technical stuff was abysmally poor - aimed at junior school level technically & scripted by Bernie's PR people it seemed. It was insulting to anyone with any technical knowledge. Absolutely terrible compared to the clip from Speed.

[pipex]

(11/02/2009) - EMCO Gears was selected this week as the gearbox supplier to the newest Formula 1 competitor ... Team US F1.

This is from http://www.emcogears.com/index.cfm

The casing manufacturer however is unconfirmed.

I remember reading somewhere that in the past Xtrac provided gears for Williams, and that gears are a kind of specialist item, so some teams outsource the manufacturing/design (not sure). So it may be possible that EMCO provides only the gears, while the casing is custom USF1.

[safeaschuck]

O.K. shoot me down for commenting on a company i know nothing about but I have just had a look at Emco's website... Really?
Am I alone in thinking this is mainly a strategic, feel good alliance to negate any backlash from the home crowd that a team named for it's country of origin is knocking back domestic suppliers? As I write it sounds almost political.
Will USF1 actually be sourcing much of the gearbox, subtly of course, from a vareity of other suppliers outside the U.S.?
Perhaps there will be a period of testing and migration to EMCO parts but I can't see a team rocking up with a brand new 'box from these guys at the beggining of their first season. It will either be a little heavy or a lot un-reliable.
Again, only my opinion.
USF1 especially must be aware on the pressure on them and the possibility that if thier first season goes abysmally badly for them it might be their last.

I'm sure SOME of the parts may come from EMCO and if this is enough to declare them gearbox suppliers then great for both parties, but I just can't see things like spiral bevel gears coming from this outfit.

Obviously the Cosworth engine could be cited as a precedent for important tie-ups outside the U.S. but as well as being a requirement of the F.I.A. Cosworth have had a strong U.S. presence for years and could be said to be almpost an anglo-american outfit these days.

[FW17]

Ingram: The Race Is On At USF1
Jonathan Ingram | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Wednesday, 20 January 2010

A glance at a full-scale, side-view drawing reveals a compact car despite the large fuel cell needed to accommodate races without pit stops. The gearbox, to be built in-house, will be transverse for the sake of packaging.

This will be first team to use a transverse layout since williams did in 1998.

[ISLAMATRON]

source please williamsF1

[sticky667]

source please williamsF1

Ingram: The Race Is On At USF1
Jonathan Ingram | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Wednesday, 20 January 2010

[ISLAMATRON]

ok, didnt see that part, thanks

[scarbs]

You heard it here first, while USF1 go their own way on the gearbox front, The other teams will use the same Xtrac ‘box, with Virgin opting to make their own case…

I asked Xtrac about the new ‘box and got this press release...

“Xtrac Campos Meta F1 and Lotus F1 Racing with its recently launched gearbox, designated as Project 1044, developed for the 2010 season.
Including an aluminium casing, it’s Xtrac’s first total transmission system supplied into Formula One since 1996, when the company supplied complete gearboxes and not just the vital internal components. New team Virgin Racing will be using the entire Project 1044 internals kit in its own design of casing.
With a contemporary longitudinal layout, commonly utilised in F1 gearboxes, the transmission can be easily adapted to other F1 engines. It positions the gear cluster forward of the differential to ensure excellent vehicle weight distribution, while meeting critical aerodynamic requirements at the rear of the vehicle. It’s also designed to be as compact as possible to help accommodate the larger fuel tank and tighter packaging requirements imposed by the 2010 regulations.
At only approximately 40kg the basic architecture balances the usual requirements for low weight, reliability and robust performance. The design philosophy behind the internal components also benefits greatly from Xtrac’s extensive experience in F1 and as a leading designer and supplier of complete transmission systems to other major motorsport series around the world.”