Engine Management

[Apex]

As we all know - the engines are supposed to last for two races, which mean that the teams manage the performance over the race weekend…

So my question is why is it possible for some drivers to make their engines last longer than their team mates? Surly there is a system in place that limits the performance so that the drivers can not ‘abuse’ the engine more than it can handle. A system similar to those found on airplanes that limits the loads generated with a fly by wire control system.

Even a far more simple solution would be to limit performance if a large lead has developed, such as Kimi had this weekend. With a pit stop in hand it makes sense to nurse the car.

I guess we can only speculate weather a slight performance reduction would save an engine from failure, but it could only help.

[RH1300S]

Although much is managed, the drivers still have lots of opportunity to strain an engine.

The precise upchange point selected (may only vary a tiny amount).

Down-change point - some drivers may put bigger reverse loads into the motor.

Throttle pickup, I wonder how much easier an engine's life is if traction control is not deployed?

Kerb hopping will put in loads.

It's not just the performance that abuses and engine...........

There is already a simple solution to limit engine strain when a car has a big lead.....it's called an intelligent driver - the more control they give back to clever drivers the better in my book, let the cream rise to the top!

[Guest]

If Im not wrong the gearbox doesnt allow a downchange if you are in the
wrong rpm range.

Im under the illusion that the teams monitor all aspects of the car that are monitorable. Something tells me that the teams(driver + team) employ different strategies depending on the circuit and circumstances in regard to reliability.

But something that confuses me a bit is why Kimi/Mclaren didnt do anything about their driveshaft problem in San Marino. In parc ferme they changed the driveshaft and then it fails inte the race again ?

/ Fx

[DaveKillens]

If a component has an inherent design flaw, then the problem will return, no matter how many times you change it. Reubens had problems with his new transmission at san marino too, and it took many weeks before that problem was addressed.
But drivers, by their very behavior, place different stresses on the car. The simplest example, is comparing a driver who mashes the gas pedal to the floor when accelerating, versus one who gradually increases throttle. The difference may be fractional, but it is there. Over the course of a race, the repeated additional stresses may cause failure.
And if the different drivers attack the curbs differently, then the shock loads on the drivetrain are very much different.
The teams and engineers try as much as possible to protect the car from the driver. But once the race begins, the driver uses the car, hopefully to win. Drivers do try to preserve the car, but in the heat of battle, the car gets terribly abused.

[Smeerak]

Just a note:

Remember Kimi's problem was not his fault. A technician forgot to screw on a hydraulic fluid cap to the correct tightness.

Other than that, every driver has a different driving style, and remember, these things are bult to run on the extreme limit -- it's not a 200% safety margin engine. That said, things go wrong, and when they do, usually it means the car is done.

cheres,

[riff_raff]

Smeerak makes an excellent point in his post. The mechanical components in a modern F1 car are designed with an absolute minimum margin of safety. And those limits are established somewhat empirically.

For the example discussed, driveline components, the designer/analyst must make an educated guess as to what are the worst case loads the components will encounter. For race cars, there are no text books or extensive reference materials the designer can refer to when designing his parts. If the part fails during a race, the designer redesigns the part a little stronger. The designer must be careful though, because adding strength to a part usually means adding weight.

The design problem also gets trickier, because no two tracks are alike. Some are bumpier and have higher curbing, producing higher loads in the chassis and driveline. Thus, the best designers in F1 are usually the ones with the most experience.