Archive for month: February, 2015

While days run by and we get quickly to the second session of collective winters test at the Spanish track of Barcelona, we have met Gian Carlo Minardi at his Headquarters in Faenza (and could not be elsewhere).

Although he had left behind the nr. 21 in Via Lazzaro Spallanzani (Faenza) – Headquarters of his Minardi Team since 1984 – with his going out from the Formula 1 World Championship, in the new office it continues to breathe the air of Formula 1, through the helmets of the many drivers who have worn the yellow-blue colours, through the cars’ wheels, the models and the Cosworth F1 – TJ 2005 10V engine, used as coffee table. The eye focuses on a photo album that we readily open. The mind begins to travel quickly back in time, as if we had the DeLorean of “Doc” Emmett Brown and Marty McFly. There are photographs that seem prehistoric times, but that are part of the history of Italian Formula 1 World Championship. Today we are used to hearing about the wind tunnel, the latest generation of simulators, able to reproduce reality, but it was not always this way. “Having a look to these photographs, you have the impression that a century has passed. But we talk about only 30 years ago“, Gian Carlo Minardi says.

Our travel begins from the years ’84 -’85. “It’s amazing how the world has changed, without realizing it, and the great strides made by technology. But let’s also ask questions. Is all this necessary? Let me explain. In the ‘80es to build two Formula 1 cars 22-23 people were employed. The technical office was a room of 26 square meters. Today, despite the help of technology, teams are more than 400 employees. Certainly cars and aerodynamics are more complex, but, still giving space to the evolution, I think we have reached incredible levels of staff“, the former Team Principal continues. “In 1984, the chassis were built with composite materials, in particular Carbon fiber and Kevlar and the bodywork was created manually, as all the equipment for its realization (models), using materials for easily workable modeling. The required geometries were obtained manually. The difficulty was to do equal left and right sidepod. The cars were really handmade. It was also very frequent to produce parts or bodywork components, such as the closing element of dampers compartment, obtained in metal sheets molded by hand from the trusty Otello, historic Ferrari bodywork builder of the late ‘60s. So, until the early ’80s, each piece was handmade, before taking it in the wind tunnel“.

The next step was the introduction of computers and, subsequently, of 3D modeling. “In 1988 he made his entrance in the Headquaters the FTP machine with three-axis nurmerical control. Once made the drawing, you could see the car growing. This machine was followed by the “JOBS“, a machine tool with the control on five axes that allowed to realize the full shape of the body, shaping a block of resin through the mathematical calculation of the external surfaces, produced by CAD designers. This first model was used to obtain the mold on which realize the car chassis made of carbon.

The real revolution arrives in the 2000s, when it starts to use the machines for rapid prototyping, or stereolithography.

Through the solidification by laser of a liquid resin, you obtained very useful “finished” elements, especially for creating the components necessary for aerodynamic tests in the wind tunnel. Technology that has allowed to speed up the production of these components“.

Rapid prototyping comes in Faenza. “Minardi was among the first companies to have this technology, certainly the first in F1 to install a 3D Systems SLA® 7000, a step followed shortly by some top teams. Made the first study with Cad tecnologies, the first model on ½ scale was built, in order to go in the wind tunnel“.

Finally, a nice as unpublished gem. “Here is the model of the Minardi 2006, which unfortunately never saw the light. It is the last creature of Eng. Gabriele Tredozi. We were already ahead in the design of the body“, Gian Carlo Minardi says,  concluding the story,” when in September 2005 began negotiations with Red Bull for the transfer of ownership“.

A special thanks to Eng. Gabriele Tredozi for the invaluable technical support. On our official FaceBook , there is a wide gallery with more photos also of the Minardi PS06.

In a week teams will switch on the engines, kicking off the second four-days of collective test. After the inauguration at Jerez circuit, Spain will be again the background for the tests of F1 Circus, from Thursday 19th to Sunday, February 22nd. This time will be Montmelò circuit to host the open wheels and it will be the fifth weekend (as well as the first European round) of 2015 Formula 1 World Championship.

After the first session, teams withdrew in their Headquarters, in order to analyze the collected data and program the new tests to be produced in the next session. A year of hybrid technology development has already given a return: the cars are 3″ faster than the first session, twelve months ago. The work within the teams is intense, having to maximize the potential of their new creatures. “Once back at home, team has to analyze thousands of data collected on track and compare them with those of wind tunnel and simulator. Another problem is that if the test program is not completed, it is necessary to plan s best as possible the next test that will inevitably become more complex”, Gian Carlo Minardi says on www.minardi.it. The manager from Faenza lived with his Minardi Team, for over twenty years, the phase of inauguration and pre-seasonal development. “In these fifteen days separating the first official launch from the second, the work will be developed in parallel with the introduction of new aerodynamic and improving overall car reliability, looking for appropriate solutions to the problems of reliability suffered in the past season. For example, Mercedes gave me the impression of having worked in this direction, by focusing the work on the electronics and mechanics of gearbox; the same crash gearbox suffered the third day seems apparently a result of a wanted stress test”, the former builder continues.

Tests are meticulously prepared events and teams go on track with programs defined and studied day by day. “It always follows a schedule of works, planned by the technical staff around a desk and considering both car and driver. Programs can be changed only if there are serious technical problems. This explains why each team seems to act without any interest in the competition with other rivals. In this phase, Team Principal has normally a marginal role. Therefore, it is easy to meet the Patrons of Teams around the circuit, to follow the work on track of theirs drivers. This happens especially in smaller teams, when they have in their ranks young or not very experienced drivers. Nice the image of Tost, Team Principal of Red Bull, who has focused on two rookies like Verstappen and Sainz Jr and was moving around Jerez track”.

Turned off the engines, the spotlights are now focused on Strategy Group’s decisions: on the agenda, there was the exception to let Marussia (or Manor GP) be on track with 2014 car. At the time, however, unanimity is not reached. Some teams, principally Force India, would be opposed to its comeback.

For team’s revival, the administration relies on the income of commercial rights, but times is short. Despite not having participated in the last three 2014 Grand Prix, the team from Banbury ended the season in ninth place, before Caterham and Sauber, thanks to the two points won by Jules Bianchi in Monaco Grand Prix. The team most in need, Force India and Sauber, opposing against its comeback, point to share proceeds. “An absurd and unsportsmanlike behavior”, Gian Carlo Minardi comments on his website www.minardi.it. “Opposing, small teams hope to split up the amount due to Marussia, but perhaps they did not count to ten. Get rid of the two Cinderellas, Marussia and Caterham, it means shortening the grid. Consequently, last line would be occupied by teams with far greater budgets and ambitions (see Force India itself, Sauber and Lotus), with commercial consequences and in terms of image to be verified”, the manager from Faenza analyses.

“This situation reminds me of the ’96-’97 seasons, when I defended very strongly the importance of small teams. I argued that without teams participating with great passion but limited means – hoping, who knows, to find the right funds for the future – in the last row there would inevitably finite big manufacturers. Situation that has repeatedly occurred in the 2000s The manufacturers are not waiting years to grow and achieve positive results; they have commercial and image objectives in the short and tangible consequence of the choices in those years, was that year after year we have lost almost all of them”, concludes Minardi. “I hope that it is not the final decision and that there is room for reasoning; Now as then, this sport needs also all those laboriously take part and hope to find the means for a more glorious sport future”.

Ended the first four days of test at the Spanish track of Jerez, for teams it is time to come back to the headquarters, starting to analyse all data and prepare the next test, scheduled in Barcelona in a fortnight.

After analysing teams’ work together with Gian Carlo Minardi (read here), we try to sum up all driven kilometres, in order to assess newborn cars reliability. Mercedes World Champions are workaholic for session, gather up 2285 km (516 rounds). Nico Rosberg collects 308 rounds in two days, while the champion in office, Lewis Hamilton, “stops” to 208 rounds.

In second place, left behind with 634 km, we find Sauber (1651 km) with the brand-new pair Ericsson-Nasr. The Swedish driver gather 185 rounds, only three less than his team-mate. A good sign for Maranello, whereas the C34 uses engine of the Prancing Horse. The Brazilian also scores the third fastest time ever in the session.

Third placement for Toro Rosso, Renault-powered, with the younger pair of Circus formed by the rookies Carlos Sainz Jr and Max Verstappen. The team based in Faenza reached 1558 km, thanks to the 182 rounds of the Spanish and the 170 laps of Dutchman.

Fourth placement for Ferrari SF15-T of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, who closes the first session of collective test with a total reward of 1536 km (748 km less than Mercedes). Kimi Raikkonen ends his work with 198 rounds and the fastest lap (1’20″841), followed by Sebastian Vettel with 149 laps and his time of 1’20″984. Ferrari drivers are the only ones who have broken down the wall of 1’21. At this stage, however, we must tread carefully and lap times should be taken with a grain of salt, as each team get on track with very specific programs.

More outdistanced all the others. Lotus (which has driven one day less) comes back home with 841 km. At the very bottom, there are Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull and Daniil Kvyat, with 730 km and McLaren-Honda, with just 350 km.