What does a Formula 1 team do on Sunday before a race?

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Just hit the street and drive? Formula 1 does not work like that! Just as footballers can’t be lowered to 90 minutes of ‘work’ throughout a sport, in Formula 1 it’s not simply the few laps within the race which are decisive on Grand Prix Sunday.

Because in case you do not put together correctly, you already misplaced. But what do the groups do before the race and when does a typical Formula 1 Sunday begin?

“For a 3pm race, we’ll be on monitor at 9am,” says Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles. This signifies that the team nonetheless has six hours before the beginning of the competitors. “It might appear to be a very long time, nevertheless it flies for us each on the street and within the manufacturing unit. It’s like minutes,” he says.

Because there may be a lot to do before the race, even after qualifying the automotive is within the parking zone and might not be modified aside from minor particulars.

There are many questions before the race

On the one hand, there’s the climate strategy: “You have to instantly reassess what the race climate goes to be like, and naturally the forecast will get extra correct as you get nearer to the beginning time of the race,” he says. Vowels. Of course, when there’s a menace of rain, it is particularly tough for the team and you must deviate out of your regular thought processes for a dry race.

After checking the climate, there can be a technique assembly with the drivers. “We be sure that they’re ready for a variety of conditions which will come up throughout the race,” Vowles mentioned.

“What if we make two pit stops? What do we would like? What do we count on from them? What if Verstappen is quicker? What if he is slower? What in the event that they lead the race? What if there’s a security automotive on lap 5?”

“Of course, you’ll be able to’t cowl each risk, however you undergo crucial ones in order that the motive force can take into consideration them throughout the race,” says the chief strategist.

Meeting with all engineers

This can be adopted by a assembly with all of the engineers on the factories in Brackley and Brixworth, in addition to on the monitor. “We’re consolidating all of the work we have executed in a single day as a result of as soon as the qualifying interval ends, the work does not cease, it simply begins,” says Vowles.

Because even in park farm circumstances there may be nonetheless a lot that may be executed to make sure an optimum race automotive. Again, you undergo many factors and make clear a few questions: “How do you utilize the tires successfully? What must you do at first of the race? Are there any sporting points like monitor restrictions or different modifications that seem in a single day?”

Meanwhile, the team goes again to the morning’s work to see if there may be, for instance, an replace on the climate or every other new data.

The newest data on the unique grid

40 minutes before the beginning of the lap, the pit lane opens and drivers can enter the beginning grid. “Until the climate all of the sudden modifications, it is all executed and determined,” he says. “And then there’s nonetheless sufficient time to make modifications, however primarily simply the tire stress and the entrance wing.”

After the drivers have put their automobiles on-line, it is time to have a last briefing with the engineers to ensure they’ve the newest data and are in a position to implement it as greatest they’ll. “From there, your focus is absolutely on the start,” says Vowles. “And then, in fact, they drive.”

“But the work by no means stops behind the scenes,” he says. “We’re continuously attempting to vary the technique, which is a seen factor, but additionally the automotive and we nonetheless have the flexibility to vary the tire compounds, the tire stress and the entrance wing,” Vowles mentioned. “These are highly effective instruments and it is all the time working within the background.”