Colin Young Finds The Answers To ...life In The Very Fast Lane
THE SUNDAY AGE
Sunday November 13, 1994
1. Given that formula one cars are so sophisticated and finely engineered, just how much skill does it take to drive one? At the very top level of performance almost certainly more than it did even just 12 months ago.
With the removal of many of the computer-driven driver aids such as traction control, and the introduction of narrower tyres, the cars are more ``nervous" over bumps and under brakes and require a great deal of finesse.
The top echelon of Grand Prix drivers are the best in the world and the performance level of the cars exceed any other racing vehicle.
Just two years ago formula one world champion Nigel Mansell switched to heavier and less responsive Indycars and dominated.
Indycar driver Michael Andretti came across to formula one with McLaren and was sacked before the season ended and immediately won on his return to Indycars.
2. Grand Prix races often look like processions to the lay eye, why aren't there more passing moves? This matter has been of great concern to formula one promoters who reintroduced refuelling to the regulations this season in a bid to liven up the racing action.
To an extent it has succeeded, although the heart of the problem is the huge budgets that the top three or four teams have to spend on engineering development. The result is a gap in performance between the haves and have-nots.
This season, only Benetton and Williams have dominated, with Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill winning 14 out of 15 races so far.
The solution appears to be in a set of rules that allows lower budget teams to be competitive but this defeats the historical tradition that formula one must always aim for technical and engineering excellence, often at the expense of close racing.
3. Just what part do tactics play in the running of a race compared with the outright superiority of one machine over another? Race strategies are now very important. At many races this season Schumacher and Benetton have elected to make two pit stops for fuel and tyres dividing the race into three equal ``sprint" sections.
Brilliant driving and pit work have produced eight victories for a Ford V8 powered car which concedes horsepower to the V10 Renault powered Williams driven by Hill. The Benetton tactics allow them to run a light fuel load giving better power-weight performance.
There is wide opinion that the Williams-Renault is a better technical package, especially in wet weather.
4. How can spectators know what's going on when they see only fleeting glimpses of the cars as they pass? Often with great difficulty, especially at street circuits unless you have a high grandstand seat position or well-placed corporate box.
The general admission punters normally select a favorite corner, often on the basis of previous action or passing moves. Many tracks now position outdoor TV screens to give spectators value for money.
FM radio headsets carrying a race commentary are a big help, but for many just being at the track to soak up the noise and atmosphere is part of the appeal.
5. Is it true that many spectators only go the track in the hope of seeing a bingle? The prospect of a spectacular incident has long been an accepted component of motor racing and, most likely, if this were not the case many spectators would stay away.
The pit straight chicane on the Adelaide street circuit is notorious for spectacular bingles and attracts a premium seat price, with tickets normally sold out 12 months in advance.
Bingles are one thing but only the ghoulish like to see a driver injured or killed.
6. How much safer has formula one become since the death of Ayrton Senna? A significant number of measures have increased the safety margin although the potential for a freak accident, such as the one in which Senna died, can never be removed.
This would sterilise the sport to a point where its challenge for the drivers would be almost non-existent.
Changes to slow the cars with underbody skid blocks and a reduction in horsepower, with a switch to three-litre motors (down from 3.5 litres), will reduce speeds although engineers have an uncanny knack of finding other performance gains in suspension and aerodynamics.
Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger now leads the Grand Prix Drivers Association. This is winning the battle for safer tracks and larger run-off areas. Its stand forced modifications to the Monza track in Italy.
7. How much does it cost to run a car? In 1992, the Lotus team reportedly set an annual budget of more than $23 million and they never won a race.
Next year, the Jordan team expects to have a budget of more than $70 million, which includes the research and development costs paid for by Peugeot, which will supply V10 motors to the team.
Peugeot's contribution will be more than half the $70 million and increasingly it is crucial to have the support of a major engine manufacturer to help pay the bills.
The Williams team has 200 people on its payroll and an annual budget that most likely tops $100 million and that's why they are consistently at the sharp end of the grid.
8. What sort of fuel do they use and how long does a racing tyre last? The rules call for the specification to be the same as commercially available fuel to be used which can be a combination of pump petrol and experimental fuels made available by fuel companies. In the past, high-octane brews were used but this rocket fuel is now outlawed.
Tyre wear depends on many factors including track temperature and the amount of abuse handed out by the driver in terms of wheelspin and sliding through.
Goodyear engineers talk of a ``give-up" factor which is judged to be the point when the tyre has lost its optimum performance. This can occur while there is still a lot of tread remaining. This season, most tyres on leading cars have been changed after 100-150 kilometres of racing.
9. Life on the grand prix circuit is presented as being incredibly glamorous, with the drivers surrounded by beautiful women and rich entrepreneurs. Does the reality match the image? A cruise down pit lane or glance at the companions of many leading drivers confirms the presence of plenty of good sorts, no doubt attracted by the perception of formula one glamor.
The rich entrepreneurs are in fact the star drivers and sharp-minded team owners who have brokered the talents and ability to win into multi-million-dollar contracts with sponsors.
Formula one ring master Bernie Ecclestone does not have a play image but he has amassed a significant fortune from being formula one's best deal-maker.
Many of the top drivers have their own private jets and live in Monaco with yachts moored in the harbor. When it's party time, the grand prix fraternity know how to turn it on but no one sees the pressure and hard work behind the scenes like the endless test days at deserted race tracks perfecting car performance and driving skills in the pursuit of victory.
10. What physical demands are placed on the drivers during a race? Do they have to keep in shape? Yes. A recent medical research document assessed that an average person would last only three laps at formula one speeds before they got cramps in their arms and became dizzy from the G forces on the body which sometimes exceed those experienced by fighter pilots.
Heartbeats in moments of stress on the track touch 200 a minute.
Michael Schumacher is a fanatical trainer and the great Frenchman Alain Prost has impressed by completing sections of the Tour de France cycle race.
A driver must concentrate for two hours at speeds topping 300kph virtually uninterrupted. Tennis players get a break and cool drink between games that may not last more than five minutes.
© 1994 THE SUNDAY AGE