Why F1 Is The World's Most High-Tech Sport

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Two weeks is a long time in Formula 1, and a lot has happened since my last column. LewisHamilton has turned his back on McLaren, the team that managed him since childhood andmade him the 2008 world champion, and decided to join Mercedes from 2013 onward.He replaces Michael Schumacher, the aging former seven-time world champion who hasretired, again. Only able to grab a single podium finish in the three seasons since heemerged from his previous retirement, Schumacher has finally left the sport to the nextgeneration of drivers.And that’s before we even touch on thechampionship situation, which took another dramatic twist after the Japanese Grand Prix.An incident-packed race saw Sebastian Vettel cut Fernando Alonso’s lead to just fourpoints following the German’s dominant pole-to-flag win and Alonso’s openinglap retirement due to a puncture following contact with Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus.I talked previously about the humanfactor and how much onus is put on the driver at physically demanding circuits likeSingapore’s. Despite this, the drivers must still rely on electronic systems to helpcarry out the essential tasks of driving. It’s fitting that Japanese racer KamuiKobayashi got his first podium finish at his home Grand Prix, as Japan is home to some ofthe world’s largest and most innovative electronics firms.The productionvehicles you and I drive on a daily basis use a range of sophisticated electronics thatmake driving a safer andmore comfortable experience. Things like power steering, ABS and traction control make itso that practically anyone can drive a modern car. F1 authorities banned the use of suchelectronic traction and launch controls in 2004 and 2008 respectively. These systems hadgiven drivers the competition-dampening ability to merely stamp on the throttle and relyon a computer-controlled system to modulate the massive amounts of power being laid downto the car’s wheels. The traction-maximized starts enabled smooth, efficientlaunches with every go, removing the exciting variability of driver error.Now,with the FIA more directly overseeing the car’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU), suchdirect driver-benefiting electronics are a thing of the past. The ECU is an F1 car’scentral brain; it controls their 18,000-rpm engines and seven-speed transmissions,modulating fuel mixtures, engine timing and clutch dynamics. The electronics required tomanage these process are extraordinary, enabling seamless 0.05-second shifts. Although electronically controlled suspensions were banned in the ‘90s, computersstill control other key features like the driver’s drink pump and the new KERS(Kinetic Energy Resource System). KERS is a newly implemented system designed to capturingexcess break-generated heat. Both electrical and mechanical systems allow the cars torecover expended energy and apply it on command. This technology, which has been promoteddue to its environmental potential, also gives drivers a momentary power boost for keyovertaking procedures. Continue Reading

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