Flash
06-01-2005, 07:05 PM
I want to float the idea of having an afternoon testing session on competition weekend at the venue.
Formula SAE is primarily an Engineering competition, designed to test our skills etc. I'm sure a huge number of people involved have aspirations to move into motorsport engineering, where a good setup can make as much (if not more) of a difference to car speed as a good design, yet it seems one facet that is not tested to the degree it could be at the competition.
With the increasing number of teams using daq, especially as it is no longer costed, I think it would make sense to give teams an afternoon practice session to fine tune the car, to get the most out of it. It seems particularly fitting with the number of teams now travelling overseas, as the do not have the benefit of running on the surface or track in previous years, or even in the same conditions, as local teams do.
It could be argued that teams should be able to take the ambient conditions and adjust their setup to suit, but it would take some fairly comprehensive data to be able to do this properly I would think.
It would take away from the Autocross event (having to drive it fast blind), but given other rules such as the 5 (or 4, depending on comp) drivers rule seem to be designed to limit the impact top drivers can have, it would tend to fit with this.
What do other teams think? If static events were moved forward to begin on thurs, could practice be held friday afternoon (at least at the australian comp, the states might be more of a nightmare).I'm sure if there was enough support for the idea, it could be put forward to the competition organisers as a revision for future years.
Formula SAE is primarily an Engineering competition, designed to test our skills etc. I'm sure a huge number of people involved have aspirations to move into motorsport engineering, where a good setup can make as much (if not more) of a difference to car speed as a good design, yet it seems one facet that is not tested to the degree it could be at the competition.
With the increasing number of teams using daq, especially as it is no longer costed, I think it would make sense to give teams an afternoon practice session to fine tune the car, to get the most out of it. It seems particularly fitting with the number of teams now travelling overseas, as the do not have the benefit of running on the surface or track in previous years, or even in the same conditions, as local teams do.
It could be argued that teams should be able to take the ambient conditions and adjust their setup to suit, but it would take some fairly comprehensive data to be able to do this properly I would think.
It would take away from the Autocross event (having to drive it fast blind), but given other rules such as the 5 (or 4, depending on comp) drivers rule seem to be designed to limit the impact top drivers can have, it would tend to fit with this.
What do other teams think? If static events were moved forward to begin on thurs, could practice be held friday afternoon (at least at the australian comp, the states might be more of a nightmare).I'm sure if there was enough support for the idea, it could be put forward to the competition organisers as a revision for future years.