Re: First Quattro in F1

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.gmi.edu>]

On Sat, 17 May 1997, Jeffrey J. Goggin wrote:

> According to a recent article in either Racecar Engineering or Race Tech, I
> don't remember which, today's F1 cars have front tires that are much larger
> than necessary for cornering purposes -- I seem to recall reading that they
> could corner just as hard with only one front wheel! -- but they do this to
> enhance braking power.

In a really hard cornering situation with a non-ground-effects car, the 
normal load on the inside front tire is pretty small anyway, so 
essentially, you are cornering on one tire only.   In an F1 car, much of 
the weight is over the rear wheels except at speed, so the amount of 
cornering force developed by the front wheels would be pretty low to 
start with.

> Since acceleration is pretty much the opposite of braking, it appears there
> may indeed be some benfit to AWD for these cars ... I mean, if the tires are
> going to be there anyway, why not make full use of them?  :^)

I agree entirely.   I rememeber an article a few years ago, where a couple 
really good drivers were offered the opportunity to drive a couple F1 
cars.   The hardest part ended up being the start!   They couldn't get 
the car going down the road without either stalling the engine or 
spinning out.   There definitely is not a surplus of traction. 

Later,
Graydon D. Stuckey 

"Cool name man!" - Jay Graydon   :-)