Some of the carefully contested seasons for the reason that Components 1 hybrid period started in 2014, is coming to an in depth.
The ultimate triple-header of a championship, which up to now has seen seven completely different winners from 4 completely different groups, begins with the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Simply 49 factors cowl the highest 4 groups within the Constructors’ standings, with the Maranello staff second, 36 factors behind McLaren, with 147 nonetheless up for grabs.
The Las Vegas venue made its debut final yr, 42 years on from Components 1’s earlier look in Nevada on the considerably lacklustre observe specified by the Caesars Palace automobile park. The Las Vegas Strip observe couldn’t be extra completely different, being very quick and spectacular. Actually, velocity is its standout attribute, with common speeds of round 240 km/h, coupled with some extra technical sections. The lap begins with a brief acceleration to show 1, a slender left hand hairpin which might supply an important overtaking alternative, adopted by a slender and twisty part. After that the vehicles fly down one of many two very lengthy straights earlier than braking onerous for flip 5, adopted by the sluggish chicane at flip 7, which results in one other left handed hairpin, after which it is all about bravery and velocity. The vehicles cost nearly flat out by way of the flip 10 kink after which comes a good left hand flip 12, which leads onto the 1.9 kilometre run down the “The Strip.” Pedal to the metallic, the vehicles hit speeds of over 350 km/h earlier than stamping on the brakes to deal with the esses by way of turns 14, 15 and 16 after which the ultimate barely curved run to the end line. It takes simply over a minute and a half to finish the 6.201 kilometres.
Presently of yr, the Mojave desert is a chilly place to be, particularly at night time. With a median ambient temperature of 15°C, circumstances shall be similar to these of winter testing and due to this fact, tyres and brakes might wrestle to achieve the best working temperatures, which could produce some surprising eventualities in qualifying and the race. The chilly observe floor topics the tyres to appreciable stress and that has a big affect on race technique. In 2023, most groups went for a one-stop, beginning on the Medium compound tyres and switching to the Hards at across the midway mark. With related circumstances this yr, one can count on extra of the identical. The onerous braking factors and the various overtaking alternatives dotted across the observe imply that the surprising ought to at all times be anticipated and with it, an look from the Security Automobile. Drivers and strategists should be on their mettle to decide on the perfect second for pit stops.
Fred Vasseur – Workforce Principal: It is time for the ultimate triple-header showdown to determine the end result of this very busy season. The final three Grands Prix all contain racing at night time in desert areas: we begin in Las Vegas, at a really quick road circuit with few corners, a number of of them being 90 diploma turns. Nevertheless, there are nonetheless loads of fascinating variables, beginning with the temperature, that drops significantly at night time. It implies that getting the tyres into the best working window for qualifying and the race shall be notably essential. It is solely the second time we race at this venue and we are able to count on an ideal present, even higher than final season’s, which already shone the highlight brightly on Components 1. For our half, we intend to be combating on the entrance, simply as we have been final yr: we all know we’ve got the potential to come back away with a robust consequence so long as we guarantee we’re on high of our sport all the way down to the smallest element. Now we have ready nicely again on the manufacturing unit and Charles, Carlos and the entire staff have been capable of take pleasure in a really quick break, able to go once more, extra decided than ever. We’re assured and we all know what we’ve got to do to maintain the Constructors’ title combat alive.
Ferrari in the USA
GP contested: 65
Debut: 1952 Indianapolis 500 Miles (A. Ascari ret.)
Wins: 14 (21.54%)
Pole positions: 18 (27.69%)
Quickest laps: 16 (24.61%)
Podiums: 46 (23.59%)
Three Inquiries to Erik Van der Leer, Senior Engineer, Driving Simulator.
Are you able to inform us concerning the challenges that the Las Vegas observe presents, each from a structure perspective (lengthy straights, low downforce, brakes) and when it comes to its location? Erik Van der Leer: Las Vegas is a kind of tracks that will appear simple simply wanting on the structure whereas truly it is vitally troublesome for a wide range of causes. There are solely 5 nook sequences however all of them are low velocity with huge braking zones, and on high of that among the corners are blind. The massive braking zones should be timed to perfection even when going at speeds of over 340km/h which requires a automobile with excessive downforce to present the boldness to sluggish the automobile down, after which undergo and out of those corners as quick as potential. Then again, as quickly as you exit of those corners there are lengthy straights which name for low drag and due to this fact a low downforce setup. Then, as soon as once more on the finish of those straights there are these huge braking zones however at this level the brakes and tyres have cooled down after not utilizing them for your complete straight – including one other stage of issue for the drivers to handle. All of this in a metropolis circuit the place the partitions are very shut by leaving no margin for errors. Las Vegas is in a desert and the occasion takes place at night time. This implies temperatures drop in a short time, typically even under 10 levels Celsius, which makes it troublesome to get the tyres in the best window for a single push lap, and equally troublesome to maintain them within the window for lengthy runs. That is made much more troublesome given the lengthy straights which permit the tyres to chill down quickly, creating huge challenges for the drivers and groups, not seen at another circuit.
Final yr, you had little or no knowledge to run within the simulator, but it was nonetheless the one software obtainable to assist the drivers and the staff put together for this new circuit. Now you’ve got precise observe knowledge, what position does this software play in your method to this race? EvdL: If we examine what we knew final yr to what we all know this yr the image actually has modified fully. The place final yr the observe mannequin used on the simulator was primarily based on drawings, this yr we’ve got a full illustration of the observe, the asphalt its environment. Moreover, contemplating we even have all the info from final yr’s occasion we’ve got a way more correct prediction of what we count on to occur on the Las Vegas GP this yr. This implies the engineers and improvement drivers but additionally Carlos and Charles themselves have a a lot better alternative to arrange the weekend, to get aware of the observe and the setup of the automobile. As with each race, Charles and Carlos have been within the simulator beforehand, engaged on optimising their driving in addition to automobile set-up to verify we’ve got the very best start line, in addition to being ready in case circumstances are completely different from what we count on. That is exactly when the simulator is a particularly highly effective software and the preparation periods are extraordinarily invaluable to permit the drivers to optimise their driving model for a selected observe.
On a observe with so many tight corners, what work do you do with the third driver within the simulator throughout the day with the 2 free apply periods? EvdL: The method is not any completely different to that at another occasion, even when the observe is certainly one of a sort. The event driver within the simulator can have been briefed already throughout the preparation for the weekend on how essential it’s to optimise every nook, on condition that there are so few nook sequences the place drivers could make a distinction. It’s essential for the drivers on the observe to have a automobile which permits them to have the boldness to push the automobile to the restrict with out going over it, for the reason that corners are tight, and blind. So the simulator driver will spend a whole lot of his deal with the steadiness and driving model by way of these corners, typically even going over the restrict and hitting the partitions – happily on the simulator the injury just isn’t actual (besides maybe for the kickback the simulator driver will really feel from the chassis to let him know he has hit one thing!). Throughout a typical session the place we assist the trackside staff we use laps completed throughout the Free Follow periods and reproduce the very same circumstances, automobile set-up and driving on the simulator. This enables us to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the automobile and we are able to attempt to enhance these with a view to give suggestions to the trackside staff who could then regulate the automobile accordingly. We additionally use these periods to discover what to anticipate in case the climate modifications throughout the weekend – for instance temperatures, wind path and depth could also be completely different daily or they’ll even change throughout a single session. By reproducing these climate circumstances within the simulator we are able to inform the drivers what to anticipate to permit them to extract the utmost out of the automobile even earlier than they exit on observe.
Details & Figures
150. The approximate variety of reveals that happen in Las Vegas day by day. They embody performances from artists of the calibre of Girl Gaga, Bruno Mars and Adele, who all have houses within the metropolis. Up to now, artists reminiscent of Celine Dion, Tom Jones and Elton Jones have performed residencies in Las Vegas, performing as much as 50 concert events a yr within the Nevada metropolis.
168. The peak in metres of the Excessive Curler wheel above the Strip, which opened on 31 March 2014. On the time, it was the tallest wheel on the planet, however in the present day that honour goes to the 250 metre excessive Ain Dubai, constructed within the eponymous emirate in 2021.
200. The variety of neon indicators within the Neon Boneyard, also referred to as the Museum of Neon, one of many strangest sights in Las Vegas. It was established in 1996, simply north of the Strip and covers 10,000 sq. metres. The Neon Boneyard is dwelling to among the most well-known neon indicators from town which inform the story of the style from the mid-Twentieth century to the current day. Most of the indicators come from previous casinos, motels and companies which have closed their doorways or modified title. The museum not solely collects the indicators, but additionally restores them to their former glory.
4 500. The share enhance within the inhabitants of Las Vegas over the previous sixty years or so. Town was based in 1905 and by 1960, it had a inhabitants of simply 50,000, whereas in the present day it has grown to 2.3 million.
27 200. The kilos of shellfish eaten day by day in Las Vegas. It’s the metropolis’s favorite meals by a good distance and the amount is larger than that consumed in the entire of the remainder of the USA.
