Formula One racing teams rely on IT everywhere, from car design to
track-side support. Nadia Damon reports
While motor racing purists continue to argue against technological
developments in Formula One, there's little doubt that the sport is
becoming more reliant on information technology to drive it
forward.
The reintroduction of electronic driver aids such as traction
control - outlawed at the end of the 1993 season - have been made
necessary because of the large amount of IT involved in grand prix
racing. The motor sport's governing body, FIA, announced in 2000
that it was finding it difficult to police teams involved in the
sport because of the increasingly complex software being used.
Technology is key to modern Formula One teams, from component
design to onboard data systems.
Head of IT at grand prix team British American Racing Roberto Volo,
says, "There's no real aspect of the car that doesn't use IT.
Programming the car, getting data from the car and pitstops all
involve information technology."
Volo heads a 14-strong support team at BAR's headquarters in
Brackley, Northamptonshire, 10 minutes' drive from British Grand
Prix circuit Silverstone. His department is split into different
areas providing back-end, front-end and track-side support.
Technology is used in every stage of the production of a Formula
One racing car. Cad/Cam is used to design the parts that are then
manufactured at BAR's Brackley factory. Technology controls the
autoclaves - the giant ovens used in the production of carbon fibre
components - and testing equipment, such as the wind tunnel. The
tunnel is essential for gaining information on the aerodynamic
efficiency of the parts, such as the front and rear wings.
Full race distances or chosen scenarios can be re-enacted on a
seven-poster rig, a device which processes data fed through the
network, simulating the car on the track. This simulation is
essential for development work; allowing BAR to test components
with forces common to each circuit.
BAR's test team consists of about 40 people and is set up at a
track in the same way as the race team. The race team has around 80
to 90 members all of who need their IT equipment around the clock.
The teams are connected to BAR's headquarters via a 100Mbit local
area network that is installed from afresh at each circuit - except
at Silverstone where BAR has an assigned garage. Formula One squads
are restricted to 90 days on the track, so continuous uptime of
equipment is crucial.
The network is connected from the pit garage across to the pitwall
via a laser beam, which allows data to be transferred back and
forth while a car is on the race track. The Lan is connected to
BAR's headquarters via a router and ISDN lines.
BAR uses over three kilometres of Cat 5 cabling a year which it
leaves behind for other teams to use. The test squad carries with
it around 25 laptops, 10 desktops, numerous printers and
uninterruptible power supplies.
The race squad takes even more equipment, which must be transported
via road or air if the race is abroad.
Supporting this type of environment is a challenge for the IT
department.
"We make sure that the systems we build have a lower failure rate
than you would normally expect," says Volo. "Although we tend to
buy off-the-shelf systems, we work on them to make sure they can
withstand harsh conditions."
High temperatures are a constant problem. Equipment sits on the
pitwall, which can reach 70°C during the day, before plummeting at
night. Condensation, especially at humid circuits like Sepang in
Malaysia, is also a problem, as is protecting equipment from the
carbon dust produced by the brakes.
This harsh environment makes the IT support role in motor racing
demanding. Lee Francis is a member of the IT support team and knows
the pressures involved. If he makes a mistake, it could mean a car
not leaving the grid.
He is responsible for getting the communications up and running as
soon as the team arrives at a circuit.
"The first couple of days of a race weekend are manic," Francis
says. "You're getting everything working and the network run out. I
get the communications up first because that's critical. Next, the
network between the pitwall and the garage, before slowly moving
down the chain of people.
"The rest of the time I'm maintaining, monitoring and checking
everything, making sure everyone's happy. My aim is that the IT guy
knows about a problem before anyone else does," says Francis.
A major problem in the past has been with the laser heads that
provide the network connection between the pitwall and the garage.
"If there's the slightest difference when you line it up - say 1mm
out left, right, up, down - then you lose the connection," he
explains.
Francis has worked in IT for nine years. It is his job to ensure
that BAR is connected to the Formula One management's network so
that the team can access official monitoring software and the
network of its works engine supplier, Honda.
"You're basically a travelling IT department - except you're the
only one in it," he explains.
"At every race I have to run out a network that's neater than one
that would be installed in a building - and designed to last for
years - in three days."
Data received from the car's hundreds of onboard sensors is
transferred to BAR's headquarters via the Wan, so it is essential
that the team can access the network at any time during a race
weekend.
"There are computer systems at Brackley that allow us to simulate
situations using the data from the car," says Volo. "This helps to
set up the car."
Simulation software is being developed by BAR's track-side IT
manager, Charles Askew. He has written a program that uses a light
to signal the pit crew in the garage which of its cars is coming
into the pits.
"This allows us to notify the engineers when a car is coming in
without letting anybody from another team know," he explains.
While the arguments for a reduction in the amount of technology in
Formula One motor racing will continue to rumble on, there is no
doubt that grand prix motor racing wouldn't be the spectacle it is
without it.
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