The FIA has noted about enhanced cockpit cooling system to be trialed at Zandvoort, while Belgium will see special cameras for better front wing view.
During the F1 Hungarian GP weekend, the FIA has sent two technical directives to teams noting about two things to come. The first action is regarding the happenings in Qatar last year, which forced the governing body to look into ways to mitigate heat.
The weekend saw excessive heat where drivers were simply exhausted after the grand prix. It even led to the retirement of Williams’ Logan Sargeant due to uneasiness inside the car, while several were on the brink of doing so too before the chequered flag fell.
The FIA will trial a air conditioning system to enhance airflow inside the cockpit at Zandvoort. If it works well, they will stage further tests with the system and if satisfied, they will make it a mandatory system in the F1 technical regulation.
Another addition to the cars from Belgium onward will be a camera provided by the FIA to replace the FOM cameras on the nose of the cars, which will be used to get a better view of the front wing amid ongoing scrutiny of the front wing deflection.
Some complaints from rivals have led the FIA to investigate the matter and check if the deflection on the front wing is legal or not. For now, every team has passed the legal test, but the governing body wants to do a race trim check to identify any loophole.
Heat remedy –
“In response to the extreme temperatures experienced at last year’s Qatar GP, the FIA and all F1 teams immediately initiated research to improve the venting and cooling of drivers in such conditions. Since then, the technical regulations have been updated to allow the introduction of a passive scoop on top of the cockpit for enhanced ventilation, which teams are strongly encouraged to use.
“These joint research activities have advanced and focused on the development of an active cooling system which would be installed in F1 cars when facing extreme conditions. Initial tests and in-situ proof of concept are planned to take place in Zandvoort and upcoming races. If these tests prove successful, the FIA will mandate the installation of such an active cooling system in Formula 1 cars in the future when a heat hazard will have been declared.
“With the Hungarian GP expected to take place in hot conditions this weekend, the FIA will monitor the situation and ensure driver cooling passive scoops are installed. Additionally, teams will be authorized exceptional measures to cool down driver equipment and survival cell as much as possible before sessions.”
Front wing view –
“The FIA has decided starting from Belgium onward for an indefinite period of time to measure the overall front wing deformation on track. The FOM forward facing cameras are unfortunately not capable of capturing the complete front wing as a large outboard part is not covered by the angle.
“The intent will therefore be to measure across several events all front wings with a camera provided by the FIA which will be installed on the nose (in place of current camera housings) offering a sideways view. The collected data will be used to enhance overall understanding of bodywork flexibility when defining future regulations.
“It is also reiterated that all front wings checked so far this season have passed the existing deflection tests and are deemed legal. This new technical directive is the result of a long-standing desire to better capture front wing behavior under aerodynamic load.”
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