Formula Dancing

[70cuda88]

I was watching the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and i noticed that when they did the first caution lap, all (or at least most) were sharply turning back and forth. They all looked they were part of a fast pace dancing session. Is this to just have fun, or does it have some mechanical advantage?

[The_Canuck]

I believe it's easier for them to drive slowly and not pass when doing that...

[Rockefella]

Keeps heat in the tires and also helps scrub dirt and debris off of the hot rubber upon deceleration.

[fisetdavid26]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

Keeps heat in the tires and also helps scrub dirt and debris off of the hot rubber upon deceleration.

Absolutely, and they also do this in other motorsport events, such as F1 for example.

[Jack_Bauer]

Originally Posted by 70cuda88

I was watching the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and i noticed that when they did the first caution lap, all (or at least most) were sharply turning back and forth. They all looked they were part of a fast pace dancing session. Is this to just have fun, or does it have some mechanical advantage?

Do you mean swerving sharply left-right-left-right...?

If that's what you're referring to then it's too to try and keep some temperature in the front tyres. When racecars trundle along behind a pace car the tyres start to drop from their optimal temperatures, and the pressures drop from their optimal PSI. This is bad news for when the safety car pulls in and you have to launch into the first corner at maximum commitment.

Apparently, the effect of the swerving is actually fairly negligible, but it's better than doing nothing and just letting your tyres cool down.

[RazaBlade]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Apparently, the effect of the swerving is actually fairly negligible, but it's better than doing nothing and just letting your tyres cool down.

Thats interesting to hear, I always thought the flexing of the rubber through this technique would generate heat. I remember Alonso doing it flat out along a straight once last year, commentators pointed it out.

[Jack_Bauer]

Originally Posted by RazaBlade

Thats interesting to hear, I always thought the flexing of the rubber through this technique would generate heat. I remember Alonso doing it flat out along a straight once last year, commentators pointed it out.

Well it does generate heat, and like I said, it's better than doing nothing. But they are never driving fast enough to replicate the kind of forces that a tyre gets put through when driving flat out. Even when they do plenty of swerving about the tyres still cool down quite a lot.

I think this might be what you were referring to, Alonso at Suzuka last year - http://youtube.com/watch?v=iErweqKpX4U

[baddabang]

Jack I think he did that in joy that he won the race...

Same concept though.

[Jack_Bauer]

Originally Posted by baddabang

Jack I think he did that in joy that he won the race...

Yes, I figured that one out thanks. I didn't think he was warming his tyres AFTER the race had finished!

[baddabang]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Yes, I figured that one out thanks. I didn't think he was warming his tyres AFTER the race had finished!

No problemo

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Yes, I figured that one out thanks. I didn't think he was warming his tyres AFTER the race had finished!

Gotta do something to pass scrutineering

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Yes, I figured that one out thanks. I didn't think he was warming his tyres AFTER the race had finished!

Hadn't seen the clip, but if he's doing it AFTER the race then yes it might be "joy" as stated.

However, all F1 drivers try to pick up as much rubber on the sticky tyres as they can after the race. All those little rubber bits collected off-line stick to the tyres so that when it goes onto the scales in scrutineering afer the race it weighs a little bit more and safely above the minium weight limit.

[twinspark]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

However, all F1 drivers try to pick up as much rubber on the sticky tyres as they can after the race. All those little rubber bits collected off-line stick to the tyres so that when it goes onto the scales in scrutineering afer the race it weighs a little bit more and safely above the minium weight limit.

Don't they do that also to increase ride height? IIRC not a long ago someone was disqualified for the car sitting too low.

[RazaBlade]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

I think this might be what you were referring to, Alonso at Suzuka last year - http://youtube.com/watch?v=iErweqKpX4U

No its not the one I was thinking of. I think they were behind a safety car, but it was def during the race, and he was flat out along a straight and was wiggling the steering ever so slightly left-right really fast, the car looked like it was driving in a straight line, but I think he was just adding a bit of heat to the tyres.
I hope Im not completely mistaken on this! Uni does sap away your memory power, I hope its not creating whole new ones!!

[sicilian973-2]

typical in F1