|
Of all the developments that have come into Formula One over the past
decade, none has had such a rapid growth or impact on a Formula One
performance as the introduction of on-board electronics systems. From
a relatively simple "black box" engine management system, developed for
Ferrari by technical partner Magneti Marelli in the past, the current
Grand Prix cars have now become a virtual mobile computer beds as
intricate electronics take care of different aspects of the car
including traction control, gear-changing and the start, etc.
The successful integration of these systems into the car from track to
track has created a whole new generation of race engineers whose "black
art" has now become the key to the successful exploitation of the racing
car.
At Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, the chief 'wizard' of Ferrari's sporting
arm is 45-year-old Roberto Dalla, who heads up the electronics
department and plays a key role in Sunday's successes. After gaining a
degree in electrical engineering in 1984, he went into industry as a
software engineer of electronically controlled machines before being
recruited by Ferrari where he did similar work. He progressed to being a
systems engineer and in 1994 was promoted head of the electronics
department for the Formula One team.
The various electronic "driver aids" as they have been called have come
under a lot of attack in recent times for making life a bit too easy for
the driver. Critics complain that any driver of average skills can drive
a current Formula One car competitively, but it's an opinion that, not
surprisingly, Dalla does not agree with, and he has some strong
arguments to support his views.
"I can understand why people say that the electrics can help a driver.
It's true, but then the whole car is designed to help the driver, so the
electrics should be considered like any other part of the car like the
wings, aerodynamics or suspension etc."
"Another point is that it takes a good driver to exploit the electronics
to their best advantage. If you look at the steering wheel you can see
just how many things a driver can do. It is full of possibilities to
give the driver a lot of help during the race, but only if he is capable
of using that technology to its full potential. It is important that we
show that F1 is the top of all types of current technology , including
electronics," points out Dalla.
Coming from that viewpoint, it's not surprising that Dalla feels that
launch control and automatic gearboxes being banned from next year
onwards is not a good idea. "It's putting a limit on a basic technology
and for me there is no reason to put a limit if we accept that it's the
driver that has to use this device to its best," he says.
"I can understand that a launch control system where a driver only needs
to add power and press a button for a good start is hard for the public
to accept and it is something that is certainly at the top of the driver
aids list. But we will not ban what it is impossible to check. We can
take out a form of launch control and automatic gearbox software and be
sure that nobody has it. The important thing is that everybody has the
same. With this concept we can reduce driver aids, but still carry on
development and be sure that everyone has the same thing."
"The difficulty of banning launch control without traction control is
that you can ban some functions, but the traction control function will
still help the start of course. It's better than nothing," points out
Roberto. "It is a solution of compromise and a logical solution."
The Magneti Marelli role in Ferrari's success has been considerable.
"They are our biggest supplier. The advantage of working with Magneti
Marelli is that we can have access to the latest technology as soon as
it arrives on the market. The second generation of electronics has been
born with a big help from Magneti Marelli."
"In the past Magneti Marelli developed the complete system of
electronics because Ferrari had no big knowledge about electronics. We
got a bolt-on system and fitted it to the car. Today, the electronics
are a strong integrated part of all development for the car and are
designed to integrate with the mechanics of the chassis, the engine and
the aerodynamics. Magneti Marelli supply a huge effort in the basic
technology, but now the integration of that technology into the car is
in the hands of Ferrari," he says.
In the hands of Roberto Dalla in particular and even if the rules might
change and develop over the years, sophisticated electronics will always
play a major part in any car. |
