Perhaps when passing Treasure Island each lap?
Yeah, this is old news now, especially since
we’ve now completed the Qatar Grand Prix. But in the wake of the previous Grand
Prix in Sin City, ergo Las Vegas, where Y’all know that well worn cliché. What
Happens in Vegas…
In the Media’s typical rush to get the news
out. I became Cornfuzed over the various reports stating that both McLaren’s
had been Disqualified due to either Skid block or Plank ware. Since perhaps its
just Mwah? But the word skid block congers up the image of a square,
equidistant block. Verses a plank being of a rectangular distance. So which
Bloody one was it?
When I hear the word plank, I immediately think
of the word Jabroc, and Michael Schumacher being disqualified from His Belgian
Grand Prix win in 1994.
Following these” composite” plank’ then made
from beechwood, having been introduced to prevent teams from running their
chassis to low to the ground for aerodynamic effects.
Although apparently Jabroc has been replaced by
today’s modern materials, i.e.; fiberglass or composite.
All Formula 1 chassis are required this
mandatory composite plank being affixed to the car’s bottom along it’s centre line
from a horizontal line’s point lying 330mm, approx. 13 inches behind the front wheel’s
cenre line. Extending to the rear wheel’s centre line.
This rectangular plank must be of uniform
thickness when new. Measuring a width of 300mm, i.e.; approx. 12 inches. (One
Foot) Having a thickness of 10mm with a 0.2mm plus/minus tolerance. And being
symmetrically fixed, allowing no airflow between it and the car’s bottom
mounting surface.
What I didn’t know until Thanksgiving day, four
days after said disqualification. According to ESPN Online Motorsport Headlines,
there are four FIA measurement holes in the plank protected by titanium plates
for inspection purposes. Presumably during both pre and post-race technical
inspection. Wit a maximum of one millimeter wear.
As the titanium skid blocks are used to protect
the floor and are what make the sparks one sees onscreen during a race
broadcast…
According to Racer’s Chris Medland, Lando
Norris’s car was found to be 0.12mm and Oscar Piastri’s car was 0.26mm out of
the minimum 9mm plank allowance, both at the rearmost measurement point. For which
I believe there being holes cut in the plank’s left and right sides for said
measurement.
Being a Yank’ fully ensconced in Standard
measurement, I set about trying to find out the differences in what ‘Ol Professor
(Steve) Matchett would define as Old Money vs. New Money…
Thus learning that one millimeter is equal to
approximately 0.0394 inch. (0.039371) And
one inch is equal to 25.4mm.
Amazingly, the thickness of a typical, single
sheet of paper varies from 0.07 to 0.18 of a millimeter, with copy paper
typically being 0.1mm, Aye Karumba!
While if I remember correctly? One 16th of an
inch = 0.625, being more than one millimeter thick.
Thus one can now understand indeed how the
dreaded Porpoising of today’s F1 ground effect cars can cause these inherit
infractions of running one’s chassis too low by accident or excessive wear.
With both McLaren drivers being instructed to
“Lift and Coast” on the track’s long straights to try mitigating this
porposiing effect, which didn’t work…
As both Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Charles Leclerc )Ferrari) cars were DQ’ed’ (Disqualified) at Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) in 2023 for similar infractions. And the rules are the rules, especially since every formula 1 team is trying to sun their chassis at the lowest possible ride height for aerodynamic efficiency. And just how tight the tolerances are!
