F1 2021 thread

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by aston@ultrasw.c

I read somewhere that the gun is running as the car comes to a halt.

The mech then just jams the spinning socket onto the nut.

The claim was if the mech waits for the socket to engage and then pulls the trigger they could lose half a second.

Not sure if any of this is true...

I think the timing is not as important as getting the gun on the nut with a huge shove. I read earlier that RF tire gun guy is one their best. I also read that the nut wouldn't come off after they pulled the car into the garage. They were going to take it back to the factory to cut it off.

The NASCAR guys do run the gun before hitting the hex nut. But those aren't your everyday lug nuts.

There's a little more to this story yet to be told. A redesign was mentioned for sure, either in materials or overall design. Or both.

Interesting that there is a local PCA member that works where they make these kinds of single lock nuts. I don't know who the customers are or what series. He doesn't talk about his job much.

[matthewb0051]

Maybe one of you smart guys can investigate this wheel nut thing.

Here are some 2012 nuts from Caterham F1 for sale only $199!!!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114157575184


I'm pretty sure these are beyond antiquated by now

[matthewb0051]

I saw this on TV at some point

[matthewb0051]

This one is a little newer

[Neilk]

Here’s a link to he video. Oops!

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

I'm a huge tennis fan, just not a Serena Williams fan. Anyway, since her return from maternity leave there has been a real push to get her one last major win so she will have the outright record. Her first year back, Wimbledon gave her a seed even though her ranking was very low. This year with the French Open starting a week from now, she was only scheduled to play one warm up tournament. But after a 1st round loss she mysteriously got in the next tournament and was given a seed then promptly lost in the 2nd round. The tv announcers and tournament organizers all appear to be on on the effort.

So when DC was trying to make it like she was the top player it was a bit of a stretch when considering present form. But I digress.

Check out these stills from Bottas' nut. Tehehe
Shavings from the nut can be seen in left portion of wheel dish bottom photo.Then in top photo the nut face is clearly ground down.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Back in 2010 I spent a year as design lead for the all the Ferrari F1 pit stop stuff, while watching the races on the TV I hid behind the sofa when it came to the pit stops part

From memory it took 1.5 turns or 4 impacts to tighten the nut. Each nut cost well over a $1000, new nuts were used each race, many more worn out with practice pit stops and the team chewed through a lot of nuts but never luckily mine

https://www.auto123.com/en/news/f1-photo-of-ferraris-new-wheel-nut-for-faster-pit-stops/33648/?folder=industry

F1 wheel nuts are a extremely finicky things to get right, clearances are critical, there are no limits and fits tables to refer to, the starting engagement chamfer at the beginning of the wheel nut thread is especially tricky to get right. Then factor in the extreme operating environment ie hot, dusty, being smashed by a socket positioned by a mechanic while the nut is moving in a different position every time

Fast guys have the wheel nut off the axle before the car has come to a stop. Every repeated/wrong movement by a mechanic costs a minimum 0.3 sec just from their reaction time. Game over when a fast pit stop takes less than 2 secs

The wheel guns are monsters, manufactured by only one Italy company, I've used one myself during practice pit stops. After 3 or 4 goes I quickly worked out, pit stops are a young mans game and the wheel gun job is a young strong mans game
https://www.dinopaoli.com/en/wp-content/uploads/PAOLI_PITSTOPSERIES_CATALOGUE2021_LOW2.pdf

F1 guns are built from titanium, carbon fiber and magnesium. The current guns have a max torque up 4300 Nm or 3170 ftlbs, operating at 25 bar or 360 PSI can free rev to 15000 RPM. Basically as seen from the video it's an effective lathe in your hands if used incorrectly

Back when I was involved the guns were so wild to use we were starting to break mechanics. I started to design a carbon fibre wrist exoskeleton for the next season but thankfully the FIA put a limit on the operating pressure

Teams do 1000's of practice pit stops back at the factory and at race weekends as there are always new ways for it to go wrong. Looks like Mercedes found a new way!

[911pcars]

My amateur observation is that 3170 ft.lbs of torque (Damn!) wasn't quite enough to back off the center nut, but enough to destroy the drive splines. Thus, either the nut material didn't meet spec or machined incorrectly for the operating conditions and thus failed during the attempted loosening and/or seized on the spindle threads.

Does Paoli PitStop also recommend a dab of anti-seize on the threads during each 2 second pit stop. :-) Maybe that was missing on Botta's ill-fated stop. I guess Toto missed that thread here on PParts.

S

[URY914]

Random Monaco pic....

[GH85Carrera]

I heard the TV announcers discussing room rates at the hotel. The said the hotel that did not grantee a track view was $36,791 per NIGHT! Who know what it is for a good track view. That is just insane. I would like to see the Monaco GP in person, but several days in that hotel would be more than the cost of a nice house around here. I am sure some of the other hotels are a bit cheaper, but dang.

[URY914]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I heard the TV announcers discussing room rates at the hotel. The said the hotel that did not grantee a track view was $36,791 per NIGHT! Who know what it is for a good track view. That is just insane. I would like to see the Monaco GP in person, but several days in that hotel would be more than the cost of a nice house around here. I am sure some of the other hotels are a bit cheaper, but dang.

No Red Roof Inn in Monaco I'm guessing.

[javadog]

Less random Monaco pics:

[URY914]

Does the #36k room include her?

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by URY914

Does the #36k room include her?

I doubt it. Plus that pic is at least 2 years old.

[rfuerst911sc]

They probably don't have a Motel 6 where they leave the light on for you either I wouldn't be surprised that gal may charge 35K a night .

[URY914]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

I doubt it. Plus that pic is at least 2 years old.

No mask is a give away.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I heard the TV announcers discussing room rates at the hotel. The said the hotel that did not grantee a track view was $36,791 per NIGHT! Who know what it is for a good track view. That is just insane. I would like to see the Monaco GP in person, but several days in that hotel would be more than the cost of a nice house around here. I am sure some of the other hotels are a bit cheaper, but dang.

I've looked into ticket prices for Monaco before, IIRC the actual ticket cost is reasonable and not any different than othe race.

I've heard/read that most folks train in from outlying areas. Nice is only a 30 minute train ride.

The Fairmont is about €500 per night any other time. Dang, that's a huge price increase.

https://www.fairmont.com/reservations/select-room/

We went to Canadian GP in 2006 and 2007. The hotels were stupid expensive on race weekends but nothing like Monaco.

[black73]

“Valtteri stopped a little too early,” said Wolff, quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, as suggested the Finn had pulled up slightly short of his marks.


“This meant the mechanic had to apply the impact wrench at an angle. The awkward angle damaged the wheel nut and we couldn’t bring it down.”

[HobieMarty]

Originally Posted by javadog

Less random Monaco pics:

I wouldn't be watching the race with her around. My my my!!!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[matthewb0051]

Man that's harsh. The comments in the article are great. My fav: go ahead and blame Bottas for Hamilton issues too

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-valtteri-bottas-wheel-nut/

[cockerpunk]

ouch, blaming on valtteri.

hes out at mercedes next year, for sure. they are treating him like trash.