F1 guys--pit lane question
 

What are the metal straps that the car runs over when in the pit lane?

Ground straps, maybe?

You know, I've been watching for years and wondered the same thing.

I noticed they are flexible.

Thanks.

Grounding straps.

+1

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ironically, there is very little that is metal on an F1 car, undertray is mostly carbon fiber, with a joblock strip down the center.

but, yeah, grounding strips.

don't refuel without one!

... especially in a car with electronic KERS!

It does not have to be metal to conduct static electricity.

thats a good point!

not at all!

The straps were there long before KERS. GH85 is correct- it is for static electricity discharge.

Air moving over the car at 200 mph will do wonders to develop an electrostatic charge on the outside of the car.

Carbon fiber is electrically conductive. Pretty highly so. I once had to tac weld a steel wing mount in place for jigging on a carbon fiber rear wing. I had the ground for the TIG placed up high, near the wing. When I switched sides and got the torch near the underside of the wing, the arc jumped from the steel jig to the wing and the entire thing lit up like a christmas tree. Much like a CD in a microwave. No damage was done, but it startled the **** out of me..

When I pull a roll of 9 inch wide aerial film through the microfiber cleaners it builds static like crazy when the air is dry. We have the winders grounded every way possible. I HATE it when I have to grab that roll of film to put it on the scanner. The snap is loud and hurts like heck.