Have F1 Teams Found Way To ByPass New ECU? (Cheat)

(from autosport)


Jarno Trulli fears that some teams have found a way to get around the electronic limitations of Formula One's mandatory standard ECU, are now able to simulate launch control - which was supposed to have been outlawed this year.

The McLaren Electronics Systems (MES) standard ECU has been introduced for 2008, resulting in the effective outlawing of electronic driver aids like traction control, engine braking and launch control.

Although it was hoped that the absence of launch control would lead to more drama at the start of races, with drivers now needing more clutch control and having to handle wheelspin, Trulli thinks not everyone will be on a level playing field when the season kicks off in Melbourne.

He believes that some teams have found a way to make their start procedure automatic, which will hand their drivers a big advantage when the lights go out.

"I'm not going to name any names, but I think that some teams have already found a way to automate the starting procedure and reduce to the minimum the chance of spinning the wheels under acceleration," he was quoted as saying by Italian magazine Autosprint.

"I'm not saying someone's cheating, even though we've received some conflicting information at Toyota.

"But having analyzed the behaviour on the track both now and in the tests in December, the changes between them are many - and in several cases suspicious."

Electronic launch control was banned in 2004, however, mechanical launch control - where the clutch was preloaded based on data away from starting grid - was allowed until the end of last year.

Paddock sources have suggested that some cars do sound different under heavy acceleration, with this first being noticed at the first corner at Jerez during last week's test.

 

hey look at that, other f1 teams are cheating...... somehow McLaren must be behind the whole thing.
can't wait to see how this turns out, maybe this will shut some of the McLaren haters up...and you'll finally admit that ALL teams cheat!

 

This is a difficult thing... if teams altered the ECU software or hardware in a way that it's now capable of for example launch control, it would be cheating. If teams just used the functions the ECU officially offers and were able to produce some kind of launch control, it's legal (and clever). I'd love to see the specifications of that ECU.

 

No doubt

 

You mean engineers are doing what they are paid to do exploiting the already far to restricted rules, good luck to them let the FIA sort it out.

 

There's nothing in his head to ache

 

Yes since trying to develop and improve a standardized component where the rules are hazy is totally the same as using another teams internal documents on the construction and use of their car....

Yes all teams are trying to bend the rules as far as they can, what McLaren did is considered a bit more than bending the rules.

 

LOL!!! Air pressure maybe??

 

OH NOES!!

Cheating in motor racing! Unheard of!

 

That's what I meant in my post. Are they manipulating the ECU, i.e. cheating? Or are they just using its functionality to the biggest extent possible? 2008 will be interesting.

 

Only McLaren cheats. Ferrari explores the outer limits of the technical grey areas while parsing the textual context of the rules as written. A good case can be made for the argument that if you're not cheating you're not trying hard enough.

 

...every football coach tells his linemen: "if you're not offsides once in a while, you're lazy !"

 

Can't be true. ALL teams in F1 are surely above cheating.......

 

Are you in the market for a bridge?

 

You mean things that come from Microsoft aren't completely secure and can be hacked, I had no idea . It was just a matter of time before the teams got some hackers to crack the ECU.

 

Well, who makes those ECUs?
Are you surprised that teams went looking for the "back door" on those things?

 

+1

McLaren certainly knows where the key is to the back door. Are they stupid enough after last season to use it? Who knows?

 

Laughable

 

Glad to bring a little mirth.