Can anybody get pole in F1 these days? | FerrariChat
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Can anybody get pole in F1 these days?

Discussion in 'F1' started by tifosi12, Apr 29, 2006.

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  1. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Andreas
    #1 tifosi12, Apr 29, 2006
    Looking at the numbers from Imola I was wondering what the "value" of a pole position is these days: Could basically anybody get it if they were willing to sacrifice their race performance?

    Let's see:
    1st to 2nd last in qualifying = 3.011 secs difference (using Sato, not Ide)
    10kg of weight = 0.4 secs
    1 kg of fuel = 1.4 liters of volume
    48 liters = 13 laps in Imola

    Using all these parameters I come up with 75kg of fuel to make up for the 3 secs difference. 75kg of fuel are equalling 105 liters or 28 laps, which is not outrageously much; basically a volume that could be saved within the fuel tank. So in essence Sato could have fueled up the Super Aguri with fumes to last the warm up lap and one race lap and come in for refueling after 1 lap and he would have gotten pole ceteris paribus (meaning no counter strategy move by the other teams).

    The 110% rule wouldn't work against this either since 110% in Imola offered Sato 8 seconds to play with, which of course is a lot more than the 3 seconds of real difference.

    Did I go wrong in my calcs? I bet there is some footnote in the rules that prohibits this, but I'd like to know.
     
  2. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

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    #2 speedy_sam, Apr 29, 2006
    I think the fuel difference must be more, because Sato's qualy lap was 1:27.609 while Michael's lap was 1:22.795 in the third session. This is the time he must beat to get overall pole.

    So the gap to overcome is approx 5 secs which translates to 125kgs lighter weight assuming your 0.4secs = 10kg ratio (I think it is more like 0.3secs but it doesn't make a huge difference in the result).

    I think the fuel tank must be about 100 litres in total so 125 kgs cannot be carried.

    I think it is more feasible for someone in the midpack like Red Bull to mount this strategy than someone in the tail end.
     
  3. nthfinity

    nthfinity F1 Veteran

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    #3 nthfinity, Apr 29, 2006
    with Sato's poll time... i know he retired... but did he last a full stint and need refuling?

    we all know the former Arrow's car isn't as fast as the other cars by any means...

    i might be wrong, but i think he came in on lap 13... and even if Sato was running on fumes, everone else would have to be running on 100 liters (gross exaggeration) for sato to poll... mabey tomarrow i'll do the calculations...
     
  4. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 tifosi12, Apr 30, 2006
    Oops, you're right, I picked only the times of the first qualifying session. Should have been the third of course.

    The ratio of 0.4 secs = 10kg I got from CBS. You know those F1 insiders... :)

    I'm still surprised that nobody has actually tried this strategy since they abandoned the real hot lap qualifying mode a couple of years ago. To me it sounds like the ultimate way to get some PR for a team that knows its race performance is doomed no matter what. Hey, Toyota, are you reading this? :)
     
  5. Prova85

    Prova85 Formula 3

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    #5 Prova85, Apr 30, 2006
    They read that last year. :D
     
  6. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

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    #6 speedy_sam, Apr 30, 2006
    Yep Indianapolis anyone, anyone
     

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