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Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB18
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Special feature

The compromises involved in delivering optimal F1 ride quality

Ride quality as a concept is often misunderstood. PAT SYMONDS clarifies exactly what it means and explains its importance in racing cars - especially in a Formula 1 context

The term ‘ride quality’ is more generally associated with luxury saloon cars than with Formula 1 machinery but, in its own way, it’s equally important to any form of competition car. To understand why, we first have to ask what we mean by ride quality.

Any vehicle travelling over bumps in a road will experience a vertical force as it traverses those bumps. Some of that force will deflect the tyre sidewall and some will be passed through the wheel to the suspension, where again some deflection will take place. Finally some force will act on the chassis and the driver.

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