The data vs driver conflict at the heart of F1's ground-effect cars

By:

Jonathan Noble

Aug 10, 2023, 11:14 AM

The introduction of Formula 1's new technical regulations caused a few doubts to be raised about the all-knowing power of data, as phenomenon like porpoising caught teams unaware. Such differences between the real and virtual world are now being examined to help squads maximise their car's potential

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For all Formula 1’s image of being a gladiatorial contest between drivers, it remains very much a data-driven series. Teams readily invest millions in telemetry, data analysis, machine learning tools, the latest computer systems, simulations and simulators because at the root of car performance are cold hard numbers.

No matter how much the cars have changed over the years, the law of physics haven’t - and it is tapping into the brainpower of processors and systems that is key to providing a team with the set-up answers, performance profiles and data points needed as it heads into each race weekend.

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Jonathan Noble

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Jonathan Noble is Motorsport.com’s Formula 1 editor. Having graduated from University of Sussex Jonathan worked for sports news agency Collings Sports reporting on F1, F3, touring cars and other sports, with articles appearing in The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Reuters, Autosport and other publications. In 1999 he moved to Haymarket Publishing to become a senior editor at Autosport Special Projects, and one year later he became Autosport’s grand prix editor. In 2015 he moved to Motorsport Network, becoming the F1 editor for Motorsport.com. He is also a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and sits on the FIA Media Council.