A Look at Three Key Tools Used by F1 Teams |
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Topics: Formula 1
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Will Hope
24 May 2017
There is no garage better prepared or more efficient in the entire world than a Formula 1 garage. So, what sort of tools are they hiding in there? Somewhat surprisingly, an F1 toolkit is very similar to what you would find in the garage of any mechanic but in much greater volume and much shinier and newer than an amateur mechanic. Here is a closer look at a few of the key items that F1 teams use when we see them on television.
Pneumatic Gun
The lightning fast pit stops are remarkable to watch and a crucial part of any Formula 1 team. A lot of this comes down to the superb work by highly-trained and well-drilled pit crew, but the tools that they use also allow for high-speed tyre changes. One of these tools is a pneumatic gun, which has a hammer effect that sends pulses of torque to both loosen and tighten wheel nuts. These also have a lighting system which notifies the pit light system once the change is complete.
Leaf Blower
Cooling the vehicle once it comes off the track is a very important part of the maintenance process. There are a few different ways that this can be achieved, but one of the key ways is with a leaf blower. These can be used to cool the breaks quickly or they can be fed into the engine bay to reduce the temperature - these leaf blowers will be the regular type - available from places like SGS - and then customised by the team. Other methods of cooling down the vehicle once it comes off the track include fans and devices using dry ice.
Tire Warmers
Although it is important to cool the vehicle when it comes off the tracks, it is also very important that the tires are warm when they are on the asphalt - this is to give them as much grip as possible and is noticeable once a car re-starts after being pulled into the pits. This is achieved with the use of a tire blanket, which works like an electric blanket warm the tires to the desired temperature. Temperature management is key to success as there is a sweet spot which optimises performance, so teams make this a priority.
These are three of the more interesting tools and bits of equipment utilised by F1 teams to enhance performance, but you will find that they also use a lot of the same tools that can be found in the garage of an amateur mechanic.