Advanced Formula one Set up Guide
Constant radius Example: Circuit de Catalunya, Spain Compsa
A constant radius corner is one that has a quick gentle turn-in, a long consistent apex, and a gentle
exit. Providing the track is fairly level, setup for the corner can be tackled in a fairly routine manor. As in
all corners, how vital it is towards the overall laptime and how many like corners are on the circuit should
be analyzed before determining how much the corner should effect the car setup.
A constant radius corner is actually quite simple. Providing youve roughed in your spring settings
for fairly neutral handling, then this is all about aerodynamic downforce and anti-roll bars. The transition
for turn-in to steady state cornering is fast. The car is on the bars quick and stays there for quite awhile.
Typically, a well balanced car will automatically have reliable handling traits through most constant radius
corners and one can determine quite quickly if a change in downforce will help. For this reason, constant
radius corners are good corners to focus on early in the initial setup of the car adjustments including springs
and anti-roll bars.
If one is experiencing trouble being competitive, and the corner is high speed, then front wing
adjustments would be first on the list, with anti-roll bars and weight distribution a close second. If the
corner is medium speed, that order might flip-flop.
But I wouldnt spend much time on damper settings here, unless youre having turn-in imbalances
everywhere else on the circuit specifically medium speed corners. Also, any adjustments to the dampers
should be performed with thought towards what compromises in other corners may occur, particularly if
the circuit has one or more decreasing radius corners elsewhere.
33
Increasing radius Example: Circuit de Catalunya, Spain La Caixa
An increasing radius corner is one that features a longer corner exit than corner entry, and is
usually accompanied by a small corner apex. In an increasing radius corner, the idea is to brake late and
turn in sharp, advancing the corner apex early, then quickly and progressively initiating throttle for
maximum exit speed. Because the corner exit line usually has no reference points, it becomes difficult to
judge.
Due to the extended corner exit, if one cannot accelerate properly this becomes a section where a
relatively large amount of time may be lost. Therefore traction under acceleration is important to minimize
time in this type of corner. This is crucially important if the corner exits onto a primary fast straight.
A rookie driver might want to run the differential lock setting at a lower value to help control
wheel spin. But a more experienced driver might prefer to control the rear himself using the throttle to
induce oversteer. This however requires a very fine tuned neutral balance.
To start with, youll want a softer rear setup for more traction under acceleration. Choose front
and rear spring rates to accommodate the overall circuit handling requirements, then fine tune with damper
adjustments. As usual, slow damper settings are useful for adjustments to the spring response during
weight transfer. Here youll want to run softer slow damper settings. While softening the rear, be aware of
the packers vs. ride height. For the car to hit the packers (especially the outside rear) is detrimental towards
the goal as it will instantly overload the tire with weight.
Typically, the anti-roll bars and aerodynamics are not good things to adjust specifically for this
type of corner, unless youre experiencing imbalances elsewhere.
34
Decreasing radius Example: Magny-Cours, France 180 Degrees
A decreasing radius corner is indeed one of the most difficult corners to setup for. As you can see
from the above picture, your braking zone follows an arc leading to the late apex. Its imperative that the
car be able to brake deep and turn in simultaneously. A well-honed trail-braking technique will defiantly
aid in making the pass here.
The basic setup principles for this type of corner are such that you want the car to have good turnin,
but more importantly, a stable rear. Because the transition from turn-in to steady state cornering is so
long anti-roll bars are less critical. Thats not to say dont adjust them, its just the bars dont have a
significant impact except from about 25 yards before and through the first half of that inside rumble strip,
right at the apex. Plus, if you have high-speed constant radius turns elsewhere, and the cars pretty well
balanced there, Id leave the bars alone for now.
Softening the rear springs, helping the rears not to unload as much weight, is a great starting point
if youre having trouble being competitive here (and providing this is a critical point on the circuit). But
most importantly, dampers are the keys to unlock the cars maximum potential under braking and turn-in.
One must control to weight transfer. More specifically, the rear dampers slow rebound. Soften them to
help maintain weight at the rear for as long as possible. The second the rear goes light enough to get loose,
you better stop turning and brake straight and hard. An alternative might be to go to the front and increase
the front damper slow bump values. But unless youre either having problems at the front elsewhere, or
have run the rear setting close to maximum (with room to spare at the front) then Id focus on the rear.
You could also run your brake bias forward more. But if youre not having problems with
oversteer under braking elsewhere, then I say leave it and tackle those dampers.
Differential lock values of 50% or higher can help here as well. Youre already turning when you
have to get off the throttle, so you defiantly want that torque under control. But be careful of oversteer
while reapplying the power. As stated earlier, the differential lock setting is very dependent on your
personal driving style.
35
Fast esse Example: Silverstone, Great Britain Maggots & Becketts
A fast esse is typically a combination of two or more corners. At these speeds, aerodynamic
balance is a key factor. But probably equally important is the correct line which allows the fastest
cumulative sector time. Missing the best line during a phase by just a few feet can cost massive time loss
as it disrupts the flow for the next phase, or worse yet, the entire following corner. For this reason, frontend
steering response is crucial. One also must have faith in ones setup as the speeds traveled here repay
mistakes with big spins.
Like mentioned above, aerodynamics has a big influence through these types of corners. After
setting gear ratios and a rear wing angle based on the circuits top speed, the front wing angle can be
roughed in through fast esses to balance the car.
Basic spring settings can be put to the test through these high-speed direction changes. Stiff font
springs give the car the much-needed quick steering response. Too high a spring rate will adversely affect
the desired level of grip though and must be countered by additional front wing or a softer anti-roll bar.
Special attention should be paid to the tire temperatures as overheating can occur from these changes.
Softer rear springs enable the rear tires to bite and keep the power transmitting to the track. Use the damper
slow settings to control weight loading and unloading into the tires during changes of directions. Also, this
is a big anti-roll bar fine-tuning section as the car is changing directions and loading the bars in both
directions. Once the anti-roll bar settings are roughed in here, they should require only minor adjustments
for other sections around the circuit. The exception would be when adjusting the anti-roll bars to
compensate for another adjustment such as mentioned above.
Differential lock settings can prove useful here, especially if one is using engine braking by
coming off the throttle to slow the car to setup the following corner.
36
Medium esse Example: Silverstone, Great Britain Abbey
Like a fast esse, the medium-speed esse is typically a combination of two or more corners. Here,
however the springs and dampers are more important than aerodynamics, mainly due to the fact that the car
is either increasing or decreasing speed as it traverses these corners.
If the car has fairly well balanced characteristics through faster corners, then focus should
certainly be placed on the springs and dampers slow settings. Medium speed corners are really where you
can start to fine-tune the springs and dampers. The latter probably more so. Youll want to focus on sharp
turn-in characteristics with front springs, dampers and anti-roll bar adjustments. Go as stiff as possible
with the front spring settings without upsetting the overall balance of the car. Try to balance out any
induced understeer by increasing front wing angle or choose a smaller front anti-roll bar until a more
neutral balance is obtained. Be careful though as these types of adjustments can quickly result in above
optimum tire temperatures by overloading the front tires with weight. From here, soften the damper slow
response to dial in the amount of front grip desired.
Also a more aggressive driver might use the kerbs here, so damper fast settings become a factor as
well. Damper fast settings aid in the cars ability to react to bumps, so if loosing grip while riding kerbs you
might try lowering the fast bump settings. Be careful though of riding kerbs while the car is experiencing
big swings of weight transfer, such as the transition from Abbeys left-right.
37
Chicane Example: Nurburgring, Germany, Veedol S
Chicanes are essentially slow esses, so all of the medium esse characteristics apply here. Also,
because the phases happen in rapid succession (do to the overall smaller size of the chicane features), car
imbalances tend to be magnified at the point of weight shift during the change in direction. Also, the
overall slower speeds mean aerodynamics has less of a factor in car balance and mechanical grip has a
great deal of influence. Do to the tight nature of most chicanes, riding over kerbs is an acceptable risk.
Many times, a chicane will denote the slowest corner on a particular circuit. This means it is many
times preceded by a heavy braking zone, making it a great point to fine-tuning the braking bias. As this
makes the chicane a prime overtaking location, focus should be given to car setup through the preceding
corner as to allow the most efficient exit. This will, in turn give the car maximum speed on the ensuing
straight leading to the chicane, making overtaking that much easier.
This also means this is the corner to help select your lowest racing gear. Quite often it is the case
that second gear it the lowest selected gear once the race has gotten under way. If this is the case, second
gear becomes the lowest racing gear. If this is the case, then second gear can be adjusted to allow the best
possible acceleration while maintaining stability when exiting the chicane. Otherwise, first gear should be
a compromise of chicane exit stability and standing start efficiency.
38
Hairpin Example: Magny-Cours, France Adelaide
Hairpin corners stress the cars braking capabilities to their maximum. Typically, the car is being
coaxed into slowing from top speed down to anywhere from 40mph to 60mph. Sharp front-end grip is
essential to allow a driver for be competitive here, particularly when passing. The above picture shows the
Arrows A23 taking a conservative line through the Adelaide hairpin. The turn-in comes early and the short
apex is at the middle of the inside kerb. While qualifying the line will vary. The braking will be kept to as
late as possible (allowing the car to travel at top speed a few hundredths on a second longer), followed by a
late turn-in. This will shift the apex back later in the turn (the skid marks represent a good fast line). By
moving the apex later, the radius of the exit is lessened, allowing power to be applied sooner and more
importantly, at a more aggressive rate. Again, I point to the books from Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost to
learn more on these principles.
Like chicanes, hairpins are great places to set the braking bias during early session laps because
the most aggressive braking zones on the circuit typically precede them.
I typically dont concern myself with tuning a car around a hairpin beyond the basic roughing-in
of the chassis balance (wings, springs, anti-roll bars, and ride height). I find if I focus on other medium and
high-speed corners, the hairpin tends to fall into place. One thing I do focus on is my gear ratio for this
turn. It tends to dictate my lowest racing gear and therefore the gear should be chosen to allow the most
stable acceleration out of the hairpin possible.
The hairpin is also a prime passing zone for most circuits. This makes the prior corner extremely
critical as far as the setup is concerned. Remember that the pass that happens here was really executed
through the previous corner, allowing the car to gain an advantage over a rival heading into this turn.
39
Double Apex Example: Sepang Circuit, Malaysia Turns 7 & 8
From time to time, two successive corners will line up in such a way that it enables a driver to
attack them both as a single corner. This means the first corners exit (phase 3) and the second corners
entry (phase 1) become essentially both corners phase 2, or the overall corner apex. In this instance, the 2nd
phase is rather large and may contain some throttle adjustments. The car must be set to allow mid-corner
throttle adjustments to not effect the car in a negative way.
Because of these things, these types of corners have the same characteristics of the constant radius
corner. Basic balance is achieved with springs and anti-roll bars, assuming aerodynamic balance has been
achieved.
A more stable throttle behavior can be fine-tuned by differential lock adjustments. If the double
apex requires a slight throttle lift at the apex, and this in turn cases too much oversteer, then a higher
differential lock setting is required.
40
Gathering circuit information
The first thing we need to do is gather some information regarding the circuit were about to run
on. In this case, its Silverstone in Great Britain. In a minute, Im going to look for the combinations of
straights and corners, maximum and minimum expected speeds, and any key corners which will
influence the setup. But for now lets identify all the corner types.
Copse is a high-speed, subtle decreasing radius corner. Next, Maggots and Becketts form a highspeed
esse, the latter of which has a decreasing radius corner connecting to Chapel, which empties onto
Hanger Straight. Stowe is another decreasing radius right-hand corner that bends back to the left on exit.
Vale is made up of a slow constant radius, 90-degree left hander, followed by Club, a long increasing
radius right hander. Abbey is a medium speed esse that opens up on exit. Bridge and Priory are both
constant radius corners. Brooklands is a subtle increasing radius followed by the double apex Luffield
and the flat-out, constant radius kink, Woodcote.
Now lets identify those key features of the track. Looking at the above track map, we can see that
there are two big straights. Thats the main start/finish straight and Hanger straight connecting Chapel to
Stowe. As a result of identifying these big straights, we can see top speed is expected to be 200-plus MPH.
Key corners would be Copse, the Maggots/Becketts/Chapel complex, and Stowe, the majority of
which are medium to high-speed corners (three of which are decreasing radius). These denoted features
account for 2/3rds of the circuit, and while not Monza-like fast, would tell me to start by setting the car up
for medium to high speed cornering with a focus on aerodynamics and springs. Then fine-tune the
mechanical grip for the slower parts like Club and the Brooklands/Luffeild complex. This is, if for no
other reason, giving us a place to start and an idea of the direction we think were going to go in. The main
concept here is one should always analyze the circuit and visualize the plan of attack. That way, youre not
taking random stabs at things hoping to stumble across an acceptable setup. Racing, though is a very
dynamic sport, and one should always be ready to try something new should the initial direction not pay
dividends. The ultimate deciding factor is, as always the stopwatch. A faster laptime is a faster laptime
regardless of how you arrive at it.
Just for the record, your highest lateral G loading should be around 3.5G in Copse and Bridge.
41
Gathering car setup information
Its very important to document your setup changes as you go. There are various methods and
here is some detail about the one I use. I use a log, which Ive included with this guide as a separate
document titled F1 2002 Setup Log, that allows me to document and track the changes and their resulting
lap times. This adds great insight as I look at telemetry, since I have a written reference from that stint and
the changes put on the car.
The method I use is three sets of adjustments per saved setup. I use a logical saved name: EA A23
T1-01 where EA are my initials, A23 is the chassis used, T is for test, and 1-01 is the identifier (1
being the session, -01 being the revision during the session). For each saved setup, the revision will
increase by one. On the Setup Log, the line Setup Name (base) is the setup that we began with. If we
start with a pre-existing EA Sports F1 2002 setup, that might be Great Britain or Grip. Additionally, if
this becomes a race setup, Ill add identifiers for tires and strategy while maintaining the same revision
number from the test setup. So a saved setup named EA A23 RH2-16 S1 would indicate the Arrows (A23)
race setup (R) with hard compound tires (H) derived from testing session 2 - setup revision 16, for a 1-stop
strategy. EA A23 RS2-16 S2 would be identical with the exception of soft tires and a 2-stop fuel strategy.
This is my method. You may use any other, but it definitely becomes an advantage to choose a logical
system that allows quick identification. Also, as you turn faster laps during testing, the setup that produced
the fastest lap should always be loaded as your Favorite Setup so as you begin any additional sessions,
that setup will already be loaded onto your car. In the end, you can simply copy your final setup and
rename it Race, Qualify, or anything else you chose to simplify the process of finding the final
setup(s).
As we get into our setup session, please keep in mind that Im logging all the changes that I make.
To include all the minute changes made to the car into this section of the guide is simply not possible.
Therefore, what is included is an overview of the direction taken. The F1 2002 Setup Log is included for
you convenience when making your own setup changes.
Establishing a setup Aerodynamics & Ride Height
The first thing you should do is load your base, or starting setup and run about 20 laps to
familiarize yourself with the circuit and cars characteristics. At Silverstone, I begin with the standard
Great Britain setup on the Arrows A23. During this run I set a fast lap of 1m21s509. Mind you, during
this run my focus is not on quick times, but establishing a basic rhythm and noting various details.
42
After establishing the stock setup characteristics, you can proceed to make the initial changes.
The stock setup lacks top-speed (192mph) and is not geared well to my tastes, so the first changes I make
are to the wings and gearing. Ill alter the strategy to 0 stops and add 22 liters of fuel (good for 6 laps)
and then proceed to make multiple short runs while making the wing and gear changes. At this stage, its
obvious whether the change is right or not, and you can come right back in to the garage as soon as its
apparent. Initial wing and gear changes are quite black and white; it either works or it doesnt. This setup
phase can usually be accomplished in about 10 minutes, or 4 to 5 single-lap stints. Also at this same time,
you should set your braking bias and start camber and tire pressure adjustments.
To achieve the 200mph-plus top speed, I end up with significantly less wing (25 front and rear).
This becomes the aerodynamic base to from which to fine-tune the mechanical grip. But in the same
respect, it is only a base or starting point.
Establishing a setup Suspension Rough-in
The next phase is to rough in the suspension. Initially, you should adjust the dampers to their
static reference mid-point. This allows you to make spring changes knowing that later, you can easily go in
either direction with the dampers during their fine-tuning phase. Silverstone is a very bumpy track in some
spots and the bumps affect the car at both the front and the rear. For this reason, Im going with softer
springs to allow the suspension to have enough travel to deal with the bumps effectively. Still filling the
car with only 22 liters of fuel, I make several runs of 4 to 6 laps, making adjustments to the springs, antiroll
bar and front wing to balance the car.
Since one of the stock setups characteristics is a lack of rear traction under acceleration on exit, I
really soften the rear springs and bars in relation to the front. After making each run, I download telemetry
from the fastest lap and check ride height (un-smoothed). The ride height needs to be higher than normal to
accommodate the spring movement. To lower the ride height and use packers to prevent severe bottoming
will only negate the effects of the softer springs over bumps in the corners. [Just for the record: if the track
was smooth like Magny-Cours, we could run stiffer springs and a lower ride height. Typically with this
type of setup, the cars tendency to bottom happens more often at the end of a long straight where
aerodynamic downforce is pushing the car into the track. In this case, packers are the instruments of
choice, as they dont severely affect the handling while preventing plank wear.]
E. Alexanders 1m21s509 front ride height trace over C. Wynns 1m19.853 reference lap. In the above
trace you can see how the front is bottoming at seven distinct points during the lap. This will require
raising the front ride height slightly.
43
You should select spring rates for response and grip over the various track surfaces, as well as tire
temps. Use the anti-roll bars, as well as the front wing, to balance the car. This phase typically takes a
while and you can easily make a dozen or so saved setup changes before feeling good enough to proceed.
The general philosophy is to soften the rear to cope with oversteer on turn-in and give better acceleration
out of the corners. Meanwhile, what Ive done is softened the front springs for better grip over the bumps
and increased the front anti-roll bar to balance out the cars rear adjustments. All during this time, Im more
focused on feel and response as opposed to laptimes.
Incidentally, as a result of these simple adjustments, my
lap time drops to 1m20s612. Almost a second faster.
The car is very good under acceleration on corner exit,
but the turn-in response still needs to be fine-tuned.
The car is overall easier to drive.
You should also constantly be analyzing your
line around the lap. The diagram to the left shows my
line through Bridge. The telemetry track map is very
useful to show which line is faster and why. Use the
left mouse button to click and drag a section to analyze.
This will zoom in on the track map and highlight the
accompanying traces. Incremental Time Difference is a
great trace to use for this (see below).
Incremental time difference: Gray = C.W. 1m19.987; red = E.A. 1m21m506; yellow = E.A. 1m20s612
In the above trace I can see that Im losing time at Stowe, Club, and Abbey. There is a second and
a half to be had there. During the fine-tuning phase with the dampers, Ill focus on these corners to set the
changes.
Establishing a setup Suspension Fine-tuning
Still doing low-fuel, 4 to 6 lap stints, you can proceed to start damper adjustments. From the
corner characteristics already noted, I increase the front dampers slow response to increase the
responsiveness of the front end. At the same time, I decrease the rear damper slow adjustments (both bump
and rebound) to improve rear grip even more. This is a win-win situation. Remember how stiff springs
deflect energy? With the latest changes, the front dampers are keeping the weight rearward and the soft
rear springs keep the energy stored there for a longer period under transfer. In other words: more grip at
the rear. At the same time, those stiffer front dampers help the steering wheel movements to translate more
44
quickly into the front wheels. I accompany the stiffer front damper adjustments with some additional front
wing angle to regain any grip I may lose from the front tires.
After several stints while making the above adjustments, I find that the car still doesnt have the
front grip that Id like it to. Response is much improved, but the car still understeers when pushed. I turn
to my static setup reference chart to see where I have some room to make adjustments and find my front
anti-roll bar to be only 20 k/mm below midpoint. This leads to a radical 50 k/mm reduction to see what
type of change I can achieve. Amazingly, this works wonders, and as a result of this plus a bit more front
wing angle, Im able to get to the apex with more control while carrying more speed.
This allows me to really start to focus on my
line again. The diagram to the left shows how I can
achieve the correct line through Abbey easier and with
more precision than before. However this points out
the cars poor behavior when accelerating over the
kerbs. To help with this I reduce the rear damper fast
bump and rebound. This gives the suspension a bit
more give when the tire impacts the kerbs and thus
keeps the tires weighted longer. This in turn keeps
them from hopping off the ground whereas the engine
torque would start to spin the rear tires.
The car is now feels more nimble and can be
handled aggressively around the track. Time to put on
some new Bridgestones and get that time down. I go
for a few flyers back to back and put in a time of
1m19s197. More importantly, most laps are in the
1m19s range. Bumps dont upset the car and the
power can be put down earlier than ever before.
45
The above Chassis Slip Angle trace shows the added grip the car has achieved. Note the grip is
not rail-like, but rather, the car handles better by breaking away slower and more gradually, allowing the
cars limit to exploited easier. This is reflected in the top right trace: note how in the highlighted Abbey
section, the 1m19s197 lap (green) has much more slip than the slower 1m20s612 lap (yellow). The friction
circle in the lower right corner shows how this increased slip allows a higher lateral acceleration to be
maintained. The Velocity trace shows Im averaging almost 5mph more through Abbey now.
Note the method so far: aerodynamic wing/gear ratio/brake bias adjustments. Next, spring, antiroll
bar and ride height adjustments. Finally, fine-tune the mechanical grip with damper adjustments. The
whole time, you should be monitoring and adjusting the tire pressures and camber settings to maximize the
tires grip and dial in the optimum tire temperatures. [Heres a side note: higher tire temps are caused when
the springs/damper combinations dont absorb enough energy and the resulting weight transfer is deflected
directly into the tire. This will become more critical in adapting this to a race setup.]
After quite a few more unsuccessful changes, I find myself unable to break into the 1m18s times.
This makes me rethink my downforce from the wings. I decide to add downforce, losing top speed, but
hoping to make up even more time in the third sector. In order to do this, I have to start back at the top as
46
far as fine-tuning the wings, gears and ride height goes. I add 6 degrees of wing, front and rear, adjusting
the gears accordingly. And I raise the cars ride height 2/10th of a centimeter.
Another thing to revisit is my camber and tire pressure settings. While Ive been constantly finetuning
these parameters to near perfection, these new downforce adjustments mean Ill probably have to
make a few minor re-adjustments. But the basic properties of the springs, dampers and anti-roll bars will
transition fine to my new downforce settings.
After a few stints to perfect the gearing, Im ready to go for times. I run three 5-lap stints back to
back and set a new session fast lap of 1m18s873. I also think I could better that time down to a 1m18s5
with a bit more running. And again, the consistency is there as I ran several high 1m18s and low 1m19s.
Not only is the car easier to drive, without a doubt its a second and a half faster than when I started, even
though my top speed on Hanger Straight is now 196mph. The Arrows Cosworth V-10 is about 30-40hp
down on the Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes engines. That puts me at an estimated second to a one-and-ahalf
second deficit to those top tier cars. Its quite possible that this setup would yield a 1m17s lap in the
Ferrari with some minor alterations. Thats in the running for pole position at 100% opposition levels.
Incremental time difference: Gray = C.W. 1m19.987; yellow = E.A. 1m19m197; green = E.A. 1m18s873
In the above trace, we can see the car is consistently fast across the entire lap, constantly making
up time against the gray reference line. I lost a bit at Brooklands, but quickly regained that immediately.
We can also see how the added downforce made the car slower in the first 2 sectors, but it came out faster
overall by the decreased time in the 3rd sector.
Establishing a setup Qualifying Setup
My setup is already a good qualifying setup, but there are a few things I can do to take it a bit
further. Plank wear is less of a factor so you can try lowering the car a small amount more. Be careful not
to lose performance by lowering it too much: dragging the rear end can be very costly to the stopwatch on a
long straight.
You might also make small adjustments to camber and toe to improve the cars directional
response, as tire wear will not be an issue for the twelve qualifying laps allowed. Some people adjust the
brake and radiators to their smallest settings, but this can have bad side effects. Be sure not to run those
brakes too hot, as youll get slightly reduced braking performance.
Practice your qualifying runs so as to have an idea of what you can do. During qualifying, I like
to go out and run five to six laps, that way I can be sure to get three to four hot laps in, just to get a good lap
on the boards. After that, I can wait and see what everyone elses initial times are. Later, I can run two
47
separate 3-lap stints, or another 6-lap stint depending on how good I feel about the setup. Still, it helps to
practice this in advance as the twelve laps allowed in qualifying allow little room for last minute
adjustments.
Establishing a setup Race Setup
Racing is a different beast altogether. The driver must be able to take care of the tires and brakes
over the race distance. Typically this means adding downforce, adding ride height, and altering the springs
and dampers to keep the tires at their optimum temperatures. The race setup is directly tied to the race
strategy. Many things should be considered in the decision making process:
1. Speed: How fast can you run on the various tire compounds? Try running full-tank stints and log
average lap times as well as fastest and slowest lap times.
2. Tire wear: Can you run the desired number of laps with the soft compound?
3. Pit lane: How quick is the pit lane from pit in to pit out? Silverstone or Monza: short, straight, and
quick. Magny-Cours or Sepang: long, winding, and risky.
4. Starting position: Starting up front: be more conservative, attempt to control the pace. Starting in back:
Risk more by using extreme setups. Run a light fuel load hoping to make up positions early or run a
heavy fuel load and make fewer stops.
Typically the racing setup has more downforce to cope with the higher levels of fuel. You should
run several stints with 70 liters or so of fuel onboard, making necessary changes to ride height and small
aerodynamic balance adjustments. The only reason to deviate from the setups spring and damper settings
would be to try to lower a specific tires temperature in order to get the necessary tire wear for the chosen
strategy.
Another thing to watch out for is brake wear. At the end of your full tank run, be sure to check
brake wear. This can be used to calculate pad wear over the race distance. And while on that run, take
note of any adjustment to brake bias as the car lightens. It can be made into a science as to when and how
much to adjust the bias during a race stint.
Try different fuel levels and tire compounds to see what works best for your car and driving style.
In the end, you should have a good idea of what your strategy is, down to the lap times youll be looking to
run. Also practice those pit stops including pit in and pit out laps. The last thing you need in a race is to
run a great first stint followed by a pit speed limit infraction (or worse: accelerating out of the pits into a
spin on the pit exit lane). And dont forget to reset you brake bias during the pit stop.
48
Establishing a setup Wet Setup
Rain changes everything, and being prepared can really pay off. I like to have a full wet setup
ready just in case. To convert a race setup to a wet setup involves several things:
1. Increase your wing angles.
2. Soften you spring rates (make any necessary ride height compensations).
3. Lengthen your gear ratios.
In the wet, grip is everything. For a full wet setup you should dramatically increase downforce,
sometimes as much as 50%. Youll also want to soften you spring rate to get maximum grip from the tires.
Try to keep both of these in proportion to your race setup. In other words, add equal wing front and rear,
and soften the front and rear springs by equal amounts. As a result of these modifications, youll need to
re-examine the ride height. Be liberal with the ride height, as bottoming in the rain can be catastrophic.
Finally, you want to adjust the gear ratios so as to lower the torque applied to the rear wheels.
Lengthening the final drive ratio can sometimes easily accomplish this. Other times, more precise
alterations to each gear ratio are required for the various corners of the circuit. Alternatively, the driver can
also employ a simple technique known as short shifting. This involves the driver shifting before the
engines peak horsepower is reached, always keeping the car just out of the maximum power band.
A good idea is to develop a wet setup at a medium downforce track with a variety of corners such
as Silverstone, and label it as your Base-WET setup. It then becomes relatively easy to adapt the Base-
WET setup to various circuits attributes as opposed to modifying your current race set-up at the last
moment. This concept works only with full wet or monsoon setups, as an intermediate setup is best derived
from your race setup.
Another thing to consider is how to setup the car for a damp, but drying track at the start of the
race. In its easiest guise it might be only fitting intermediate tires to the car. Other times, its the alwaysrisky
choice of adding a bit more downforce on the grid. But be careful, as the pitfall is a dry track late in
the race with a car having not enough top speed to be competitive.
49
I believe that my personal speed compared with the drivers Ive driven with, because its only
those guys I can compare myself with - may come from what you do out of your possibilities. I
believe that pure speed isnt always the point; its what you manage to get out of your potential.
And thats where Ive always been very successful. You know, really working deep with the team,
maximizing my possibilities.
Michael Schumacher during an interview with F1 Racing magazine January 2000
Conclusions
Hopefully this guide has enlightened you to what exactly these various components are and more
importantly how they interact inside an F1 car. As Micheal Schumacher points out in the quote above, its
what you manage to get out of your potential. And this certainly includes the cars potential and
maximizing that as well.
Driving style should always be regarded as another factor in setup. One should put forth a lot of
analysis into what attributes his or her driving style requires. Through careful understanding of this, one
can quickly discern which direction a setup must go in order to accommodate the drivers particular style.
Every setup is like a meticulously tailored suit; while it works great for one driver, it can be totally counterproductive
to another. With this in mind, one should understand that when trying anothers setup, instant
speed is not always the case. In fact, many times its the exact opposite. In this case, the setup itself is not
poor, its just missing the technique required to maximize its capabilities. Still, by understanding the
contents of this guide, a driver should be able to quickly identify the setup characteristics and make
adjustments attempting to shift the effectiveness towards a more positive result.
A few last things to take with you: when things become frustrating, I find it best to load a proven
and stable setup on to the car, go out and focus on consistently quick lap times. Sometimes, quite often in
fact, the setup is not the problem. Its a line taken through a corner or a braking point thats being pushed
to far (or not far enough). I quit focusing on the setup and switch my attention to my line, reference points,
and technique. Many a time, this will eventually show up a couple of tenths of a second and a better way to
tackle part of the circuit, after which I can resume setup modifications.
And finally, I refer to this guides beginning lines again: There is no substitute for logging the laps
that make your reactions to the car become second nature. There is no quick way to learn a new circuit so
you can concentrate totally on what the car is doing at any given point in time. The only way to be faster is
to practice, read, learn, and practice some more.
50
References and resources
Conversion formulas: Imperial to Metric
Length Conversion Factors
To convert from to multiply by
mile (US Statute) kilometer (km) 1.609347
inch (in) millimeter (mm) 25.4 *
inch (in) centimeter (cm) 2.54 *
inch (in) meter (m) 0.0254 *
foot (ft) meter (m) 0.3048 *
yard (yd) meter (m) 0.9144 *
Volume Conversion Factors
To convert from to multiply by
gallon (gal) liter 4.546
Canada liquid
gallon (gal) cubic meter (cu m) 0.004546
Canada liquid
gallon (gal) liter 3.7854118
U.S. liquid**
gallon (gal) cubic meter (cu m) 0.00378541
U.S. liquid
Force Conversion Factors
To convert from to multiply by
pound (lb) kilogram (kg) 0.4535924
avoirdupois
pound (lb) newton (N) 4.448222
Pressure or Stress Conversion Factors
To convert from to multiply by
pound per square pascal (Pa) 6,894.757
inch (psi)
pound per square megapascal (MPa) 0.00689476
inch (psi)
Mass (weight) Conversion Factor
To convert from to multiply by
pound (lb) kilogram (kg) 0.4535924
51
Temperature Conversion Factors
Temperature
degree Fahrenheit (F) degree Celsius (C) tc=(tF-32)/1.8
degree Fahrenheit (F) kelvin (K) tk = (tF+459.7)/1.8
kelvin (K) degree Celsius (C) tc=tk-273.15
Power Conversion Factors
Velocity
mile per hour (mph) kilometer per hour(km/hr) 1.60934
mile per hour (mph) meter per second (m/s) 0.44704
*indicates that the factor given is exact.
**One U.S. gallon equals 0.8327 Canadian gallon.
t--A pascal equals 1.000 newton per square meter.
More Useful Conversion Factors
Quantity From English To Metric
Multiply
Units Units by*
Mass lb kg 0.4536
kip (1000 lb) metric ton (1000kg) 0.4536
Mass/unit length plf kg/m 1.488
Mass/unit area psf kg/m 2 4.882
Mass density pcf kg/m 3 16.02
Force lb N 4.448
kip kN 4.448
Force/unit length plf N/m 14.59
klf kN/m 14.59
Pressure (stress)
modules of
elasticity psf Pa 47.88
ksf kPa 47.88
psi kPa 6.895
ksi MPa 6.895
Bending moment, ft-lb N . m 1.356
Torque (moment of force) ft-kip kN . m 1.356
* 4 significant digits
**denotes exact conversion
RacerAlex Advanced Formula 1 Setup Guide V 1.1 8.21.02
