The next Formula 1 championship will begin on February 29 in Bahrain and the teams are working at full speed on their new cars. There is very little left to learn about the innovations that engineers have introduced into their cars to improve performance in the new season. And at Aston Martin they don’t stop.
Eight podiums and a collection of impossible maneuvers attest to a season that few dreamed of but the Asturian driver wants more. To do this, the team is working on a much more efficient car that will have important new features. Among them, a key piece that Alonso has just tested in the factory and that he has been in charge of disseminating on social networks.
While the date approaches to know the final design of his car – whose presentation will be on February 12 – Fernando Alonso has visited, again, the Aston Martin factory to test the seat of his new AMR24, as he has shared the team in a video on social networks.
“New car. The 2024 season starts again today with the seat test, to make sure we are comfortable in the car,” the man from Oviedo began by saying in the video released by the green team. “It is the first time that you are going to see what you are going to run with for the next 11 months. Everyone is excited and everything fits together quite well, which is the most important thing,” he added, showing his optimism for the next campaign.
A video in which Matt Watson also appears, the “crazy mechanic” who made Formula 1 fans fall in love with him last season until it went viral on social networks. And the member of those known as “carrots” was already responsible for the design of the pilot’s seat last season. “Fernando is [probando] his first seat of the year. We’re just trying to bring what we can from a comfort standpoint for Fernando. His commitment remains incredible. That this [trabajando] so early is great for the team’s focus,” he explains.
A long list of news
But this will not be the only key piece in his renewed car. A few days ago we learned that Alonso will benefit from a novelty introduced by Mercedes that will put an end to his top speed problems.
Mercedes, after analyzing the performance of its chassis in the W14, has chosen to give it an important change for the W15, turning it into a more traditional one with a more miniaturized transmission. This variation will not only help the German team, but will be key in the design of the new Aston Martin since it is Mercedes that provides the engine, gearbox and rear chassis to Alonso’s team. According to Motorsport, the Brackley engineers have decided to shorten the gearbox, which was the longest on the grid, to offer a layout more in line with the current ground effect cars. A shorter gearbox will be sought to move the engine and, therefore, take the cockpit further back, moving the radiator ports away from the front wheel. Some changes, which according to paddock rumors, could give the drivers up to five tenths per lap. A key figure if Aston Martin wants to get closer to the all-powerful Red Bull.
But the news does not end there. The green team assures that the new car will be much more efficient than the current one and in which the main architecture and the rear wings will be the key. “We are trying to create a car that can be driven on all circuits and simply changing the rear wing or the front wing to be stronger,” warns Tom McCullough. In fact, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Aston Martin introduced a rear wing to pave the way for next year’s AMR24. Three modifications were made with respect to the previous version: a larger central support, adjustments to the endplates and revisions to the upper flap. A revolution that went unnoticed and that will provide Fernando Alonso’s car with greater levels of efficiency.
How is a seat for a Formula 1 car made?
1. The first step is, obviously, to sit, something that is done with the suit and competition boots on, on a model or on the chassis itself, on a bag filled with expandable foam that takes its shape adapting to the contours from the pilot’s body
2. The second is for the pilot to make movements like those he performs when driving (for example, turning the steering wheel) to ensure that his limbs are also adequate at all times.
3. The foam mold, in the shape left by the pilot, is then removed and electronically scanned into CAD software to create a three-dimensional model. This generates a 3D image on which the materials are applied to finally achieve the carbon fiber seat. Some openings are made in this element to include the seat belts.
4. The pilot’s position is then meticulously measured to ensure that it complies with the minimum dimensions and distances specified in the regulations. That is, you have to adjust the distance at which to place the pedals, especially taking into account two key aspects: that you can correctly perform the full movement of the steering wheel and that the height at which your head is meets the specific measurements that are regulated.
5. The real pilot tests begin. If you are not comfortable, it is possible to put some type of padding, although not too much, because that would increase the weight. Once that has been done, comes the acid test, knowing if everything fits perfectly on the track, and if it is not the ideal seat, small corrections are made again, repeating the entire process.
2024-01-20 10:26:05
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