Run-Off Area Alternatives

[strad]

Just No. GPS is not that accurate.

Wrong.. They use GPS to run cars sans driver around a couple of tracks. BMW does it at Laguna Seca I believe it is and they can circulate at lap record times.

[piast9]

Just No. GPS is not that accurate.

Yes, it is. It is not that accurate in terms of absolute measurement but is extremely precise when you have two GPS receivers - one mobile and one stationary at the reference point. Then the relative position between these two can be established with great precision. Builders use such system to level roads, build bridge pillars etc so the precision must be in centimeters if not milimeters.

[strad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9kepmwrH5o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgJjZWIUBEs

[bdr529]

Just No. GPS is not that accurate.

Yes, it is. It is not that accurate in terms of absolute measurement but is extremely precise when you have two GPS receivers - one mobile and one stationary at the reference point. Then the relative position between these two can be established with great precision. Builders use such system to level roads, build bridge pillars etc so the precision must be in centimeters if not milimeters.

Your going to be disappointed when I tell you that we just use a builders level, or transit or the good old fashioned plumb bob for leveling columns and walls. When it comes to road construction they use a Lazar guided self leveling blade on the bulldozer to get the right grade and slope needed

[SiLo]

You could just put a proximity sensor on the wheel. Probably much cheaper and much more effective.

[langwadt]

You could just put a proximity sensor on the wheel. Probably much cheaper and much more effective.

they already have transponders for timing, starts and DRS, all they need is to have sensors on the few places where they
would go outside the track like chicanes and exits of some corners, it not like they need to have sensors along the straights

[strad]

true but whatever the cost the FIA/FOM could afford it. IF BMW can afford to do it I'm certain they could.

[hollus]

If the issue is just to detect/limit excursions off-track, it would be enough to mark the track boundaries, at exactly one car width beyond the white line, with a double line of some sticky material, just about 1cm wide. The material should stick better to rubber than to asphalt. Say the inner line is fluorescent green and the outer shiny orange. If you cross them they stick to your tires and it is immediately obvious that you left the white line. An easy way of monitoring constantly would be to police only the front wheels and have all cars carry an onboard camera on the roll hoop (which the already do more or less). The orange and green tire patches would be obvious with a minimal and temporary reduction in grip, and would be equally obvious to the driver.

This way they can keep their very safe large tarmac runoff areas.

And a suitable punishment for crossing the line, which can be applied more or less live and without the need to consider why the line was crossed, could be to be limited to sixth gear, to 300Km/h or whatever from the SC line to the finish line or alternatively, if the finish line is early in the straight, from the finish line to the first corner. This is a small time penalty, served with minimal disruption of the race, and clearly visible to all. It would also put an end to the off-track excursions while defending, like cutting a chicane. You can still make them, the safety factor is still there, but you'll likely lose the position or have a very tricky defense by the next finishing line.

[Reca]

For this year there’s going to be tarmac also on part of Monza’s Parabolica run off.

Couple of pics from this morning.

Entrance, tarmac still missing on the part closest to track limit:

Exit:



The green lines I added connect some reference poles that, from what I was told by one of the men at work, indicate where the tarmac will end, beyond that there should still be gravel.

Close up on the kerb and concrete part

[oT v1]

For this year there’s going to be tarmac also on part of Monza’s Parabolica run off.

.....

Well that sucks, the exit seemed a little dangerous at times with cars spearing off to the left at speed.....but the entrance as well??? no way!

[beelsebob]

There's been several seriously big crashes at the entrance to Parabolica. Most times someone crashes there they get all the way to the barrier. I can completely understand why they're replacing this.

[strad]

I know... We should make all the corners 30mph or less.

[beelsebob]

I know... We should make all the corners 30mph or less.

Or... we could not change the racing, and just put some safer run off areas in.

[GitanesBlondes]

I know... We should make all the corners 30mph or less.

Or... we could not change the racing, and just put some safer run off areas in.

Good, now when someone runs wide, they won't be penalized as chances are they can just rejoin the track.

What a joke.

[Reca]

For this year there’s going to be tarmac also on part of Monza’s Parabolica run off.

.....

Well that sucks, the exit seemed a little dangerous at times with cars spearing off to the left at speed.....but the entrance as well??? no way!

I know, albeit I’m more annoyed about the exit, getting as close as possible to the track limit, in order to be on throttle ASAP to get a better launch for the main straight, was one of the challenges of the track, and the difference there was between drivers one of things to look at:


if you remove the grass/gravel everybody will just floor it unafraid as going even a meter wide will cause no harm and another detail making the difference gets lost.
But hey, surely nothing will change, as we can count on race direction putting the hammer down on those going too wide, right?

Anyway it doesn’t come as a surprise to me, I knew it was just a matter of time, apparently it’s been years that the drivers repeatedly asked for that modification, to the point that behind closed doors some even threatened to boycott the race...
Naturally when Bernie, for his usual negotiating strategies, suggests Monza’s presence in the calendar could be in danger, these same drivers that in private were more than happy to threaten boycott, don’t miss the chance to go on record of saying how Monza can’t be lost and so on...