Bottoming in Turn 7 at Singapore

[Miguel]

I haven't investigated, but if my memory serves me and the rule hasn't changed since 1994, the allowed wear is 10 mm, or a full cm. I'll do my homework now and check it.

EDIT: Ignore me. This is what the regulations say:

3.13 Skid block :
3.13.1 Beneath the surface formed by all parts lying on the reference plane, a rectangular skid block, with a 50mm radius (+/-2mm) on each front corner, must be fitted. This skid block may comprise more than one piece but must:

1. extend longitudinally from a point lying 335mm behind the front wheel centre line to the centre line of the rear wheels.
2. be made from an homogeneous material with a specific gravity between 1.3 and 1.45.
3. have a width of 300mm with a tolerance of +/- 2mm.
4. have a thickness of 10mm with a tolerance of +/- 1mm.
5. have a uniform thickness when new.
6. have no holes or cut outs other than those necessary to fit the fasteners permitted by 3.13.2 or those holes specifically mentioned in g) below.
7. have seven precisely placed holes the positions of which are detailed in Drawing 1. In order to establish the conformity of the skid block after use, it's thickness will only be measured in the four 50mm diameter holes and the two forward 80mm diameter holes.
   Four further 10mm diameter holes are permitted provided their sole purpose is to allow access to the bolts which secure the Accident Data Recorder to the survival cell.
8. be fixed symmetrically about the centre line of the car in such a way that no air may pass between it and the surface formed by the parts lying on the reference plane.

3.13.2 Fasteners used to attach the skid block to the car must:

1. have a total area no greater than 40000mm² when viewed from directly beneath the car;
2. be no greater than 2000mm² in area individually when viewed from directly beneath the car;
3. be fitted in order that their entire lower surfaces are visible from directly beneath the car.

When the skid block is new, ten of the fasteners may be flush with it’s lower surface but the remainder may be no more than 8mm below the reference plane.
3.13.3 The lower edge of the periphery of the skid block may be chamfered at an angle of 30° to a depth of 8mm, the trailing edge however may be chamfered over a distance of 200mm to a depth of 8mm.

OT: I can't believe the technical regulations are actually written in word. OMG. LaTeX for the win.

[joseff]

I think what zac510 is trying to say is that the 10 flush-mounted "fasteners" could be strategically placed to protect the plank from wearing. At 2000sq.mm each, they could be 50mm-diameter bolt heads. The sparks we see may well come from these fasteners.

On the thickness itself:
3.13.1.d have a thickness of 10mm with a tolerance of +/- 1mm.
3.13.3 The lower edge of the periphery of the skid block may be chamfered at an angle of 30°
to a depth of 8mm, the trailing edge however may be chamfered over a distance of 200mm
to a depth of 8mm.

1d gives you 10% tolerance for free right there, plus 3.13.3 allowing 2mm off the edges, the regions most likely to be damaged

@Miguel: the allowed wear is 1mm, 10mm would be the whole plank!

[Conceptual]

So, what is the absolute minimum thickness that results in a DQ?

I'm looking, but I dont see a "if any part of the plank is less than Xmm, then DQ".

I'm still trying to figure this.

[tinhouse]

It would be interesting to see if the FIA actually DID measure the planks, or if everyone failed, so the overlooked it for this race.

It seems nearly impossible that there wasnt more than 1mm chewed off the plank, because there was a LOT of dust per lap, and after 62 laps, I cannot believe that any team passed this scrutineering.

IIRC in Brazil in 2000 5 of the top 6 finishers failed on plank wear but the FIA let it go so it wouldn't be the first time.

Matt

[Conceptual]

It would be interesting to see if the FIA actually DID measure the planks, or if everyone failed, so the overlooked it for this race.

It seems nearly impossible that there wasnt more than 1mm chewed off the plank, because there was a LOT of dust per lap, and after 62 laps, I cannot believe that any team passed this scrutineering.

IIRC in Brazil in 2000 5 of the top 6 finishers failed on plank wear but the FIA let it go so it wouldn't be the first time.

Matt

I am pretty sure that this race would have similar occurances. Did they publish these failures at Brasil in 2005? Or was it a word of mouth type thing?

I am just wondering where the FIA publishes its findings of scrutineering, if they publish it at all.

Thanks for the info so far!

[zac510]

Thanks joseff and Miguel, sorry for my posts before but I was at work

Conceptual, I interpret that 3.13.1.d will have to be pass both before and after the race for the car to be legal.

[Conceptual]

Thanks joseff and Miguel, sorry for my posts before but I was at work

Conceptual, I interpret that 3.13.1.d will have to be pass both before and after the race for the car to be legal.

So, anything less than 9mm should be DQ-able?

Does anyone have the scrutineering measurements post-Singapore?

[joseff]

My interpretation of 3.13.1d is:

You can start with a 11mm plank, with the flush fasteners at 11mm. This means you have 2mm to go before being DQ'd.

[PlatinumZealot]

The rules said the plank is nominally 10mm right?

And some one said that allowed wear is 10mm?

So basically after a chunk of the skid block is eaten off all the way down till you can see the tub of the car it self...you're disqualified..

ie. there is no skid block makes sense.. like a shoe without a sole..

[timbo]

My interpretation of 3.13.1d is:

You can start with a 11mm plank, with the flush fasteners at 11mm. This means you have 2mm to go before being DQ'd.

Yes, and after initial 1 mm wear the car would bottom out on fasteners. If they are durable enough you may almost eliminate further wear.

[Miguel]

The rules said the plank is nominally 10mm right?

And some one said that allowed wear is 10mm?

So basically after a chunk of the skid block is eaten off all the way down till you can see the tub of the car it self...you're disqualified..

ie. there is no skid block makes sense.. like a shoe without a sole..

Yes, it was me. After that, I looked the regulations and, before adding them in an edit, I wrote "ignore me". In any case, I should have known that 10mm were too much, due to the change in effective ride height (if this makes any sense) and thus downforce.

[panchito401]

Less the matter that cars get DQ'd. Sounds to me that the rule is vague from what i see here. I would say that if you cross the 1.5mm barrier of wear on the plank than you would probably be DQ'ed. Whether or not the FIA enforces the rule is between keen onlookers like ourselves to debate, but the masses probably dont see it. We wouldnt know if anyone broached the border in the first place. We have no planks to study... If theres metallic wear in the scenario... it could throw everything out of proportion.

The speculation is good, but i feel that if the FIA has seen it before, they know what to look for. If they can DQ/Suggest 18 cars at my home grand prix cant fufill the racing standards... than they can let 6 cars race for nothing. It was still a race and the best cars won that were available at the time.

Yes, I know it wasn't the FIA... but i still watch.

-f

[zac510]

My interpretation of 3.13.1d is:

You can start with a 11mm plank, with the flush fasteners at 11mm. This means you have 2mm to go before being DQ'd.

Yes, and after initial 1 mm wear the car would bottom out on fasteners. If they are durable enough you may almost eliminate further wear.

Further, 10 of those bolts are flush but the rest can be 8mm below the reference plane. So they will wear first.

[wilson]

That corner is actually an everyday urban road used by almost all the residents nearby. And it was only resurfaced for the race hurriedly.

[panchito401]

Something tells me that they aren't approaching that corner at 170+ miles an hour on the way to work and the car isn't skidding across the ground on the way to the red light. During the day. I could be wrong... but...