GP RACING APRIL 2020 25
than strategically, using thedata garneredduring
practice and updating it in real time tofeed the
multiple computer models that will inform them
of the statistical likelihood of various outcomes.
Finally, on the flanks of the pitwall sit the
race engineers. These people are the direct
communication between the team and the drivers
and, other than in exceptional circumstances, will
be the only voice the drivers hear. Race engineers
are responsible for all operational aspects of
the car and while theywill assist with both
performance and tactical decisions, they take their
orders under advice from the specialists.
Of course all this is data driven, hencethe
nee d for all the monitors. These will beshowing
telemetry from the cars, timing data from the FIA
feed, real-time video of both the television feed
and a closed-circuit system that follows theteam
cars based on their GPS position, and the weather
radar and tactical information. Data and decisions
are coordinated via an intercom system, which
has multiple ‘chat rooms’ for various groups and is
also connected to analysts back at base.
With all this going on it’s no wonder those
on the pitwall are generally only aware of events
surrounding the immediate environment of
their own two cars.in a season means they may not attend all races.
Next are the strategists. There are many different
ways teams fulfil thisfunction. Many have a pitwall
strategist foreach car backed up by an analyst back
at base. Some have one trackside strategist with the
number-crunching done remotely. During practice
these guys will be gathering data, not just from
their cars but also from their competitors, to judge
aspects such as tyre performance and degradation
as well asestablishing their relative performance
to others in order to build a plan for the race.
During the race they will be acting more tacticallypriorities is the only responsible way toproceed.
It was for this reason that manyyears ago I introduced the concept
of race engineers supported by performanceengineers (who will not
be on the pitwall) to ensure that performance did not come a poor
second.Some teams will call thesesecond engineers ‘dataengineers’.
I feel this belittles their roles, particularly in these days of automatic
data analysis and anomaly detection.
The chiefengineer also has an important
role to play in coordinating the information
from thetwo cars. F1 is a team sport and
if one car finds something then the chief
engineer will ensurethe information is
conveyedto the other sideof the garage. He
also keeps a ‘god’s eye view’ on proceedings- informing, for example, the race engineers
of weather predictions or events on track
that may affect their programmes.
Working further from the insideto the
outside we may see the technical director,
although the workload and number of races
SOME TEAMS WILL CALL PERFORMANCEENGINEERS
‘DATA ENGINEERS’. I FEEL THIS BELITTLES THEIRROLES,
PARTICULARLY IN THESEDAYS OF AUTOMATIC DATA ANALYSIS
Pitboards(top)usedto
betheonlymethodof
communicationwiththe
driver. Today’spitwalls
(above)ha vemor epeople
andmanyfunctionsGP RACING APRIL 2020 25
than strategically, using thedata garneredduring
practice and updating it in real time tofeed the
multiple computer models that will inform them
of the statistical likelihood of various outcomes.
Finally, on the flanks of the pitwall sit the
race engineers. These people are the direct
communication between the team and the drivers
and, other than in exceptional circumstances, will
be the only voice the drivers hear. Race engineers
are responsible for all operational aspects of
the car and while theywill assist with both
performance and tactical decisions, they take their
orders under advice from the specialists.
Of course all this is data driven, hencethe
nee d for all the monitors. These will beshowing
telemetry from the cars, timing data from the FIA
feed, real-time video of both the television feed
and a closed-circuit system that follows theteam
cars based on their GPS position, and the weather
radar and tactical information. Data and decisions
are coordinated via an intercom system, which
has multiple ‘chat rooms’ for various groups and is
also connected to analysts back at base.
With all this going on it’s no wonder those
on the pitwall are generally only aware of events
surrounding the immediate environment of
their own two cars.in a season means they may not attend all races.
Next are the strategists. There are many different
ways teams fulfil thisfunction. Many have a pitwall
strategist foreach car backed up by an analyst back
at base. Some have one trackside strategist with the
number-crunching done remotely. During practice
these guys will be gathering data, not just from
their cars but also from their competitors, to judge
aspects such as tyre performance and degradation
as well asestablishing their relative performance
to others in order to build a plan for the race.
During the race they will be acting more tacticallypriorities is the only responsible way toproceed.
It was for this reason that manyyears ago I introduced the concept
of race engineers supported by performanceengineers (who will not
be on the pitwall) to ensure that performance did not come a poor
second.Some teams will call thesesecond engineers ‘dataengineers’.
I feel this belittles their roles, particularly in these days of automatic
data analysis and anomaly detection.
The chiefengineer also has an important
role to play in coordinating the information
from thetwo cars. F1 is a team sport and
if one car finds something then the chief
engineer will ensurethe information is
conveyedto the other sideof the garage. He
also keeps a ‘god’s eye view’ on proceedings
- informing, for example, the race engineers
of weather predictions or events on track
that may affect their programmes.
Working further from the insideto the
outside we may see the technical director,
although the workload and number of races
SOME TEAMS WILL CALL PERFORMANCEENGINEERS
‘DATA ENGINEERS’. I FEEL THIS BELITTLES THEIRROLES,
PARTICULARLY IN THESEDAYS OF AUTOMATIC DATA ANALYSIS
Pitboards(top)usedto
betheonlymethodof
communicationwiththe
driver. Today’spitwalls
(above)ha vemor epeople
andmanyfunctions