Telemetry Analysis - Just 4 days to go!!!!

So with just 4 days to go before the first 2008 RGB race and 3 days before the Allcomers which will be my first race of the year, the car is sitting in the garage almost ready to roll.The BDN between Riches and Sear. Thanks once again to Jamie for the photos.

The focus of work over the winter has been to get the car to fit me and provide the right feedback to help me to reach its limits. We so far have not worked on improving the overall speed of the car with the exception of getting the weight distribution, ride height and brake setup to suit me. The Palm is now installed and working on the dash and this weekend I will be able to test out Tim's new software for the sector timing. All we have left to complete is the installation of some new bonnet catches and the new bullet camera although this is playing up at the moment and may need to be sent back for a replacement which will mean we won't have a video for the racing this weekend which is sad. The bonnet catches are just to stop the rear rub from moving backwards at high speed and fouling the tyres. The relaxed run up to the start of the season, unlike Tim's situation, has enabled me to reflect upon the winter testing and look at the telemetry from the DL1.

The telemetry shows a noticeable improvement in speed throughout the lap due to the focus on ride height and brakes along side increased seat time.

In the following telemetry trace you can see the fastest lap from the pre-Christmas test in black and one of my quicker complete laps in red from the most recent test, both at snetterton in very similar weather.Telemetry track comparing laps from the last two tests at Snetterton

The second trace is a zoomed in section focusing on the run up to Riches and then leading on to Sears. Here you can see the improved braking and less understeer from the first apex onwards which helps me to get on the power earlier and run a faster exit. Boy thats becoming a quick corner with a mid corner speed of 97mph, but although the improvement is quite evident on the trace, it only made a 10th of a second difference!

Telemetry trace for Riches corner

An additional 0.4 of a second is gained from a better run out of Sear and down the back straight. I don't think this has been effected by the changes to the car, instead I think the improvement is based on increased time in the car and getting used to the turn in characteristics and learning how to be smooth on the throttle with the vastly increased torque of the ZX12 engine. The slide characteristics of the BDN are quite different to the Fury of last year and in the first test I was just concentrating on understanding how to use the mid engined layouts different weight transfer to improve the turn in and apex accuracy. With this latest test, I could help the car to turn with the weight of the rear and then balance before the apex, focus on the apex with small steering adjustments and then be ready to control the exit line with the throttle as soon as I had the line for the apex correct. Mind you this all happens quite quickly so it will be interesting to analyse the consistency with which I can replicate this in the race situation

Sear and the back straight at Snetterton

The main chunk of time with this latest test has been under braking for the Esses and the run through there to the exit of the Bomb hole. Some 0.8 of a second from this sector alone and its quite plain that the later and harder braking through the left hand turn of the Esses, a later turn in which results in a better acceleration run up to the bomb hole and a slight brush of the brake with my left foot rather than a complete lift keeps the red trace of above the previous black trace almost all the way through this sector.

The Esses and Bomb Hole corners