Formula E 2200 Years of the Via Emilia Super Formula 2014
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Nr. 30 Year 2013 MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY DALLARA "Periodico regolarmente registrato presso il Tribunale di Parma (n.16, 03/09/2010)" FORMULA E WE’RE JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY FROM THE DEBUT OF THE SINGLE–SEATER THAT WILL BE THE CENTREPIECE OF FIA’S NEW, ELECTRICALLY POWERED RACE SERIES TO BE INAUGURATED NEXT YEAR. ENGINEER MONTANARI INTRODUCES US TO RACING’S "GREEN” FUTURE SUPER FORMULA 2014 DURING THE SUCCESSFUL SHAKEDOWN IN FUJI, THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SINGLE-SEATER DESIGNED BY DALLARA FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS JAPANESE CHAMPIONSHIP TOOK EVERYONE BY SURPRISE 2200 YEARS OF THE VIA EMILIA SINCE 187 BC “STATE HIGHWAY N. 9” HAS BEEN OUR VERY OWN “ROUTE 66”. WE LOOK AT HOW THE ITALIAN MOTOR VALLEY, HOME TO SO MANY IMPORTANT NAMES IN THE MOTORSPORTS SECTOR, FROM DALLARA TO FERRARI, LAMBORGHINI TO DUCATI, GREW UP ALONG THIS ANCIENT ROMAN ROAD A PERFECT DEBUT FO Super Formula HE SUPER FORMULA 2 A SUCCESSFUL SHAKEDOWN FOR THE SF14, THE SINGLE-SEATER PRODUCED BY DALLARA FOR NEXT YEAR’S EDITION OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN. THE TEST DRIVERS COMPLETED SOME LENGTHY SESSIONS AND, IN ADDITION TO ITS RELIABILITY, THE CAR ALSO PROVED TO BE SURPRISINGLY COMPETITIVE RIGHT FROM THE OUTSET. ENGINEER BIASATTI, THE PROJECT MANAGER FROM VARANO, DESCRIBES THE TWO DAYS IN DETAIL 2 OR T 2014 AT FUJI Watch the video 3 Super Formula he new Dallara car for the 2014 the result was not entirely unexpected; in more exciting. edition of the Japanese Super fact on the eve of the tests the The new engines are the Honda HR12E TFormula championship has finally technicians estimated an improvement of and the Toyota RV8K 3.4 V8, which made it onto the track. Two days of around 3 seconds with respect to this provide 550 horsepower, rising to 600 testing in Fuji on 10th and 11th July year's model. And Dallara fulfilled its thanks to the overboost. And in order to brought a smile to the faces of the men promise. guarantee even more excitement, Super from Varano de’ Melegari, the drivers, Back in March the initial blueprints Formula also features the OTS (Overtake and the technicians from Honda and hinted at a sleek, modern design that had System), which can be activated for up to Toyota, the two Japanese giants who are certain similarities to the GP2, but was 20 seconds at a time and up to 5 times supplying the 2 litre, turbo-compressed decidedly different, and this impression per race. This device enables the driver to engines for the championship. was confirmed during the shakedown. increase the engine revolutions from Over two very full days of testing, Kazuki The Dallara SF14 has a high nose, 10,300 to 10,700, and while it is enabled Nakajima (in the Toyota version) and although without an air scoop, naturally, a lamp positioned on top of the roll bar Takuya Izawa (Honda) covered a huge since it uses a turbo-powered engine, the starts flashing: the light is red for the race number of kilometres in the two single- engine hood is sharply tilted with a leader and white for the rest of the field. seaters, which have been so lovingly distinctive “fin” effect. The highly tapered The championship will use Bridgestone developed by Engineer Walter Biasatti. profile of the belly adds to the dynamic tyres exclusively. Visitors to the Dallara Facebook page can effect, with the suspension wishbones Super Formula represents the latest in a admire images of the shake-down, mounted so that the release is straight long line of top level challenges for including on-board video-clips recorded up. Dallara Automobili, which has been during the test, during which everyone When Dallara was commissioned to selected to supply the cars for what is was pleasantly surprised by the results, produce the Super Formula its mandate effectively the most prestigious motor since, as Engineer Biasatti explains in his was to inject new life into the Japanese racing competition in the Far East, and interview in this issue, the SF14 championship organised by Japan Race which will be decided over of seven races immediately managed to lower the track Promotion, which started life in 1996 as this year. The next stops on the road map record at Fuji. Although no one thought Formula Nippon before adopting the leading up to the 2014 will be the test the car would perform so well so soon, current name in 2013, and to make it sessions in Motegi, Sugo and Suzuka. 4 5 Super Formula The project manager, Biasatti: «We have already improved on our current pole position during the shakedown» 6 Engineer Biasatti, what was the systems, then, on day two, the model. Their comments were very «The results on the track were outcome of the new teams tested a range of different encouraging; they responded even better than we expected; SuperFormula shakedown? What set-ups with the aim of favourably to its reduced weight normally during the shakedown feed-back have you had from optimising performance. We were with respect to the SF14, and the you try to get as many kilometres the test drivers? all highly satisfied by the power of the carbon brakes, and in as possible in order monitor «The shakedown went really well outcome of the test, no-one they expressed their satisfaction vehicle reliability and check that and provided practically trouble- expected the cars to be so quick with the car’s balance and the electronic and cooling systems free performance throughout the right from the start, or to be able driveability». work properly, but you're not test sessions. The car responded to fit so many tests in, and cover really looking at performance. well, and after two days of so many kilometres. The drivers - Did the car perform as you The fact that we managed to testing it proved to be faster than Nakajima for Toyota and Izawa expected on the track? How achieve better times than the the current one. On the first day for Honda, (who had both would you evaluate the current pole and cover so many we concentrated mainly on already tried the car out on the effectiveness of the tests carried kilometres without any problems calibrating the electronic engine simulator) – were extremely out in the Simulator over the was very gratifying. It’s important and gearbox management enthusiastic about the new past months? to the stress the excellent support we had from Honda and Toyota, who supplied us with some top quality engines. Things went just as well during the second test session in Motegi at the beginning of August. On the second day we also carried out trials in wet conditions, and Andre Lotterer, who took the Toyota out, was also very positive. The contributions of the simulator and the wind tunnel were fundamentally important, and this was borne out by the results on the track. The drivers stressed how closely the real car mirrored the behaviour of the “virtual” version on the Sim, and they were both pleasantly surprised. We also checked the data from the wind tunnel and the Honda and Toyota technicians complimented us on how accurate they were». What is there still to be done before the car debuts in 2014? «We still have three two-day test sessions: the second week of September in Suzuka, the first week of October in Sugo, and finally, the first week of November in Suzuka» Walter Biasatti Project Manager 7 Formula E FORMULA E, DEBUT AT FRANKFURT 8 THE SINGLE-SEATERTHAT DALLARA HAS PRODUCED FOR SPARK RACING TECHNOLOGY WILL MEETTHE PRESS FOR THE FIRSTTIME IN A FEW DAYS TIME IN GERMANY. ENGINEER MONTANARI PROVIDES USWITH ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS TRULY ELECTRIFYING CHALLENGE, WHICH, AS ANDREA PONTREMOLI UNDERLINES, REPRESENTS A CONTINUATION OF DALLARA'S TRADITIONAL VALUES OF INNOVATION ANDEXCELLENCE IN MOTORSPORTS PROJECT 9 Formula E’s time has come. In a few The competition will involve 18 credit he gave us. We will use our days, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, teams, three of whom have already experience and know-how to the car that will be lighting up 10 confirmed their participation: produce the best possible chassis, city centres all over the world from Drayson Racing from the UK, China guaranteeing high levels of 2014 - including Rome - will be Racing, and the Andretti Autosports performance, reliability, ease of use Formula E presented officially to the press, but team, a legend of the American and safety. Safety is a particularly the consortium behind this project racing scene. Formula E is a FIA important aspect and we are has already been at work for some sanctioned competition and will be working very hard together with FIA time behind the scenes. organised by Formula E Holding, and Spark to establish a new set of Fans have already noticed the which is run by Alejandro Agag (Ceo) safety standards for this innovative futuristic, exciting design, which is and Frederic Vasseur (president), but new championship». reminiscent of the Izod IndyCar. It above all it’s a preview of the next This commitment is reaffirmed by was developed by Dallara decade of motor racing, when, Frederic Vasseur: «I can’t speak Automobili for Spark Racing instead of being simple alternatives, highly enough of all our partners (in Technology, and will see an initial fuel consumption and zero the Formula E project, editor’s note). production run of 42 units. In this emissions are set to become I have worked together with them issue Engineer Montanari brings us fundamentally important elements throughout my career and we have up to date on the state of the in the racing world, as well as an shared in their biggest successes in project and the collaboration with additional stimulus for innovation.