Aerodynamically you go for the maximum downforce

The streets of Monaco present a huge challenge: not just to the F1 drivers, but to the engineers as well.

The circuit’s unique characteristics always require special preparations and changes to the rules for 2009 mean that everyone is going to the season’s most prestigious event with questions over exactly how the cars will perform.Monaco: the ultimate challenge for everybody

For the teams the biggest technical change from a traditional race circuit relates to the suspension. Monaco has all the bumps and cambers of normal roads, and the car has to be adjusted to deal with them.

Dominic Harlow, Force India’s chief race engineer explains: ‘You tend to be at the extremes in many respects, using the full travel of all of the suspension elements and the softest of the torsion bars. Ride height also tends to be pushed to the upper end. Systems also run at the edges of the envelope: you tend to need quite a lot of cooling for brakes, engine and any electrical components.’

The hairpin, which is the tightest corner of any tackled during the whole season, also presents a special challenge. ‘We have had to modify the steering so that there’s enough lock to get around it,‘ Dom explains.

Aerodynamics play a key role at Monaco as teams always pile on as much downforce as they can. This year will be interesting because the 2009 rules led to an overall reduction, and while development has won much of it back, the cars will still have a lot less relative to last year and crucially the new rules make it harder to claw even more back for Monaco by banning most of the little appendages that we normally see there.

‘Aerodynamically you go for the maximum downforce,’ says Dom. ‘This year the aerodynamic side will be more difficult to exploit. There are some very small areas around the centre of the car where we can put things, but it’s less fun that it used to be in that respect.’

The cut in downforce for 2009 came hand in hand with an increase in mechanical grip. This year the teams are tackling Monaco with slick tyres for the first time since 1997, so there will be a lot of learning to do, as tyres can take a real beating over a race stint.

At other races this year Bridgestone has brought compounds that are two stages apart – supersoft and medium for example – but because Monaco is a special case the FIA has agreed to allow the company to bring the supersofts and softs, as it would be very hard to make the medium work around Monaco.

‘They’re taking two what they call ‘low working range’ compounds, which I think is the safest thing to do, because it would have been a risk with the mediums. Clearly the supersoft will be the favoured tyre, and the other one will have enormous longevity and probably keep getting better and better over longer distances. I don’t think graining will be too much of an issue. Sometimes when the grip level is low the rears take a bit of a beating in traction, so we’ll have to wait and see.’

The crucial thing about the slicks is that they are grippier than last year’s grooved tyres. With improved traction the cars will be propelled out of the corners faster.

‘One of the things that came out of our simulations last year going into this year was that Monaco was the biggest change for the slick tyre, purely in terms of the mechanical grip increase. You’d expect the lap times will be quicker, whereas at a lot of circuits so far they’ve been almost the same.’

Quicker corner exits and lower downforce means that top speeds could be up. And that could mean that places like the tunnel and the lefthander into Casino Square could be trickier than they have been in recent years.

‘Whereas we used to run 280-290km/h, the cars will be capable of quite a bit more than that in this year’s maximum downforce configuration, so the expectation is we will be fairly quick at the exit of the tunnel and other longer ‘straights’. It will be interesting, and maybe make the braking at the chicane will be a little bit more difficult for the drivers!’

The unpredictable nature of the track and the proximity of the walls means that one thing every team has to do for Monaco is prepare for potential crash damage in practice and qualifying. This year’s wide, low front wings could be especially vulnerable even if a driver doesn’t make a mistake, but simply runs a little too close to a barrier. An extra problem for 2009 is that the adjustable front wings are packed with electronics, so any damage could be expensive!

The VJM02 has certainly taken a step forward in recent weeks, and the team is hoping for a strong performance. Adrian Sutil has made a name for himself as a Monaco specialist over the past two years, while Giancarlo Fisichella has twice been on the podium.

‘Certainly in comparison to other races we’ve got much better expectations,’ says Dominic. ‘In fact it can be a bit of a leveller, and we’ve got two drivers who are very capable there. We’re also quite happy with our mechanical package. It’s quite a strong part of the car, and it should pay dividends.’

He admits that the team wouldn’t mind seeing rain at some point, as that will play into the hands of Sutil, the unlucky hero of the 2008 event.

‘You never know do you? It would be nice to reprise last year, but hopefully get the right outcome this time!’ 

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