Formula One is poised for its second event in the Middle East – and the new Yas Marina Circuit features anumber of innovative features, including a five star hotel that straddles the track. On the ground, its 5.55kilometres (run anti-clockwise) incorporate long straights leading into tight corners, to encourage overtaking, plusa series of fast sweeps that will contribute to average lap speeds approaching 200kph. Contemporary protocoldictates that two-stop strategies will almost certainly be the preferred tactic.
Talking technical
Car dynamicsAverage turn angle indicates the average angle of a circuit’s corners expressed in degrees. The higher theaverage turn angle, the more acute the corners in the circuit’s configuration and the greater propensity forundersteer to compromise lap time. Average turn angle at the Yas Marina circuit is 1000 - which is below averagefor the season. The circuit predominately features low speed corners which are linked by two long straights.Based on simulation work, the end of straight (EOS) speed at the Yas Marina circuit is 300kp/h. The Abu Dhabitrack ranks as having the 4th slowest EOS speed on the 2009 calendar, and this is one indicator of the wing leveltypically selected to optimise the downforce/drag ratio. Meanwhile, Yas Marina also has the 3rd slowest averagelap speed of any of the tracks on the calendar.
Pitlane & refuelling strategyThe pitlane length and profile contribute to the determination of the optimum fuel strategy. The pitlane loss at AbuDhabi is approximately 18.5 seconds, which is the 10th most penalising pitlane in the Championship. Tocomplete a normalised distance of 5km around the Yas Marina circuit requires 2.43kg of fuel against an averageof 2.42kg per 5km across all circuits this season, ranking the circuit as being averagely demanding in terms offuel consumption.
Safety carAnother key contributor to the determination of race strategy is the likelihood of safety car deployments, whichare influenced by weather considerations, the availability of clear run-off areas that allow racing to continue whilerecovery takes place and the circuit profile, especially the character of the entry and exit into turn one at the startof the race. The Yas Marina circuit is new for 2009. It has large run-off areas with additional tarmac sections laidoutside the turns, so the circuit’s character is unlikely to induce a safety car period.
Temperature, pressure & humidityAs an example, it is a long observed tradition that drivers arriving at Interlagos complain about a lack of grip andan absence of engine power. Having become acquainted with a baseline of engine and aerodynamicperformance during the season, the climb to 750 metres above sea level for one of the final races can, courtesyof the reduction in air density, rob a Formula One car of engine power, aerodynamic performance and cooling.The losses can come close to double digit percentages and thus have a very real impact on car performance.Air density is a factor of the prevailing ambient temperature, which varies most significantly by season, airpressure which is closely linked to altitude and, to a much smaller degree, by humidity. Thus if races are run atthe same time each year, the factor that tends to have the greatest bearing on air density is elevation. Abu Dhabiis at sea level and therefore has the equal highest average pressure (1,013 mbar) of any race venue in the 2009Championship. Engine power will be high due to the ambient pressure, although there will be a small reductionas a result of the high ambient temperatures.
What the drivers say
What we did after BrazilKazuki “As it was my home race in Japan at the start of the month, I’ve pretty much spent the whole of Octoberthere. I then travelled straight to Brazil from Tokyo so, after the race last weekend, I finally went back home toOxford after a full month away. It was nice to finally be home as it was a really busy trip. I’ve had a quiet week orso, catching up with friends and spending some time at the factory with my engineers.”
Nico “I finally made it home after some technical issues with the plane to London on Sunday after the raceand since then have had quite a busy week. On Thursday, I joined a karting day with some guests of ThomsonReuters before going to the factory on Friday to use the sim to prepare for Abu Dhabi. On Monday, I’m in Munichwith Randstad and then I fly to Abu Dhabi. I’ll arrive on Tuesday morning and have a day to get used to the heatand time difference before another appearance for RBS in Dubai on Wednesday.”
About Abu Dhabi and the all new Yas Marina Circuit
Nico “I am really looking forward to going to Abu Dhabi. With the amount of time and effort that has gone intobuilding it, I think it’s going to be a fantastic venue with stunning facilities and a great experience for FormulaOne. I’ve heard it’s a sell-out too so it should be a really exciting race weekend for the teams and the fans and agreat way to end the year.”
Kazuki “It’s really exciting to be going to a brand new circuit. The organisers certainly look like they’ve put a lotof thought into developing the track and the facilities. It all looks very impressive and the perfect place to end thechampionship.”
Abu Dhabi from a technical perspective
Kazuki “As we haven’t driven the circuit yet, it’s difficult to give an accurate breakdown of the track but oursimulator has provided us with some really invaluable data. It looks like set-up will veer towards a medium tohigh downforce configuration to cope with the long straight (which will require good top speeds) and tight cornerswhich we expect to see on a street circuit. Good grip levels for balance and to cope with the sand will also becrucial. One of the most interesting things for me is that we will drive under a hotel which I can’t wait toexperience.”
Nico “Abu Dhabi is going to be a new experience for all of us so the simulator at Grove has been a real helpand I’m pleased I had it at my disposal this week. There are some things like the bumps and kerbs that you can’tcompletely replicate, but braking, oversteer and understeer are all very similar. It’s definitely a big advantagehaving a sim like ours as I will be able to drive out of the pits on Friday and know the track pretty muchstraightaway. The one consideration I’ll be interested to see play out is the fact that we will start the race indaylight and then move into the night time.”
