Uncle Ron up there at West McLaren-Mercedes (read Ilmor) has put together some answers to the most frequently asked questions sent in to the McLaren web
site. I perused the piece and here are some of the more interesting ones.
Q: What is the performance of the F1 McLaren?
A: 0-100 kph in 2.3 seconds. 0-160 kph in 3.6 seconds. 0-160-0 kph in 6.6 seconds. (Now that’s certainly not hanging about!)
Q: What G forces do the drivers experience?
A: Mika and David experience severe G forces under acceleration/braking (longitudinal G force), and through cornering (lateral G force). Under braking and
accelerating out of a corner, the drivers can experience loads that can peak at nearly 5G. This effectively means that the driver’s neck has to support nearly five times
the combined weight of his head and helmet when braking and cornering during racing - that’s up to 25kg. This is the equivalent of having 25 bags of sugar being applied to
your head instantaneously. (One lump, thank you, no milk!)
Q: How many team personnel go to the race meetings?
A: The McLaren organization sends between 60 and 100 personnel to each Grand Prix with an approximate breakdown as follows: McLaren 60-65 (European races);
55-60 (Overseas races), Mercedes-Benz 20-25 (European races); 15-20 (Overseas races), West 2-5 and Mobil 2-5.
Q: What are the personnel in the race team?
A: The race team is comprised of the following: technical director, race team manager, senior race engineer, chief mechanic, software engineer, race
strategist, two driver engineers, two assistant engineers, two system engineers, two data analysts, 12 mechanics, fabricator/carbon repairman, engine dress, chief truckie,
two tyre men, senior fuel technician, fuel technician, spares co-ordinator and team co-ordinator. (You’d certainly need a co-ordinator to keep that lot together at race
meetings.)
Q: What equipment do you take to the meetings?
A: The team transports approximately 25 tons of freight (including three complete race cars at approximately 600 kgs each) to Grands Prix. It takes between
10-12 engines and four spare gearboxes to each race, three built with rear suspensions and one loose unit.
Q: How many people watch Formula 1?
A: Formula One is broadcast to over 200 countries world-wide and is the most watched seasonal global sporting event. Approximately 366,000,000 people will
watch each of the 17 Grands Prix this season. (And that explains why Mr Bernard Ecclestone esquire is one of the world’s richest men, and I’m not!)
Automania Quiz
Last week I asked you about a South African car with the name Piranha. I wanted to know what was it and what was the engine? Do you remember the Ford
Capri’s of the mid 1970’s? They generally had 4 cylinder engines, though some had a V6. The Piranha model in S.A. had a 289 cubic inch Ford V8 up the pointed end - as far
as I know, the only “factory” V8 Capri in the world.
And so to this week. This question comes courtesy of Sean Jehan in the Channel Islands off the UK, who sent a magazine over to me with a mate of his who
was coming over for a holiday. Thanks, Sean! So here’s the question - in 1961 there was a great deal of British interest in the Monte Carlo Rally. The British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) was sent to follow a special entry. What was the British car that the BBC Sportsview programme chartered for this event?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct answer to fax 427 596 or email [email protected]
One week to go!
The first round of the 2001 F1 calendar kicks off in Australia next weekend. The starting time is 2 pm in Melbourne, which I think equates to 11 in the
morning here, but I will check this and try and have the exact time printed in the column next week.
Just as last year, Shenanigans (was called Delaney’s as you all remember) will host the event for us and we can get together in front of the big screen.
The carvery is also on, so come and have lunch with us while we see just what the teams have been up to during the lay-off season.
Is Raikkonnen really that quick? Does Minardi have an engine, or is it a twisted rubber band? Will Button show Fisichella the way round this year? Will
David Coulthard stop being a nice guy, or will he spit the dummy again? Has fatherhood taught Mika Hakkinen how to smile? Has motherhood brought a smile to Erja the Ice
Maiden? The answer to all our questions will be revealed on the 4th of March!
Another forward step for Melbourne
Hot on the heels of the planning for the Australian GP comes news sent to me of
another new development from Down Under. With the high rate of attacks on women in secluded Car Parks, especially during evening hours, the Melbourne City Council has
established a “Women Only” car park at South Bank. Even the car park attendants are exclusively female, so that a comfortable and safe environment is created for patrons.
The picture here was sent with the Press Release...
A Hyundai for every day?
Another of the “cross over” vehicles to hit the world market is the Hyundai Santa Fe. This is similar to the new V70 Volvo Cross Country that has just
been released here, and our Down Under correspondent John Weinthal has just finished testing the new Hyundai. Here are Words from Weinthal...
I have just finished testing another impressive new vehicle from Korea. It’s Hyundai’s first full-time four-wheel-drive and it’s a wagon of the
Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V style - although it is larger than any of these. It’s the Santa Fe from Hyundai.
Nobody can dismiss the Koreans these days. Every new model nudges their benchmark forward a little. The Koreans represent today what the Japanese did 30
years ago - the new value leaders with quality to at least match the rest.
There is a 102kW four cylinder Sata Fe from AUD $30,000 and a 132 kW 2.5 litre V6
for just AUD $34,000. And they share a host of very appealing features. These include a driver’s air bag, the safety of constant all-wheel-drive, cruise control, air
conditioning, 16 inch alloy wheels and a CD player. A range-topping V6 Santa Fe GLS adds rear disc brakes, ABS anti-lock braking and a passenger’s air bag for an extra AUD
$3000.
I had the Santa Fe V6 GL. One is immediately aware of its greater size than its obvious competitors - this wagon’s size is closer to the likes of
Mitsubishi’s Challenger and the Nissan Pathfinder.
Next, up one notes the quality look and feel of everything and the apparent thought which has gone into such useful details as cup holders, vanity mirrors
and places to store things safely.
But it’s on the road that this V6 wagon most impresses. It is ultra quiet and extremely refined. Its acceleration is brisk with plenty aside for
overtaking. The independent suspension soaks up all manner of road imperfections from concrete joins to ruddy great holes quietly and without a jolt. This is very much NOT
what one expects in a reasonably substantial, and low cost off-roader. We did also have some light beach running which it thrived on, and the good ground clearance is another
attraction in any off-road situation.
The handling is as good as the best of the 4-wheel-drive wagons. It sits high so there’s some roll. But there’s nothing to worry about; it’s barely
enough even to slow one through tightish bends.
The V6 comes only as an automatic - but it is an auto with a big difference in this class of vehicle. It has what Hyundai calls H-matic - that means you
can use it as a normal auto or you can change gears manually by nudging the lever to the left and then pushing forward or back for up and down changes. That’s just like in
more expensive devices such as BMWs and Mercedes. Again it’s - not what you expect in an off-roader costing just AUD $34,000.
As I wrote at the start, this is another impressive vehicle from Hyundai and Korea in general. They pose a real threat to their competition, and great
value for us.
