Ben Hunt
The FIA hope to avoid a repeat of the chaos in Malaysia caused by the rain with this current generation of F1 cars with their latest software update, but there is a bigger issue that pundits feel needs addressing.
The Singapore GP eight days ago represented the third race in a triple-header across Azerbaijan, Malaysia and Singapore. This week, F1 teams are back on the road heading to Austin, Texas before another three races in the US, Mexico and Brazil. The season ends with another three races, with F1 planning to go to Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, despite the conflict in the Middle East.
The FIA will introduce a permanent update to the standard ECU’s wet-weather settings at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin and Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle has warned that the problems behind the fix point to a wider issue: a sport that is showing signs of “fatigue”.
The Austin update follows a software patch that had to be sent to teams for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit. A wet-weather power unit mapping bug had left cars with unrecoverable power loss on the formation lap under the mandatory 250kW restriction.
The emergency fix bypassed the restrictive energy limits so cars could get going safely. As GPblog reported earlier this month, the FIA’s investigation found that the power loss struck cars running low engine RPM in sectors where the 250kW reduction was applied.
What changes in Austin
The FIA chose a two-stage solution. The Sepang configuration would be reinstated for Singapore if similar weather was expected, and a further update to the wet-weather software would follow for the United States Grand Prix on 25 October.
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The governing body denied claims that the software had not been tested properly before Sepang but the review also called for stronger testing procedures. The FIA admitted that chances to test in representative wet conditions are limited and said it would work on this with the teams, the power unit manufacturers and the standard ECU supplier.
Singapore added a 27-second ‘human error’
Less than a week after Sepang, Sprint Qualifying in Singapore brought a second problem. After a red flag for debris from Sergio Perez’s Cadillac in SQ1, race control did not reactivate Overtake Mode when the session resumed. It then switched the boost on for 27 seconds before turning it off again.
The FIA admitted that the mistake affected some cars depending on when they were running and where they were on the lap. Speaking to media including GPBlog, FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis explained how a missed alert had started the chain of events.
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Of course, it is a complicated job, and people do make mistakes, and we need to be conscious of that.
– Nikolas Tombazis, FIA single-seater director
Brundle links the glitches to the calendar
Speaking on Sky Sports F1, Brundle said the fix in Malaysia had come quickly, although one team needed an extra 10 minutes to get it approved at its headquarters. He argued that the real concern is the strain on the sport as a whole.
I tell you what I think I’m seeing is fatigue. We’ve got six races in seven weekends, nine in 11.
– Martin Brundle on Sky Sports F1
Brundle added: “I think we’re just stressing the system a little bit, but it shouldn’t happen in the world of Formula 1.”
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The debate over F1’s scheduling comes after Rwanda agreed a 10-year deal with F1 and while no set date has been given for that race, current regulations limit the season to 24 grands prix.
