The Black Art of Car Design – Brawn / NeweyGreg's commentary
Over the past couple of races we have seen a change in guard for the front running teams. Members on this forum and the media have speculated as to why the performance increase for these considered bottom/mid-pack dwellers. New regulations guaranteed that we would see changes and shake ups in the order of grid for 2009. We all gasp at the enormous amount of resources that manufactures spent on the development and on-going operations of a team. With that much money, with that much state of the art technical equipment, computational, wind tunnel and fluid dynamics, why are these manufactures where they are today?
It is my position that in this area of computers, as far advanced as they are today do not hold a candle to the years of knowledge and experience of two individuals. Granted computers have their place.
Cap-dude makes an interesting point in this post:
I found this an interesting point to consider.
A lot of people are seeing a new pecking order in F1. With Brawn, Red Bull, and Toyota being the top teams currently. But has there really been any change from recent years. Ross Brawn lead Ferrari to 5 world championships. He's not new to the front. Newy has lead McLaren to several championships as well. So really, the same names are at the front, just under different teams.
It's an interesting point isn't it. Is this whats really hurting teams like McLaren and Ferrari. The loss of various team personnel.
There is something to that and further more, it is my contention that this is more a form of Art than Science.
Newey designing a car by using rudimentary engineering tools smacks hard of Leonardo Di Vinci. According to reports he does not have a computer or doesn’t use one in the design.
I have yet to find Brawn’s way of designing a car and or if he designs it computationally. It could be said that he draws it up and put it through the computer just as Newey, but doesn’t say that to promote technology.
I believe that Brawn and Newey hold deeper secrets in development than normal. On the surface they talk about the development like other engineers. Deeper in it feels as if they give a soul to a car, or something mystical. There is more to it than just diffusers. There is backbone, muscle and flesh in these cars..