The new standard ECU being introduced into Formula 1 this season is meant to outlaw electronic drivers aids such as launch control, engine braking and traction control however Jarno Trulli is concerned that some teams may have found a way to get around the ECU limitations, and have found ways to help drivers simulate launch control.
It was hoped that race starts would be more exciting this season thanks to the lack of launch control systems drivers will now have to ensure their clutch control is spot on, and have to handle factors such as wheelspin themselves. However Trulli believes that some teams have found a way to make starting automatic and if true, will give drivers of cars with this technology a huge hand in race starts.
“I’m not going to name any names, but I think that some teams have already found a way to automate the starting procedure and reduce to the minimum the chance of spinning the wheels under acceleration,” he explained.
“I’m not saying someone’s cheating, even though we’ve received some conflicting information at Toyota. But having analyzed the behaviour on the track both now and in the tests in December, the changes between them are many – and in several cases suspicious.”
