The removal of Traction Control isnt going to make a big difference!!?

Question

I see everyone here getting excited about the fact that TC is gone next year but its not going to make a huge difference. The cars huge amounts of downforce make it very hard for drivers to spin the tyres anyway. If the cars were still V10s i could see it being different but with the limited power they have from the V8s these days it is simply smothered by the huge aerodynamic grip the cars have.

The removal of variable engine braking is a much bigger hindrence to drivers yet nobody even mentions that and even that is not going to make a huge difference.

Look at the testing times from last week, no one struggled. No one was unable to put the power down. The only difference that will happen is that when a driver does make a mistake it will probably mean he will get more sideways than before.

Sorry to burst everyones bubble here who thinks that next year will be like the good ol' days but thats just the way it is going to be.

The V8s are limited in comparrison to the last of the v10s which were pushing 950bhp and would probably be over 1000bhp if they were still around today. Now if the drivers were harnessing that power it might be more difficult.

Answer 1

It won't any difference because they (the drivers) will be practicing all winter and even into the spring. Like i said, It won't any difference!!!!

Answer 2

First off, I have to comment on the fact that down force doesn't exist under 80mph?! I know on my GT Class car, the factory installed spoiler shows a noticable cut on front and rear lift at speeds as low as 15mph... somehow I imagine that the aerodynamics of an F1 car are far more advanced than the 20+ year old car I track. Actually, I know they are. The aero effects do increase as speed goes up, but they will be working from fairly low speeds. Of course the amount of force generated at 40mph will be much less than at 100mph, but there will still be downforce, and control against lift.

And as for power, while the V8 doesn't have as much power, or as wide a power band as the V10, they have more than enough to overdrive the wheels.

But what does all this mean with TC going away? TC being gone will have a small effect on overall lap times... overall, given other advances on the cars, we'll not see this change, but the reality is that it will be costing them a few tenths each lap.

The real difference will be how drivers deal with it. I've already seen comments from some of the younger drivers (Massa's predictions of crashes stands out in my mind) that suggest many are going to be losing a little more pace than just a couple tenths. The top drivers on the grid who have already shown great control in the wet and on cold tires will continue to get the most out of the cars. Midway through next season, a few drivers that appeared fast in the past will most likely drop a little down the grid, while some others that were more talented than we could see due to their cars will shine a little brighter. But the very front will be pretty much unchanged (with the exception of Massa - I expect he will struggle based on his comments and problems he's had in the rain... by midseason though we'll see if he's adapted, which would ultimately make him a better driver and a more realistic challenger for a title).

As for other aspects? Passing will most likely become more difficult as a result (pretty much every rule change to slow cars down ultimately makes passing more difficult), and there will almost certainly be more shunts in wet weather.

Answer 3

Well, for a start, downforce is non-existent below about 80mph, and a lot of corners are very much slower than that on various Grand Prix circuits. Consequently, the drivers will have to feed the power in very carefully, or risk swapping ends and driving backwards off the circuit.

Then there is the question of a wet track, which undoes almost everything that aerodynamic downforce contributes.
This will require the finest and most delicate throttle control.

At the start, when downforce is nil, the drivers will have to be very careful not to spin the wheels and stay virtually still; assuming that they're going to get rid of electronic clutch control.

Also, various drivers (particularly Jensen Button) complained about a lack of traction, even with aerodynamic wings, so it isn't as cut and dried as the questioner believes.

The fact is, no one has yet grasped the reality of the situation by their answers, which tends to suggest that they haven't a clue what they are talking about.

As a final thought, a (UK) Formula One stock-car with 600bhp and massive torque, weighs in at around 1.25 tons and runs on relatively narrow tyres. If the power is just let loose, they can burn the tyres out very, very quickly.

In power to weight terms, even allowing for downforce, an F1 grand-prix car is every bit as powerful, so rear tyre wear is going to be a critical factor without traction control.


Edit: Paul S is right to an extent. Downforce will exist at 1mph of course, but when cars are designed to do over 200 mph, the aerodynamics cannot be effective at low speeds, or the cars would need double the current power levels to reach their top-speed. So at anything less than 80mph (give or take a bit) the wings are fairly ineffective.

Answer 4

Up front of the pack it won't make much difference, the drivers are too skilled, but there will be a marked difference in mid pack onward, super talented drivers in crummy cars like poor old Rubens will handle the switch better than the less talented drivers, tyre wear will become a factor again and yes the tyres can easily be spun by an F1 car on the exit of many of the corners where speeds and therefore downforce is lower.

Answer 5

The power output difference between the V-8s and the V-10s is much to talk about and I've never heard anyone mention 750 hp being "limited". You are right in saying we won't see a big difference. The only time this would even come into play is at the start of a race. These drivers and teams are the best at what they do, removing traction control won't mean much.

Answer 6

It could make a difference. Drivers will have to learn to adapt to driving without it. Massa has already made his statement. Some drivers will have to change their style of driving as TC won't be there to take care of some problems that were caused by their driving. They'll have to be more alert and careful. It will truly showcase a driver's skill.

Answer 7

Jay's last sentence pretty much sums it up. We are talking about the best drivers on the planet...I would expect nothing less than perfection.

So therefore, I won't expect that much of a change though I believe seasoned drivers may make a few little errors here and there over the course of the season in different circuits.

Answer 8

the loss of traction control will exploit driver error, if anyone thinks that cars are going to go spinning off the track at every corner well that's obviously not going to happen, but where i foresee the problems will be drivers fighting for position, when one driver is hot on the tail of another we will see more driver error

as for the 80mph statement that is about where slip streaming (drafting) comes into play. not wings

Answer 9

It will make a difference, we just haven't seen enough yet to make a conclusion. Massa himself recently confessed that he'd be terrible without traction control. I think most drivers would try to adapt and if Massa doesn't, he might lose the chance to battle for the title.

Answer 10

that may be true, but i can still visualise a few of the drivers spending more time in the kitty litter until they are fully used to it. Massa for one has already said he doesn't like it, and Jenson has said it was fun without it, so it must make a bit of a difference for them to have noticed it.