Rosberg knows Spa blindfolded (almost)

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Here’s an amusing video of Nico Rosberg tracing a lap of Spa-Francorchamps while blindfolded.

He reckons Eau Rouge is definitely still flat-out, though presumably he won’t be tackling it with his eyes covered:

Eau Rouge… unfortunately nowadays isn’t that difficult any more. Because of all the downforce on the car, it’s become quite easy to take flat out.

Of course this year downforce levels have been cut, but the drivers have slick tyres instead. Will Eau Rouge still be taken flat-out? Toyota’s Pascal Vasselon reckons so:

It has lost a bit of its magic now that it is easily flat out. We expect it to remain flat out in the dry this season even considering the aerodynamic changes, largely because the slick tyres compensate for the loss of downforce with increased grip.

This got wondering can anyone drive a lap of an F1 track on a racing game blindfolded? There’s a YouTube video I’d like to see…

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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18 comments on “Rosberg knows Spa blindfolded (almost)”

  1. To be very honest, even i know spa blindfolded. i’ve managed decent lap times on my f1 simulator. but it takes lot of skill & practice. I’ve been doing it for the past 7 years ;)

    1. can you link some simulator etc you use? I’m interested in knowing and trying them out myself.. thanks mp4-19b

      1. Assuming your question is which f1 simulator i use, i use rfactor with a MOMO racing force feedback wheel.

        you can download it in the following link

        http://www.rfactor.net/index.php?page=downloads

      2. Lol, ask a silly question :)

  2. Nico had been getting progressively worse tracing a lap of certain tracks. He did a lot better with Spa!

  3. I think Martin Brundle or maybe Ted Kravitz said during one of the recent grands prix that someone from one of the teams (no names obviously;D) had told them that with all those developments the cars now have a level of downforce comparable to that of last year.
    When you look at the times in Valencia the fastest lap time is better this year while Q2 times are just a few tenths slower. So i guess in a month or two, with the slicks on board we might be looking at actually quicker times.

    1. They probably the same level of overall grip. Less downforce, but more mechanical grip from the slicks.

      That means they can go faster on the straight with less drag from the wings, yet still have sufficient grip in the corners due to the slicks.

  4. It’s not the laptimes that matter, it’s how they get the speed. Unfortunately it still seems most of it is due to aerodynamics.

  5. I think mechanical grip trumps aerodynamics. Haven’t the biggest gains been made in the corners?

    1. The mechanical grip is a partial variable of the grip equation.

      The grip aviable is the tyre’s friction coefficient times weight plus downforce
      Grip=Cf*(weight+downforce)= Cf*weight+Cf*downforce

      Thus mechanical grip is considered to be the first member of the second form of the grip equation that is the tyre’s friction coefficient (the “quality of the tyre) times the weight on it, by weight we hear mass and accelerations from load transfers.Mechanical grip is felt at low speed, before aero grip dominates at higher speeds. It is a result of the suspension geometry\compliance and weight distribution.

      Since spa has fast free-flowing corners, its the aero grip that dominates, mechanical grip plays a very significant role in circuits like monaco,singapore.

      1. Cf=coefficient of friction(μ),its generally 1.7 between road surface & tire, but i assume it’ll be very high in case of a formula one circuit& bridgestone tyre.

  6. How can you quantify grip? there are so many uncontrollable (unquantifiable) factors on a circuit that I find this gibberish hard to take in.

    the only way formulas can be used in certain areas is that the only variable are aero grip and the rubber grip on a certain type of tarmac, (possible in vacuum), but on a circuit, you have dust, due, wind, specific g forces, etc etc…. the only thing that can measure and react to them is a race drivers’ extraordinary driving instinct.

    well that is what i think at least. I love physics, but formulating everything takes the magic out of it.

    1. Bet you didn’t like memorizing all those complicated physics formulae at college :)
      I always used to forget them at exams, but remember those now ,even after 5 years :)

  7. It is a regular feature on Williams site, he gets sequence of corners very precise but it is a bit difficult to work out proportions.
    I think he dropped out of board at Nurmbergring ;)

  8. what the hell? he was rubbish! i could have done a better job than him.

    1. Yeah, it wasn’t that impressive! He turned Blanchimont into a bit of a crossroads with Eau Rouge at the end

  9. being a belgian I know it by heart.
    Have done thousands and thousands of laps on many different racing games :)
    And tomorrow I’ll be at the track taking pictures!
    Looking forward to it :)

  10. I loved the Top Gear episode where they had the blind guy set a lap time on their track.

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