Starts
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How much can driver really do at the start.
I hear many thought Alonso’s start was the best overtake of Spanish GP but was it really? (even if we consider it an overtake)
Unless driver misses light out, how else can he screw up?
From my understanding first clutch is used during the start and rpm required are preset prior by engineers. So if a driver gets wheel spin – not his fault.
After first gear normal clutch is used and driver is in control of the throttle.
Third gear I would assume is full throttle so again driver can’t screw up.
Opinions?
There’s no launch control, drivers still have to manually operate the clutch, manually hold the revs and manually control wheel spin. If any one of those is even slightly off, they will have a less than perfect start. It may not be a small difference, but if someone around you does have a perfect start, it’s enough for them to get ahead of you.
What made Alonso’s overtake at the start so great wasn’t all down to the actual getaway (which was very good) but rather his commitment and instinct as to where to place his car. He was coming up on the two Red Bulls at quite a rate of knots and never once lifted the throttle. Best start I’ve seen since Trulli at Spa ’08.
Yep, that start was phenomenal. He was really brave. Here’s the video by the way: http://is.gd/o5JykZ
Petrov at Australia last year was pretty amazing too.
Because of everything DavidS has said I consider getting a good start an art in itself. There are a few drivers such as Massa and Petrov (his Aus start last year was so good) who generally always nail the start better than most cars around them. It’s really easy to be a bit sluggish at the start and lose a few places too so I’d say it’s a skill all on its own.
And then there are drivers like Webber and Barrichello who tend to struggle more often than not.
Of course in the old days with a proper clutch and gearbox, Gilles Villeneuve was the undisputed master of it…
Schumacher has made some pretty good starts recently too and yesterday’s was the same. It’s definitely an art form, hence why the top 3 on the clean side of the grid still all made average starts.
Ripa move! Balls of steel… Curious as this has been raised in the past… Is is OK that Vets moved 3 times (left, right, left) across the the track. Is it only an issue if its in the braking zone? Could someone please clear this up for me?
Alonso used all his KERS during his start in Barcelona. I don’t know whether other drivers normally do this, but Alonso definitely did in Spain
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