The former Cavallino technician: “Ferrari made the biggest leap with the 2022 rules: they are very fast, Binotto perfect for the role and Charles likes him because he is a normal type. What do you remember there: I learned Italian from the mechanics of the red and the Modenese from the old folks at the bar “
Luigi Perna
– Milan
Rob Smedley ‘s Italian has remained as excellent as it was in the days of Ferrari and even the ironic character is the same as it was then. The former track engineer of Felipe Massa, for eleven years at the wall of the Maranello team, is today the “Data Systems” director and technical consultant of the Formula One Group. A role that sees him in charge of about one hundred people who are involved in analyzing millions of information to improve the GP show. We met him in Milan, during the Aws forum, a company that provides a strategic technological platform for F1.
How does your group work?
“We have transferred the method of data analysis used by teams in the entertainment world. The arrival of Liberty Media has started the process. F1 is a very complex sport. The goal is to involve the public, especially young people. who use the smartphone, making pit stop strategies and other elements of the races understandable with live contributions “.
How have you helped develop the 2022 cars?
“We started from a survey among enthusiasts, which revealed the desire to see closer duels on the track. As F1 we had to look for a solution to reduce the negative effect of turbulence on overtaking. We studied the fluid dynamics of two cars, one after the other, and we came to create a single-seater model, together with the Federation, from which the teams started to design the cars according to the new regulation. The contribution of AWS was very important in speeding up (almost seven times , ed) the data analysis times of our simulations “.
Some team principals were skeptical.
“It’s nice to hear the comments, it always happens when something new is introduced, in this case huge. But the indications tell us that we have gone in the right direction. The ground-effect cars are already as fast as the 2021 ones and at the end of the season they could overtake them.”
But the hopping phenomenon worries the pilots.
“It is a problem that occurs little on some cars and a lot on others. So it is not related to the regulations. We must all work together to find a solution, for the sake of sport, while safeguarding safety. Teams tend to favor performance. sacrificing the comfort of the rider “.
Did you expect such a competitive Ferrari?
“We knew that with the new rules someone could have taken a big step forward. As a former Ferrari driver, I’m happy that it was the red. Now they have the fastest car overall on the various circuits. The reliability problems are linked to having pushed so hard. performance. But it was necessary to take risks to get back to the top. ”
Is Binotto the right man in the right place?
“When I joined Ferrari in 2003, he was Michael Schumacher’s engine engineer. Then he became head of that area and later technical director, when I had already moved to Williams with Felipe. His best quality is the ability to manage. men. So he’s perfect as a team principal. ”
How did you learn Italian?
“They made us do business courses, but I got bored after two lessons, so I learned it from the mechanics. Mine is Ferrari’s Italian: a mixture of Modena, English and a little French. By the fourth week I understood already your language, but I didn’t tell the guys on the team because I wanted to hear how they talked about me in the garage. They were colorful comments … I let another two months go by, then I revealed the truth, and someone turned pale (laughs ) “.
What happened next?
“They behaved perfectly. However, to confuse me, they spoke in Modenese. So I had to go to the bars in Maranello to learn the dialect from the old people.”
How do you see Ferrari today?
“There is the drive to go back to winning as in the golden days”.
Why, despite billions of data, are strategic mistakes still made like in Monte Carlo?
“Because data and tools can give you an indication, but then it is men who decide. It is a difficult task, not at all trivial: in three seconds you have to make a choice that is as valid as that of the president of a company and from which the world title may depend “.
Which pilots do you like?
“Lewis Hamilton has achieved incredible goals, it is extraordinary what he has done on and off the track, with his message. Leclerc and Verstappen are exciting. Charles conquers the public because he has a normal background, he is not the son of a rich family from Monte Carlo. . Then there is the emerging generation which includes Norris and Gasly. “
“He, Max and Lewis are able to raise the level of the whole team, dragging the others and transmitting a winning spirit. The same ability that Michael Schumacher had at Ferrari, when he was the catalyst, surrounded by Todt, Brawn and Byrne. From these riders comes the push to react to mistakes and improve “.
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