Formula 1 represents the pinnacle in terms of investment and technology in motorsport, as over the years teams have pushed for new tools to make up for the lack of on-track testing. The simulators have become an integral part of the work throughout the season, not only on race weekends, but also with a view to preparing for a Grand Prix or future developments.
Just as in Formula 1, simulators also play an increasingly central role in Formula E, especially at the dawn of the Gen 3 Evo, a single-seater which presents various innovations both in terms of the way the car is driven and the Powertrain. From the next championship, in fact, the electric series will be able to take advantage of the four-wheel drive mode, with the front motor-generator active in some specific moments of the weekend for a limited period of time, such as in qualifying or when the Attack Mode is used in the race .
Although the front motor-generator is standard, it is clear that teams need to better understand how it works, how to use it most effectively and how to contain any problems, including overheating of the unit, although the reduced usage time should help on this front. In a phase in which the teams still only have a fixed number of days of private testing available before the debut in Brazil in December, it becomes increasingly important to understand how to maximize resources in the factory to be ready for the moment when it gets serious .
Formula E Gen 3 EVO: new Powertrains arrive but also new ways of use
Photo by: FIA Formula E
For example, the DS Penske team recently invested in a completely renovated, state-of-the-art simulator at its US headquarters, but there is also a unit at the French manufacturer’s European headquarters in Satory, where the Powertrain is actually developed. Precisely the heart of the car will be one of the other novelties of the Gen 3 EVO, because each manufacturer will be able to approve a new unit after two seasons of freezing, which will give the opportunity to intervene on those areas of the hardware where it was thought there might be room for improvement.
The simulator as a tool for validating innovations
Since the beginning of the year, the manufacturers have had the opportunity to test their respective updated Powertrains to continue development before homologation, with a phased approach. On some occasions the teams tested only the Powertrain, while at a later stage there was the opportunity to test the new 2025 tires and the renewed bodykit, depending on how much the suppliers made the new features available. Clearly, part of the hardware development is carried out on the bench but, also as regards the software, the simulator becomes the key element for validating innovations before they are taken to the track.
In an area where the teams only have a few days of testing and so many new things to try, the simulators allow them to run with greater consistency both from the point of view of developing the single-seater and preparing for the track tests. The work behind the scenes becomes crucial, especially considering that a problem or a wrong setup could waste precious time on the track, instead of dedicating it to studying the car in terms of reliability and, above all, performance.
However, simulator work is not only useful from a development perspective, but also for studying new race strategies and optimizing work over the weekend. For example, as in Formula 1, even in Formula E before the start of official testing the technicians go to the track to examine the track, especially to evaluate any bumps, curbs or depressions in the asphalt. This data is then transmitted to the factory in near real time, where it is fed into the simulator, so that the assigned pilot can evaluate setup changes.
DS Penske / DS Performance Simulator at Stellantis Motorsport
Photo by: DPPI
DS Penske / DS Performance Simulator at Stellantis Motorsport
Photo by: DPPI
Also on this front, for example, DS is very active, because in addition to Oliver Turvey, an old acquaintance of Formula 1, it has two other drivers, including Yann Ehrlacher, who took part in the tests for young drivers on the French brand’s car .
An aspect that may apparently seem secondary, but which has a really important impact in Formula E, because with tires that are so hard and offer so little grip, changes in terms of asphalt or depressions can influence the slippage of the tires, having a very the grip of the car on the track and the performance, especially in qualifying where all 350 kW allowed by the regulations are exploited. It is not surprising that DS Penske, to strengthen its staff, has hired several new engineers, including one specialized and dedicated to roofing management.
Considering that even a few thousandths can make a difference in the electric championship, it becomes easy to understand why ever greater importance is given to the use and updating of simulators. With a view to 2025, then, they will also allow us to understand how to make the most of the all-wheel drive mode, because less effort on the tires may perhaps allow for different driving tactics or a different way of approaching that phase of the race in which it will be possible to exploit the extra kW.
The strategies will be more complex
In addition to this, a central element is also added, that of “remote garages”. Even in Formula E, the number of employees that can be taken on a trip is limited to 42 people, which is then reduced when it comes to a “live” track, who are identified with a yellow pass. Precisely for this reason, remote working also becomes fundamental: at Satory, DS has a “remote race room” that works in parallel with the activities on the track, in order to maximize real-time reading with a total of eight engineers, to whom adds the simulator pilot himself.
DS Penske / DS Performance Simulator at Stellantis Motorsport
Photo by: DPPI
Paradoxically, especially with Gen 3, which often sees group races in which it is crucial to manage the residual charge and temperatures, the strategic element has taken on a role perhaps even more important than in other championships, precisely due to the amount of data to be handle in very lively races.
Thinking about the Gen 3 Evo, the role of the engineers behind the scenes will become even more relevant: the new car is expected to be a few seconds faster than that of the previous generation. This will have a central impact, especially when the single-seaters will be able to activate all-wheel drive, which will guarantee a leap forward in terms of performance and notable lap times. If already in the past the teams were very careful about how much to use the Attack Mode with the extra power boost, from next year, with traction also on the front axle, the performance delta will be even wider, making the work of reading the real-time racing even more central.
From this point of view, it will be a “joint” work with the simulator, because pre-event it will also allow an estimate to be made on what the variable advantage will be from this new mode from track to track, to then be cross-referenced with the track data.
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