[DOF_power]

FIA report shows Ferrari data on McLaren's 08 car

Friday 14th December 2007


The FIA report into McLaren's 2008 car reveals why the team to chose to come clean over the spy scandal.

Although McLaren's apology is likely to see them granted entry into the 2008 season, the FIA report is damning.

The Report by the FIA Technical Department to the World Motor Sport Council claims negligence on the part of the British team. It reads "The prior investigations by McLarne into the use of the confidential Ferrari information do not appear to have been very thorough."

It was found that the team were not honest over Mike Coughlan's role within the team and also discovered that senior figures at Woking were willing to use Ferrari's technical information on their 2008 challenger.

"The [senior McLaren engineers] on the 2007 and 2008 McLaren cars appear to have known that confidential Ferrari information was available from a "mole" and had prepared to use it to McLaren's advantage in the development of the 2007 and 2008 cars," reads the report.

Furthermore, the report uncovered that contrary to McLaren's evidence at the WMSC hearings, Coughlan did play an active role in the design of spurious systems, especially the brake balance system.

"McLaren's insistence before the WMSC that Coughlan had only a functional design role at McLaren is not backed up by the documents and interviews. He played a leadership role in the development of brake strategy for McLaren on their 2007 and 2008 cars...McLaren were previously keen to downplay his contribution."

The governing body's investigation found that McLaren had intended to run certain Ferrari systems on their 2008 car. "McLaren's installation of a [confidential] in the braking system of its 2008 car had been influenced by the receipt of Ferrari information."

McLaren were also looking into the possibility of using CO2 gas to inflate their tyres - a concept that was passed from Nigel Stepney onto Coughlan.

[Racer Duck]

help me DOF, why CO2 gas in the tires? I'm familiar with using nitrogen, but not carbon dioxide.

[DOF_power]

ON THE GAS...

One of the most talked-about elements of the McLaren spy case was a special gas used by Ferrari in its tyres – in particular, an incriminating email from McLaren test driver Pedro De La Rosa to lead driver Fernando Alonso that revealed that the gas reduced the internal temperature and blistering.

In the email De La Rosa is quoted as saying ‘we’ll have to try it, it’s easy!’ Racing tyres are typically filled with air or, in more professional series like Formula 1, Nitrogen. But in an email from Alonso to De La Rosa he states it is ‘very important’ that McLaren test the gas that Ferrari uses in its tyres as ‘they have something different from the rest.’ He follows this up with ‘not only this year.

There is something else and this may be the key. Let’s hope we can test it during this test, and that we can make it a priority!’ It has been widely reported that the gas used by Ferrari was carbon dioxide and, whilst this is partially correct, it’s not the whole story.

Contrary to those that refused to believe alternate tire gasses could have a genuine impact on performance, Ferrari indeed developed an innovative solution. (For a revealing of all of the test results, purchase the December issue of Racecar Engineering.)



In fact, the gas used by Ferrari is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-based mixture designed specifically for use in racecar tyres, though not dissimilar in composition to gasses used in refrigerators, which are comprised entirely of hydrogen, carbon and fluorine.

A team headed by Andrea Seghezzi of Monza, Italy, in association with Gruppo Sapio developed the gas and subjected it to extensive track testing.

It was discovered that the HFCs were able to effectively conduct the heat generated during the rotation of the tyre to the wheel rim at a more or less constant pressure. The wheel rim then acts as a radiator, exchanging the heat with the outside air, maintaining a lower internal temperature and preventing it from overheating. This is particularly effective on aluminium or magnesium wheels.

Racing rubber inflated with air also suffers from the effects of some internal chemical interactions, which damage the structure of the tyre, and can result in a sudden drop in performance. Due to the high capacity for heat transfer, tyres inflated with the new gas mixture achieve excellent longevity, since the temperature of the tyre is kept low and the pressure is constant.

After extensive tyre testing the best blend of HFCs was found to be 52 per cent Tetrafluoroethane, 44 per cent Pentafluoroethane and four per cent Trifluoroethane. This mixture, known as HFC R404 A, was found to be most effective in a racing tyre when it was inflated with a blend of 50 per cent HFC R404 A and 50 per cent CO2.

The use of refrigerant gas to cool the tires and radiate heat away from the carcass through the wheel is but one of many secrets McLaren was privy to.



The use of this new gas mix for tyres has implications far beyond Formula 1, of course, as using it allows teams to run softer compounds for longer, or to work the tyres harder.

It could also be that there will be worthwhile benefits in races run over longer distances, like NASCAR or Le Mans.

The court case continued without revealing the precise details of HFC R404 A, but it transpires that, despite the encouragement of the drivers, a Bridgestone engineer doubted whether the gas mixture would be effective if used on the McLaren MP4/22. However, it is thought that the McLaren drivers were not fully aware of the gas mix, rather they only knew of the CO2 element.