[alfa] Re: Racing Alfetta brakes - long - so what's new

[Thomas Washburn <thomasw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tuesday 19 October 2004 14:14, acs@domain.elided wrote:

> It is absolutely unbelievable to me Any racing venue anywhere would ban 
> the use of ventilated brake discs if it is absolutely proven there is 
> virtually nothing which can be done to stop brake fade / brake fluid 
> boiling on a particular car - or on any car that's being raced for that 
> matter.

There certainly is something that can be done: slow down.  And that is
the point.

You are looking at brakes solely as a safety device.  Brake performance
also affects lap times.  Triple-throwdown ventilated carbon-carbon brakes
with 8-piston calipers, for example, would offer a significant competitive
advantage over stock brakes.

Racing drivers must and do adapt to the limitations of their cars.  Just 
as it is possible to run out brakes (on any car), it is possible to run 
out of road-holding grip, with equally spectacular consequences.  Are the 
drivers of cars that aren't maximizing grip by running slicks with giant
wings and ground-effects packages also "the equivalent of eager cannon 
fodder?"

> Let's say Bernie (and gang) decided there could be no brake ducting for 
> Formula 1 cars. How many of the upper tier drivers do you think would 
> stay on the job for one nanosecond?

Formula 1 brakes are subject to limitations, too.  278mm maximum diameter.
28mm maximum thickness.  One caliper only.  No more than six pistons.  No
more than two pads.  Liquid cooling is forbidden.  The maximum dimensions 
of the air ducts are strictly defined.  No ABS.  Et cetera.  They could
be better than they are, but the rules forbid that.

Most of the measures taken by sanctioning bodies to slow down the field,
limit costs, or prevent one team/model from acquiring a runaway advantage
assume some skill and self-interest on the part of the drivers.  Consider
chicanes: drivers slow down for them because otherwise they would go off 
the track.

I agree that well-considered rules should mandate minimum standards of
safety, if only to remove any incentive for teams to sacrifice safety
features in order to be competitive.  The question here is what standard
is reasonable.  Requiring brakes be immune to fade is not reasonable.

Regards
Tom
thomasw@domain.elided
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