FS Germany 2009, Updates, pics etc

[Kimmo Hirvonen]

This is a bit late but here's some of my best shots from FSG09:
http://hirppa.kuvat.fi/kuvat/FSAE/FSG09/

Same ones and some other will be at FSG-website also. I'm lacking the ones from the sunday award ceremony. I'll add them to that site if I'll get them.

Particularly this one shot might be worth mentioning. Last year I saw Stuttgart car lifting all the tires from the ground at the same time but my trigger finger wasn't fast enough. This year I had practiced and captured Esslingen car "flying". Unfortunately it is a bit unsharp so still something to improve for next year.
Here it is:


If someone wants original sized ones -> PM.

[Trevor]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I didn't see Oregon on the final results? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

For those who don't know, we had the rivits on our muffler case shear off and got meatballed for losing the part on track.

With Delft and Helsinki DNFing as well, it made for a rather anti-climactic endurance. Still congrats to Stuttgart, who brought their top game as usual.

[JVC]

The finale was indeed a bit anti-climatic, maybe bizarre even, but it doesn't make the achievement of Stuttgart any less.

I finally got round to placing my pictures online as well. You can find them here. It's probably not too hard to tell the pre- and post-enduro pics apart, most of them are of happier times though.

Julien

[JamesWolak]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dan Deussen @ Weber Motor:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JamesWolak:
The top 10 acceleration times seem slower then they usually are. Is the course longer/uphill or was it weather related? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The accel track is on the start/finish straight of the Hockenheimring. It is pretty much flat, but there was no sun shining during the event. I think the track surface temp was a few degrees lower than last year that is why the times were higher this year. In general I have to say the starting technique a lot of the drivers used was quite sub-optimal. Quite a few cars seemed to use launch control systems which seemed to result in repetitive runs but it appeared that they wasted potential of the car.

Also a lot of teams waste the 30cm staging distance to the light gate because they start rolling toward the start line before they get on the throttle. Some even do a small jump when they insert a gear.

My suggestion to the accel drivers is to stay on the brake padel hard until you are really ready to put the pedal to the metal. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


I find it hard to believe that driver error was the main issue with all the teams. TU Graz and UofM both trapped some impressive times at MIS that they didnt repeat at FSG.

I just find it strange. Usually MIS accel times are a tad low because the track temps are not very hot.

[Dan Deussen @ Weber Motor]

James,

the TU Graz car at MIS '09 was their '08 car. Their car at GSG '09 was their '09 car so you cannot compare them.

The accel track was the same as last year where we had multiple sub 4 second runs. The track temp was not quite as warm as last year, because the sun was hiding behind clouds this year.

Again, there were a few cars that did a good job at staging and launching their cars and a whole bunch that messed it up. That is my obersvation as event captain and starter with many year and hundreds of launches of experience as an accel driver for FSAE.

I would advise all teams to first of all practice staging and making sure your car does not roll forward before you are really ready to go. Then I would say most teams need to work on their clutching technique. I saw many cars bogging the engine rpm down way too much at launch and not get any desired wheelspin.

[JamesWolak]

Thanks Dan. I didn't know that TU Graz was running their 09 car (which makes sense). Flavorpacket is from UofM and his comments explains why their times were a tad shy of what they ran at MIS.

I also didn't see that you were on SVSU's team. Which proves you obviously you know all about running 4.0X accel runs.

[Thrainer]

What a great event. I enjoyed getting to know more international teams. Unfortunately, we didn't have the setup to compete at the very top.

I was Zurich's second acceleration driver (4.16 s) and even though we adjusted in the right direction, I simply didn't expect so little grip. Temperature might have been the problem. Grip level was similar to Melk (FS Austria), where we managed to improve a bit with more help from our ECU. I hope Italy will be good for 3.9 s runs or lower (but with 75 m).

Does anyone have video footage or at least pictures of our second endurance driver's 540° spin/donut in the hairpin? He didn't hit a cone and still managed a 60 s lap. I can't believe noone has caught that.

This year, we continued our tradition from Silverstone last year and broke the car before endurance in all three events. Still, we've finished six endurances in a row. In FSG, we discovered that our tie rod buckled on the practice track. It was damaged during the design event. With the help from TU Wien (self-made oven using a heat gun and plastic bow), we cut and bonded a new one within 60 minutes.

Thomas
AMZ - Zurich
Drivetrain, Bondings, Business Plan, Acceleration

[poe21]

can anybody tell me what the fastest endurance lap was. I have been watching the vids, but they only cover like the first 12 teams.

thanks
poe

[Dave Evans]

poe,

Below is a link to the FSG endurance lap times:
I'd imagine Stuttgart had the quickest lap, but none of the time show how many cones were counted.

http://www.formulastudent.de/u...Laptimes_Results.pdf

[Dave Evans]

All of the FSG results and times can be found here:
http://www.formulastudent.de/e.../event-2009/results/