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Thread: How to choose competition drivers fairly?

  1. #1
    Hi all,

    I'm looking to create a score sheet or something along those lines to determine who gets to drive our car. Factors that could influence the decision (looking for suggestions and how to weight them):

    Starting factors:
    How many years + months has the member been on the team:
    Has the member a drivers license:
    Time spent in lab (to be rated by other members, unless otherwise recorded):
    Time spent on project outside of lab (to be rated by other members, unless otherwise recorded):
    Have you raised sponsorship (if so, how much):
    How many parts has the member made/designed for the car:
    Weight/strength/fitness:
    Is the member a team leader/going to present in front of the judges:
    Has the member spent his own money on the car:
    Reliability/punctuality of the member throughout the year/s (to be rated by other members):

    During testing:
    Has the member damaged the car:
    Fastest lap time:
    Average lap time:
    Lap time variance (test of consistency):
    Quality of feedback:
    Amount of fuel used/efficiency:

    Can people suggest weightings and let me know if I'm being biased in anyway (I'd love to drive, but only if I deserve to).

    Thanks,

    Dan

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    University of Pittsburgh
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    We have the fastest drivers drive at comp, so we weigh everything on lap times, consistency, and cones hit. Quality of feedback is good only for the test driver (who has to be fast as well).

    If you want to win and be the fastest, how much time they spent working on the car and such can't be a factor. Heck, its not how it works in real racing.

    I'm president, but if there were 4 people faster than me then I wouldn't be driving at comp.

  3. #3
    Skip all factors that are related to how much time he/she has invested etc., if you want to optimize your points.
    Letting people driver, because they spent much time on the car only leads to frustration. No really dedicated team member should be interested in driving the car at comp unless he/she is the fastest, because otherwise you are wasting potential of the car.
    Driving at comp is no fun or reward, it is pure stress.

    The driver needs to be reliable, fast and provide good feedback.
    Regards,

    Tobias

    Formula Student Germany
    FSE Rules & Organisation
    http://twitter.com/TobiasMic
    http://TobiasMic.Blogspot.com

    Not many people know the difference between resolution and accuracy.

  4. #4
    It's very hard for us to recruit and as we're only a second year team who does not have a large budget, we won't be very competitive. If members are awarded a seat in the competition for the effort the put into the car, that could possibly be a good way to recruit/keep members.

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
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    I should add that in the past the president drove endurance regardless of skill. Last year I was, on average, 7-10 sec per lap faster. If we had another driver as fast as me we would have been more than a few places better overall.

  6. #6
    If you have to let them drive to keep them, then you do not want them on the team.
    As said before: Driving at comp is no reward. The pressure of the entire team is on your shoulders and you can ruin the efforts of 1 year with one mistake.
    Go karting and check out which team member is fast in general and let the fastest 4 to 6 testdrive the car to determine your competition drivers.
    Regards,

    Tobias

    Formula Student Germany
    FSE Rules & Organisation
    http://twitter.com/TobiasMic
    http://TobiasMic.Blogspot.com

    Not many people know the difference between resolution and accuracy.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    Nov 2010
    Location
    University of Pittsburgh
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    147
    TMichaels is right, the hours leading up to driving can be quite stressful. That all goes away when actually on track and your in the zone, but still.

    Go karting is a really great way to let everyone have fun and find drivers, just keep in mind even good go karts are still no where near FSAE car level.

  8. #8
    Oh and make sure that your drivers for SkidPad are able to count to two under stress. I see drivers every year wasting skidpad runs by leaving the skidpad too early or too late.
    Regards,

    Tobias

    Formula Student Germany
    FSE Rules & Organisation
    http://twitter.com/TobiasMic
    http://TobiasMic.Blogspot.com

    Not many people know the difference between resolution and accuracy.

  9. #9
    Originally posted by TMichaels:
    Oh and make sure that your drivers for SkidPad are able to count to two under stress. I see drivers every year wasting skidpad runs by leaving the skidpad too early or too late.
    Haha

    Karting could potentially be unfair as driver weight would make more of a difference there than it would in a heavier, more powerful FSAE/Formula Student car.

    Perhaps let everyone test drive the car and let the fastest few drive in the comp?

  10. #10
    I would strongly not recommend to just let everyone drive your car. Use last year's car, but do not risk to have someone who is overwhelmed by the capabilities of the car crash it before comp.

    Karting works quite well from my experience. In one season the fastest driver at the kart event was also close to the heaviest. If you are not going to go karting at an oval or at an outdoor track with long straights, then you will get a good feeling about who could be fast in an FS car.
    Regards,

    Tobias

    Formula Student Germany
    FSE Rules & Organisation
    http://twitter.com/TobiasMic
    http://TobiasMic.Blogspot.com

    Not many people know the difference between resolution and accuracy.

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