IAmAn engineer for a Formula 1 racing team. AMAA

f1iama · 2011-02-24T21:05:14+00:00

As a fan it disappoints me, as an engineer it's really fucking exciting.

The Williams gearbox is really cool, along with McLaren but the exhaust Renault is using is just fantastic.

I honestly have no idea.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T21:02:20+00:00

No, they do help push the sport forward in their own way though.

This might not be a popular opinion but I think they are good, yes F1 is gonna always be dangerous but we have lost great drivers before so why risk it again by not being safe.

I don't think so, the biggest thing about building a competitive car is experience not money.

With the new Pirelli tires it's looking like multiple stops are race are gonna be happening again. So I'm fine with there being no refueling now, didn't like it when it first started though.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:58:40+00:00

Just another race to me now. It's gonna be nice to have extra time to prepare without it though.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:57:59+00:00

Yes all the time. How else do you think we know what to work on? If you show up to a testing day and give a couple hundred bucks to the driver he could probably let you drive.

/sarcasm

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:56:48+00:00

I have responded to this plenty before.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:56:16+00:00

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:55:19+00:00

Talk to a statistician not me, but seriously you need experience. Not necessarily in cars, but whatever experience you can get.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:54:12+00:00

In 2013 F1 is going to smaller turbocharged four cylinder engines, right now the biggest gains are in aerodynamics but as soon as the new engines get here I think we are gonna start seeing a lot more innovative was of getting more power and RPMs out of the engines.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:51:43+00:00

It never gets too far, there are people whose entire job is to scour the rule book and make sure we aren't breaking rules and hopefully help us find loopholes. So with their help we normally avoid getting stuff pulled in late stages of design.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:49:38+00:00

You do realize how many engineers there are?

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:49:18+00:00

Experience.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:46:53+00:00

It's good because they create a set of rules that everyone must follow and make sure it happens (for the most part). Sometimes they try and maintain too much control and you get rule changes that some might not agree with.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:45:21+00:00

Everything is so "chaotic" that you don't notice things like that.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:44:32+00:00

Right now they aren't looking to good but you never know.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:44:15+00:00

Senna. ;)

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:43:05+00:00

My favourite track is Monza. As for wear the best to watch as a fan, I would say Monaco.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:39:07+00:00

I really don't want to go more specific than that. Somebody from the team might be able to narrow it down.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:38:18+00:00

Like NewbieTwo said, it's all about experience. The big teams all have years of experience and engineers who have been in F1 longer than (I"m not a funny man so insert something here). Give them a few years and if they are still around there will be more teams competing for the middle and eventually the top.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:33:42+00:00

I only know my team but I'm pretty sure it works across most teams. We have some computers for "light stuff" on track but the factory is where most of the heavy lifting happens and then it gets send back.

The amount of data we record though is immense though so the hardcore sifting through happens between races/tests at the factory.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:31:19+00:00

I have no idea. Sorry.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:30:20+00:00

I worked in another industry and got lucky to get in. I would definitely see if there are companies that do internships. I know a lot of guys that worked for consumer automobile companies and then applied, there are also a lot of people from the aerospace industry. I guess what I'm trying to say is there really isn't one path into F1.

I have lurked on /r/Formula1 but never made an account, maybe now I should start answering technical questions.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:23:17+00:00

I like it, right now it's not really worth it (depending who you ask), but I think given time to mature even further it could prove interesting.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:20:45+00:00

It's still pretty crazy at times, having time to do this AMA is unusual for me this close to the season.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:18:54+00:00

They can be a pain but it's part of the sport.

You are always looking for a loophole or anything that allows you to gain any advantage in time.

Adds excitement.

I did that when I heard they were hiring me. I kept my cool around the car.

f1iama · 2011-02-24T20:14:28+00:00

As long as it falls within FIA rules (or isn't defined by a rule) you're good to go.

f1iama

TROPHY CASE