“The drivers’ ability to learn is amazing”
As the first Indian GP approaches, race engineer Andy Latham tells us how Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button prepare for a brand new circuit
Andy Latham is Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ race engineer for Lewis Hamilton, and just before he got on a plane to go to India for the inaugural Grand Prix at the Buddh Circuit, we spoke to him about how the team and drivers get ready for a brand new race at a brand new circuit.
How do you prepare for a racetrack that you’ve never been to before?
“The first thing we do is to create a computer model of the track. From that, we can model the elevation, camber changes, racing line and, using an approximate grip level, start to run simulations to calculate the speeds at each corner.
“You can conduct a lot of simulation work solely within the computer to work out the rough downforce levels and aero configuration, braking energies, cooling requirements, tyre loadings and gear ratios. You start to build up a picture of just what sort of set-up the car needs for each particular track.”
How long does it take for a driver to learn a new circuit?
“Their ability is something that never fails to amaze me. Lewis has the ability to learn every corner, which gear to be in and the optimal apex speed within a handful of laps. He might look at an overlay, showing speeds and recommended gears, before he has his first run in the sim, but he’ll work them out himself within one lap anyway.
“The drivers are phenomenally quick – and it’s the same at the actual track: within a few laps, they’ll be pretty much up to speed with everything.”
What do you think of the Buddh International Circuit?
“It’s a mix – overall, it seems quite similar to Korea. The first sector is built around long straights with some heavy braking into low-speed corners. The second half is a sequence of medium- to high-speed corners, probably taken in third, fourth or fifth gear, that flow together. The first half of the lap requires a car with good braking and low downforce, while the second half is less about braking and more about balancing the car through the high-speed.”
Credit: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (mclaren.com)
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