WRC 2011 Q&A With M-Sport Ford Engineer
Engineer Paul Murphy talks us through why the new WRC's first round - in Sweden - will be such a challenge
Sweden is first outing for new Fiesta WRC
Today, however, is different, as we've found one that we actually like. It's a Q&A session with M-Sport Stobart Ford engineer Paul Murphy. He's the chap who manages Matthew Wilson's car (an all-new Ford Fiesta RS WRC), and he's explaining some of the difficulties associated with a snow rally, where temperatures can get as low as -30C. The M-Sport press team also gets top marks for leaving in Mr Murphy's 'for sure' line...
So, although we know it's terrible journalistic practice, here's the ready-prepared interview more or less verbatim:
Paul Murphy - a man who knows his rallying
The weather - it's the only WRC event run on snow and the temperatures on the stages can drop to well below freezing which has various effects on the running of the car. The low temperatures mean the engine and transmission run at much lower temperatures compared to hot rallies so we counteract this by restricting the flow to the radiator and oil coolers.
So what's changed to the car for a snow rally?
The biggest change is probably the use of special Michelin snow tyres. Each tyre has approximately 400 studs to help the drivers maintain grip on the roads and makes Sweden one of the fastest rallies of the year. Sometimes the studs can be ripped out if there is a lack of a good ice base and the cars are driving on the gravel underneath the ice. This is not usually a problem until the second pass through the stages.
We also have a heater in the car with a changeable fan control to increase the temperature inside the car and help maintain driver concentration. Most of the drivers wear special inserts in their shoes which help to keep their feet warm.
Special covers are added to the front radiator vent which help restrict air flow to the radiator. Additives are also added to the windscreen washer bottle to prevent water from freezing.
The car will also carry snow shovels and snow blankets. The shovels are made out of aluminium to help reduce excess weight in the car.
What are some of the main difficulties drivers face in Sweden?
It is very difficult to pick a line on the road when driving in snow. The drivers can lean on snow banks to help the car go round corners but some snow banks can be too light and won't keep the car on the road resulting in a crash or the car getting stuck. It's all about being precise and judging what snow banks drivers can use to their advantage.
What is different about a service in Sweden compared to other WRC events?
The mechanics have a tough time working in the freezing temperatures especially if the ice build-up on the car starts to melt during service. The boys would rather it was just cold rather than wet and cold.
In the service area, hydraulic jacks are prone to freezing because the oil thickens in the cold weather. The team use hot air guns on the jacks to stop them from freezing before and during service.
Oil can also start to freeze so it is vital that they are kept at normal temperatures. Normally the oil is kept outside on rallies but they are kept indoors in Sweden and only brought out at the last minute to ensure they do not freeze when temperatures are below zero degrees.
When the cars are in service overnight, what prevents the car from freezing?
They're kept inside but we do cold-start testing to ensure the engine starts at the temperatures we have to contend with in Sweden.
Does the cool air in Sweden help engine performance?
For sure, with average temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius the drivers will feel that the Fiesta RS WRC's EcoBoost engine is stronger in Sweden than on a rally where the ambient temperature is 20 degrees Celsius.
It also pisses me off that the only motorsport that the terrestrial TV channels seem willing to fight to keep hold of is, in my opinion, one of the most dull of all motorsports to watch. Bah!
http://www.youtube.com/user/Danglydotcodotuk?featu...
It also pisses me off that the only motorsport that the terrestrial TV channels seem willing to fight to keep hold of is, in my opinion, one of the most dull of all motorsports to watch. Bah!
Rallies nowadays seem to be at most 16 stages long, with each day comprising of 2 or 3 stages which are repeated up to 3 times each. I was staggered when watching coverage of the Mexico rally on Dave, when the commentator said that the stage had been rollered because it was too rough!!!!
The WRC cars, whilst a marvel of technology, do not have the same draw as the old Subaru legacy, the Delta Integrale or the last generation Celica's. Modern WRC Drivers talk about keeping the cars as straight as possible, and i know that this is because its the fastest route through a stage. But half the appeal of rallying was to see guys like Carlos Sainz, Didier Auriol, Colin McRae and Richard Burns wrestling cars through corners at impossible angles and speeds, and they did all this without active diffs, and flappy paddle gear change.
Am i alone in these rose tinted rememberings, or are there other fans out there who feel the same?
How the mighty have fallen - from the Lombard RAC Rally to Rally GB (still good at this stage - stages in England, Scotland and Wales) to, errm, Rally GB which is just in the southern half of Wales (and that's if you're lucky
).I radio-marshalled in the late '90s; we would do a Midlands spectator stage on the Sunday, then a stage in the Scottish Borders on the Monday followed by a stage in Wales on the Wednesday (this might have been in North/Mid Wales, or in South wales with a stopover in the area on the Tuesday night).
And on the Monday and Wednesday we'd see the competitors on the roads heading for their overnight stops, as we went wherever we were going.
Happy Days!
Can anyone explain what the differences for WRC2011 with respect to the cares actually are? Ta
I would also love to know what changing the capacity of the engine/ restrictor size has done to the characteristic of the maps and power/ torque outputs? From seeing footage for the new Citroen in testing, the new engine sounds like it is revving far far higher than the old 2000cc units (almost revving at 9000rpm?! – and with turbo so defo not just an S2000 lump.)
Thank you!!!!
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