Is Ron correct?
Discussion
In his recent interview with SKY and today in Autosport , Ron has said this about Customer Vs Works engines.
"Effectively, if you don't have the control of that process, meaning access to source code, then you are not going to be able to stabilise your car in the entry to corners etc., and you lose lots of lap time."
I am no computer expert, but my basic understanding is that the source code controls the functionality of a computer controlled system, but I would expect that all values assigned would be fully programmable by customer teams to cater for the circumstances of individual circuits, corners and phases of the race. He is effectively saying that Mercedes are not supplying equivalent equipment to the customers, which I thought was against FIA requirements.
Clearly the Renault engine is less powerful than all the Merc. customer engines, but they are 2nd in the WCC despite poor reliability.
I am worried that if Ron believes that his only problem is his Merc customer engine, then he could be seriously disappointed next year even with a super-powerful Honda power unit.
My guess is that Renault and Ferrari will catch up massively next year and RB become a much more serious threat to the Merc teams as well as the unproven Honda engine.
"Effectively, if you don't have the control of that process, meaning access to source code, then you are not going to be able to stabilise your car in the entry to corners etc., and you lose lots of lap time."
I am no computer expert, but my basic understanding is that the source code controls the functionality of a computer controlled system, but I would expect that all values assigned would be fully programmable by customer teams to cater for the circumstances of individual circuits, corners and phases of the race. He is effectively saying that Mercedes are not supplying equivalent equipment to the customers, which I thought was against FIA requirements.
Clearly the Renault engine is less powerful than all the Merc. customer engines, but they are 2nd in the WCC despite poor reliability.
I am worried that if Ron believes that his only problem is his Merc customer engine, then he could be seriously disappointed next year even with a super-powerful Honda power unit.
My guess is that Renault and Ferrari will catch up massively next year and RB become a much more serious threat to the Merc teams as well as the unproven Honda engine.
There is the ECU source code that controls the functionality of the system and then there's the mapping of the engine parameters which is put into the ECU software itself.
Like your word processor and the content that you type into it, to give a very simplistic analogy.
It sounds very much like Ron is talking about the maps and perhaps Mercedes are not giving McLaren access or allowing McLaren to request changes to the maps (changes that would aid chassis stability).
Like your word processor and the content that you type into it, to give a very simplistic analogy.
It sounds very much like Ron is talking about the maps and perhaps Mercedes are not giving McLaren access or allowing McLaren to request changes to the maps (changes that would aid chassis stability).
rdjohn said:
In his recent interview with SKY and today in Autosport , Ron has said this about Customer Vs Works engines.
"Effectively, if you don't have the control of that process, meaning access to source code, then you are not going to be able to stabilise your car in the entry to corners etc., and you lose lots of lap time."
Yet Williams seem to be able to make it work... "Effectively, if you don't have the control of that process, meaning access to source code, then you are not going to be able to stabilise your car in the entry to corners etc., and you lose lots of lap time."
budgie smuggler said:
Yet Williams seem to be able to make it work...
Even they work better some tracks than others though... The factory team work well everywhere. I can see the point he's making but there is a certain level if finger pointing for Mclaren recent lack of success involved here. Williams seem to make the engine package sing for them nicely..... I dare say if they had Mclaren's budget they would have been a serious threat to Mercedes this year. Then you have to look at Redbull who have managed perfectly well with the less than spectacular Renault engine for the last few years.
Ron looking for excuses it seems..
Ron looking for excuses it seems..
VolvoT5 said:
Williams seem to make the engine package sing for them nicely..... I dare say if they had Mclaren's budget they would have been a serious threat to Mercedes this year. Then you have to look at Redbull who have managed perfectly well with the less than spectacular Renault engine for the last few years.
Ron looking for excuses it seems..
It's not all about aero. Which is why some teams are strong on some tracks not not on others...it really isn't totally about budget...My personal view is that Willy lost their way when Gav Fisher went off to design surfboards, but I don't expect others to share that view (other than Ade, that is...)Ron looking for excuses it seems..
arcturus said:
Could it be that Mercedes have not given McLaren all the information they need knowing that they would be changing to Honda in 2015? If I was a Mercedes head honcho, I would be concerned about giving McLaren too much information in such circumstances.
Could have something there... ash73 said:
Brawn won the championship with a customer engine bolted in the back, literally as an afterthought. What is RD going on about?
In 2009 (when Brawn won) Mercedes only supplied engines. They did not run a works team.I've just had a google at Wikipedia's list of WCC winners. I cannot see one example - ever - of a customer engine beating a works team using the same engine.
I have to agree completely with Ron.
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