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| 2010 Lola LMP breaks cover |
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Q. There is a fierce debate about CFD v Wind Tunnel - what's your opinion on how this is helping the 2010 updates for the LMP?
"We use both and they both have a very important place in the development process. I wouldn't really want to loose either of them. So, in terms of putting them in a priority, it's very difficult because we rely on both. They both have strengths and weaknesses and we play them always to their strengths in order to push the development of the car forward as quickly as we can. The other areas are 7-post rig testing which is carried out once we have the full-sized car. We run simulations to validate and focus the design areas and find where we can get the maximum improvement in lap time for our development strategy."
Q. Please talk us through the interim regulations that the ACO announced last autumn?
"With the interim regulations for 2010, the changes next year centre on the bodywork around the rear wheels where you now have to have a louver panel rather than gauze. Up until 2010 we have been able to just put wire mesh behind the rear wheels which now the ACO would like removed, really because the gauze is getting damaged by lumps of rubber (marbles) and stones flicking up from the rear wheels and pushing the meshes out and leaving meshes lying on the track which can be dangerous. So the ACO have changed the regulations to incorporate a louvre panel rather than a mesh and that is part of an interim rule because the 2011 regulations will be closing that area off totally. So, we will not be allowed any openings there at all eventually."
Q. Any changes to the cockpit or the A/C systems or anything ergonomically within the tub itself?
"No, the ergonomics inside the tub tend to get honed quite a lot to the drivers' requirements depending whether they are tall or small drivers or not. Various pieces get changed to suit them, so we try to allow as flexible an interior as we can, so they can move to suit their needs. The A/C has been very successful, so we haven't really done much work on changing it. It worked very reliably through last season, so we have kept that pretty much as it was."
Q. Looking at the season, how easy is it for us to react to adding certain development parts - do you envisage Lola having an additional kit for certain specs of racetrack?
"Not necessarily. The car that we produce is a very similar car that races in Europe at the low drag circuits and in America on high downforce circuits, so we have to design a car that has a good range of downforce that is adjustable by the team with various components around the car. So, going from high to low downforce really is a strength of the car as a standard design feature and I am glad to say we have this in abundance. As the season goes on, depending on how development work is going, we will often try to release a small update kit during the season to improve things."
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