There are an virtually infinite variety of set-up combos obtainable to rivals in motorsport that may be tailor-made for observe circumstances, driver preferences and automotive traits. The very same resolution is unlikely to be discovered between two automobiles from the identical one-make collection, not to mention between manufacturing unit groups in worldwide GT racing and an newbie racer making their begin at grassroots stage.
Nevertheless, the method of building base set-ups is surprisingly related, beginning with correct measurements of the camber, toe, nook weights and rideheight. And relying on how critical the membership racer is, they will use the identical tools to set-up their Sports activities 2000 machine or Mazda MX-5 as a high GT3 buyer racing outfit.
This was one thing thought of inconceivable in previous years as automobiles sometimes required bespoke set-up tools – painstakingly pieced collectively from quite a few suppliers – that couldn’t be transferred to different automobiles and needed to be offered on when the automotive modified fingers.
However that every one modified with the appearance of the CP Autosport SetupWizzard, developed by long-time Porsche Motorsport provider, and licensed builder of FIA-standard halos, CP Tech GmbH. Its resolution is broadly employed by high groups internationally’s main sportscar championships, in addition to in single-seaters and touring automotive racing, with an array of adapters permitting the identical tools for use throughout a number of automobiles.
“I’ve been utilizing the CP Autosport SetupWizzard since 2018 with nice satisfaction,” says Renaud Dufour, chief engineer for 2021 DTM title-winning squad Haupt Racing Crew. “We’re utilizing our 4 methods in all championships we’re concerned in. The CP system is a really dependable, correct, repeatable and particularly time-efficient method to arrange our automobiles in a excessive stage of competitors.”
Clearly, the perception wanted to interpret suggestions from the motive force and make the right set-up tweaks could have a much bigger last impression on the end result than the set-up tools used to impact the adjustments. However, in an period the place single-make collection are rife and lots of different championships incorporate Steadiness of Efficiency, groups can’t afford to go away any efficiency on the desk because of rushed or inaccurate measurements.
And in keeping with skilled engineer Owen Hayes, previously Porsche North America’s motorsport director, the SetupWizzard is a vital basis for all of the detailed work that comes subsequent and is extra handy for its customers than “the hotch-potch of issues that you simply purchase from completely different individuals”.
The SetupWizzard system is designed to be a turnkey strategy to automotive set-up tools
Irishman Hayes first got here throughout it whereas working for Porsche and “right away knew what I had on my fingers”. Now freelance, he owns the rights to SetupWizzard within the US and has seen a speedy rise in its adoption.
“All I needed to do was inform individuals about it and so they bought it,” says Hayes, who attends occasions throughout the nation in a supporting capability. “You want that baseline to know what you’re working with.
“You may’t have tools that’s supplying you with values that are everywhere in the map, you want a correct efficiency baseline that is sensible and you could all the time check with. Hardly a race weekend comes alongside the place you’ve bought good efficiency, and what helps you actually transfer nearer to that’s correct set-up tools.”
“You may see the values altering as you’re engaged on the automotive, it’s a lot faster. You don’t must be operating to get a camber gauge and a toe string and tripping over the string” Owen Hayes
A dependable baseline is particularly necessary when a automotive is within the means of being developed.
“We had a automotive the place we seen the rear axle toe was transferring after every session,” Hayes explains. “It turned on the market was a weak spot and it was flexing, so it helps you establish clear errors to rectify rapidly.”
SetupWizzard is available in three package deal ranges – Straightforward, Primary and Professional – designed to go well with the wants and budgets of various clients. The total Professional equipment comes with all of the bells and whistles contained in the black carry field, together with scales that include an inclinometer for measuring camber and a Bluetooth module that sends reside readouts of camber and nook weight values to a pill. Which means engineers can spend much less time on their fingers and knees as soon as the tools is ready up, which Hayes says takes lower than 5 minutes.
As soon as up on jacks with the tyres eliminated, set-up wheels and adjoining stands are bolted onto the wheel hubs. The automotive is then lowered onto platform scales – Straightforward and Primary kits include levelling pads that may be hooked up to scales – which on the Professional stage are aligned utilizing a positioning laser. “It’s similar to any architect or engineer would do out within the discipline,” says Hayes.
The SetupWizzard system is being more and more adopted in GT racing to assist groups enhance velocity and accuracy
Picture by: Nickolas Wolf
Rideheights are measured by 4 spring-loaded top gauges which might be positioned below the automotive. The set-up wheels are totally adjustable, capable of be configured to completely different observe widths in addition to heights.
“We’ve numerous [camber] shims which go all the way down to zero.5mm decision,” Hayes says. “You may get the very same rideheight that you’d have working on sizzling stress tyres, or you possibly can modify the set-up wheels for scrutineering top. The system is extraordinarily tuneable.”
On the secondary Primary stage, there isn’t a want for a toe string body. The package deal contains toe laser modules that bolt onto the set-up wheels to enhance velocity and accuracy.
“You may see the values altering as you’re engaged on the automotive, it’s a lot faster,” Hayes says. “You don’t must be operating to get a camber gauge and a toe string and tripping over the string.”
Hayes believes the “huge funding per weekend” of any competitor means it’s completely worthwhile paying for correct set-up tools.
“It’s such a small funding in comparison with what you spend over a season,” he says. “You may have probably the most dominant automotive on the earth, but when it’s not arrange correctly otherwise you’ve bought one thing utterly fallacious with the set-up, you then’re going nowhere.”
The grounding of SetupWizzard’s apostle
Hayes has loved an illustrious profession as a race engineer working with Mercedes and Porsche
Picture by: Nickolas Wolf
Owen Hayes is well-qualified with reference to automotive set-ups, having labored on quite a few single-seaters and sportscars in a profession spanning three a long time.
Beginning out as a Components three mechanic in 1987 with Eddie Jordan Racing, Hayes met Edward Turner, who later launched him to AMG in Germany. He spent summers serving to out at DTM rounds, throughout an automotive engineering diploma at Bolton College, and made a dream begin to his first race engineering function within the 1996 Worldwide Touring Automotive Championship when Jan Magnussen gained first outing at Hockenheim. “It was completely unimaginable, a baptism of fireside,” he says.
Following the ITC’s demise, Hayes switched to the FIA GT programme for 1997 and ran Bernd Schneider and Mark Webber near the 1998 GT1 title. Schneider stormed to pole at Le Mans, however engine issues put each CLK-LMs out early.
“That was devastating, one of many ones that I’ll definitely bear in mind,” he says. “I used to be completely dedicated with each single cell of my physique to the entire challenge almost about simply wanting that win. The quantity of preparation we did was nuts.”
“Every little thing simply completely meshed in, it was a magical time, punching above our weight at instances” Owen Hayes
A two-decade stint at Porsche started in 1999, initially engaged on the canned LMP2000 challenge, earlier than heading up the marque’s junior efforts in Carrera Cup.
He was later assigned to engineer Penske-run RS Spyders within the American Le Mans Sequence for golden boys Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard, primarily based out of Penske’s Mooresville campus. They gained the LMP2 title in 2007 and in 2008, with an outright victory on the Sebring 12 Hours.
“Every little thing simply completely meshed in, it was a magical time, punching above our weight at instances,” he says. “We didn’t even realise how good it was till the challenge got here to an finish.”
Hayes then assumed the function of Porsche Motorsport North America’s racing director, overseeing the administration of buyer groups, drivers and the manufacturing unit IMSA SportsCar Championship programme till going freelance in 2019.
Hayes is now freelance and oversees clients utilizing the SetupWizzard tools
Picture by: Nickolas Wolf
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