F1: Starting with a Simulator Master

Unlike the lengthy processes of F1 and F2, the qualifying session for F3 at this race is a 100-meter sprint that lasts only 10 minutes.

There are 10 teams in F3, with 3 drivers in each team, and a total of 30 cars participating.

The 30 race cars were forcibly divided into two groups, A and B, with 15 cars in each group, and timed separately.

After Group A's 10-minute qualifying match ends, Group B will take the stage.

This was done to alleviate traffic congestion caused by the 30 race cars.

Formula racing, starting with F3, relies heavily on downforce in cornering.

To put it more bluntly, modern open-wheel Formula racing relies on air to corner.

Whether in the era of ground effect or the era of aerodynamics, the design of racing cars has always revolved around the air.

In particular, clean, undisturbed air allows the race car to generate more stable downforce when cornering, resulting in a better final lap time.

Every race car, after passing through any location, will cause disturbances in the airflow behind it due to its aerodynamic layout, thereby affecting the airflow of other race cars following closely behind and interfering with the cornering maneuvers of the cars behind.

In Formula 1, for example, even if the car in front is more than 100 meters away, the airflow disturbance it creates will have a substantial impact on the car behind.

Even non-top drivers can clearly perceive the changes in braking performance caused by airflow interference.

Air is the biggest challenge for humanity in its pursuit of extreme speeds on Earth.

Especially in F1 qualifying, a slight tailwind or headwind can affect who ultimately takes pole position.

The wind factor is something that cannot be completely controlled by human technology at this stage.

However, the impact of the vehicle in front on the vehicle behind can be precisely calculated and controlled.

After all, the distance between cars, an in-track factor, can have a huge impact on the race results during qualifying, where every millisecond counts.

The main reason why F1 and F2 can use multiple qualifying rounds is that the audience is basically there for them.

Another reason is that they have a relatively small number of race cars.

Take F1 as an example.

Q1, 18 minutes, all 20 cars participate.

After the race, the five slowest drivers were eliminated, and the starting grid was set from 16th to 20th place based on their performance in this round.

Q2, 15 minutes, the remaining 15 cars continue the race.

The five eliminated drivers will start from 11th to 15th place based on their performance in this round.

Q3, 12 minutes, the top 10 drivers go all out, using all their power and cutting-edge technology, trying every possible way to compete for pole position and the final starting order.

This format ensures that traffic conditions, timing, and tire selection play a crucial role in each round of the race.

As long as the team's planning is reasonable, there will be enough space and time for their car to complete an unaffected flight lap, thus competing for a higher qualifying position.

However, due to the large number of participating vehicles in F3, if 30 cars are allowed on the track at the same time, it is very likely that each car will either block others or be blocked by others at some point.

Therefore, as mentioned earlier, F3 qualifying is designed as two groups, A and B, with 15 cars in each group, 10 minutes in total, and timed separately.

But within the tight 10-minute window, any yellow flag or obstruction means the end of the game.

Besides time, there's also the Damocles' sword of tires.

Throughout the weekend, each F3 car had only four sets of dry tires and two sets of wet tires.

Drivers need to plan ahead and choose the right time to use their tires.

He had a total of four opportunities to play.

A 45-minute practice session, a 10-minute qualifying session, a 40-minute sprint, and a 45-minute qualifying session.

If it doesn't rain, the drivers will effectively only have four sets of new tires available.

Due to the accident involving the previous driver, car number 12 not only suffered damage to its body but also had a brand new set of dry tires scrapped.

In a five-minute practice match that ended at the last minute, Luo Xiu used up another set of moves.

This means that he only has two brand-new dry tires left, as well as the old tires that he just drove for 5 minutes.

It seems there are still two sets of new tires available, but this offers no advantage whatsoever.

Because most of the other veterans in the paddock only use up one set of dry tires during practice, and at most they will use another set of wet tires to find a window for adjustment. At this time, most of them have three sets of new tires in hand.

Therefore, Luo Xiu is also at a disadvantage in terms of tire resources.

Not to mention that this race car, tuned to an extremely aggressive level, has never actually been tested on the track.

Luo Xiu was practically driving blindly, and he chose to only add three revolutions' worth of fuel.

Including the out-of-field lap and the return lap, he essentially only gave himself one chance to fly around once.

"Radio check. Radio check."

"Loud and clear."

Luo Xiu's voice was calm.

This is completely different from the fanatic who insisted on using "suicidal tuning" in the P room just now.

At that moment, he sat in the red and white number 12 race car.

The seat still didn't fit properly, and the wound on my back stung with a burning pain from the rough fireproof lining.

But he doesn't care.

He fastened the buckle on his helmet visor, the crisp click sounding like some kind of switch.

Everything unimportant in the world was physically isolated outside the mask.

All that remained was the sound of my own breathing and the vibration of the engine idling.

The engineer looked at the almost horizontal tail fin angle in front of him, and even through the radio, Luo Xiu could hear the anxiety in his voice.

"Be careful. This is a suicide setup."

"Understood."

Luo Xiu didn't explain further.

Engage first gear, rev the engine, and release the clutch.

The race car slowly drove into the pit lane.

A race car without downforce will feel unstable at high speeds, the steering wheel will become frighteningly light, and the road feel will become vague.

The new tires hadn't warmed up yet, and it felt like walking on ice; every step felt like slipping.

But none of this was a problem for Luo Xiu.

On the track.

Luo Xiu is warming up the tires.

Lower downpressure means the tires will be harder to warm up, which was expected.

To get the tires to operating temperature as quickly as possible, he started frantically swerving left and right on the straightaway.

Upon reaching the braking area, he slammed on the brakes.

My body jolted forward, the seatbelt digging into my chest, and even in the form-fitting seat, I felt a sharp pain in my back wound.

Instead, he used the pain to calibrate the braking force of the race car.

The greater the braking force, the higher the G-value, and the stronger the pain.

The team's TR team pointed out that, based on the data to be measured, his tire temperature increase was not sufficient.

"Make three more hard brakes on the straightaway, and then perform two 'dragon strokes'."

"Copy that."

This is the role of the team. Luo Xiu can feel the tire's grip, but he can't see the specific temperature data.

The mental palace began to simulate this real physical situation in real time.

Following the team's continuous instructions, Luo Xiu continued to warm up the tires until just before the last corner, when he felt the rubber on the tire surface melt and become very sticky.

That's a signal that the tires' grip has reached its optimal state.

T11, Parapolica Bend: Enter the bend along the outside line, exit the bend a longer distance, and go full throttle as early as possible.

Car number 12 roared across the starting line.

The timer started, and Luo Xiu's flight circle officially began.