Old School v New School: Emerson on the 2001 Ferrari

[11tenths]

Here's some grist for the forum! New to 10/10ths here, I do enjoy reading these posts. Have a field day with this television interview I transcribed between Peter Windsor and Emerson Fittipaldi.

Emerson Fittipaldi, after driving Schumacher's 2001 Ferrari at the 2004 Goodwood Festival of Speed had some interesting things to say about the car.


-beginning of interview-

Emerson:
"It's very impressive the way everything works, you know, the engine has tremendous torque, I don't need a lot of revs. It was very easy. Everything happened automatically, I mean it was fantastic. The gear changes, up and down, you're holding both hands all the time on the steering wheel. Like Kart racing. And what I feel is that if you want to come to the limit 100% I would say that it is quite easy for any driver that drives reasonably to drive the car very fast very close to the limit.

But, I think that it's the last 2, 3 or 4 percent that makes the difference, then I think it gets very difficult because you're not only driving the car, but on the steering wheel there are so many different adustments, so I think you need a long time to master every one of the adjustments.

And I think that's another reason in my opinion why Michael is so good as well, I'm sure he can master all the small adjustments that all together can make a big difference. It really helps driving."

Peter Windsor:

"Looking back now, at say the Lotus '72 or the McLaren, if then you'd been able to drive with both hands of the steering wheel, do you think you would have been able to go quicker and do a better job? Do you think that was a factor that people hadn't thought about back then?"

Emerson:

"I think it would make it easier for anybody to drive. But, to a top driver it would not make so much difference. And with no power steering wheel, you have to hold it with one hand and shift with the other, and then the car gets opposite lock and you have to be doing much more things around and not just turning the steering wheel and focusing on driving.

It was more difficult before, definitely.

People say yes, its easier to drive a grand prix car now, yes, but to win, its going to be very difficult."

-end of interview-

[Adam43]

Welcome to 10tenths, 11tenths! Do you think you can go one better Or are you just over-driving

An interesting article. What television program was this taken from?

You'll find this kind of debate on ten-tenths a lot, but it'll be nice for it to have its own thread.

Personally I think driving an F1 car isn't easy nowadays (the Michael still wins arguement), but I'd love to see a reduction in aids (to make it even harder?). I think Emmo puts it well though: superficial easy, but that last few tenths is still difficult.

[Gt_R]

Indeed. It seems "easy" when we look at tests and how a new driver fresh from other series can easily come up to within 3-5seconds of a regular F1 driver. But it's usually the final bit that is difficult to find, and even harder to maintain.

Just look back at JV's return to F1, in his first test, he easily came close to the time set by Alonso. But it's in the qualifying and races where the difference is pronounced.

modern F1 cars require a different set of skills compared to olden cars. But before people brush off the modern drivers as pampered, the "ease" at which drivers can come close to "THE LEVEL" meant that consistency in pushing is important in modern F1. A driver now threads on a thin line...he just need to fall back abit from his optimal motivation/speed/form a small fraction and he'd be made to look lousy. See the likes of Ralf/JPMs..their inconsistency can easily be amplified...

[Knowlesy]

Modern cars can't be easy to drive, but they could be much harder.

Fitness is absolutely paramount these days more than anything. And, as Gt_R says, consistency of pace is vital.

Do away with all the aids and get back to basics though and I'd bet the cars would be a real handful and truly the hardest cars to drive. I'd like to return to those ways.

[luke]

Fitness was more important then because the races were much longer and you didn't have power sterring and all these aids.

[Knowlesy]

The pace was much much slower though, and the fitness level of the highest drivers back then would be laughed at be Herr Schumacher and DC for example.

Nowadays, the races are sprint like, consistently on the money throughout.

Back in, say, the turbo days: yes, the cars were a real handful and required great strength to keep going BUT, there would be stages during the race when you could perhaps roll off the pace because of fuel economy, your rivals breaking down and leaving you on your own, etc.....

You still needed to be fit of course, but you could get through with strength. Nwadays, if you have the fitness levels of an 80's driver, you are off the pace from about quarter distance.

[Gt_R]

Quote:"Do away with all the aids and get back to basics though and I'd bet the cars would be a real handful and truly the hardest cars to drive. I'd like to return to those ways."

Exactly. This is what Ferrari is proposing, to aid increase racing (more mistakes), give the skills back to the driver and at the same time cut huge costs. But none of the other teams would listen.

The cars of the past require a different technique to drive, and while brute strength is much required to muscle the cars of the olden days, now drivers would work much on the neck and then the upper body.

[Kirk]

I agree with all the comments above. Eloquent descriptions by Emmo, as usual, really put things into perspective on today's F1. When it comes to the driving aids, take a few steps backwards in technology and driver mistakes will once again play a role, as it should. The human element is a large part of racing and must remain that way.

[Dutton]

It would certainly be class to see. However, should traction control be an exception? Just that if it is illegal, which would be fine if it could somehow be regulated properly, there would inevitably be constant rumour of cheating: is that really a particularly positive future?

Just a thought.

[Knowlesy]

Get a common ECU and there will be no such cheat claims.

[11tenths]

Happy to see interest in this interview! I transcribed this text from an interview that was featured on Speed TV, assumedly a rebroadcast of the live-ish event coverage.

Tough to tell really when it may have first aired, but easy to tape using Tivo, for sure. The rest of the program was interesting as well, I never knew some Brits were so keen on top fuel dragsters from the US! Those sleds seemed to be a real crowd pleaser there.

I have to say, in addition to what Emerson said on television, he certainly looked pretty damn excited talking about his drive the F2001. As well he should have!

[Dutton]

Knowlesy - the things that get speculated about do not actually have to be possible for them to be speculated about.

[Knowlesy]

What are you getting at Dutton?

[Dutton]

That I have a fear that making traction control illegal would just cause inevtiable queeries of somne form or others. People start thinking about all sot of possibilities, based on presumptions. Then it is presumptions on presumption. Good breeding ground for paranoia, which just generally puts a very negative image on things.

Which ain't great.

[Knowlesy]

True, but there will always be accusations of cheating whatever.

I mean, we could have standard cars, all with the same engines and running a control tyre and control ECU and control everything and still the accusations would fly towards the winning team!

[Dutton]

I acknowledge that accusations are possible in many areas, but traction control just happens to be one of the most volatile examples.

Of course I am not trying to convince everyone to agree with me, I perfectly appreciate the counter arguments, it is just my personal opinion.

[krt917]

That's why the control ECU idea, as mentioned by knowlesy appeals to me more and more....

[Dutton]

It would certainly be the sensible thing to do were it to be legalised, but then the ECU would affect more things. I mean like it varies depending on the different engines and so on, I thought? I suppose the FIA would agree on an ECU with each team individually and then it could not change?

Or could they use it as a covert means of getting more standardised engines?

The other possibility is, of course, that I am being a total fool and getting utterly confused!