Boost Button

[Liz]

Since the Mercedes engines all blew up as the pilots were taking the lead of the race, or challenging for it, do you think it could have been the Boost Button? When they hit the Boost Button could it have been the Last Straw?

[bobdrummond]

Liz, If I were a gambling man, I'd bet that the reason for the Merc failures was that when in the draft, the engines were able to rev a little higher than normal. Instead of the engine driving the wheels, the wheels were driving the engine and the engine just couldn't handle it.

Tell you what, though, that race didn't do CART any favours at all.

[Crash Test]

But if you look closely, some of them blew just when they got out of the draft. Actually when they are in the draft the engines wouldn't be pulling as many revs as the car(s) ahead drag the cars around the track. Thus, when the car gets out of the draft, the driver hits the loud pedal, and the engine goes kapow.

[bobdrummond]

I understood that the drivers were always on the loud pedal. If I remember correctly, Mo Gugelmin said of his 240mph lap that at Fontana, both feet are on the throttle because of the bumps.

[Crash Test]

But if they were in the draft and didnt lift a little they would run into the car in front...

[Liz]

It wasn't CART's finest race, finisher-wise, true. But in F1 it is routine for most of the field to blow up, break or crash, and no one seems to find that particularly surprising, much less a threat to the credibility of F1.

The draft having something to do with it seems to make sense though, as all the engines of whatever make seemed to blow at the same point - during the same operation. I think.

[bobdrummond]

I think I've got it!

240mph lap speeds, 4 abreast racing, the realisation you share a track with Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani and you're about to take what they want most (first position).

The sudden contact between Nomex-filtered urine and carbon fibre produces a gas which wafts out of the cockpit where it is promptly ingested into the engine causing failure. Easy.

[racer10]

I have a different spin to put on things. Many times in the garage area at a particular race, there become mechanical "fads." Not so secret ideas that most all teams catch on to at the same time. i.e. a different gear ratio from last years race. My guess is that these teams were turning more rpm at Fontana than last year, due to a gear change. Also, some engine manufacturers could be using this last race as sort of a "test day" in preparation for next year, attempting to push the reliablity a bit in an attempt to gain speed.