Racecar Engineering

Pit stops returned to the FIA Formula E World Championship for the first time in nine seasons at last month’s Jeddah E-Prix. They require each car to take a 10 per cent energy top up from a 600kW fast charger. The race ended in spectacular fashion, as Maximilian Günther used his 0.1 per cent capacity advantage over an energy saving Oliver Rowland to capture victory at the final chicane. It was dream content for Formula E’s social media output but, for somebody watching at home like me, it was hard to grasp exactly what role the pit stops played in feeding that denouement. That’s not to say it was a disaster – crucially, there were no fast charging malfunctions – but there are some aspects I feel might benefit from…

The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 in May 2025 will be one of the most technically challenging yet, as teams get to grips with running a hybrid system at the race for the first time. Hybrid technology was introduced to IndyCar midway through 2024 as part of the series’ move towards more relevant technology that suited its competing OEMs, Honda and Chevrolet. However, it only made its debut after the showpiece event, as the final specification of the system was delayed due to a change of supplier. The hybrid system was originally due to arrive in 2022, alongside a new engine formula that would see capacity increased from 2.2-litres to 2.4, and the introduction of Shell’s 100 per cent renewable fuel, which reduced greenhouse gases by 60 per cent.…

The quest to improve driver safety continues as IndyCar’s medical team has begun a programme to monitor driver core temperature during a race through thermometers embedded in the silicone earpieces commonly used by drivers. Since 2003, custom-fitted silicone earpieces have served multiple functions during IndyCar races, including cancelling out engine noise and carrying the radio receiver to enable driver communication with the pit. They have also been developed to include accelerometers that advise if a driver has experienced significant deceleration (during a crash, for example). In some cases, on the 2025 grid, such earpieces will carry an extra sensor to monitor core temperature, as part of the ongoing pursuit of enhanced safety. The topic of driver cooling is a prevalent one. It was thrust into the spotlight at the 2023…

The last time pit stops occurred in the FIA Formula E World Championship, drivers had to swap their energy-limited cars mid-race to ensure they made the distance. Six seasons and 89 races later, pit stops are finally back, though this time drivers are spared the indignity of hopping between vehicles. Now, the emphasis is on quickly charging a single car, which opens new power deployment options. It is a feature brought in for reasons of road relevance, as fast charging continues to develop and mould our perceptions of what electric vehicles (EVs) are capable of. Formula E and the FIA want to showcase this technology through competition, using a system that is much more powerful than what is widely available. The so-called ‘Pit Boost’ made its debut at round three…

When the new Super Formula season kicked off in early March at Suzuka, the drivers and engineers were greeted with yet another new technical hurdle. In 2023, it was the switch to the current aerodynamic package that saw the Dallarabuilt SF19 chassis re-named the SF23. Last year, it was the switch to common Öhlins corner dampers as the championship abandoned open damper development. This year, the focus has shifted to the tyres, as sole supplier, Yokohama, has updated its offerings, specifically by increasing the percentage of renewable materials used. When sustainable tyres were first introduced to the series in 2023, the rubber featured 33 per cent sustainable content. That figure has gone up to 46 per cent for this season. Championship promoter, JRP, is keen to highlight that this figure…

Sometimes it’s tempting to compare a racecar to a human being. After all, it has four ‘limbs’, a body and a thumping heart, which we call an engine. But a person is nothing without a brain and, in a racecar context, this is where the grey matter of the little black box and the twisting nerves in the wiring harness come into play. These electronic elements bring a modern racecar to life, and perhaps this was in Mike Lancaster’s mind when he named his then new venture, Life Racing, in 2002 – though he says he cannot recall how the name originated. What is for sure, though, is that Life has since become one of the UK’s most respected and successful motorsport electronics companies. Indeed, Life’s products are now at…