[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 109

“You know that our department is the team researching suspension automatic conversion, right?”

Enrique opened the discussion while turning the design sketches and calculations toward Leclerc and me for easy viewing.

“If you look, the suspension is designed to automatically convert between high rake and low rake according to the circuit and race car conditions. In straight sections, it lowers the downforce with low rake to increase acceleration, while in corners, it raises the downforce with high rake to achieve corner exit speed.”

Such automatic conversion suspension existed back in my previous life during Jin Hyun-woo’s F1 Mercedes-Benz era.

To be precise, it wasn’t automatic in the truest sense. It merely made the dampers controlling the suspension settings structurally contract. When the dampers contract, the wishbone, which is the framework responsible for ride height, naturally spreads out into a horizontal position.

When the wishbone becomes horizontal, air resistance dramatically decreases, and the diffuser generating downforce at the rear of the chassis loses its significance.

So, by adding a negative to a negative, acceleration increases in straight lines. It won’t be enough to overturn the game, but in a race where you have to complete dozens of laps, it’s like a speck of dust.

Just like how a speck plus another speck plus another speck accumulates into a mountain. “A little” added multiple times would yield at least a minute.

That said, it doesn’t come without drawbacks. The loss of downforce means the driving difficulty becomes incredibly high. An automobile must, by nature, remain on the ground; to reduce downforce while increasing acceleration is a formula better suited to an airplane.

If the chassis turns even slightly to the left or right, or if any minor mistake occurs, you immediately say goodbye to the ground. It becomes a race car, or rather, a race plane.

Thus, the effects of the technology back then and the technology being developed now are the same in terms of advantages and disadvantages.

However.

“So automatic conversion meant true automatic conversion…”

Even if the pros and cons of efficacy might be equal, the automatic conversion Enrique is developing is truly automatic conversion in the genuine sense. Not something that’s structurally predetermined, but a system that intelligently converts the suspension by considering the environment and various variables: high-dimensional automation.

If Mercedes’ technology utilizes phenomena, then Enrique’s technology is to artificially control those phenomena. Weather, tire performance, brake performance, aerodynamic efficiency based on wind direction, etc. A system that finds the optimal setting in constantly changing situations filled with countless variables.

This meant keeping the situation under the driver’s control.

The importance of having control in hand need not be emphasized.

“That’s really impressive. There must be so many variables, so setting the priorities in the calculations must be incredibly tricky…”

Although I couldn’t grasp the intricate details of the designs, just reading Enrique’s summarized explanations made me awestruck.

I had thought of such a system before, but this was the first attempt to bring such thoughts into reality.

Enrique waved his hands side to side, vehemently denying it.

“Impressive? Absolutely not. It’s still incomplete, and even if it is completed, there’s no guarantee it will function properly.”

“Just coming up with something that everyone has only thought about is impressive enough.”

Even if this automatic conversion system ultimately became nothing more than a theoretical paper, such attempts deserve praise. This is innovation and reform.

Ferrari needed this.

“I appreciate your words. Anyway, I conceived this automatic conversion system, but here, Mr. Won-jin and other engineers are adding to it. During this, Mr. Won-jin mentioned…”

“Manual conversion, right? Asking if it could be switched to manual conversion instead of automatic.”

This near-certain guess left Enrique and Won-jin dumbfounded.

“How did you know?”

“I heard it was in the early developmental stage, so I thought there wouldn’t be detailed parts we could get involved in. Then a main structure remains, and since it’s automatic in this project, I thought you might mention manual conversion.”

Perfect logic that could even nod in appreciation from a childish child. To prove this fact, Won-jin, with a blank expression, was nodding beside me.

“It seems you predicted it, so you caught on quickly. Still, I have to tell you why we decided that… Mr. Won-jin?”

“Oh, yes.”

As Enrique leaned back, he signaled, and Won-jin quickly rose from his seat and brought over a whiteboard. The board conveniently displayed the advantages of automatic and manual conversion.

“I’ll skip the advantages of automatic conversion since the team leader just showed them to you.”

Having already understood through the design Enrique provided, I and Leclerc moved on without comment.

“Now, let me explain the pros and cons of manual conversion.”

Holding the pointer, Won-jin began briefing about the pros and cons of manual conversion.

“Manual conversion is much more flexible in responding to situations compared to automatic conversion. Engineers create the system, but driving relies entirely on the driver. In terms of practicality, the system design itself cannot exceed the driver’s capabilities.”

Unless a system with intelligence surpassing human understanding is created or top-tier drivers like Hamilton or Verstappen directly design it, this statement holds true. Even if that were the case, technical limitations would likely be encountered.

Of course, there would be experts following this project, but no one knows better than I or Leclerc about the dynamics on the circuit. If such a person existed, they wouldn’t be an engineer; they would be driving.

“As you both are top-tier drivers, you will definitely have superior performance compared to others. You could utilize it for not just conversion based on the course, but also overtaking, wheel-to-wheel, tire temperature management, among other diverse uses.”

Indeed. Humans always find various uses for materials. Just like how furniture is made from wood and buildings are constructed. Once one becomes proficient at suspension conversion, it will be useful in many ways.

Just as I had experimentally used DRS in the past.

“The downside is fatigue. It’s an important part, so it requires a lot of attention, leading to quick accumulation of fatigue. There’s also a secondary risk that if fatigue accumulates, the likelihood of making mistakes increases. Therefore…”

“Wait a moment. I think it’s better to leave the driver’s share to the driver.”

I rudely cut off Won-jin’s words.

Honestly, I can’t agree with that. It might sound arrogant, but engineers should just focus on building faster race cars. It’s not the place of a driver to encroach into the domain of engineers and say such things.

Whether the race car is chaotic or wild, as long as the performance is there, that is merely a trait of that race car, and managing that is entirely the driver’s responsibility. This means engineers don’t have to worry about it.

If a race car can’t be handled, it’s merely a lack of the driver’s capability.

Moreover, drivers are among the most competitive people in the world.

They would prefer to drive a fast race car, even if it’s difficult and chaotic, rather than a slow one that’s easy to handle.

No driver wants to be in a car that can only reliably finish 10th while dreaming of standing on the podium. Even though the risk of retiring is high, drivers want to be in a winning car.

As if anticipating me, Won-jin pointed at me with his pointer and shouted.

“That’s exactly it! The key to changing the project direction started from the point that Lee Hyun-noona mentioned!”

“Do you really want to keep calling me ‘noona’?”

This guy. Maybe due to his lack of social experience, he doesn’t recognize the difference between work and personal matters. With great enthusiasm, Won-jin gestured and exaggeratedly continued explaining.

But to me, it just looked like flailing about with his short limbs.

“Is it necessary to consider the drivers? Is there any need to accommodate the drivers? Since we’re at it, can’t we just add two or three buttons instead? After all, I’m not the one driving.”

“Hmm… that’s kind of unsettling.”

“Right?”

Leclerc and I both frowned simultaneously.

It’s true… it’s definitely true, but why is it irritating coming from him? Is it the way he speaks? Ah! It’s irritating because it is true!

It’s a hitting truth!

He continued his briefing undeterred.

“So, while I was planning to change it to manual conversion without caring whether the drivers collapse or not… I concluded that at least a little consideration is necessary.”

This time, Won-jin flipped the whiteboard halfway over, revealing what was once the back side. Large letters were written on what was now the top.

“Automatic plus manual conversion!!!”

A concept that combines automatic conversion and manual conversion. The outline and advantages filled the large whiteboard densely.

There wasn’t a downside, making it a killer point.

“Humans and machines. The machine fills in the gaps left by humans, and humans fill in the gaps left by machines! The harmony of the poles offsets the disadvantages and maximizes the advantages!”

Pulling out a black water-based pen, Won-jin began scribbling on the board as if performing.

Auto Manual Suspension.

“I hereby name it Auto-Manual Suspension.”

“What kind of naming is that?”

What on earth is that ironic naming sense? Is it like… a harem romance or something?

As I frowned, Won-jin bent the pointer into a smile symbol and added,

“If the name doesn’t sit well with you, you can also call it hybrid suspension, Driver Yui-hyun.”

Won-jin called me teasingly, emphasizing the word “driver.”

This guy doesn’t seem like he’s eighteen… is it okay to hit him a little?

“No matter what, drivers can’t control the suspension every single moment. The gaps that inevitably arise will be filled by the automatic system. Of course, the settings from the drivers will be executed as the primary command, and the automatic system will minimize direct interventions as a supportive role.”

What he meant was that while automatic development would proceed on its own, the manual system would be added, transferring the main authority to that side.

The harmony of the automatic command’s involvement in manual commands would likely be important.

If the balancing adjustments are done well, it would become a useful system that captures two hares.

I ignored the incomprehensible Won-jin and spoke to Enrique.

“So, this was all already decided.”

“Yes. Initially, I was going to ask for the drivers’ opinions, but this seems like the optimal method.”

From the perspective of the creators, it might be a hassle, but it is indeed the best way. It’s the method to extract maximum efficiency from the system and human performance.

“Then we should proceed with that.”

“Naturally. We should.”

I said it, didn’t I? All drivers are the same.

Leclerc and I, without thinking about who would go first, exclaimed in unison.

“Hey, add at least ten more buttons. Didn’t you say you would do that earlier?”

“No, that was just something I said…”

“A man should take responsibility for what he says. If you say to make it, then make it.”

Won-jin instantly shrank under my provocation.

Won-jin, you should experience d*ath once.