F1 News

Overtaking simulation deployed in attempt to improve tracks

"Overtaking simulation" deployed in attempt to improve tracks

12-01-2019 08:40
Author profile picture

Bobby Vincent

Former Williams technical chief Pat Symonds has revealed that Formula 1 have produced the world's first overtaking simulation.

Formula 1 are making several changes next season to their rules and regulations in an attempt to make the competition more entertaining for the viewers, and the drivers.

Symonds, former technical chief of Williams and Renault, revealed that Formula 1 have produced an overtaking simulator.

"We've produced what I think is the world's first overtaking simulation," Symonds said at Autosport International. "It's been extremely complex to do. To run a lap takes several hours.

"It's a very, very complex simulation but it has a proper wake model of the cars, it looks at the surface and the tyre characteristics and all these sort of things.

"We're now using that to design our new circuits and to look at some modifications.

"Vietnam, which is the first circuit we've really been involved with, I think that we have really been able to understand what it will take to make good racing there. I think Vietnam is going to be a superb circuit. It's got some great features and it's going to have some close racing at it."