Red Bull and the Fuel Flow Meter – the full story behind the DSQ.

"Fred (FreddsterExprs)" (freddsterexprs)
03/28/2014 at 08:45 • Filed to: F1 2014, Red Bull, Fuel Flow, Ricciardo. TO THE FRONTPAGE PLZ

If you have been following Motorsport Media, you should recall what happened during the Australian GP weekend. After disastrous testing where the new RB10 was not only unreliable but also off pace, Red Bull managed to strike back. Ricciardo qualified second, only behind Hamilton and his dominant Mercedes, and he crossed the checkered flag in the same position, this time behind Rosberg and his dominant Mercedes. Hamilton and Vettel both had to park their cars after engine problems.

It could have been a huge success for the Austrian team. Not only did they finish with one car, but the new Red Bull driver Ricciardo drove to the podium at his home GP. The fans went nuts, and people like me hoped that he would not become a second Mark Webber in terms of being stuck behind Vettel and having bad mechanical luck.

Five hours later Red Bull had zero points. The RB10 was found to have used too much fuel for the whole race and therefore was disqualified. Arguing started surrounding the device that measures fuel flow, the Fuel Flow Meter, and on April 14 th , the FIA and Red Bull will go to court in Paris.

We need to understand what happened in Melbourne, so here is a full explanation and interpretation that can also help you look like a smart ass should someone ever start a discussion about this topic.

I. The Fuel Flow Meter and how it's used

The main point of the whole arguing is a Sensor developed by Gill Sensors in accordance with the FIA. Measuring the actual fuel flow from the gas tank has always been unreliable and required big machinery. When the rule makers decided to give racing a green touch, they needed to limit fuel and to limit it constantly. That's why the device was developed, and it proved to be challenging make it record data without too much variance. As of now, it lays under 1% according to the manufacturer.

Not only will the sensor will be used in F1, the LMP1 works teams of Toyota, Audi and Porsche will have 3 Fuel Flow Meters on board when they race in WEC. So you can imagine that a properly functioning sensor is of great importance.

Back to F1: Every team buys their sensors from Gill Sensors, has them calibrated at a company called Calibra and then verified by the FIA. More fuel equals more power, so understandably the rule makers did everything to stop teams from modifying the devices in their favor. After all these steps, the teams are free to install the sensors.

Because of the vagueness of measurements the teams are given a correction factor that equals it out. It usually is between 1.5 and -1.5%. For example, say the McLaren data records a fuel consumption for 100 liters but the sensor says 101, then the FIA will recalculate the limit of fuel usage by one percent after examining the data and assuring it all is correct. This all happens in advance and before Qualifying.

II. The occurrences of Melbourne

So far, so good. With the theory in place, let's take a look at what happened in Melbourne, the first race with the brand new technology.

During Free practice, all of the teams reported inaccurate measurements, but they all were laying in a tolerance zone of 3 grams more fuel per lap. All of the teams? No, Mercedes was slightly above that with 4 grams and Red Bull with even more.

The silver arrows reacted and lowered the consumption a bit and were all set for a dominant win. Toto Wolf, MercedesGP Boss, said after the race that it cost them a few tenths, but they did go the save way. Also Rosberg didn't show all the speed that lays in the W05 which certainly helped with not maxing out the range.

As for the reigning world champions: They reported both RB10s to have broken Fuel Flow Meters and changed them. So far, nothing special or outrageous, expect for the amount of Fuel Flow Meters the team brought along: 4. Four. For two cars with terribly unreliable engines. Other teams had loaded their suitcases with as many as 12 sensors to be on the save side. At this point I start to wonder why a team that !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! can't buy enough crucial parts/spares when teams that barely make it to the grid can.

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Also, in total 3 of the 4 Red Bull owned sensors broke. That seems like a bit much. In all fairness, many teams have had problems of their own. Not only F1 teams. Even Porsche had issues when testing the 919 Hybrid according to Neel Jani. It is a fact that the sensor doesn't react well to heat, vibration or varying fuel pressure. The first of these 2 are typical Red Bull problems caused by Neweys complete focus on aerodynamics.

Lotus installed a damper on the main fuel line to allow for a smoother environment, and Ferrari modified their fuel pumps for more consistent data recording. Red Bull didn't. Again, I wonder why a team with vast resources didn't manage to find a quick fix for this issue when other Renault teams did.

Anyways, fast forward to race day. Vettel in P13 after the disastrous qualifying in an undriveable car, Ricciardo in the front row. Vettel and Hamilton both retired by lap 5, now the focus was on Rosberg and Ricciardo. On the same lap, Ricciardos crew received a warning by the FIA to lower the fuel consumption immediately as it was significantly higher. It was even noticeable after they raised the measuring frequency to rule out temporarily high fuel flow. If you are looking for numbers, the RB10 #3 was over the limit by 25 grams a lap. Every lap. 3 would be acceptable. The team simply ignored the warning and proceeded, relying on their own "measurements". Quotation marks are there for a reason: they don't measure per se, they calculate consumption by factoring in fuel flow, pressure and temperature. I wouldn't want to bet on the neutrality and reliability of a calculation done by the same people that run the car.

Following all that, the FIA did the only right thing and took Ricciardo out of contention after the race finished.

III. The Epilogue

This weekend Bernie's circus will race in Malaysia. In 1999, the paddock was roaring with stories about Ferraris traction control system that helped Irvine to win the second to last race and get ahead in the overall standings against Mika Häkkinen. McLaren Mercedes decided not to protest and decide the title in court because it wasn't their style of racing.

Not so with Red Bull. They immediately announced objection against the FIAs decision and the final verdict will be spoken in Paris on April 14 th .

I see no way for them to win the case - the facts show a clear violation. Should the FIA take back the disqualification, then they would create a precedent. A precedent that would be used to ignore the fuel flow limit and that would enable all teams to rely on their own equations.

Also, 2 races are scheduled between now and the court date, the GPs of Malaysia and Bahrain. How will Red Bull act this time? Will they proceed just like in Australia, risking no points from the first three races, or will they bow to Charlie Whiting and by doing so give more reason against their Melbourne tactic?

Apart from the pure racing related consequences, there is the political stuff. I will go as far as saying that no motorsport has got as much politics going on as F1.

Beloved sexist, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Bernie Eclestone made a fortune with Formula One. Billions of fortune. His job is selling the product, and thanks to his monopole, he is able to charge prices as high as 20 Million Euros per race. Enough people are paying, and what they are paying for is the spectacle paired with glamour and media exposure.

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Starting last year, Bernie started criticizing the new engine format. He complained about the noise. Then he complained about the lack of power, then about the noise again, then about drivers having to drive economically. And then he decided to point out the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Sure, he probably used his criticism in the early stages of engine development to improve the final product, but why would he talk down the series he is promoting? He wasn't negative when Pirelli decided to supply tires made of butter that were said to destroy real racing but improve overtaking. Or did you ever witness a car salesman calling the new generation of vehicles not worthy? Strange to say the least. Problems with the engines and races being decided at court play in his hands.

Just after the Australian GP was over, the GPs promoter Ron Walker started his press run and evaluated suing the FIA for breaking his race contract. His reason? Lack of sound. Sounds surprisingly what Bernie would say, and what a coincidence, Walker and Bernie are super close friends.

Then there is Red Bull. They won everything between 2010 and 2013 with utter dominance. McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes couldn't catch them because all that was needs was clever aero. Suspension and engines were so far developed that it didn't matter that much, and development switched to wings and exhaust blowing. A paradise for RB and their armada of Newey directed engineers. They went as far as developing gearboxes and KERS with no regards for anything but aerodynamic effect and downforce.Understandably, the teams with automotive background weren't happy. In their words: We are building cars and not airplanes – it has to stop.

And that's what happened: it stopped. The mechanic side came out of the shadow and is much more important now. It is an area at least remotely connected to stock automotive development. To build a dominant car now, you need the engine, you need the braking, and you also need aero. That turns out to be a problem for Red Bull and not so much of a problem for other teams.

Sure enough, they also made sure to take every opportunity to show their pure hate for the change in F1. Seriously, Vettel at least said 100 times that the cars sound horrible and that batteries belong into a cellphone.

Mateschitz, the financier of the whole energy-drink-goes-F1 project, is not happy at all, and I could understand if he would try to ridicule the new regulations by simply ignoring them. He also threatened to pull the plug on F1. But would that really be his way of dealing with stuff? I don't think so.

What is really going on is a possible split. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Red Bull, a huge marketing machine, is ready to race somewhere else. Somewhere where there are Michelin tires that grip with no limit, where there are Cosworth V8 engines, where only the aerodynamics matter, where Vettel can burn fuel all day long. In a new Bernie series, even customer cars could be made possible (Torro Rosso!). And that's something Ferrari and RB would both totally love to have and lobby for for years.

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It might sound strange, but all of that is everything Bernie could wish for. An opportunity to run his own thing again with two big players, and either wait until F1 joins his series or until F1 is run down and can be replaced with whatever he cooks up.

Much information on the topic came from two excellent articles by Michael Schmidt, F1 Reporter at Auto Motor and sport. Check out his articles !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Picture Credit: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

DISCUSSION (24)

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/28/2014 at 09:08

"To build a dominant car now, you need the engine, you need the braking, and you also need aero."

This right here, sounds EXACTLY like what F1 should be all about. If only it weren't compromised by shitty fuel flow meters...

philipilihp > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/28/2014 at 09:18

so here is a full explanation and interpretation that can also help you look like a smart ass should someone ever start a discussion about this topic.

Coincidentally, the only people likely to start a discussion with me about this topic are fellow Oppos. Who all probably read this article.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/28/2014 at 09:44

Kinja'd!!!

LOVE IT!

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/28/2014 at 09:48

Pretty well written, dude! Thanks a ton.

I really love how you laid out hard numbers and followed with a reasoned argument with your view. That's the mark of a great writer (see Marshall Pruett from racer.com)

I didn't know the exact numbers of how much they were over the regulation fuel flow limit but 25g is a fuck ton and enough to give a big torque and power boost.

Ricciardo is gonna be SOL thanks to a greedy and boisterous Horner, who decided to gamble against the FIA. I don't see how the FIA can find in Red Bull's favor and keep up their policing if this regulation since it targets the very methodology of measurement.....

Btw, 1% measurement error is pretty Fucking good, honestly. And Mercedes and Ferrari did well to play within the rules and show fantastic pace

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/28/2014 at 09:59

Pretty well written, dude! Thanks a ton.

I really love how you laid out hard numbers and followed with a reasoned argument with your view. That's the mark of a great writer (see Marshall Pruett from racer.com)

I didn't know the exact numbers of how much they were over the regulation fuel flow limit but 25g is a fuck ton and enough to give a big torque and power boost.

Btw, 1% measurement error is pretty Fucking good, honestly. And Mercedes and Ferrari did well to play within the rules and show fantastic pace

desertdog5051 > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/28/2014 at 10:06

Interesting post. Food for thought over morning coffee. Thanks.

pirates-ecu > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
04/02/2014 at 19:26

the fuel flow meters are there to prevent people from making multi thousands of HP for a lap or 2. These are turbo cars, they could make 3k HP np, it would melt over a race distance, but imagine if you could turn it on for the straights.

The sensor is the right call, and this season is great so far... RBR can suck an egg.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > pirates-ecu
04/02/2014 at 19:37

I don't disagree with the concept of the fuel meter. I am simply upset that they are so shitty. A team should be fine with 3 or 4 backups, they shouldn't need 12 of the damn things... Now Red Bull only having two backups is the other extreme.

superflydude > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
04/02/2014 at 20:16

Maybe I'm over-simplifying things but it seems to me that if they want to make sure teams don't use too much fuel, only give them the amount of fuel that they should need for a race. If they burn at too high of a rate and run out, their race is over. No fuel flow meters are needed.

pirates-ecu > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
04/02/2014 at 20:20

like the article stated, it seems like other teams are making steps to protect the sensors, and increase their efficincy,.

"Lotus installed a damper on the main fuel line to allow for a smoother environment, and Ferrari modified their fuel pumps for more consistent data recording. Red Bull didn't. Again, I wonder why a team with vast resources didn't manage to find a quick fix for this issue when other Renault teams did."

it just seems strange that they are not on top of this. The 28 g per lap to much is just nuts. thats an Ounce a lap to much.

good to shoot the shit with another f1 fan.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > pirates-ecu
04/02/2014 at 20:27

Haha yeah, it is huge oversight on the part of red bull. In the end I hope it's a case of them figuring out how to fit into the current system, not a case of them fighting tooth and nail for things to go their way.

pirates-ecu > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
04/02/2014 at 20:36

yeah if they win, it would be SUPER bad for the sport. As much as i hate Finger bitch, i like Riccardo. I was bummed about him getting bumped.

Its a long season. Riccardo is now on the upper tier of drivers, hes pretty much set for the rest of his career when it comes to job opportunities.

boobaru > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/02/2014 at 20:54

With such transient conditions these cars go through, I'm surprised Renault didn't implement a fuel flow accumulator, even a small one, to attenuate the sudden variations in flow rates to protect these seemingly fragile sensors. I know weight is an issue, but if your race result hinges on the protection of this overly complicated rotameter, then perhaps you could sacrifice weight for reliability in this case.

Brosenkranz > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/02/2014 at 23:02

Red Bull were probably totally aware of the issue but were instead using the race as another testing session. When you don't really know if either car will finish the race you might as well see what it takes to make a podium. Plus, running the engine richer cools combustion temperatures increasing reliability.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > superflydude
04/03/2014 at 04:20

The fuel flow meter basically is for qualifying. If it wouldn't be in place, teams would burn much more fuel for a few hotlaps, just like in the 80s (remember the 1400hp BMW engine? Like that, but even more extreme). Not necessarily a bad thing.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Brosenkranz
04/03/2014 at 04:24

I am not sure if it was just a testing session; it would have been if Ricciardo or Vettel would be in the back end of the grid (where points don't matter!), but Ricciardo was on his way to score 18 points, a really significant amount that can turn around championships (2010, 2012). Assuming that the 25 grams more fuel result in around 20hp more, my feeling tells me that RB was trying to compensate for the less powerful Renault engine and to defend second place against Magnussen who was catching up. And they defended by all means.

minardi > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/03/2014 at 08:00

Nice post. I agree with Vettel (for once). And my saying is: too many rules kills the race.

ncasolowork2 > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/03/2014 at 08:44

"The RB10 was found to have used too much fuel for the whole race and therefore was disqualified."

It seems to me the entire premise of your recap is misleading. The issue with the car had nothing to do with total consumption. It had to do with instant consumption. The teams have two fuel measurements they have to meet. 100kg/hr and 100kg/race. Increasing the flow past 100kg/hr gives more power.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > ncasolowork2
04/03/2014 at 09:15

You are right, reading it now lets the sentence sound misleading. And yeah, total consumption was never the issue, it was the temporary highs and how Red Bull dealt with it.

TheBoze > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/03/2014 at 11:05

RedBullshit.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > TheBoze
04/03/2014 at 11:49

Should I ever write an article about Finger Boy's team again, I will totally steal that.

Mav Wreck > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/03/2014 at 12:43

Red Bull are such assholes. Who the hell do they think they are? Spending time developing a car with aerodynamic benefits after engine technology matures? Seeking out new areas to innovate and differentiate themselves! If the other teams can't figure it out, then Red Bull shouldn't have either! It's not fair to design a car that was so much more complete than the others! Mercedes has the most power so they should have won! Why even race? We'll just throw the engines on a dyno and call it a day. That'll show 'em! They can take their championships and rot in hell with Colin Chapman and Peter Wright!

SamTheGeek > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
04/03/2014 at 12:52

Kinja'd!!!

Bernie has at least two rings per finger.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > SamTheGeek
04/03/2014 at 16:52

And a big ass Hublot:

Kinja'd!!!