14/02/2012
NEWS STORY
The Lotus team is working flat-out to have the second E20 ready for next week's test at Barcelona, however, technical director, James Allison, admits that after building the first car the process is a little easier.
"When you do the first chassis build of a new car there are always a couple of things that need to be re-positioned compared with where you expect them to be," admits the Englishman. "When it comes to the second build you're already aware of these elements, so it becomes a case of copying what you've done previously. So it generally takes a little less time to do the second one than the first as you're not having to find ways around things."
He also admits that doing away with the forward facing exhaust complex has made things a little easier. "Not having the forward facing exhaust has definitely made the car build part of the process simpler. It's much quicker to get the car turned around every evening and get it ready for the next day's running because it's a more straightforward layout.
"In terms of running and analysing the car on the track," he continues, "there shouldn't have been anything inherently difficult about last year's car, but it did turn out to be quite challenging as the exhaust system created several aerodynamic issues. So in that respect the E20 is easier to work with again. This means our race engineers can fill their boots with springs, roll bars, tyre pressures, cambers, and so on; all the conventional tools in the engineer's arsenal."
Last year, Haynes issued one of its legendary 'owners workshop manuals' in respect of the 2010 Red Bull RB6. Allison admits that such a guide isn't really needed at Enstone. "Every part on the car is detailed in an assembly drawing, so typically each sub-system, like the power steering, the brakes or the front / rear suspension for example, has a drawing showing how it all bolts together and describing how it should be set up/operated. These drawings show in some detail what goes in what order. The race team then supplement the assembly information with an indexed photo library showing the best practise routing of the various cables and pipes.
"We don't need to be quite as verbose perhaps as a Haynes manual, because the guys who design the car are only upstairs from the guys who are building it, so you can have some dialogue in place of documentation."
It is only just over a week since the wraps were pulled back on the E20, however, Allison admits that the car that appears on the grid in Melbourne will be significantly different.
"There's a lot of work still to do before the season opener, and so many elements will change," he says, "the front wing, rear wing, side pods, pod vanes, engine cover, barge board, floor, some suspension elements, and some small brake duct features to name but a few!
"As always, it's going to be a very busy few weeks."