A1 Grand Prix cars

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The A1 Grand Prix car is a vehicle designed to be used in the competition of the A1 Grand Prix. The cars are standardised for every team to make a level playing field for competing nations. It was designed to reduce the volume of "dirty air", allowing drivers to close in on the car in front, encouraging overtaking. The bodywork is mainly made of pre-impregnated carbon fibre composites. These pre-impregnated (pre-preg) composites give better consistency and higher quality than those which are hand-laid, giving greater strength, uniformity in the application of epoxy resin, and no weak spots. The application of pre-preg also means that a very specific amount of resin can be used, reducing weight. From 2008-09 Ferrari will be consulted on the design and manufacture for all A1 Grand Prix cars.


"Powered by Ferrari" car (2008-09 onwards)

The new A1 GP "Powered by Ferrari" car.

On July 22, 2008, new information regarding the new "Powered by Ferrari" A1GP car was revealed.


Chassis

The chassis is based on the Formula One Ferrari F2004 chassis. It is made from carbon-fibre skins with an aluminium honeycomb core, and has been tested to meet all FIA crash safety standards.


Engine

The Ferrari engine utilised in the new A1GP cars.

The engine is built by Ferrari. It is a 4.5-litre Ferrari/Maserati V8 engine capable of delivering 600 bhp in PowerBoost mode. The new engine weighs 160 kg, 40 kg more than the previously-used Zytek engines.


PowerBoost

Each car is equipped with a unique PowerBoost system, a mechanism to provide short bursts of increased power to create additional overtaking opportunities and action throughout the race. By changing the engine’s parameters, the system can give the driver additional power over a limited time during each race to take the car from the base 540 bhpto its maximum power of 600 bhp.

The PowerBoost is driver-activated by a button mounted on the steering wheel. The driver will be able to use it for a brief period and for a set number of times during the Sprint (4 times) and Feature races (8 times), and may use it for the entirety of a single lap during Qualifying.


Tyres

Michelin is the exclusive tyre supplier for the next three seasons beginning with the 2008-09 season.

The designs stem from Formula One technologies that seek to offer both optimal performance and safety to the driver. Full rubber serration tests were performed on various tracks such as Fiorano, Imola, Jerez and Mugello resulting in an optimal compromise between grip, endurance and wear.


Technical specifications

  • Weight: Approx 700 kg including driver, race ready (excluding fuel)
  • Front and rear suspension: Double wishbone with pushrod operated coil over damper units. Adjustable ride height, cambers and toe, adjustable anti-dive and anti-squat to optimise drive control
  • Anti-roll bar: Multi adjustable, quick change front and rear roll bars
  • Chassis: Carbon fibre skins, aluminium honeycomb core. Tested to meet all applicable FIA crash safety standards
  • Bodywork: Light weight composite bodywork
  • Gearbox: Six-speed longitudinal sequential. Gear selection via a Magneti Marelli paddle shift system
  • Drive line: Tripod jointed driveshafts
  • Brakes: Brembo carbon discs, six-pot aluminium calipers
  • Dampers: Penske VBP-45, two-way adjustable
  • Wheels: Front 13” dia. X 12” Rear 13” dia. X 14”
  • Steering: Titan angle drive bevel and two-pinion ratio’s
  • Steering wheel: 280 mm diameter carbon, with mounted LCD dash
  • Instrumentation and display: Magneti Marelli mounted display unit; Multi-channel logging facility for engineering analysis
  • Seat belt: FIA approved SABELT six-point safety harness
  • Fuel cell: ATL fuel cell approximately 150-litres capacity and designed to take up to 50 per cent ethanol
  • Clutch: AP three-plate carbon/carbon with steel hub
  • Tyres: Michelin control slick and treaded wet tyres


Lola-Zytek car (2005-06 to 2007-08)

The Lola B05/52 was the spec car used the by the series from the 2005-06 season to the 2007-08 season. It was powered by Zytek engines, and ran on Cooper tyres. The former chassis is now used in the Euro Formula 3000 series, starting in 2009.


Chassis

The chassis, designated Lola A1GP, is made and designed by Lola Cars. The A1 Car has a carbon fibre skin which cloaks a core made of aluminium honeycomb. Based on bionic engineering principles found in nature, the hexagonal honeycomb is found to give remarkable strength for its weight, and has progressive deformation properties when experiencing an impact, ensuring the driver's safety. In addition the drivers are also protected by FIA-approved side intrusion panels which protect them from lateral impacts.


Engine

The engine for the cars was developed by Zytek Engineering. The 3.4-litre V8 unit is capable of delivering 520 bhp (550 bhp in powerboost mode). Each engine has to be very durable as it has to last a whole season. The engine only weighs 120 kilograms, making it one of the lightest 3.4-litre engines ever made


Technical specifications

Dimensions of an A1 car.

The car has an overall length of 4833 mm, with a long wheelbase of 3000 mm and a wide track of 1476 mm (front) and 1468 mm(rear). Its total weight amounts to 695 kilograms, without the driver and the fuel.



Suspension

The front and rear suspension is of a double wishbone and pushrod operated twin coil over damper construction. Adjustable ride height, cambers and toe, as well as anti-dive and anti-squat made to optimise drive control.


Clutch

A two-piece carbon clutch was tailored especially for the car to handle the exceptional torque of a racing engine with up to 550 bhp and the two racing starts per weekend. The unit combines lightweight construction with durability and bullet-proof reliability. The A1 car's gearchange is by electronically automated shifting of a six-speed paddle shift transmission—peak loads at full throttle could literally shred a lesser clutch. The two-piece carbon clutch can take the load, even when the driver changes up with the PowerBoost activated. In hot and cold testing the clutch proved faultless.


PowerBoost

The PowerBoost button on the A1 car allows the engine to reach its maximum of 550 bhp. When used at the right time, this feature can encourage overtaking. For the PowerBoost to be activated, the throttle position must be above 80% and the speed must be more than 60 km/h. The button must also be depressed to continue on PowerBoost mode. However, the PowerBoost will automatically deactivate itself if the throttle falls below 40%. Each driver only has a limited amount of uses for the PowerBoost. The driver can only use it four times in a sprint race and eight times in a feature race. Once these maximum allocated uses of the PowerBoost have been used, the system is disabled until the end of the race, after which Zytek engineers would reset the system to prepare the car for the next race.


Tyres

A1 Grand Prix uses slick tyres on normal dry races. Pneumatics were supplied exclusively by Cooper Tires.


Fuel

A1 Grand Prix uses 100 RON Biofuel for all cars.

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