Professional Motorsport World
  • News
    • A-E
      • Bodywork
      • Business Services
      • Chassis
      • Circuit News
      • Data Capture
      • Driver Safety
      • Electric Motorsport
      • Engine Technology
    • F-N
      • Karting
      • Legislative
      • Logistics
      • Materials
      • New Competition Car
    • O-S
      • Off Road
      • R&D
      • Race Series News
      • Safety
      • Show News
      • Simulation
      • Single Seaters
    • T-Z
      • Team News
      • Tin Tops
      • Tyres
      • Transmissions
      • Workshop
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    • October 2024
    • September 2023
    • 2022
    • September 2021
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • PMW Expo
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter
  • Automotive Interiors
  • Automotive Testing
  • Autonomous Vehicle
  • Automotive Powertrain
  • Tire
  • Media Pack
LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Instagram
Subscribe
Professional Motorsport World
  • News
      • Aerodynamics
      • Bodywork
      • Business Services
      • Chassis
      • Circuit News
      • Data Acquisition
      • Driver Safety
      • Electric Motorsport
      • Engine Technology
      • Karting
      • Legislative
      • Logistics
      • Materials
      • New Competition Car
      • Off Road
      • R&D
      • Race Series News
      • Safety
      • Show News
      • Simulation
      • Single Seaters
      • Team News
      • Testing
      • Tyres
      • Transmissions
      • Workshop
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    1. October 2024
    2. September 2023
    3. 2022
    4. September 2021
    5. April 2020
    6. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    9th October 2024

    In this Issue – October 2024

    Online Magazines By Lawrence Butcher
    Recent

    In this Issue – October 2024

    9th October 2024

    In this Issue – September 2023

    21st September 2023

    In this Issue – 2022

    4th October 2022
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • PMW Expo
LinkedIn Facebook Instagram YouTube
Subscribe
Professional Motorsport World
Opinion

Development of a lap time simulation system for Formula Student

Max Poulter, Sheffield Formula Racing By Max Poulter, Sheffield Formula Racing 5th March 20215 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Sheffield University engineering student Max Poulter joined Sheffield Formula Racing (SFR) in his first year at university in 2016 as a vehicle dynamics engineer. He became interested in Formula Student having gained an appetite for motorsport engineering through a combination of his father’s passion for fast cars and the F1 in Schools scheme.

While a member of SFR he’s covered many aspects of the car’s development including steering design, acting as costing team leader and more recently in a design managerial role as vehicle dynamics lead for the team’s 2020 car, the SFR11, in charge of steering, brakes, suspension and wheels.

For the 2021 season he has taken a step back to prioritize his work on lap time simulation and ensuring the knowledge he has gained over the past five years can be passed down to the younger team members. He has secured a number of work experience positions during his studies, including with JLR, Aston Martin and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. When he completes his studies this year, he will assume a role as a mechanical engineer working with the latter on the F1 and FE power unit development.

Here, Max details the development of a lap time simulation program for SFR.

Lap time simulation (LTS) is a vital tool used throughout the automotive and motorsport industry. A number of virtual studies can be conducted that predict a vehicle’s handling and performance characteristics.

LTS needs to perform three main functions:

  • Accurately model the dynamic behavior of the vehicle;
  • Accurately predict lap times; and
  • Produce results rapidly to allow many different vehicle configurations to be examined.

There are many reasons that LTS should be a fully integrated aspect of race car design: including:

  • Simulation provides detailed information about the vehicle performance. Much of this information can be difficult to determine from test rigs or track data, for example, tire loads in all six degrees of freedom.
  • Simulation improves the fundamental understanding of vehicle behavior and its physical mechanisms. These can then be studied in detail and optimized in the simulation environment, for example, parameter sensitivity study of center of gravity (COG).
  • Simulation can identify undesirable design options early in the development process, significantly reducing design iterations and eliminating unnecessary physical testing, for example, concept level design choice of two- vs four-wheel drive.
  • Simulation allows the study of interactions between important vehicle parameters or subsystems. This is nearly impossible to do experimentally, such as establishing the best trade-off between downforce vs drag.
  • Simulation is very cost effective. Evaluating vehicle components and design changes on a computer is much cheaper and quicker than hardware testing.

SFR has only relatively recently begun exploiting the benefits of LTS as part of the formal design process. Our first purpose-built tool was developed by our 2019 technical director, Matt Brown as part of his MEng final year project. Matt is now working with Williams Formula 1 as a design engineer. He introduced two different programs: a quasi-steady state point mass; and a more sophisticated transient tool based on optimum control theory. Both of these LTS were written in MATLAB and used extensively on the SFR10, 11 and 11B, and will be deployed on future development programs.

For 2021, I have taken over leading LTS and am currently working on a Simulink transient model that will hopefully make the tool more accessible for all team members and allow easier development in future years to come. The program will include a more detailed vehicle model allowing us to analyze a greater number of systems such as the brakes, steering and chassis.

LTS results need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Many studies neglect the presence of a real driver which can lead to excessively quick and misleading lap times. Not least because LTS typically is on the limit of the tires whereas a real driver either under or overestimates the potential grip and has to react constantly; remember tires are very non-linear and influenced by a huge number of parameters in reality.

As Formula Student comprises five dynamic events: skid pad, acceleration, sprint, endurance and efficiency. It is crucial to analyze the vehicle parameter across each event; not just the raw speed in the sprint portion. We study the vehicle across all the events and then convert the lap time into a point-based system, by comparing against competitor times at previous competitions. This gives us a ‘net’ dynamic events score.

We use this method in the early stages of our design to evaluate the best cost vs performance gains so that we can focus our limited team resources. The major projects points analysis plot helped us determine which projects to undergo for SFR11.

One of the key benefits of LTS is being able to analyze coupling of parameters. Two common ones we consider are L/D that our aerodynamic package produces. As the two are closely connected, our engineers must consider that adding downforce does not necessarily mean the car will go quicker. It must be done efficiently! One study that was performed last year added DRS. At first glance this appeared a great performance addition. However, the mass that it added to the vehicle had to be considered.

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleElectric and petrol vehicles to feature in UK 5 Nations BRX Supercar Championship
Next Article FIA RX2e EV rallycross car added to Race of Champions

Related Posts

Opinion

Where is the FIA going with WRC?

29th February 20245 Mins Read
Opinion

Opinion: Avenues of exploitation

18th October 20232 Mins Read
Opinion

Seize the moment

27th September 20234 Mins Read
Latest News

Bosch to introduce H2 concept at Le Mans 24 Hours

16th May 2025

Kammanufaktur to present latest 912c restomods in USA and Europe

14th May 2025

WRC Commission’s draft WRC 2027 regulations feature a new bodywork chapter

14th May 2025

Receive breaking stories and features in your inbox each week, for free


Enter your email address:


Supplier Spotlights
  • SuperFlow Dynamometers & Flowbenches
Getting in Touch
  • Contact Us / Advertise
  • Meet The Editors
  • Download Media Pack
  • Free Weekly E-Newsletter
Our Social Channels
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
RELATED UKI TOPICS
  • Automotive Interiors
  • Automotive Testing
  • Autonomous Vehicle
  • Automotive Powertrain
  • Tire
  • Media Pack
© 2025 UKi Media & Events a division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Notice & Takedown Policy

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category.
elementorneverThe website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
OAID1 yearCookie set to record whether the user has opted out of the collection of information by the AdsWizz Service Cookies.
test_cookie15 minutesdoubleclick.net sets this cookie to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysYouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYoutube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded YouTube videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
vuid1 year 1 month 4 daysVimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos on the website.
_ga1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
__cf_bm30 minutesCloudflare set the cookie to support Cloudflare Bot Management.

SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by