We’re BIG fans of Formula 1 here at Bartech.
I guess it’s not a surprise. F1 thrives on engineering and we do too.
So as well as enjoying the races, we also take inspiration from the technical developments in the workshop and drive (pardon the pun) for perfection.
We get quite a lot of email correspondence and social media content from the F1 world, and the other day we came across this picture that shows the changes in a McLaren workshop over the last 40 years, since James Hunt won the World Championship back in 1976.
McLaren Workshop 1976 v 2016
Not only does this picture provide the perfect demonstration of the progress in Formula 1, but it also shows many changes relevant to all fields of engineering.
How many engineers do you see nowadays wearing sandles in the workshop? (This isn’t the only change you’ll notice in attitude to Health & Safety.)
What about the differences in the cleanliness and organisation? We think the difference in the floors really shows this. (And maybe the incomplete stud wall!)
A high level of organisation is always going to be vital when you have the increased numbers of people in the workshop, especially given the amount of specialists involved.
Key for all these specialists are performance data and live feedback of information so every element can be measured and scrutinised.
Forty years ago, the best they had was the drivers feedback, times and some other basic information. This would have all been recorded in their black ring binder, rather than the high-tech methods of today.
The feedback of information is vital in improving performance, but also the use of specialist, dedicated equipment, rather than ‘jack of all trades’ gear.
(These days they even use a modified leaf blower to cool the engine!)
We would love to hear your thoughts on changes to F1, or what you’ve witnessed in engineering over the years.
