Formula One cars are somewhat magical when you first see them travel down the racetrack. Some of the most famous car races in history were won by highly talented and skilled drivers. Formula One Championship history presents a roll call of these legendary drivers. While a great deal of emphasis is placed on the winners of the actual race, it becomes unfortunate that so many excellent McLaren test drivers do not receive their just do.
Often, it is those that test Formula One Cars that truly set the stage for those that actually win the big races. How could you win a Formula One Championship if you did not know the car you were driving had the potential to perform in the requisite manner? Not even the most famous race car champion could possibly win a major championship if the vehicle was not properly tested in order to deliver on all performance expectations.
Now, this is not to dismiss the great champions that have won the races they are involved with. Such professionals are the true heroes of the sport. However, those test drivers that put in the great and risky effort of testing Formula One cars set the stage for the top professionals to actual drive their vehicles in those amazing races.
There are quite a few responsibilities in which the test drivers of Formula One cars must undertake. What would be the common responsibilities of the test drivers? The most basic responsibility would be to provide insights into a particular vehicle based on running through a test track’s course..
Based on such test drives, it becomes possible to determine any performance problems which may exist as far as how the car handles on the test track. In a similar vein, the test driver can also point out where the vehicle handles quite well on the road. Such information could prove to be quite helpful to professional drivers in need of insights into the vehicle they will be driving in a race.
There is also a human element at work here. In other words, feedback should not exclusively centre on how the car itself works or on mechanical issues. The test driver can provide personal insights into the experience into what actually occurs when operating the vehicle. Insights into personal experience can never and should never be dismissed. There are many intangibles found within the data revealed from test drivers. This is why test drivers play such an important role in the overall process of winning Formula One races.
In a way, many test drivers remain unsung heroes in the world of Formula One racing. This is not to say there is no precedent for test drivers that would go on to enter in themselves as drivers in championships in the racing world. Some have and have done well. Overall, the contribution of these great test drivers has been to provide the much needed support to the more famous drivers. To a great extent, this help has proven invaluable.
For more information please see McLaren.com