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Source - Scuderia Toro Rosso
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Monday, 09 March 2009 12:06 |
 Behind the scenes Toro Rosso staff members, Team Manager Gianfranco Fantuzzi and Chief Engineer Laurent Mekies share their views.
Gianfranco Fantuzzi - Team Manager
This year, Gianfranco is our Team Manager, but it’s in his previous role, in charge of the production side at Scuderia Toro Rosso, that Fantuzzi takes us through the build of the 2009 car.
“If you take parts manufactured in the factory or purchased directly by us, almost 100 percent of the car is made in house. Our procurement department processes 14,000 drawings, including those for car components, jigs, tooling, assembly and so on,” says the former General Manager at the team. The most obvious increase in home production is in the Composites Department."
“At first, we decided to make a few parts in our own composites department, but for the first time ever, we have now made the actual chassis in house, whereas last year it was produced by Carbotec in Austria. This has been a big challenge for us and the chassis took up 100 percent of our energy up to the start of the season. It involved re-commissioning the original autoclave that has been here since before the Toro Rosso name went up over the door. We also had to take on more staff with good qualifications in the fields of laminating and trimming. In fact, before tackling STR4, we actually made a 2008 STR3 chassis to see how it would work out and that proved to be a very valuable experience.”
The factory itself has grown, with an additional building shaping up to be the new machine shop, while additional staff have joined on the design and composites side. As for the team’s future expansion, a lot will depend on how the sport’s rules determine just what constitutes a manufacturer and constructor in Formula One.
Gianfranco Fantuzzi – Biography
This is the second Faenza era for Team Manager Fantuzzi, as he worked here with Minardi from 1998 to 2001 as a race engineer, before joining Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006. This year, he takes on a new role, relinquishing the job of General Manager to return to the race tracks as Team Manager.
Like all young boys living in Modena, he was infected with the racing virus at an early age and joined Ferrari as a mechanic when he was just 16-years-old.
He spent 22 years with the Prancing Horse, most of that time working as an engineer on the test and race team. He also took a break from Formula One, moving to the United States to get involved with the company’s IMSA programme.
“When I was young, I used to go karting, but I did just enough to know that I was much too slow,” says Gianfranco.
“I always preferred what goes on behind the scenes in racing and so, after race engineering at Minardi, I moved to the role of Logistics Manager with the Toyota F1 team.” However, a few years ago, he returned to his spiritual home and is looking forward to his new role within the team."
Laurent Mekies - Chief Engineer
The most dramatic set of rule changes for 20 years will put a new complexion on how teams tackle a race weekend. Our Chief Engineer, Laurent Mekies talks us through them.
“The arrival of slick tyres, big aero changes and a ban on testing means that basing our race weekend preparation on the previous year’s race will be much less relevant than in the past, although our knowledge of each circuit still remains the same."
“Some of these missing elements can be replaced with more simulation work and as the season progresses, our understanding of all the new elements will increase, allowing us to make judgement calls on what is required. More than ever, Friday becomes a test day, not just in terms of preparing for that weekend. In addition, you will have to allocate part of your programme to your car development that was previously done at test sessions in between the races. This will require a rethink of the programme, which, usually on Fridays, could be rather repetitive for the spectators. Now you will see a lot more running with different programmes split between the two drivers."
“As for KERS, our system comes from Ferrari and we will work with them so that we both make progress as rapidly as possible. Its primary use is as a “Push to Pass,” or “Push to Defend” button, which might be disappointing if the two actions just cancel each other out! You will have to think carefully about when to use it. I’m sure that apart from overtaking, it will also come in useful for producing a best lap time in qualifying and in this case, the driver will look to the team for advice on how best to use it. Then there will be race laps when you don’t need to overtake or defend, but you will still want to use the available energy. The system needs to be treated with respect, but there are measures in place to protect marshals on the track and the crew in the garage."
“The driver definitely faces a busy time in the cockpit. Apart from using his KERS, he will also have the adjustable front wing to play with twice per lap, in a bid to improve overtaking opportunities. The new wing should address the problems of a car losing balance and front downforce when it is close behind another car. The driver will be adjusting the wing and going for the KERS boost button at pretty much the same time, which could make life interesting!"
“Life will also be more hectic for us engineers on the pit wall. For example, in relation to the Safety Car, we are effectively going back to 2006 regulations, so if the SC is out on track you can immediately refuel and change tyres. It will require a much more instant decision on whether pitting at that point is the right decision or not.”
Laurent Mekies – Biogaphy
It’s not difficult to work out that the team’s Chief Engineer is French, as Laurent looks like one of Dumas’ Three Musketeers, although, having said that, he’ll probably have a shave and a haircut before the start of the season.
Laurent is well qualified for the job, with a Masters degree in Automotive Engineering obtained in Paris, which included a final year at the UK’s Loughborough University, something of a hot bed for race engineers in Britain.
Laurent’s entire working life has been spent track side, first with a Formula 3 team, before eventually tasting F1 with the Arrows team in 2001.
A year later he joined Minardi as a race engineer and has been in Faenza ever since, taking on the role of Chief Engineer when Scuderia Toro Rosso was born.
His French roots will come in useful when the team wants to tell either of its race drivers what it really thinks of them!
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