The first step into having a great race is to have a great start. A good launch is critical to hold position, at the very least.
Alan Permane talks about how RB is trying to improve in every single element regarding launches. Race starts have been a big issue for the team this year.
In Japan, both drivers got mugged off the line as they had horrible launches, leading to Daniel Ricciardo ending up in the barriers following contact with Alex Albon.
In Shanghai, the Australian lost three places on the opening lap, with both Tsunoda and Ricciardo dropping two places on the opening lap at Imola.
“You just have to keep working at it and keep doing better. There are very strict regulations from the FIA on what you can and you can’t do.
“We just need to make sure we’re exploiting everything, every area we can, from the tyres to the clutch control to engine control and that sort of thing, so we’ll be trying.”
Asked if it was a procedural thing or something mechanically, the former Renault and Alpine man is not sure.
“Honestly I don’t know the answer to that, we’re trying several things to improve it.
“We know what procedure we want the drivers to do, now whether that’s to hit a certain percentage with the clutch, whether that percentage is right, that’s the things we’re going to be exploring.“
Permane also talks about the importance of tyre preparation and how the RB team is always finding ways to improve to get the bulk and surface temperature into a good place on the formation lap.
“It’s something we work on every race, honestly, to try and put them in the best window.
“There’s two main things you look at with the tyres, it’s the bulk temperature and the surface temperature and it’s getting those both in the right place and coaching the drivers and helping the drivers on that formation lap, on where to do burnouts, how much energy to put in them. So it’s a constant process.”
The Brit also talked about how RB’s current strength is low speed corners. Miami was a great weekend for them as they scored a total of 12 points during that event, opening up a solid gap to Haas and the other bottom five teams in the process.
Ever since they improved their car towards the end of last year, slow speed performance has been extremely strong.
While wanting to improve in high speed versus the top four teams, keeping that performance they have in low speed is vital for the Faenza-based squad.
“So far it seems our strength has been in the lower speed corners. If you look in Miami, that section turn 11 to turn 16, we were super competitive there.
“You’ve still got the quick guys that work everywhere, honestly.
“I think our deficit we can see to them has been in the high speed. So, that’s where you want to focus.
“But you absolutely don’t want to take the focus away from the low speed, because you typically spend more time in the low speed corners.
“So, having a car that works in the low speed generally gives you more lap time.
“However, the quick guys are just quicker everywhere.”
