5 replies to this topic

[steveninthematrix]

so, who has the actual reason from the teams of the point of an installation lap? i mean, why cant the team run all the diagnostics of the software/car in the garage, and send it out... but everyone does an installation lap;

so, is it just to turn all the systems on and then get checked before going out again... since if something is wrong, it could cause damage

???

Edited by steveninthematrix, 26 March 2011 - 03:44.

[TurboKeb]

Maybe to make sure the car remains in one piece, and that the track is raceable.

[Bleu]

There might be radio conversation throughout it so they can test that radio works in every place at the circuit.

[Ross Stonefeld]

They do test the radios for reception dead zones around the circuit on the opening laps of practice, but the installation lap is basically to see how the car does when it's running. You can fire it up in the garage to see if it leaks, but by running it for a lap even at slow speed you find out if anything is rubbing on the car, if vibrations shake anything loose, etc. If there's something fundamentally wrong with the car or not put together properly you'll find out on the first lap.

If it survives the insallation lap with no problems, it's good to go. You wouldn't want to send it straight into doing a fuel run and have the oil line disconnect itself on lap 2 because it wasnt properly tightened or something.

[F.M.]

It's just a lap to check that everything on the car is working properly.

Ferrari for some reasons didn't do installation laps during the 2008 season, but started straight away.

[OfficeLinebacker]

Also another definition of an installation lap is a lap that both begins and ends on pit lane. Meaning, they do not cross the s/f line at speed, therefore it is not a "timed lap."

This is why you can hear the roar of engines for 20 minutes at a test session or a free practice yet see no official times up on the board/display.

it took me a long time to figure this one out.