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Pre-event Testing
Letter from SWRT
12 August 2005
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| Copyright © STI |
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The Subaru World Rally Team undertakes a number of different types of testing. Immediately prior to Rally Finland the team were over in Finland undertaking a pre-event test. SWRT Team Principal and Technical Director, David Lapworth, explains the different types of testing and the role of pre-event tests.
SWRT invests in all sorts of testing whether computer simulation at the design stage, bench-testing on dynamometers back at base, shakedown tests, one day tests at the MIRA proving ground looking at specific issues, endurance testing and performance testing.
The role of the pre-event test is not just to focus on car setup but to fine tune the car, dampers, tyre pressures and temperatures, the engine, cooling systems, select tyres and ensure everything is properly matched to the conditions we are likely to meet during the following rally.
The pre-event test more often than not takes place immediately prior to the target event itself. This maximises our chances of testing in weather and road conditions that are likely to be as close as possible to those which we will see on the rally.
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| Copyright © STI |
It also gives the drivers a great opportunity to have car and road time in the conditions of a particular rally, as often these will contrast from those encountered on the previous event. For example the team has just returned from a rough gravel event in the middle of the Argentinean winter and the conditions expected in Finland on smooth roads in the summer bear little resemblance!
We completed a similar test immediately prior to the early summer run of hot and heavy gravel rallies. The focus on that test was primarily on durability and cooling to overcome the problems of working at high temperatures in car breaking conditions.
The Finland pre-event test was more focused on out and out performance on smoother conditions which will be typical of those that we will see on the next few rallies. We worry less about the car breaking or over-heating and more on making the car work as well as it possibly can and extracting every last ounce of speed.
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2006
2005