Quote:
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Originally Posted by solstice
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFlo335
They are using 8 gears this season, and they will have fixed ratios from the first race of the season. They are allowed to change them once throughout the year, but after they change them, they must remain the same. They have to compensate for tighter tracks like Monaco, and high speed tracks like Monza, which is why it may seem weird if they are a gear or two higher than past years.
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3 gears higher in Lewis case. That is massive anyway you twist it. Especially since it's common to use longer and fewer gears in a high torque engine vs. a NA screamer. |
I obviously don't know the ratios the teams choose. But they have to compromise this year as 1st and 2nd must be useable around Monaco and then they need a 8th that is long enough for Monza and gears that suit the rest of the tracks as well...
And don't forget that 18.000rpm in 2nd was probably just as fast as 15.000rpm is in 3rd in todays cars. And if you don't want to run right on the limiter in 3rd, or indeed want less torque to the rear wheels, you end up in 4th.
The redline is 3000rpms lower than last year, meaning that even with a 7 speed gearbox you would end up 1 gear higher to carry the same speed through the corner. We now also have one extra ratio, and depending on ratio spacing that might also account for one higher gear available low down. So I don't necessarily see that being in 4th means they are low in the rev range...