Many single seater drivers use a 'hot' tyre pressure. they let the tyres down to the PSI they want once they are run. You hear the V8 supercar guys talk about this, or in the case of Ayrton Senna's accident, their was some early speculation that his tyres got cold and lost pressure following the pace car and subsequently at the restart the car bottomed at the first corner sending Aryton off.
I have never done that. I always use cold pressures. I start were I want and let them build up to whatever they are going too.
On the grid after the warm up lap, (where i stuck my head out into the slip stream and had all my tearoffs ripped off the helmet), i was ready to go and Kenny raced over and let the 2 front tyres down. Of course he was trying to help, but the car understeered so badly on the very important left hander onto the back staight at Wigram, that I had to lift off every lap!!! Sh#@ My terminal speed was way down, however being a newbie, I just kept going the best I could.
Three other things happened in this race that I won't forget. A very well known driver who I had out qualified cut me off big time on the warm up lap. It was pretty radical and meant to scare the new boy. I thought these bastards are bloody serious about this stuff, so thought I had better defend myself and gave it straight back (as you have too do if you want some kind of respect). so I think war was kinda declared there.
There was a rumour that Denny Hulme had said I should not be allowed in this international race as I had never driven a single seater before. I never got to substantiate that one. It was apparently started by another very well known competitor I believe who I had also out qualified. The last thing was I was deaf after the race and my ears 'rang' for 3 days afterwards. lesson to grasshopper: wear earplugs. (when you are right up the rear of another single seater the exhaust is straight in your face)'
Anyway, enough rambling, my apologies for boring everyone to death with things that happened a long time ago.I think I was 19 when I bought this car.
Kenny in STP hat
Originally Posted by Steve Emson
Many single seater drivers use a 'hot' tyre pressure. they let the tyres down to the PSI they want once they are run. You hear the V8 supercar guys talk about this, or in the case of Ayrton Senna's accident, their was some early speculation that his tyres got cold and lost pressure following the pace car and subsequently at the restart the car bottomed at the first corner sending Aryton off.
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