Just been watching top gear and I can't figure this one out: Why do F1 cars need the brakes to be warm to work properly?
In order for them to work under such hot conditions that they need to endure they need to raise the normal working temps.
Can you be more specific? I'm aware of brake fade and the systems used to combat it, but I can't think of any that would cause retarded performance at lower temperatures.
Its mainly that they're carbon ceramic isn't it, as earlier stated. Don't they have higher operating temps?
They have higher operating temps, and if the two parts of the brakes are larger, the discs and the pads, the time it takes for them to make contact is reduced by some 100s of a second, which is all it takes in F1.
It was talked on the start grid walk today at Monza but I didn't hear the reasoning behind it. According to what I heard though brakes work best at 1000 degree c, in today's race at the within the length of the start/finish straight they can cool to about half that, and sat on the grid waiting for the lights to go out they can cool to about 200 degree c. (i'm sure I haven't got the numbers wrong and that's what DC said, if I am wrong though sorry) ninja edit, try looking here
Mesh all the info in the thread together and there you have it. The carbon-ceramic discs + pads give best performance of any known substance, but they need to be hot to work (near-opposite to a metal disc, which is better cooler).
A F1 brake disk is 12" more or less. about the of a size medium pizza. now you wouldn't want a cold pizza would you. Beer logic, can't beet it
Warm pizza is best, but cold pizza is very good aswell. I've had leftover cold pizza for breakfast, it's a yummy & nutritious start to the day! Plenty of fibre, some dairy, vitamins, iron, what else could you possibly want?
Pizza got me through college twice when I was single. Grab a slice and wander off to class. Inexpensive, stores well, and will outlast the next ice age.
