December Driver's Environment Update

Many significant changes were made over the last year which has impacted the Driver’s Environment department; the use of paddles to shift, using a hand clutch and the chassis shape being redesigned, has meant older designs are obsolete.

The aim for the Drivers Environment department is to minimise the mass of the subsystem without compromising driveability. This year's designs are a refinement rather than revolutionary, focusing on further improving the ergonomics of the car to improve the driveability of the car. This has been achieved through a fitting of the SR12 with potential drivers, where it was found a heel holder, buttons on the steering wheel and a slighter lower driving position would be beneficial.

The newest design is the latest steering wheel; it houses the needed buttons for the driver to utilise launch control and other functions. The shifters have been improved by using stronger magnets and actuators to enhance the shifting mechanism, using a cord to house the electronics and still allow for quick release when exiting the car.

Meeting the Team

Meet the Team is an opportunity for us to give a chance to learn a little more about the people who make up SHU Racing. This week we welcome George Foot our Driver’s Environment lead and Finance and Procurement manager. George’s role is all about the driver and making sure they are safe and comfortable while driving the car, designing everything the driver interacts with. Secondly, George is responsible for keeping the teams' finances in order, by assessing the team’s budget and processing order requests for parts and materials.