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NateDogg
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Tech chief reveals Focus secrets
Ford's technical director Christian Loriaux explains the key areas where he has focused his efforts – no pun intended – when he was charged with developing the Focus WRC 03.
Aerodynamics
"This is one of the key areas of development and, by the very look of the vehicle, the most strikingly obvious. We wanted to improve the downforce on the Focus as we have been losing time to our key rivals on the faster rallies like Finland.
"One look tells you that there have been some quite radical changes.
There is a new, larger rear wing, the front bumper has been redesigned while the cooling scoops and all the body panels are new."
Suspension
"I think we have probably reached the point where we have optimised the front suspension as far as the regulations allow us to go.
"However, as for the rear suspension, there are some major changes. We have completely redesigned that area to improve road handling by using the dynamics of the suspension and saving weight. The work there we've done there is not really something I want to go into in any great depth. All I can say is that it is very different to what we had before."
Weight
"We wanted to save weight and just as importantly, distribute the weight to those areas of the car where we want it to improve balance and handling. We initially reviewed everything and examined the possibilities of reducing weight on every area of the Focus. As I team I think we have done that."
Body shell
"Both the body shell and roll cage are totally new. The cage has been designed to exceed minimum FIA safety requirements. It's one area of the car where we've increased the weight to improve driver safety.
The Focus already had a good reputation in this area but we took the decision that if we could make the car even safer for our drivers, then we should do so.
"The main area of danger in a rally car is from side impact accidents and we've tried to position the driver and co-driver as far inboard as possible by making the transmission tunnel narrower. The cage is further outboard of the ****pit and we've redesigned the side impact bars to improve crash protection there. We all know that rallying can be a dangerous sport and we have a responsibility to our drivers to make the ****pit area of the car as safe as we possibly can."
Engine
"Cosworth Racing has built a new two-litre Duratec R engine which has a significant weight reduction over the 2002 engine, which makes this the lightest rally engine the company has built.
"Revisions to the turbocharger have helped produce better response and more top end power and we have also redesigned the cooling package to improve efficiency. We should see cooler running temperatures on the hot rallies like the Acropolis and Cyprus
======================================
Better or closer to competition? I wish they would tell what they did to the rear suspension, I think that will be their biggest gain right there.
Ford's technical director Christian Loriaux explains the key areas where he has focused his efforts – no pun intended – when he was charged with developing the Focus WRC 03.
Aerodynamics
"This is one of the key areas of development and, by the very look of the vehicle, the most strikingly obvious. We wanted to improve the downforce on the Focus as we have been losing time to our key rivals on the faster rallies like Finland.
"One look tells you that there have been some quite radical changes.
There is a new, larger rear wing, the front bumper has been redesigned while the cooling scoops and all the body panels are new."
Suspension
"I think we have probably reached the point where we have optimised the front suspension as far as the regulations allow us to go.
"However, as for the rear suspension, there are some major changes. We have completely redesigned that area to improve road handling by using the dynamics of the suspension and saving weight. The work there we've done there is not really something I want to go into in any great depth. All I can say is that it is very different to what we had before."
Weight
"We wanted to save weight and just as importantly, distribute the weight to those areas of the car where we want it to improve balance and handling. We initially reviewed everything and examined the possibilities of reducing weight on every area of the Focus. As I team I think we have done that."
Body shell
"Both the body shell and roll cage are totally new. The cage has been designed to exceed minimum FIA safety requirements. It's one area of the car where we've increased the weight to improve driver safety.
The Focus already had a good reputation in this area but we took the decision that if we could make the car even safer for our drivers, then we should do so.
"The main area of danger in a rally car is from side impact accidents and we've tried to position the driver and co-driver as far inboard as possible by making the transmission tunnel narrower. The cage is further outboard of the ****pit and we've redesigned the side impact bars to improve crash protection there. We all know that rallying can be a dangerous sport and we have a responsibility to our drivers to make the ****pit area of the car as safe as we possibly can."
Engine
"Cosworth Racing has built a new two-litre Duratec R engine which has a significant weight reduction over the 2002 engine, which makes this the lightest rally engine the company has built.
"Revisions to the turbocharger have helped produce better response and more top end power and we have also redesigned the cooling package to improve efficiency. We should see cooler running temperatures on the hot rallies like the Acropolis and Cyprus
======================================
Better or closer to competition? I wish they would tell what they did to the rear suspension, I think that will be their biggest gain right there.
