Pulling out all the stops to improve the brakes

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Brakes have become much more of a talking point since last year when teams shrunk the dimensions of disks and calipers to save weight and accommodate the new and vital energy recovery systems. The 2014 Canadian Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg suffer ERS failures on their W05s, which means that the rear disks had to support the entire braking process.

Since these had not been designed for that purpose, they started overheating and could no longer cope with Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s extreme braking demands. Mercedes’ issues just go to show F1 teams push the ability of materials to the limit.

"We've reached the technology's current boundaries"

“Each brake set (disk-piston-caliper) weighs around 20kg on a road-going vehicle, while it is only 6kg on an F1 car,” Brembo engineer Andrea Algeri told French newspaper L’Équipe. “This does not prevent teams from asking us to shed a few extra grams. But we’ve reached the technology’s current boundaries, so it’ll be tough to do a better job.

“During last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, on one of the most challenging tracks, we only had a 12mm brake wear, which is very marginal. Theoretically, we could have done four Bahrain races in a row. However, if we are not operating in the right temperature window, brakes can be worn out within three laps. There are about a thousand cooling holes on the edge. But if the team elects to block the car’s cooling ducts, we become as powerless as a tyre manufacturer whose inflation recommendations are not properly respected: it simply cannot work.”

In an effort to improve brake cooling, the number of holes has been increased while their individual size has diminished. Each disk has a maximum diameter of 278mm, while its thickness oscillates between 22 and 28mm for a 1400g weight. Calipers are made from a single forging of aluminium-lithium alloy and their weight ranges from 1600 and 1800g, according to figures given by Brembo. Each F1 season sees teams use 10 calliper sets, between 140 and 240 brake disks, and between 280 and 480 pads.

Click here for an explanation of how the brake-by-wire systems work

Motor Racing - Formula One World Championship - Canadian Grand Prix - Race Day - Montreal, Canada