The Challenge of Focusing Cross-Functional Management Teams
If you think F1 is a man's sport, then think again!
Strip the car down removing anything that unnecessarily adds to the weight. A F1 car is only the weight of the smallest A-class Mercedes car.
Lower the chassis and add wider ‘grippier’ tires. Staying on the track will be a challenge when you are going at speeds of up to 300km/hr
Take the hood or bonnet off and replace it with the pointed nose cone. A F1 Car is part car and part rocket.
Aerodynamics is key, so remove any parts of the car that are sticking out and could cause turbulence. Even a milimeter added by the decals showing a sponsor’s logo matter.
Put some small upside down wings on the front and the rear – that will create the downforce required to keep the car from flying away at high speed on a bend.
Add another few cylinders to (you will need 6) and make the engine 8 times more powerful. Add a turbo charger and move the engine to the back of the car
If you car is not already a hybrid, then make it one. In recent years F1 is all about fuel efficiency.
Add sensors all round the car and an aerial to wirelessly communicate data on the car’s performance to your garage.
Expand the fuel tank – you will be burning fuel at a rate of 4 miles per gallon. Get yourself a fireproof driver’s suit as you will be sitting next to the tank.
Now get your helmet and a neck support. As you turn the corners you will pull as much as 5G – that is similar to what astronauts experience on reinterpreting earth’s orbit.
Point the car like an arrow where you want to go. Press on the accelerator and brace yourself – in the time it takes to sneeze you will have reached 100 km/HR. Sneeze again and you will be at 290km/hr.
Assemble a dedicated pit crew of up to 20 engineers and mechanics and train them assiduously. You will need your team to change tyres and make any other adjustments 3 or 4 times during a race. However you can’t stop for more that 2 or 3 seconds each time.
