Pirelli app gives track day drivers a digital pit crew
Professional racing telemetry made available to all (technically).
Gone are the days when racing sports simply involved cars hurtling around a track as fast as possible. Now, there are eye-watering volumes of data being processed every second, providing deep metrics and guidance on everything from tire pressure to traction control. This kind of intel was once the sole domain of racing drivers and pit stop crews, but now tire brand Pirelli has unveiled a system that'll give civilian track day goers the same kind of insight.
Announced at the Geneva Motor Show, Pirelli's "Track Adrenaline" technology uses telemetry and tyre data to identify and tell the driver when it's time to warm up tires, when they're prime for a flying lap, and when it's time to come back to the pits for a tire change. The system uses a GPS-equipped electronic box -- fitted to the vehicle -- and Pirelli's P Zero Trofeo R tyres, which have sensors inside. All the information is relayed to the Track Adrenaline smartphone app, which also provides information on lap times, acceleration, braking and so on.
But here's the rub. As Pirelli says in its own press release, the product is designed for "gentlemen drivers, professionals and driving schools," so it's not going to be cheap. Of course, the cost of the electronic box is probably negligible, but it's only compatible with Pirelli's own motorsport tires, and the whole set-up is designed to be used by people who can stump up for a track day, which is not most motorists.
Nonetheless, the system does point at something that will undoubtedly become more mainstream in the future. This kind of racing data was once only available to professional track teams, so it's pretty neat that it's now technically available to anyone. But as with most things, it'll be the people with the big budgets that get it first.
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