The job, originally, was to set up the customer’s Dallara accurately and to inspect the car for any problems. A few weeks earlier Tristan had been asked to pop down to Snetterton to test drive the car in the hope that more light could be shed on the handling issues that were limiting lap times. The customer had been unable to get below 70 seconds, when 68 or 69 second laptimes should be normal.

Tristan found that the car had pronounced understeer through the corner, despite a nice turn in and predictable handling in the advent of oversteer.  Changes to the monoshock and the aerodynamics did little to help on the day. However, in Tristan’s hands the car did a 1m09.3, which gave the customer confidence that he could push the car a bit more.  A vibration was also identified that would have made a race distance less comfortable and, potentially, slower. A subsequent pre-event test session in the car, with the vibration now cured, saw the owner beat his personal best in the car, matching Tristan’s 69 second laptime.

However, a bearing failure in the gearbox foreshortened the test day, and forced withdrawal of the race meeting. With just two weeks between that event and a race at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium, time was of the essence.  The original setting up job was expanded to include removing the gearbox, having it rebuilt, and then refitting everything.  Omicron Engineering took to the challenge, and soon had the gearbox at specialists JP Race Shop where it was rebuilt and serviced.

Once returned, everything was refitted, with most of the potential problems being cured in the process. Many issues were found and fixed before attention was turned to the setup of the car, as new brake discs and pads were fitted. The brakes had, apparently, been progressively losing bite, and this was traced to tapered brake pads. This, in turn, was caused by using an unsuitable pad compound that was outside of its comfort zone on a Formula 3 car. Our flat floor was then used to ensure the ride height was optimal, and then cambers, toe-in and corner weights were set accurately.  The handling problem – mid-corner understeer was traced to massive toe-out on the left front corner.

The car went directly from us to Mallory Park for a pre-Spa shakedown test, and the car was instantly better according to the customer. Whilst no personal bests were made – the brakes needed bedding in, and the tyres were being saved for Spa – the feedback has so far been very positive.