Driver Luca Filippi provides insight on braking zones at Barber Motorsports Park

4/22/2016

 Brembo Brake Facts for Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

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Brembo compiled the most important things to know about the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, the fourth race of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season.


Luca Filippi, driver of the No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Dallara Honda for Dale Coyne Racing, provides additional insight into the key braking zones at Barber Motorsports Park.

 

The Circuit


Barber Motorsports Park is one of the fastest road courses that the IndyCar series will race on this season.


 

With the highest average corner speed on the calendar, Barber challenges the driver’s confidence level every lap.


 

Because of the speed at this particular circuit, braking power and ability is more for outright car balance rather than stopping ability.


 

In 2015, Helio Castroneves set a qualifying lap of 1:07.1925 (123.228 mph), which means he spent at least 13 seconds on the brakes of his fastest lap around the circuit 2.38-mile circuit.


“Barber is a course with a very high level of grip and is very demanding. That's because of the asphalt, warm temperatures and high level of downforce that we run” said Filippi.


 

“This is why we can generate impressive braking energy into the corner and make the most out of our carbon Brembo brakes.”

 
 

Turns 1 through 4


Going into Turn 1 the drivers will exceed 160 mph before a minor lift of the throttle. This is just a minor lift because the apex speed at Turn 1 is one of the fastest corners on the circuit. Exiting Turn 1 there is a very short run up to Turns 2, 3 and 4. This is a delicate area with the brake pedal because of the speed involved, but the drivers will slow the car before blasting back up the Turn 4 hill.


Turn 5 – The most demanding braking zone


After a short straight, the drivers will enter the hardest braking point on the track, Turn 5. One of the best places on the track to pass, during the start of the race drivers will fan out three wide looking for room to pass. Cars will then slow with maximum brake pressure before heading down another short straight.


“Going into Turn 5, the circuit is going a little downhill and we get there at 150 mph,” continued Filippi. “We brake as hard as possible generating around 4g of longitudinal braking force, which is quite a lot! The Brembo brakes get very hot here too, so we have to make sure that we get the right temperatures while we are running in traffic.”


 

 
 

Turn 8 according to Filippi


“Braking into Turn 8 is very challenging. We go downhill with lateral g force coming out from Turn 7, and at the same time we hit the curb quite a lot. And with all that, we try and brake as late as possible into Turn 8 and still having a good exit; it's crucial for the following straight line section. It's a tricky braking zone!”


 


Two chicanes at Barber


Drivers then hit the brakes to go over the Turn 8 and 9 chicane. Drivers will be very aggressive, jumping the curbs to shorten track distance, keeping the car straight and then down the long back straight, which involves the flat out Turn 10 and 11 high-speed chicane.


 

                       
Completing the lap


The drivers will use the brake for just one second to slow the car entering Turns 12 and 13. The final section of the track involves very little braking capacity; just a light touch of the brakes to enter Turn 16 will slow the car into the apex. One quick left in Turn 17, which exceeds 100 mph before coming back to the start-finish line.


“The last section is my favorite as Turns 11-12 are a blind fast chicane, it's very challenging and demanding for drivers,” added Filippi. “After that, there is a really technical braking into the last two corners.”


 

 
 

​Other braking factors – Support series


Grip changes dramatically on a street circuit, especially with multiple series on-track using various tire brands and compounds. In addition to the IndyCar race, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama includes Pirelli World Challenge, Pro Mazda, USF2000 and Legacy Indy Lights races.

                           
 
The Brembo brake system


The Brembo brake system is an engineered six-piston, monobloc aluminum caliper machined from billet with titanium-radiated pistons (28/30/36 mm) with a weight of two kilograms. The innovative system of lightweight carbon-carbon discs and carbon pads will provide consistent performance with the new aerodynamic improvements.


 
Brembo at Barber Motorsports Park


In addition to serving as the official brake supplier for the Verizon IndyCar Series, Brembo is also the brake of choice for 22 of the 50 teams competing in Pirelli World Challenge this weekend.