What is the physics behind the cornering of a race car?

How do you
make the car handle better and go faster? Such questions started
my obsession with motorsports as a teen, as I watched every
Formula 1 race and ‘Tech Talk’. I started following technical blogs
and videos about F1, my favourites being ‘Chain Bear’ and
‘Kyle.Engineers’. It was during this period that I got to attend an
F1300 race at the Buddh International Circuit. Getting an insight
into the profile of a race engineer, I knew for sure that I wanted to
carve a career in motorsports.

To pursue these ambitions, I opted for Physics and Mathematics in

high school. Studying topics like Kinematics and Dynamics, I simply
fell in love with Physics. I just couldn’t get enough of it and ended
up hooked to IE Irodov’s ‘Problems in General Physics’ over the
summer. Unfortunately, at this point, I was diagnosed with
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and life went down for me. But
with the right help and support, not only was I able to make a
complete recovery but came out as a stronger and better person. I
took a gap year but made sure to not waste it, getting into some
advanced calculus and practicing Python and MATLAB.

My passion to learn more about race engineering led me to do an

internship with ‘Prudent Motorsports’. It was interesting to apply
the Physics concepts I had learnt to those of Tyre Performance and
Weight Transfer. I was tasked with analysing case scenarios from
the track and suggesting setup changes such as camber, toe, ride
height and brake balance. I also analysed the data from two drivers
on ‘Race Studio 2’ and made a report comparing their inputs and
the resultant lap time delta.

I also took some courses from the ‘MIA School of Race Engineering’
and started reading in depth, such as ‘Making Sense of Squiggly
Lines’ by Christopher Brown and ‘Race Car Vehicle Dynamics’ by
Milliken. Furthermore, I attended a workshop held by United
Motorsports Academy (UMA), tutored by race engineer Rex Keen.
Based on my performance, I was selected to work trackside with
the UMA engineers on a BMW E46 M3 drift car, helping decide the
setup. Watching the load transfer, roll and pitch of the car as it
cornered left me awestruck.

Despite going up against university students in the workshop, I got

one of the highest scores in the test and was selected for trackside
work experience in the Indian Racing League (IRL) and the inaugural
Indian F4 championship. For two race weekends, I was with an IRL
team and was tasked with data analysis on ‘LifeView’ and
monitoring reliability vitals such as oil pressure and temperature. I
debriefed with the driver and race engineer to help decide the
setup and made our run plan for the practice sessions. Helping the
mechanics fix any issues and getting the car ready timely helped me
get a better understanding of the car systems. Then, for the last
two races, I worked with the F4 engineers from MP Motorsport,
analysing data on ‘WinTax’ and assisting the race engineer in
debriefing with the driver and suggesting ways to maximise
performance. Overall, it was an enriching experience that taught
me the importance of teamwork and clear communication,
cementing my determination to pursue Motorsport Engineering for
my future career.

Studying in the heart of the motorsport valley in the United

Kingdom would fulfil my yearning to learn about the latest
principles and techniques used in motorsports. The courses also
offer me the opportunity to tailor the curriculum according to my
interests such as Vehicle Dynamics, Laptime Simulation and Control
Systems. Being an active part of the Formula Student Team would
be a great learning experience to practically apply what I have
learnt. I am confident that by pursuing Motorsports/Automotive
engineering in the UK, I will be equipped with the right knowledge
and technical competencies to become a Race Engineer. I look
forward to my time at the university by building a synergetic
relationship with my peers and faculty.