F1 Racing – What’s That Decal On The Bonnet?

[Beachcomber]

Any F1 motor racing fans here?

I like to watch but don’t really know all that much about it.

A couple of things I’m curious about.

There is a letter N or Z depends on how you look at it in a circle on the car bonnet (hood!) just by the cockpit. You can see it with the camera mounted on the air intake.

It does not look like a sponsor’s ad as the color varies and is on quite a few cars though not all.

Anybody know what it means?

The other thing is the graphics that come up on the screen showing Revs, Brake, throttle, gear and things. On the tachometer dial the needle goes up the revs and when it drops again a red needle stays at the highest point to show max revs at that point.

What I’d like to know is what makes the red needle drop back down again. I thought it might have been when the driver lifted of the throttle or when the brakes were applied or a gear change but it doesn’t seem to be any of these things.

Anybody?

Australian; F1 Grand Prix tomorrow (Sunday 2nd) UBC Star Sports Ch40 11.00am.

[MrSnrang]

I believe the "N" decal denotes a button to select neutral gears. It can also be found on the steering wheel. I also think that the red line on the rev meter shows the optimum shifting point for the current gear. When the car is in a lower gear, optimum shifting point is at lower revs since the ratios are extremely close.

[jayenram]

Talking of motor racing, just read this on the A1 GP website:

So, remember, A1 Grand Prix takes you places you've never been before.

"A1 GRAND PRIX SERIES TWO DATES

29 September-1 October A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands

13-15 October Venice street race (this replaces the round at Laguna Seca)

27-29 October Tibetan hill climb

3-5 November Kabul

24-26 December Lapland (night race)

5-7 January Narnia (for the Ikea Cup)

19-21 January A1 Grand Prix of Nations, USA - to be held in Baghdad (or Teheran)

26-28 January Canvey Island

12-14 February The Latvian round - to be held on the Isle of Dog (innit!)

26-28 February Falkland Islands

23-25 March Middle Earth 'the Ring'

6-8 April Bikini Atoll

20-22 April South Central LA (drive-by penalties will be enforced)

Date of release: April 1, 2006, Shanghai, China"

Anyway, we were only a whisker away from having two Brits on pole positions for tomorrow's racing.

[Beachcomber]

I believe the "N" decal denotes a button to select neutral gears. It can also be found on the steering wheel. I also think that the red line on the rev meter shows the optimum shifting point for the current gear. When the car is in a lower gear, optimum shifting point is at lower revs since the ratios are extremely close.

The ‘N’ to denote the neutral button seems it might be right, good for marshals to know.

I also thought the red needle could be for gear shift but if you notice the gears can change without the needle moving.

Don’t lets mention the Australian finish.

[Skyline]

The 'N' or 'Z' on the car body is usually an engine 'cut off' switch used for emergencies.Same on most race cars as it allows the engine to be switched off from outside the car by emergency services or marshalls.

The Tacho needle that doesnt move much shows the highest RPM the car reaches in each gear before the driver changes gear...It usually peaks at the engines highest output (at the end of the powerband)