GRR: As a development driver, you of course know the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team very well. What was it like to be part of this team, working on the simulator program, and how has the tech side of the sport developed since we saw you in Formula 1?
Ant: To put the question simply, it has moved from non-existent to much like the real car. In my day it wasn’t an option. There were computer games, but it wasn’t a simulation.
Nowadays you can lay your sim laps in a row with the data of the real car. You can measure my steering input or compare it to what Lewis or Valtteri were doing at the same moment on the same route under the same conditions in real life. You can see cornering stiffness loads, you can optimize tire pressure and track grip. Anything you want is possible and it only improves.
The simulation world has developed rapidly since the start of this job at Mercedes. It becomes a pretty scary animal to deal with. I’ve already had 43 days of Sim time this year. You usually do this annually, but because of the pandemic, this year has been particularly grueling.
Even Lewis comes and uses it as a tool to go through the setup options before the race weekends. I focus on the pre-event work where we compare the car to last year’s or last year’s car to make sure we’re in the right parameters for grip and condition. Then we start working through different setup options while adding realism to the drivers in the simulation. It’s a lot of brain power and a lot of hard work, but it’s a fascinating world. You have to be there and see the big picture all the time.
I’ve worked as an F1 test driver for six years, so I know how it works and what the requirements are for the real car. I work with a brilliant team of people. We all know the broader Mercedes team in Brackley. But the individual departments of the Sim group are also great people to work with.
GRR: With all of this hands-on experience, you will be well positioned for your role at Sky F1. What have you done with the 2021 season so far? Exciting, isn’t it.
Ant: With my Sky hat now – while I’m sitting here in Mercedes overalls – I hope people will appreciate the effort I’ve made to always come across with an open mind. In this team, I’m probably even tougher than usual.
Personally, I’ve really enjoyed this season so far. It’s what F1 needed. More competition. Teams that not only lead the fight to Mercedes, but even surpass them until they lead both championships. Max Verstappen leads for the first time in his career. That’s the kind of energy the F1 needs.
Now the question arises, can the old master defend himself? And I can’t wait to see that. For that he needs the tools and the team will certainly not give up. So how do they take revenge? How much can they afford to fight each other this year …
I wish in many ways no one had touched their cars from the first lap. ‘It works, just leave it.’ It would be so awesome. But we will see. That’s what Formula 1 is all about, ingenuity. Every time a driver gets into the car, it should definitely get better. That’s what attracts people.
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