To be able to create a extra balanced discipline within the Dakar Rally, the FIA has launched a Torque Meter this yr. Motorsport.com caught up with the governing physique’s cross-country director Jerome Roussel to seek out all of the secrets and techniques behind it.
What’s a Torque Meter and the way does it work?
The Torque Meter is a sensor situated contained in the gearbox that measures the ability reaching the wheels. In case the ability exceeds the restrict imposed by the regulators, a time penalty is utilized.
The system will probably be utilized in the complete 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship, beginning with Dakar, after the FIA examined the system with a number of groups, together with Ford within the Morocco Rally.
“It is principally a sensor, a sort of torque sensor, that is within the gearbox,” defined Roussel. “The great factor is that in cross-country all of the producers use the identical gearbox, so it is simple to implement. The gearbox offers the ability to the gearbox, and what we would like is to measure that energy that goes out.
“Earlier than we have been measuring what the engine was producing, and now we’ve the management system which is on a unique stage in what the engine is producing, so for us it’s a lot simpler, as a result of we solely monitor what will the wheels – we don’t care in regards to the energy, simply what will the wheels.
“It’s a higher system to manage efficiency, as a result of any expertise, whether or not you will have the naturally aspirated V8 or the Toyota turbo, it doesn’t matter, as a result of we take a look at what comes out.”
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Successfully a system of Steadiness of Efficiency [BoP], the Torque Meter has already been seen in different classes, though the model utilized in cross-country rallying is sort of totally different.
“It’s not a brand new system, as a result of it was used within the WEC and Method 1, so we may gain advantage from all of the expertise we’ve with that expertise and implement it within the producers,” Roussel identified. “We began the method two years in the past, so it is not one thing fully new.”
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Why was it launched within the 2025 W2RC season?
Not like circuit racing, automobiles within the W2RC do not loop round a hard and fast observe. This creates extra issues and the FIA needed to perform a number of assessments with totally different producers earlier than introducing the system in 2025.
“We wanted time to develop it with the producers,” Roussel defined. “Cross-country is sort of distinctive. At Le Mans, each 13 kilometres it’s the identical route, the identical nook, and right here you do not have the identical factor twice, the identical terrain.
“You might have jumps, a variety of compressions, so we wanted time to develop it with the producers, that is why we determined to take it straightforward, after which the principles are carried out from 1 January.”
How are Torque Meter-related penalties utilized within the 2025 Dakar Rally and W2RC?
The FIA didn’t wish to create an imbalance by issuing massive penalties for exceeding the utmost energy allowed underneath the rules, which is why there’s a 10-minute restrict for offences.
“You by no means have an computerized penalty. If there’s a sanction, it’s as a result of our engineers confirmed that one thing was not in accordance with the rules,” Roussel defined.
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“Within the system we’ve what we name an ‘integral’, however it’s like evaluating it to an outlined curve of the ability that can not be exceeded based on the rules and the period of that second.
“You probably have a small peak for a very long time, it is the identical as an enormous peak for a really quick time, and when you will have a penalty nothing occurs, however all the pieces accumulates.
“All that is additionally filtered, you will have tolerance, all of the parameters have been outlined to be delicate.
“When you will have that penalty, the primary one is 10 seconds. We selected 10 as a result of it’s not lots, we didn’t wish to penalise one thing the place you’ll lose lots for only a second of exceeding that restrict, so we put 10 minutes as the utmost.
“So 10 seconds for us is sufficient. Then you will have one thing progressive of 20 seconds after you breach it. If a competitor or a staff is totally screwing up their methods, then you may have 1,000 penalties, however we didn’t wish to penalise 1,000 instances with 10 seconds, so we put a most of 10 minutes.
“As a result of with 10 minutes, you do not lose the Dakar. [A penalty is] by no means excellent news, however you may nonetheless win or get a podium. We did not wish to kill the [chances of a] driver, that is why we needed one thing smooth. Possibly sooner or later will probably be tougher or softer, relying on the way it works.”
First assessments of the Torque Meter for Dakar Rally
The FIA Torque Meter was examined on the 2024 Rally of Morocco, with the Ford Raptor particularly, and the outcomes left the governing physique inspired.
“It helped, in fact,” remarked Roussel. “Ford used it within the full package deal in Morocco, however we additionally had a Toyota, a Mini and a Dacia that had a Torque Meter.
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“All that knowledge was very helpful for us to be taught and outline the management technique, that are all of the parameters we use.
“Additionally all of the groups did some assessments, and after every session they despatched us the information so our engineers might analyse it. The whole lot was accomplished in collaboration with the groups to ensure we hadn’t missed something – you want a little bit of testing earlier than introducing a brand new system and sure, all the pieces was accomplished appropriately.”
It’s anticipated that the World Rally Championship will use the identical system when it introduces new guidelines in 2027 that may provide producers higher flexibility on powertrains.
Photographs from Dakar Rally Relaxation Day
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