What is control electronics in an F1 car? All you need to know about the reason behind Charles Leclerc’s penalty

After Ferrari's early-season reliability issues with an electrical part in its F1 power unit, Charles Leclerc will serve a grid penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Due to what Ferrari team president Frederic Vasseur claims was a problem with the control electronics, Leclerc withdrew from the season's first race in Bahrain while holding the third-place position.

Being the first time this year that he is over the limit for that component, he will get at least a 10-place grid penalty. However, Ferrari may decide to start him from the rear of the grid instead if more alterations are required or desired.

But what is the control electronics in an F1 car and why is it worth a 10-place grid penalty?

F1 serves as the car's primary control system, controlling the torque and energy delivery of the powertrain and brake systems. It is also the main data recorder that transmits data to the teams and race control through telemetry. Although the McLaren brand is closely associated with F1, the company's history in racing has always spanned the whole spectrum of motorsport.

In the world of motorsport, McLaren Applied (MA) electronics are unbeatable. Nowadays, the majority of the world's professional motor racing series use our electrical systems, software, and components. MA is the exclusive provider of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to the F1, NASCAR, and IndyCar Championships.

In addition to providing the electric motors and power electronics for the upcoming Formula E Championship, MA will serve as the series' exclusive ECU provider.

The complexity of the ECUs created by MA varies depending on the specific requirements of the series in which they are employed. The ECU operates the large V8 pushrod engines in NASCAR and direct injection turbocharged engines in IndyCar.

During an ordinary 300km grand prix, the contemporary F1 ECU deals with over 1000 input parameters and delivers over 1.5GB of live data back to the garage.

In a world that is becoming more interconnected and where accurate information flows and robust data collection are becoming increasingly crucial, skill in electronic control and data capture is a valuable resource.

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F1 to race in Austria until 2027

After committing to a four-year contract extension, Austria will continue to host Formula One races until 2027.

2014 saw the return of the Austrian Grand Prix to Formula One, and the final event under the current arrangement was scheduled for July 2.

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali said in a statement:

"The Austrian Grand Prix brings together the perfect mix of a challenging track, high-speed racing, and a beautiful venue for our fans, so I am delighted that we will be coming back to the Red Bull Ring until at least 2027 under this new agreement."