**The Great F1 Spygate Scandal: A Look into McLaren's $100 Million Fine and Renault's Get-Out-Free Card**

In the world of Formula 1, cheating is a serious offense that can lead to severe consequences. One such case is known as Spygate, where McLaren was found guilty of unauthorized possession of Ferrari information, resulting in a staggering $100 million fine.

It all started back in 2007 when McLaren was caught red-handed stealing engineering documents from Ferrari. The World Motor Sport Council took swift action and handed down the hefty fine, making it the largest penalty in F1 history at that time. However, little did anyone know that another team, Renault, would soon find themselves on the receiving end of a similar scandal.

In the same year, 2007, Renault was caught stealing documents from McLaren containing sensitive information about their J-damper system. The device, which was used to regulate suspension and improve handling, had become an essential part of F1 cars. But what happened next would raise more questions than answers.

According to the FIA, Renault's engineers had fundamental misunderstandings about how the J-damper system worked. Despite this, they still managed to develop their own version, which was later found to be inferior. The FIA's decision not to punish Renault further was met with a mix of confusion and frustration from the racing community.

One can't help but wonder what would have happened if Renault had been punished for their actions. Perhaps the J-damper system would still be in use today, or maybe it would have led to even more innovation and improvement in F1 technology.

However, the truth is that once the cat was out of the bag, almost every team in F1 began using the J-damper system. It became an integral part of their cars, and its widespread adoption made it nearly impossible for Renault to be punished.

But what exactly is a J-damper, and how does it work? To find out, we need to take a closer look at this device and its role in F1 racing.

The J-damper system was designed to regulate the suspension of F1 cars. It worked by using a combination of hydraulic and electronic systems to control the movement of the shock absorbers. The idea behind it was to improve handling and reduce the risk of tire wear, but as we now know, its widespread adoption came at a cost.

In recent years, the J-damper has been banned from use in F1 cars for 2022. So, why is this? It's simple: the system was proven to be too complex and prone to malfunction, making it a safety risk for drivers. The ban is aimed at ensuring that F1 racing remains fair and competitive, while also protecting the well-being of its drivers.

As we look back on the Great Spygate scandal, it's clear that cheating in F1 is not just about stealing documents or using unauthorized technology. It's about the fundamental values of fair play and sportsmanship. The punishment for Renault was lenient, but perhaps that's because they were able to provide a convincing explanation for their actions.

Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: the J-damper system will no longer be seen in F1 cars, at least not until 2022. As we move forward into this new era of racing, it's essential that we remember the lessons of Spygate and ensure that our sport remains true to its values.

In conclusion, the Great Spygate scandal is a reminder that cheating in F1 comes with serious consequences. While Renault may have gotten off scot-free, McLaren's $100 million fine serves as a warning to all teams: cheat at your own peril.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- It's the casethat's been known as Spygate.The World Motor Sport Councilthen found McLaren guiltyof unauthorized possessionof Ferrari information.- In 2007, McLaren wasfined a $100 million dollarsfor stealing engineeringdocuments from Ferrari.To this day,(cashier dings)it's the largest finein the history of sports.However, that same year,Renault was caught stealing documentsfrom McLaren containing,among other secrets,the diagrams for a devicecalled the J-damper.So what was Renault's fine for stealing?(dramatic music)Zero. Zero dollars for the same crime.What?According to the FIA,the engineers at Renaulthad certain fundamental misunderstandingsabout the operation ofthe J-damper system.And since Renault's actions basedon that misunderstandinghad no effect on the F1 Championship,they didn't merit any punishment.It's like stealing theteachers the answer key,but then not understanding the keyand answering everything wrong anyways.Like yeah, you cheated,but you cheated so badwe're not gonna punish you.Once the cat was(cat screeches)out of the bag onthis mystery suspensiondevice, almost every teamin F1 started using it.But after 17 years, the J-damperhas been banned for 2022.But what is a J-damper?How does it work?And why is F1 banning it?Today on B2B, we're gonna find out.Let's go.(upbeat music)(neon lights buzzing)Big thanks to Keeps forsponsoring this episode.Not too close, Dave, you'regonna burn your marshmallow.Nobody likes burnt marshmallowsunless you're a psychopath.Oh, hello there.Ever since I sold my cabin,Dave and me have been onthe road to our new home.We're gonna go live at my parents' farm.(Dave squawks)Okay, are you kidding me, Dave?It'd be like a buffet forall the mosquitoes out here.They'd be like, "Buzz,buzz, is that a thigh?"And I'd be like, "No, it's my head."(Dave squawks)You wouldn't understand Dave.Okay, you're not one of the twoout of three guys to experience some formof male pattern baldnessby the time you're 35.What I would give to have my hair smelllike campfire in the morning.If only I used Keeps.Keeps makes hair loss prevention easyby giving you accessto real doctors online.Plus, they'll ship you yourhair loss medication directlyto your door every three months.So don't wait for yourfollicles to snuff out.Just head on over to keeps.com/b2bor click the link in the descriptionto receive 50% off your first order.(fire roaring)(Dave squawks)Oh, Dave, no, no! Put it out quick!No!(car clattering)(Dave squawks)(fire crackling)No big deal.It's just everything we've ever owned.Why do I like birds?(screen beeps)Before we getinto the J-damper,let's cover the basics of atraditional suspension setup.First, you got your springs.The springs absorb energyfrom a bump, pothole,or possum in the road, andthen release that energyso it can return back to center.That's why your car returnsback to its normal ride heightafter it hits a bump.The problem with springson their own is that they oscillate.Once a force is applied to the spring,it'll continue bouncing up and down.We can show you thatusing a graph like this.The oscillations will eventually slow downand get back to zero, but ittakes a long time to settle.You don't wanna hit a bumpand they keep bouncingaround in your car forthe next 30 seconds.So we need to dampen those oscillations.One way is by dissipatingthe energy causingthe oscillations.The obvious example of this typeof damper is a shock absorber.A typical shock absorber consistsof a fluid-filled chamberand a valve piston thatpushes through that fluid.The shock and spring are linkedso when the spring compresses,so does the shock.With every expansion andcompression of the shock absorber,that piston pushing throughthe fluid converts some ofthat system's kineticenergy into heat energy.So instead of spending time bouncingup and down on oscillating springs,the shock absorbers ensurethat your car gets backto its steady state quickly.But dissipating energy isn't the only waythat a damper can reduce an oscillation.What if, instead of justtrying to dissipate the energy,we actually use that energyagainst the spring's oscillation.That is where the J-damper comes in.J-damper is just thecode name McLaren usedto keep the device secret.It's technically referredto as an inerter.It's really hard to notaccidentally say inverter,but that's what the inventor named itso that's what I'll call it.When you invent cool things,you get to name it whatever you want.An inerter can take a few different forms,but in this case, itconsists of a threaded rodand a flywheel.As a force is applied to one end,the rod pushes up through the flywheel,causing it to spin,This converts the linearenergy into rotational energy.Once the force is no longer applied,the momentum of theflywheel is returned backinto the rod, making it want to continuein that same directionthat the force was applied.If we apply force inthe opposite direction,the same thing happenswith the flywheel spinning the other way.It's similar to those toycars with the flywheels.You turn that linear energyinto rotational energy,and then you use all that storedup energy to keep thecar moving on its own.So, when a force is applied to a spring,it momentarily stores that energy,then releases it back inthe opposite directionof the initial force.When a force is appliedto a shock absorber,it removes that energy from the systemby converting it into heat.And when a force is appliedto an inerter or a J-damper,it momentarily stores thatenergy in the flywheel,then releases it backinto the threaded shaftin the same directionas the initial force.The important thing to noticehere is that the springand the inerter bothstore and release energy,but they release energyin opposite directions.So if we an inerter into the systemand it's properly tuned to the springand expected forces,we can use this opposing energyto dampen the spring further.Another way to picturethis is by looking backat those oscillation graphs from before.Any wave can be diminishedby producing destructive interference,which is making another way that conflictswith the original wave.An interfering wave is onewhich ideally has a similar amplitude,but which is out of phase,meaning it crosses the center lineat a different time or movingin the opposite direction.If we plot the force of theinerter acting on the spring,we end up with a wave like this.Some dampening does occurdue to the initial startupwith getting that flywheel spinning,but the big dampening comesin with what happens next,with the interference producedwhen the spring rebounds.For the spring to extend,it has to overcome the stored energyin the spinning flywheel to slow it downand reverse its direction.In other words,the spring has to fight theflywheel's rotational inertia,hence the name inerter.Because the flywheel isresisting the spring's extension,the rotational energy in the flywheel isout of phase with theenergy in the spring.So as the spring extendsand compresses repeatedly,that oscillation continues feeding energyinto the flywheel,and in turn feeds thatenergy back out of phase,interfering with anddampening the oscillationsof that spring.This out of phase wave ends up cancelingout the way wave from thespring's natural frequency.This, this may well bethe most complicated B2Bwe've ever made.So, are inerters better dampersthan shock absorbers?In theory, yes.Instead of simply dissipating the energyfrom oscillation,an inerter turns thatenergy back onto itselfand should be ableto fully eliminateoscillations more quicklythan an energy dissipatingdamper like a shock.That sounds great, right?- Yeah!- Well, yeah, but there arealso a couple of problems.One, when you wanna get ridof those high amplitude oscillations,you need a flywheelthat has a lot of mass.Guys in F1, they don't like heavy stuff.Don't tell your mom.(audio distorts)So say you don't wanna make it heavier,well, how about youincrease the diameter of it?You put the mass further awayfrom the center of rotation.Well, now you have a large objectthat you need to try tofit into your F1 car.That's kind of tough to do.There's not a lot ofspace you can work with.Because F1 parts needto be light and compact,the dampers of choice are not inerters.They're the energydissipating shock absorbersthat use gas and oil to turnoscillations of the springs,technically torsion bars in F1, into heat.But F1 is all aboutsqueezing every last bitof performance out ofthe technology available.And even though the inertercouldn't be used in conjunctionwith the stiff torsion barsfor the primary suspension,there was a smaller spring light componentwhose oscillation needed to be dealt with,the tires.Undamped tire oscillationshave a huge impacton mechanical grip.And the only way to preventthe tires' oscillationsfrom upsetting the gripand balance of the car isto use a mechanicaldevice like a J-damper.Ordinary suspension componentslike shock absorbers struggleto combat such small vibrations.Small movements of a shock's piston,it can't build the pressureneeded to generate heatand dissipate energy.And shocks compress and extendrelatively slowly comparedto in an inerter.But even small, low amplitude,or rapid oscillations willrotate an inerter's flywheel,putting the energy into itthat can be fed back todamp that oscillation.When used in combination with springsand traditional shock absorbers,inerters provide a highlevel of dampening controlover specific oscillations.And that's why nearlyevery F1 team uses them.So why are J-dampersbeing banned for 2022?Well, it's Formula 1where the answer is often the same.Money.(upbeat music)- A bunch of wine cold.- Mercedes has won theConstructors' Championshipfor seven years in a row,and they spend more moneythan any other team,reportedly as much as fourtimes what Williams spends.To combat that inequalityand make a more interesting series,the FIA is instituting a spending cap.To do that, they have tomandate that cars get simpler.Certain parts are being eliminatedand the inerter is one of them.As part of that simplification,the FIA also wants thetechnology of F1 carsto be more like road cars.And they say things like,"Inerters simply have norelevance to ordinary cars."But it's not all bad newsbecause the primary role of inerters isto damp oscillationspecifically from the tires,and those occur predominantlyin the tire sidewalls.Well, beginning in 2022,F1 will be moving from a13" wheel to an 18" wheel,meaning tire sidewalls willbe much shorter and stiffer,and less prone to oscillations.With that difference, theonce game-changing inertermay not be necessary after all.And if you really wanna find outfor yourself what all thisinerter stuff is about,Cambridge University and Malcolm Smith,the inventor of their inerter,has licensed the technology to Penskewho will happily sellyou one of these bad boysfor a low price of $18,000.The B2B motto, "Cool things cost money,but you don't need moneyto be a cool thing."Put that on a t-shirtand send it to your mom.Thank you guys so much forwatching this episode of B2B.Follow us here at Donuton Instagram @DonutMedia.Follow me @JeremiahBurton.Till next week, bye for now.♪ Love is love, adidodos ♪