"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
11/16/2013 at 19:50 • Filed to: F1 Technical on Oppo, American Grand Prix, Grand Prix of America, United States Grand Prix, Grand Prix of the United States, Circuit of the Americas, Formula 1, OppositeLock |  10
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Welcome to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ! The one thing that separates Formula 1 from any other motorsport is the absurd level of engineering and aerodynamic advancement that the teams push on each other, and we are here to appreciate, discuss, and revel in the beauty of design on the current limits of speed.
Open discussions in the comments section are welcomed and promoted. I will post a few pictures that I've found interesting on a particular race weekend, and hopefully we'll get some great discussions stirring!
American Grand Prix
Red Bull
Red Bull have been the masters of the Coanda effect throughout the season. Their design differs from other teams with there being a continuous piece of bodywork underneath the flow of exhaust all the way to the diffuser, and by doing so they must have ducts that transfer air from underneath the exhaust exit all the way to the center of the rear diffuser.
Red Bull are one of the few teams not to implement a 'ductless' front brake duct, instead choosing to stick with the classic idea of a duct. The benefits of this duct must out weight the costs of a 'ductless' duct for the Red Bull chassis.
A blown front wheel duct can also be seen on the RB9 that vents air from inside the wheel to the outside in an attempt to lower the pressure on the outside of the wheel and reduce drag.
RB9 rear diffuser detail. This is where the magic happens.
Also note the rear brake duct elements.
Ferrari
A new extension carrying new winglets and vanes can be found sticking out of the floor near the front of the sidepod. These could help control the turbulence from the tires, control the air flowing round the sidepods to be better dealt with at the rear of the car, or both; I'm not certain.
Pictured filling the gap between the rear wing and the beam wing is what is commonly called either the 'Y-75 Winglet' or 'Monkey Seat', the latter being more imaginatively satisfying. In 2014 that beam wing that stretches the width of the rear wing supports will be illegal, and thus none of the teams will run it again.
There seems to be a new bridge of carbon on the underside of the diffuser, square in the middle that covers the starter hole. This bridge of carbon looks to be helped along by another piece of carbon that connects the diffuser with the rear crash structure.
The white clouds seen near the corners of the Ferrari's rear wing are actually compressed water vapor vortices from the compression of the rear wing; it's so strong, the rear wing literally squeezes the water out of thin air.
Lotus
Lotus front wing detail. The front wing serves a double purpose: to manage the air around the front tires and produce downforce; the key is striking a perfect balance between the two.
Mercedes
Mercedes' version of the Coanda effect exhaust body work that can be seen with extra slotted vents to rid the inside of the W04 chassis of heat.
Williams
Williams front wing cascade element detail.
Williams Pitot-tube testing the rear of their car. The chassis also seems to be sporting an interestingly shaped rear brake duct.
Tight body work packaging can be found surrounding the gearbox of the Williams chassis.
Sauber
Sauber rear diffuser detail.
The complexities of a Formula 1 steering wheel, wrestled by Nico Hulkenburg.
[Select Images from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ]
saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/15/2013 at 21:24 |
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You misspelled Sauber. Also, I love this series! I can't wait for 2014's cars to be revealed.
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Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars
11/15/2013 at 21:37 |
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Whoops, Thanks.
Yeah, I do hope the FIA will mandate some new form of vanity panel, since the nose is supposed to look super ugly.
desertdog5051
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/15/2013 at 21:58 |
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Fantastic series of posts. Can't get enough. Thanks
flat6
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/16/2013 at 16:34 |
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please don't ban the Monkey Seat! such an awesome name.
BrendanM
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/16/2013 at 17:28 |
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Could someone explain the second paragraph on Red Bull, please?
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Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> BrendanM
11/16/2013 at 17:47 |
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The air normally would flow round a wheel and then dip inside where the wheel drops into the center of the wheel; this creates drag because the air would be disrupted. A blown wheel works by pushing air into that gap so that the regular air that is flowing around the tire is cushioned from flowing into that dip inside the wheel.
Below is the Williams rear blown wheel ducts covered by some carbon that then is surrounded by the wheel. The way that the blowing has exited has changed (relative to the illustration above) after the spinning wheels were deemed a 'moveable aerodynamic device', which is illegal.
McChiken116 - Patrick H.
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/16/2013 at 21:05 |
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Seeing these cars In person this weekend I can attest that the Red bull is so much more stable than any other car. Only the lotus has looked as good consistently
Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> McChiken116 - Patrick H.
11/16/2013 at 22:46 |
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Agreed. I was camped at 3-4-5 today and it was amazing how much quicker and more well-planted the RB was compared to even the next-closest competitors. One of the Caterhams got super loose in that section during Q1, made for a pretty entertaining little split.
Thenotsolonelytraveler
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/17/2013 at 08:03 |
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Can someone explain to me how does the air that comes from the top of the side pods influence the rear of the car? does the exhaust attract the air on top via coanda effect? still trying to figure how that works.
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McChiken116 - Patrick H.
> Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
11/17/2013 at 08:28 |
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I cheer for the back markers, but it is also a little fun watching them fight their cars.
d3v
> Thenotsolonelytraveler
11/17/2013 at 22:53 |
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The sidepods are designed so that majority of the air coming over them (most of which is directed there by the front wings) gets sent to the rear wings to increase downforce. The exhaust gasses I believe help send more air through there and most likely speed up the air running under the rear wings.
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d3v
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/17/2013 at 22:54 |
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Sadly, this seems to be the end of the line for this tech as next years turbo V6 cars will have their exhaust behind the rear wing.
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Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> McChiken116 - Patrick H.
11/18/2013 at 09:42 |
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I'm a big fan of the mid-field teams, but they also produce some of the most entertaining racing with the way they have to fight and claw for grip.
McLarry
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/20/2013 at 19:50 |
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Any word on that "Fail 3-6" on Vettel's car midway through? They were showing something flapping around inside the rear left I think during the broadcast after that went through
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Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> McLarry
11/20/2013 at 20:03 |
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Not that I've heard
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McLarry
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/20/2013 at 20:05 |
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Team radio transcripts are up at F1fanatic. Confirmed that's definitely what he said. http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2013/11/20/201…
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Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> McLarry
11/20/2013 at 20:15 |
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Oh, I wasn't disputing that he said it, I was just saying that I haven't heard anything regarding the matter since the race.
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McLarry
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
11/21/2013 at 13:10 |
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Nah, didn't think you were, just throwing some more information out there