"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
03/29/2014 at 15:50 • Filed to: Technically Formula 1, Technically F1, Formula 1, F1, Malaysian Gran Prix, OppositeLock
19
64|
"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork)
03/29/2014 at 15:50 • Filed to: Technically Formula 1, Technically F1, Formula 1, F1, Malaysian Gran Prix, OppositeLock | 19
| 64 |
Technical innovation is what makes Formula 1 so different from any other form of racing. The on track action is as much played out by the engineers and aerodynamicists as it is the drivers. We are here to admire, study, and discuss this beauty that exists on the ragged edge of what we think is possible, or at least what we thought was possible.
For more technical intrigue, be sure to check out this year's !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
This post will be updated as the weekend progresses. Discussions and questions are welcomed and encouraged in the comments section below.
Malaysian Gran Prix
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Red Bull RB10
RB10 nose detail.
Note the strakes on the underside of the Red Bull's front wing to keep the air in line and support a low-downforce area underneath the wing.
Also note the driver-cooling inlet on the nose tip, and the bubble-shaped bodywork on the underside of the nose.
RB10 brake assembly detail.
RB10 brake duct detail.
RB10 brake assembly detail.
RB10 engine cover. Note the gold liner that helps reflect heat.
...Yes, real gold.
The clean lines of Adrian Newey.
RedBull sidepods, the two pipes connected to the [valves] are the [engine] preheating system
Contrast to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! sidepod is ful or air-air intercooler and electronics
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Mercedes W05
Just giving the safety car a wash.
Mercedes WO5 Front wing, note the vortex generators on the second tier of the mainplane sit ahead of the strakes behind the wing. These disturb the airflow increasing the strakes efficiency
- !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Closer?
A rear view of the Mercedes front-wing.
Mercedes FW, the rounded shape twixt wing and endplate shows how the vortex forms and curls around the front tyre
W05 brake detail.
W05 engine cover, splint in 3 pieces.
It looks as though Mercedes have newly shaped sidepods this week in Malaysia. The sidepod airflow conditioners are modified, but retain a similar shape from 2 weeks ago.
Righthand sidepo !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! note the oil cooler above the engine fed by the roll hoop ducts
Mercedes WO5 Rear wing, note the oil cooler that sits astride the gearbox and resides within the engine covers central cooling funnel
- !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Note the nostrils above the main airbox inlet.
W05 turning vane detail.
W05 rear-brake detail.
Mercedes floor that they probably shouldn't have let us see.
Note the slots on the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! bargebaord and the vane next to the T-Tray
Note the U-shaped floor leading to the rear diffuser. I assume that this is a way to vent hot air and increase the speed of the air flowing out of the diffuser though the flow of hot air's use.
W05 rear diffuser detail.
Like most teams the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! wheel is polysil coated & knurled to absorb heat (not reflect as I said yesterday)
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Ferrari F14T
Ferrari front wing detail.
Note the NACA ducts on the F14T's nose, as well as the winglet on top of the airbox.
F14T brake and sidepod detail.
Most electronics are stored underneath the sidepods for the lowest center of gravity.
F14T sans engine cover and floor.
The Ferrari has added extra cooling slots on the rear portion of the engine cover.
Temperature sensors on the rear crash structure.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Lotus E22
E22 nose and front wing detail.
E22 front wing detail.
Lotus sporting new Proton sponsorship.
Lotus engineer cutting something. Looks like some sort of duct.
Also note Lotus' interpretation of the ductless brake duct. Most traditional brake ducts have a vertical sheet of carbon separating the tire sidewall and the brake duct. The E22 takes this sheet of carbon and molds it into a duct shape, using the tire sidewall as part of the duct.
Another view.
Lotus E22 front brake duct detail, note the proliferation of winglets on the top edge of the duct whilst the lower section is also treated to curved flow conditioners
- !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
E22 front brake detail.
The E22's sidepods don't look traditional. I am assuming that the radidator(s) are packed inside that carbon box.
Lotus the box with the blue cables and bundle of clear tubes connected to it is for air pressure sensors on the floor
Lotus sidepod, the water radiator dominates the right sidepod, along with its header tank
E22 sidepod detail.
E22 sidepod detail.
Note the near-90-degree angle on the air inlet piping; this provides the E22 with a noticeable difference in how the engine cover appears.
Lotus engine installation, the only water-to-air intercooled Renault, its the box on the floor below the exhaust
Lotus the radiator above cools the water inside (with 161 written on it) the intercooler
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
McLaren MP4-29
McLaren have a new nose!
This iteration is meant to allow more air underneath the nose and flow back around toward the rear diffuser.
More nasal action.
Note the elongated pylon supports for the front wing.
MP4-29 front wing detail; relatively simple for the Woking team this year.
MP4-29 engine cover.
Note the side crash structures, one above and one belwow; these are now mandated parts by the FIA instead of the teams running a crash test with a team-designed part, like the nose is now.
More McLaren note the unusual radiator angle and the duct feeding the outlet near the cockpit
MP4-29 sidepod detail.
McLaren the right sidepod is all water radiator, above the airbox feeds both the engine via a filter and oil coolers
McLaren getting ready to pitot tube test the airflow approaching their sidepods as a result of their new nose.
Also note the carbon fiber ductwork for heat release.
New turning vanes on the McLaren chassis.
McLaren's not-so-secret rear suspension all alone.
McLaren gearbox detail.
MP4-29 side heat vents in Malaysia, something the Lotus team are also experimenting with.
I'm going to dub these "Silencer Holes", seeing how well my coinage of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! turned out (hint: it didn't...).
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Force India VJM07
VJM07 nose detail.
An inside view of a Force India front wing.
Force India front wing. Now that wing is smaller, teams are having to focus more energy on moving the air out of the tire's outside sidewall.
VJM07 build up.
These are engine compartment cooling outlets on the Force India chassis that lie where the sidepod and the supports for the airbox meet.
Force India where the turbo is air-to-air intercooled and the cooler fills this sidepod
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Sauber C33
C33 build up.
This is a perfect display of a ductless brake duct on the C33 chassis. The vertical vane of carbon forms the lefthand side of the duct and the tire sidewall forms the righthand side.
C33 front-wing detail.
Note the stepped chassis on the Sauber.
Sauber, you can appreciate the amount of heat shielding that is required around the new powerplants
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Toro Rosso STR9
STR9 front wings.
Toro Rosso have brought both iterations of the front wing to Malaysia: the original (above) and the new one that should allow more air underneath their chassis (below).
STR9 front wing detail.
STR9 front wing detail.
Note the top flap of the rear wing and the split airbox inlet.
On the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! the roll hoop feed engine and the oil cooler, note the sidepod inlet is now split
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Williams FW36
Williams noses.
Is this one not finished painting?
Yes.
Williams FW36 "blown wheel".
Martini livery... mmmmhh...
Note the Williams' unique wing mirrors. Also note the vane of carbon stretching from the sidepod to the vertical sidepod airflow conditioner.
Williams FW36 rear diffuser detail.
Williams testing different iterations of a "cannonball-style" heat outlet.
A bigger version.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Marussia MR03
Marussia front wing, sidepods, and engine cover.
Marussia 7 element cascade structure.
A tad bit over done for a back-marker? You be the judge.
Marussia gearbox detail.
Ferrari gearbox on the Marussia, note the relaitvely small rear brake caliper due to the ERS effect on braking
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Caterham CT05
CT05 nose detail.
Caterham have brought two very different front wings to Malaysia.
Note the quite large "turning vane" on the CT05's nose.
Caterham build up.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
[ Select images from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ]
Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 14:13 |
|
I'm guessing that the non martini noses are for the no-alcohol countries.
Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 14:16 |
|
Are you sure we had to change the blinker fluid on this thing?
PushToStart
> Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/26/2014 at 14:39 |
|
Really? I know they can't blatantly have it showing "Martini" on the sides, but I thought they could at least keep the stripe and color scheme, so as to at least carry the idea over, similar to how Ferrari used to get rid of "Marlboro" on the side but still conveyed the idea with a similar looking graphic.
SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O)
> PushToStart
03/26/2014 at 14:44 |
|
I read that the Martini colors and scheme is so instantly recognizable as "Martini," no-alcohol countries won't even allow the same livery. Personally, I really hope they bring back the 'psychedelic' livery for those countries. How cool would that be on an F1 car?
JeffFurbs
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 17:58 |
|
Ok, i feel pretty stupid. I do not claim to know much about anything with 4 wheels, but I thought I read/heard that F1 cars don't have radiators. Now before that comes off as sounding completely idiotic I also thought that was why you really didn't want to drive directly behind the person in front of you because you could overheat your engine. I can't believe I'm asking if a "car"/"rocket ship" has a radiator on the internets
|
Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> JeffFurbs
03/26/2014 at 18:15 |
|
No, that is a good question, and that is what this post is for. Thanks for asking!
I am going to point you to a 2011 article from Craig Scarborough that points out the radiator layout in a Toro Rosso chassis.
http://scarbsf1.com/blog1/2011/05/…
So, yes F1 cars do have radiators, but they may be a bit different that the one you have in your family sedan.
Also, because these new 2014 car have turbochargers, these new power units also have intercoolers.
As for F1 car not wanting to follow closely, this is mostly down to the disturbance of air from the leading car. The disturbed air will react differently to the complicated aero setup and may not feed the air into the sidepods/other inlets correctly, overheating everything.
For Sweden
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 18:17 |
|
D:
Axel-Ripper
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 18:38 |
|
I'm trying to wrap my head around what they're doing with this cooler. It is a very odd configuration to my eyes. Its like they decided needed more cooling surface area, so they have air come in alongside the tub then push laterally through the core and then redirect out the back. Very odd, especially when compared to the shot from Australia P1 that showed RBR running a traditional radiator unit on this side.
|
Axel-Ripper
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 18:41 |
|
Interesting little brake duct turning vane here.
TheStraightSixKid
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 19:12 |
|
NOM NOM NOM!
|
TheStraightSixKid
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 19:21 |
|
hERP dE DERP
|
TheStraightSixKid
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 19:22 |
|
WHY DON'T YOU GO OVER THERE AND HELP PAUL.
borknode
> JeffFurbs
03/26/2014 at 20:22 |
|
they don't have fans sucking air through the radiators, so the cars can't sit still for long without overheating. which is one reason why every time they pull into the garage they are immediately surrounded by guys with leaf blowers.
|
JeffFurbs
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/26/2014 at 21:54 |
|
Ah thank you! I appreciate the knowledge. Also that article makes sense. And thankfully I do not have a family sedan yet but I'm sure that will be a reality in the next few years haha. If I have more questions I know who I'll ask
BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
> For Sweden
03/27/2014 at 22:26 |
|
"I've seen some shit you wouldn't believe... Penis noses. Penis noses everywhere, son..."
Destructive Tester
> Axel-Ripper
03/27/2014 at 22:34 |
|
I'm thinking you're right on. I'm betting it's the same principle as conical air filters use to maximize surface area in a limited space while minimizing drag.
matt
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/27/2014 at 22:45 |
|
I want an engineer from any one of those teams to make a video on all the technical aspects of one of the cars in detail, that would be so interesting.
desertdog5051
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2014 at 00:01 |
|
Another fascinating post, Fractal. Thanks.
|
Destructive Tester
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2014 at 11:51 |
|
One thing that struck me as a bit odd in most of these pictures was, of all things, the construction of the component stands. This is an absolutely ridiculous observation but I noticed the stands appear to be aluminum or stainless steel. I couldn't help contrasting this with the titanium fairing stands I've seen the top World Superbike (SBK) teams use. I'll admit, its a glorious waste of premium titanium and a completely masterbatory way of spending money, but I'd expect F1 to outdo SBK in spending money in masterbatory ways.
/sic/ I'm so disappointed with you F1...
Goggles Pizzano
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/28/2014 at 21:47 |
|
That engine cover would be pure sex wall mounted.
Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 16:07 |
|
If you can, could you please explain this thing for us? I mean, label the parts and a one-liner about what that particular part does? :)
JSLee
> Destructive Tester
03/29/2014 at 17:13 |
|
I would assume that the stands are fancier in wsbk because they're used all the time for pit work and garage work. I'd bet dollars to donuts the ones these guys use in pit stops are made of pure unobtanium.
minikupr
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 17:51 |
|
What is special about the underbody we should not have seen?
What is the main technical or aero difference between the teams that seem to be leading the pack and the others?
Given that everyone started off with a clean slate this year, will it be possible for the other teams to catch up, or will the gap just widen, say, if RB manage to help Renault out with the engine? :)
Thx for this post
LappingLuke
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 18:26 |
|
Unbelievably great pictures!!! So much detail! :D
Shane Morris
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 18:40 |
|
I just wanted to say thank you for these posts. I know you're putting an incredible amount of time into these, and I thought I'd let you know how much joy I get from them.
All of these pictures are fascinating.
Kate's Dirty Sister
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 18:43 |
|
Very intersting and nice pictures.
Great work, thanks !
Weather and Darkness
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 19:26 |
|
Yes Fractal, we've all seen the mclaren F1, i don't think anyone is surprised by gold foil anymore.
Though on a less pedantic note, it is interesting because there are several other coating used in F1 these days in order to protect carbon fiber against heat. Most of them are a silver or gray colour, so this is technically news-ish.
|
Weather and Darkness
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 19:27 |
|
remote dampers?
|
Weather and Darkness
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 19:31 |
|
also access for starter
Slo-Z
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 19:33 |
|
Ah, close-ups! I love the detail.
|
Weather and Darkness
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 19:44 |
|
Interesting that all the elements are relatively low incidence.
|
Weather and Darkness
> JeffFurbs
03/29/2014 at 19:47 |
|
one important difference is that in F1 they aren't allowed to use any kind of fan, this is responsible for a lot of the slightly unconventional approach you see in an F1 car.
the7thearlofgrey
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 20:15 |
|
OMG, CNN sponsorship for the Malaysian GP does this mean that these cars will run out of gas in the Indian Ocean or into a black hole, stay tuned for Don[LeMans] Lemon
MrMcQueen
> minikupr
03/29/2014 at 20:58 |
|
Think of it like the front wings, they're all a bit different, and make a big difference. Main problem is, other teams can see (and get pictures) of your front wings. They never see the underbody, so if you have an advantage (as you'd think Mercedes would after winning AUS) you wouldn't want other people to see and copy it.
f2hype
> Weather and Darkness
03/29/2014 at 22:10 |
|
vag
|
f2hype
> Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents
03/29/2014 at 22:12 |
|
i see 5 sensors and a carbon rotor
|
f2hype
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 22:14 |
|
Why does the pace car sound better than the race cars?
mitsustiggy
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 22:39 |
|
any chance of getting all these pics in wallpaper size?? theyre amazing!!
Rich J
> Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/29/2014 at 23:01 |
|
I saw a pic on twitter of a guy striping the noses in the last day or so. Bet they just didn't get around to it yet.
Also, am going to agree with PushToStart; the Martini Stripes are in the same family as the Marlboro barcode.
|
Rich J
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/29/2014 at 23:07 |
|
" Technical innovation is what makes Formula 1 so different from any other form of racing. The on track action is as much played out by the engineers and aerodynamicists as it is the drivers. We are here to admire, study, and discuss this beauty that exists on the ragged edge of what we think is possible, or at least what we thought was possible. "
Come on. F1 and it's money are definitely in the far end of the engineering sandbox, but the WEC/LeMans LMP1 stuff is just as exotic and frequently updated, although with a smaller grid.
Great post, but you don't have to be dismissive.
|
Destructive Tester
> JSLee
03/30/2014 at 00:30 |
|
Yeah you're probably right, it just struck me as pretty funny (in an Oppo kind of way) and I thought I'd share my observation... Plus I got to say the phrase "spending money in masterbatory ways."
dataPOG
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/30/2014 at 03:57 |
|
I'll make you pretty
Oh so pretty
You'll be pretty and witty and bright
And I pity
Any car who isn't you tonight
|
JSLee
> Destructive Tester
03/30/2014 at 09:28 |
|
+1 for that, in fact I'd help loby for that saying to be a thing.
chip
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/30/2014 at 09:38 |
|
That is a Dyna-file, a small sanding belt Tool.
fiorven2
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/30/2014 at 12:47 |
|
Great set of photographs! I am extremely excited to get the 2014 season underway. Lets home Caterham can finish some races! Can we get any folks from Caterham to discuss what its like for there first year in F1. Thanks to the author!
AdmiralAkbar
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/30/2014 at 14:14 |
|
Is it the camera angle or is this one lower than the other?
|
Tim (Fractal Footwork)
> AdmiralAkbar
03/30/2014 at 15:07 |
|
The left one is the proper nose as per the regulations, and the right one is set back further
|
AdmiralAkbar
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/30/2014 at 15:29 |
|
Weird. I'd always assumed they were identical. And thank you for posting these pictures. I love seeing the cars taken apart like this. It's amazing.
|
Weather and Darkness
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/30/2014 at 15:37 |
|
quali: http://bit.ly/1gdMNs0 -french
practice: http://bit.ly/1gQFVH3 -hungarian, if i'm not mistaken
Sunshine Supercars
> JeffFurbs
03/30/2014 at 16:52 |
|
They have radiators mounted in the sidepods. They do not, however, have intercoolers, which could confuse someone looking at a power unit out of the car.
|
Destructive Tester
> JSLee
03/30/2014 at 20:37 |
|
Feel free to use it any time you see fit!
stavros
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/31/2014 at 08:40 |
|
Thank you! This is a great tech recap of the changes so far.
One request for the less F1 informed, any way you could subtly highlight the area of discussion without defacing the quality photos?
|
Lancer033
> JeffFurbs
03/31/2014 at 11:04 |
|
we all have to start somewhere, never a dumb question as long as you're thinking and learning.
|
lokisnake
> Weather and Darkness
03/31/2014 at 14:43 |
|
I believe this was in response to the turbo charged cars of the 70's they had a fan to increase air intake. But when combined with the side skirts on the cars it had the effect of sucking the car to the ground, and providing an unfair advantage to the cars that had that setup. If memory serves me correctly lotus used this setup.
|
Weather and Darkness
> lokisnake
03/31/2014 at 16:47 |
|
Brabham BT46. It didn't have anything to do with turbocharging as such, but you're on the right track with the ground effect, especially the years of sideskirts.
|
alexis marrero
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
03/31/2014 at 20:13 |
|
Massa, Bottas is faster than you. Do you copy?
shane_pinnell
> Weather and Darkness
04/01/2014 at 00:08 |
|
I believe they can use fans, check this pic (admittedly a few years old). I know I've seen fans on more recent pics too, maybe only in testing though? I think they just don't use them due to weight.
|
shane_pinnell
> AdmiralAkbar
04/01/2014 at 00:11 |
|
Yeah, it's an interesting interpretation from Lotus.
|
shane_pinnell
> Weather and Darkness
04/01/2014 at 00:14 |
|
They all add up to the overall incident angle
|
lokisnake
> Weather and Darkness
04/01/2014 at 10:26 |
|
Thank you for the info :) off the top of my head I couldn't remember what the fan was used for, I was thinking lotus as I always picture the black and gold lotus 78 with the sliding side skirts when I think of ground effect cars.
|
Weather and Darkness
> shane_pinnell
04/01/2014 at 15:57 |
|
That's from a demo run in Mumbai. It's common practice for demonstration runs because the cars run at speed for much shorter durations reducing the amount of air traveling through the radiator.
also from that event:
The mesh box is used to hold dry ice for the event.
There was a discussion on F1technical.net about fans as well, and it suggested that to get sufficient mass flow through the rad to actually see an improvement with no penalty at high speed,(considering the fan has to work against its own constriction of the air passage and the airspeed entering the duct at an average of 200kmh) you'd need 600w worth of fans, which we can safely estimate to cost at least 4kg, and a pretty sizable draw on the energy recovery system.
There's also the longstanding rule about moveable aero devices, but that's become a much more confused area now, with DRS.
|
Weather and Darkness
> shane_pinnell
04/01/2014 at 16:00 |
|
To some extent. But consider the angle on the final element of the Mercedes wing for example. The effect is very different.
|
shane_pinnell
> Weather and Darkness
04/07/2014 at 11:25 |
|
Great info, thanks!
5.OHHHH
> Tim (Fractal Footwork)
04/07/2014 at 12:03 |
|
Never noticed these are different lengths. weird....