Red Bull RB8 Renault

[Mandrake]

I'd love to see some CFD of both versions to see whether one solution is better than the other. We've had some cars with a lot of floor exposed last season, but none of them came close to beating RedBull....Ferrari had it for example, but their car lacked overall DF.

Packaging maybe one reason for RedBull being able to shrink the sidepods to that size, but I'd love to see the internals of the W03 to see why would not try to go for such a solution. The back of that RB8 reminds me of top notch up to date fighter planes like the F22...

[shelly]

@mandrake: it is not only about floor exposed, it is about the shape of the sidepod from the floor up

[amouzouris]

RBR have something up their sleeve
http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7535301/RBR-have-something-up-their-sleeve

[bhallg2k]

It's also worth mentioning that Mercedes may be using the current-Ferrari/2011-McLaren philosophy of removing some cooling capability from the sidepods - to make them smaller - and then using points along the center line of the engine cover to make up for that loss. The inlet on the top of the airbox is a strong indicator of this. And that means that the circulation of cooling air inside the Mercedes is not behaving like what would be found in the Red Bull.

[Shrieker]

RBR have something up their sleeve

What they're not showing they're not testing. If it's not in the car, that is. You'd expect something around the diffuser area which is more visible than not.

[astracrazy]

i don't think its a big advantage out the box. Yes they could take others off guard, but if they don't test it then it might not work as it should and may even make the car worse

[dieguezzz]

RBR have something up their sleeve
http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7535301/RBR-have-something-up-their-sleeve

in the last stints at barcelona they were testing diffuser efficiency on the high speed corner in sector two, maybe just different wings set up for high speed cornering... I think everyone has something up their sleeve

[Mandrake]

@mandrake: it is not only about floor exposed, it is about the shape of the sidepod from the floor up

yeah, that's what my initial post was about. My statement about the exposed floor was more with regard to people saying: "Wow, look how tight it is and how much floor can be seen"

[Hangaku]

RBR have something up their sleeve
http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7535301/RBR-have-something-up-their-sleeve

Invariably, when teams have something to sing and dance about, they absolutely don't sing and dance about it. For this reason, I don't buy this at all. Seems to me, like Horner is trying to get other teams to waste time in looking for something that isn't there.

[amouzouris]

RBR have something up their sleeve
http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7535301/RBR-have-something-up-their-sleeve

Invariably, when teams have something to sing and dance about, they absolutely don't sing and dance about it. For this reason, I don't buy this at all. Seems to me, like Horner is trying to get other teams to waste time in looking for something that isn't there.

fair point..but if it really turns out thet RB has nothing more wouldnt that be bad publicity?? i dont think they want that..

[strad]

The W duct is now on YouTube?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GJ9cFis55xM

[Hangaku]

fair point..but if it really turns out thet RB has nothing more wouldnt that be bad publicity?? i dont think they want that..

The thing with testing is, the car is only ever going to get better, so even if they don't have anything to speak of, they will still get performance gains (or time reductions) in the next test, in which case nobody will be any the wiser.

But yes, I agree with your notion. That said, what do they have to fear? World champs two years running...

[dren]

I think it is related to exiting some cooling air form the back instead of channelling it in the top exit.

And I think you would be correct.

Yes, those are my thoughts too.

[hardingfv32]

The inlet on the top of the airbox is a strong indicator of this. And that means that the circulation of cooling air inside the Mercedes is not behaving like what would be found in the Red Bull.

I thought the conventional line was that 'inlet(s) on the top of the airbox' were for KERS cooling.

Brian

[dren]

The inlet on the top of the airbox is a strong indicator of this. And that means that the circulation of cooling air inside the Mercedes is not behaving like what would be found in the Red Bull.

I thought the conventional line was that 'inlet(s) on the top of the airbox' were for KERS cooling.

Brian

Transmission oil I thought.