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Is Renault R29's new nose illegal?

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Just two weeks after the initial tests, Renault has already introduced a modified nose cone, building upon the foundations that were laid out at the launch. The tip of the nose is now a little more rounded to reduce drag.
The underside however now sports 'side skirts' all along the sides of the nose, in between the front wheels and extending to the splitter. The new design will help even more to benefit from the low pressure area underneath the nose.

Although interesting, Renault is clearly experimenting different solutions, and this one is unlikely to make it to Melbourne, simply because it is not valid in the current rules. Article 3.11.2 states: With the exception of brake cooling air ducts, in side view, there must be no bodywork in the area formed by two vertical lines, one 325mm behind the front wheel centre line, one 450mm ahead of the front wheel centre line, one diagonal line intersecting the vertical lines at 100mm and 200mm above the reference plane respectively, and one horizontal line on the reference plane.

Comments

By vyselegend on 11-02-2009 at 01:04

what's the point then...

Also, if this is an ephemeral carbon piece used to validate something, why would they bother painting it? (even Mc Laren's bridge wing was tested unpainted for weeks)

Is it possible that they are actually trying to hide something (like the true shape of the underside of the nose, that have been visible on some pics taken from 3/4 rear at the last test)...?

By wesley123 on 11-02-2009 at 16:35

@vyselegend; that the thing of mclaren is legal is due you dont see it in side view, and thu the rules dont count on this one as you cant see it in sideview

By Steven on 11-02-2009 at 18:35

The difference in approach compared to Red Bull really strikes me. Renault obviously have created a front wing with moderate downforce, with the wing itself far ahead of the front wheels. They aim to generate extra downforce with the nose cone.
Red Bull on the other hand has built a nose cone high up and low on drag while still controlling yaw occurrences. They for example have a very agressive front wing that creates most downforce just ahead of the front wheels, where it also helps to divert air from the front wheels.

Both could work though, it's just an interesting development we haven't seen in years.

By Roland Ehnström on 11-02-2009 at 19:38

Yeah, it's really refreshing with some real differences between the design philosophies again. Despite having the same engine, the Red Bull and the Renault really are COMPLETELY different!

By vyselegend on 13-02-2009 at 13:50

@wesley123: I didn't meant that the Mc Laren wing was illegal, but used their 2008 bridge wing as an exemple of how the teams are normally working with raw carbon fibre while testing provisional components, rather than working labouriously on adapting the paintsheme (furthermore an horrible one) to the new bit. As Tomba states that the current skirt is (most probably) illegal, it makes no sense.

Anyway, no other sites relayed the info, and neither Renault nor their opponents reacted, so maybe it is legal, somehow...

By wesley123 on 13-02-2009 at 16:09

@vyselegend; lol i thought you was talking aboutt he thing under the nose at about the front wheels.

if they shorten the skirt a little bit and make it lower i think it could make more sense in downforce producing

By TryHard on 13-02-2009 at 23:51

I don't think this is illegal... mainly as they could probably circumnavigate it as a) stating it's an extension of the chassis and b) the dimensions in the rule state that the no bodywork box is, at max, only 200mm above the reference plane (which is the underside of the stepped floor), and the extensions look higher above the RP than that...

By TryHard on 13-02-2009 at 23:52

...still looks bloody ugly though... urgh! :p

By theRoswellite on 26-03-2009 at 04:05

Strange....the rules seem very direct and not open to much "interpretation", and if Reggie knows they are in violation they have certainly gone to considerable work for..........what? Ah, to be a mouse running around the Renault garage.

By pitlaneimmigrant on 26-03-2009 at 22:07

I don't think that nose would be going to Melbourne if it wasn't legal. The side skirts(?) look to be more than 200mm above the ref plane and thankfully they were painted black by the end of winter testing (see http://www.autosport.com/gallery/photo.php/id/124071 ) so the line of the nose at least looked more conventional.

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