Red Bull RB8 Renault

[mclaren777]

Good catch!

[Shafto]

man wicked follow up!!

Now obviously that would be someone forgetting to put it back on, but man, that stuff should be MINIMAL in F1. I would not smack the guy that forgot, it would be the guy plus everyone else that should be giving the car a look over!

[PlatinumZealot]

The main objective for the area in between the front tires is to keep from impeding the flow to the front of the undertray. Primarily, that means keeping the underside clean, and without impediment. Secondarily, keeping the sides clean and without impediment. New rules have made the designers lower the nose, but to keep the underside clean the designers have kept the chassis as high as the rules allow. That has created a hump on the top of the nose. This hump forces the oncoming air to go up and over it, but also around it. This air impedes the flow on the sides by making a narrower gap between it and the front tires. Newey's solution, in my opinion, is to let that air go through the hump, and exit through the cockpit opening.

Do you know that the drag doesn't change significantly whether the letter box is there or not? Simply because there is all sorts of suspension bits, a big fat pedal box, a steering wheel, not to mention Vettel's hairy knee cups behind all of that.

If any air flows through it, it's mostly going through Vettel's sweaty crotches before it re-enters the air stream. That small gain in bleed of flow in order to make clean air as you claim is easily substituted and bettered by a design like Caterham. So i think it is not really there to make clean flow.

In fact, In terms of Air flow quality, I haven't really looked at it from that point of view yet.

There are obviously some side walls there. to keep air channeled inwards. The top corners of the nose box are rounded for at least 270 degrees. * side spill does not seem to an issue for other cars, so why? must be something else.

I still feel it's an air dam, that used for driver cooling and making high pressure on top of the nose.

[Adrian Newby]

The main objective for the area in between the front tires is to keep from impeding the flow to the front of the undertray. Primarily, that means keeping the underside clean, and without impediment. Secondarily, keeping the sides clean and without impediment. New rules have made the designers lower the nose, but to keep the underside clean the designers have kept the chassis as high as the rules allow. That has created a hump on the top of the nose. This hump forces the oncoming air to go up and over it, but also around it. This air impedes the flow on the sides by making a narrower gap between it and the front tires. Newey's solution, in my opinion, is to let that air go through the hump, and exit through the cockpit opening.

Do you know that the drag doesn't change significantly whether the letter box is there or not? Simply because there is all sorts of suspension bits, a big fat pedal box, a steering wheel, not to mention Vettel's hairy knee cups behind all of that.

If any air flows through it, it's mostly going through Vettel's sweaty crotches before it re-enters the air stream. That small gain in bleed of flow in order to make clean air as you claim is easily substituted and bettered by a design like Caterham. So i think it is not really there to make clean flow.

In fact, In terms of Air flow quality, I haven't really looked at it from that point of view yet.

There are obviously some side walls there. to keep air channeled inwards. The top corners of the nose box are rounded for at least 270 degrees. * side spill does not seem to an issue for other cars, so why? must be something else.

I still feel it's an air dam, that used for driver cooling and making high pressure on top of the nose.

The drag, inside or out (and especially on the top of the nose), is not what matters in the area between the front tires. What matters is eliminating anything that could affect the flow between the tires. Side spill matters to the other cars, that's why their nose humps go straight up like ramps instead of being rounded more on the sides. Newey was the only one who took his solution to the next level. By rounding all the edges of his chassis to 270 degrees, Newey is able to remove that much more material from the path of the airflow. That is how seriously he takes it. Take a look at how plain, square and clunky the Ferrari looks by comparison. Any doubts as to which car will score more points?

[Adrian Newby]

man wicked follow up!!

Now obviously that would be someone forgetting to put it back on, but man, that stuff should be MINIMAL in F1. I would not smack the guy that forgot, it would be the guy plus everyone else that should be giving the car a look over!

I don't see that many people overlooking something like that. Any chance it came off during the run? It would still mean that it wasn't fastened/designed correctly, or that something broke.

[Adrian Newby]

http://www.taringa.net/posts/autos-moto ... l-RB7.html

This gives a good idea of where:

(1) the top intake could enter the chassis above the driver's toes, "cool the driver", and then exit through the cockpit opening, and

(2) the bottom intake could enter the chassis below the driver's heels and be routed to the KERS unit behind the driver's seat (and under the fuel tank).

[bhall]

As the wishbone is not considered bodywork [...]

The heat shield surrounding it is, though.

[Adrian Newby]

As the wishbone is not considered bodywork [...]

The heat shield surrounding it is, though.

I would be surprised if the FIA made that distinction as long as the heat shield maintained the same basic shape and size of the wishbone.

If a team made the heat shield much larger, or in the shape of a wing, then they would certainly be having a word with Mr. Whiting...

[bhall]

10.3.4 Non‐structural parts of suspension members are considered bodywork.

It's not difficult for me to imagine a phone call from Montezemolo to Charlie Whiting that casually mentions this rule having an effect.

(I'm surprised I had to look this rule up. I thought after immersing myself in the Mercedes AMG "speculation" that I had an encyclopedic understanding of the suspension regulations.)

[Adrian Newby]

10.3.4 Non‐structural parts of suspension members are considered bodywork.

It's not difficult for me to imagine a phone call from Montezemolo to Charlie Whiting that casually mentions this rule having an effect.

(I'm surprised I had to look this rule up. I thought after immersing myself in the Mercedes AMG "speculation" that I had an encyclopedic understanding of the suspension regulations.)

Would it be considered structural if the lack of it meant the rest of your structure would "melt" (CF, I know...)?

I'm sure Red Bull would quickly come up with some really thick heat-resistant "paint" if that became an issue. Charlie W. is at Jerez and has declared all of the exhausts there to be within the rules, and I read that part of that was the consideration of what was being "blown", so it seems like all is well.

[elf341]

man wicked follow up!!

Now obviously that would be someone forgetting to put it back on, but man, that stuff should be MINIMAL in F1. I would not smack the guy that forgot, it would be the guy plus everyone else that should be giving the car a look over!

=D>

Your comment made me laugh out loud! I was just imagining Adrian Newey stampeding through the paddock to find the Red Bull mechanic responsible, and clocking him one right in the jaw!

[bhall]

I'm sure Red Bull would quickly come up with some really thick heat-resistant "paint" if that became an issue.

I'm sure they have a couple of contingency options in this area. And if I ran another team, I'd probably do all I could to make sure they have to resort to at least a couple of them.

And how's this for an abrupt change of subject?

How is Flo-Vis deployed? I've always wondered. Does someone just smear a bit on the leading edge of a wing? Is a canister of some sort involved?

[Adrian Newby]

I'm sure Red Bull would quickly come up with some really thick heat-resistant "paint" if that became an issue.

I'm sure they have a couple of contingency options in this area. And if I ran another team, I'd probably do all I could to make sure they have to resort to at least a couple of them.

And how's this for an abrupt change of subject?

How is Flo-Vis deployed? I've always wondered. Does someone just smear a bit on the leading edge of a wing? Is a canister of some sort involved?

Well, you know there would be some tit-for-tat going on if things got that petty, so they might just forget the little stuff.

Not sure on the Flo-Vis. I've never seen it applied. My guess is pretty much what you said, that it is brushed on to the leading edge of the part being studied with a paint brush.

[Robbobnob]

however if everyteam went around pointing the fingers at their opponents marginal technology they would soon find a lot of fingers pointed back at theirs. its a double edged knife.

[bhall]

Indeed. But, such brinksmanship is part of the game. I can see Ferrari designing an overtly aerodynamic heat shield then giving that to Sauber just to force a clarification.


(And I have no idea in which part of Houston I live. I've only been here for a couple of months, and I still haven't gotten a good understanding of the massive urban sprawl.)