Sauber C32 Ferrari

[turbof1]

If you draw a straight parrallel line from the inner edge of the rear tyre all the way up to the front of the car, you'll notice the sidepods do not cross it. Most cars go halfway the tyre, so this is really amazing.

[siskue2005]

Those sidepods are unreally small
to get a percpective just inside that turning wane is were everyone else have their sidepods starting

[Huntresa]

I know cars has a minimum weight and distribution, but would it be possible to assume that Sauber has removed some weight by making sidepods smaller and has been able to move it elsewhere and to a better position ?

[turbof1]

We of course don't exactly know how teams redistribute weight, but it is limited; you need to have this very strict rear to front ratio calculated in, combined with the minimum weight. Possibly, and this might a wild guess, this is the reason why they lowered the nose. They might have increased the mass of it and lowered it to correct the CoG.
They might also use heavier materials for the floor.

Now, I do not believe they saved alot of weight with making the sidepods smaller. Mostly the saved weight comes from the smaller radiators and a bit from the decreased bodywork, but aside that everything stays the same weight.

[Rikhart]

I maintain that the sidepods total size/area isn´t that much less than the others, just they have gone for a sort of overcut, instead of most other´s undercut. You can see the sidepods are very fat towards the bottom. It´s just a different way of packaging imo.

[Huntresa]

I maintain that the sidepods total size/area isn´t that much less than the others, just they have gone for a sort of overcut, instead of most other´s undercut. You can see the sidepods are very fat towards the bottom. It´s just a different way of packaging imo.

The width of the sidepod is quite frankly smaller then most teams, thats easy to see. On the birds Eye pics you see that clealry in conjuction with the exhaust.

[Ferraripilot]

I maintain that the sidepods total size/area isn´t that much less than the others, just they have gone for a sort of overcut, instead of most other´s undercut. You can see the sidepods are very fat towards the bottom. It´s just a different way of packaging imo.

+1 Precisely. There is in essence no undercut at the floor as most of the mass seems to be positioned in that area. Sauber are relying on the possibly lower CoG to outweight the aero benefit of the undercut in that area is my guess.

[Sevach]

Those sidepods are the only original idea seem this year, i hope it works out.

[Lurk]

I maintain that the sidepods total size/area isn´t that much less than the others, just they have gone for a sort of overcut, instead of most other´s undercut. You can see the sidepods are very fat towards the bottom. It´s just a different way of packaging imo.

You forget that Sauber still have an undercut at the front and their lower part is as small as the others sidepods.

[Mui]

I maintain that the sidepods total size/area isn´t that much less than the others, just they have gone for a sort of overcut, instead of most other´s undercut. You can see the sidepods are very fat towards the bottom. It´s just a different way of packaging imo.

You forget that Sauber still have an undercut at the front and their lower part is as small as the others sidepods.

The undercut at the front mostly depends on where the radiators are positioned. Move the radiators forward you get less front undercut but a tighter middle to rear end ala Ferrari. Move the radiator backwards you get something like the Sauber a tighter front upper portion of the sidepod with a front undercut followed by no undercut in the middle and a less tight rear end compared to Ferrari. I do believe that sauber has the most rear positioned radiators and Ferrari has the most forward positioned. Interesting to think about given that both are vertical orientated.

[Nando]

Sidepods are the coolest thing i´ve seen in a long time, hopefully it was a good route to take.

[GrizzleBoy]

Is it me, or is Sauber not actually using the sidepods for downwash with their version of the coanda exhaust?

All other teams have their exhaust directly in the stream of the air coming in over their sidepods.








Sauber on the other hand literally feed their coanda exhaust exits with fresh air right from the side of the sidepods.







Wouldn't this have a much better effect of speeding up airflow around the sidepods?

Their sidepods have less horizontal length/width already, meaning the actual top of their sidepods are already affecting less airflow.

Plus they have the exhaust bulges just poking out of the side of the vertical part of the sidepods accelerating airflow around the side of the car, instead of the horizontal part of the rear.

Your thoughts?

[Huntresa]

As the above poster mentioned it looks like Sauber is doing this:



The red line representing the air going towards the exhaust in the Sauber design while the green line represents what Ferrari/macca etc are getting the air from.

[Sevach]

I maintain that the sidepods total size/area isn´t that much less than the others, just they have gone for a sort of overcut, instead of most other´s undercut. You can see the sidepods are very fat towards the bottom. It´s just a different way of packaging imo.

I believe that the area where the C32 is actually "giving up" something to the others is on downward slope, their sidepods don't slope much.

Undercut and coke bottle are what's normal for most teams.

[stefan_]