2022 Aerodynamic Regulations Thread

[vorticism]

This goes back to an over-emphasis on "the quality of the racing" (whatever that means). Road course racing was never much of a spectator sport since you couldn't see much, especially in the early days, compared to oval racing. Was more of a way to picnic. Yet in modern years the fans and race organizers worry themselves over how to see more passes and crashes, because they are perhaps too obsessed with the personality cults of drivers. If the impetus remained as "technicians showing up to post fastest times in order to win a competition, while picnic'ers watch occasionally" there'd be less niggling over the aesthetics of a given race. The ease of making and broadcasting video these days is perhaps partly to blame.

The current regs were aimed at closer following distances, yet, they are trying to emulate some aspect of the past for dubious reasons. If racing was closer in the past, this was by accident, no by design. Cars of certain eras had no wings, but not because of the rulebook.

[JPower]

This might have been answered already but with the new regulations, everyone seems to be putting their attention on the top side of the car.

Are there developments to be done on the underside of the vehicle ie venturi inlets/tunnels/diffuser that could provide major performance differentiation, or are those tightly regulated areas across all cars?

[Hoffman900]

This goes back to an over-emphasis on "the quality of the racing" (whatever that means). Road course racing was never much of a spectator sport since you couldn't see much, especially in the early days, compared to oval racing. Was more of a way to picnic. Yet in modern years the fans and race organizers worry themselves over how to see more passes and crashes, because they are perhaps too obsessed with the personality cults of drivers. If the impetus remained as "technicians showing up to post fastest times in order to win a competition, while picnic'ers watch occasionally" there'd be less niggling over the aesthetics of a given race. The ease of making and broadcasting video these days is perhaps partly to blame.

The current regs were aimed at closer following distances, yet, they are trying to emulate some aspect of the past for dubious reasons. If racing was closer in the past, this was by accident, no by design. Cars of certain eras had no wings, but not because of the rulebook.

There was also a period where half the field had the same engine. Granted, some were in different states of tune, but the relative difference was pretty close. Then you had other teams using "last year's factory chassis", etc.

Close racing and being able to follow closely, is also totally contingent on relative speed differences between the cars. With the big rules shakeup, the spread isn't going to be super great and being able to closely follow doesn't fix that.

[Just_a_fan]

This goes back to an over-emphasis on "the quality of the racing" (whatever that means). Road course racing was never much of a spectator sport since you couldn't see much, especially in the early days, compared to oval racing.

Motor racing was never about spectating. People started racing cars because they wanted to drive fast and prove themselves against likeminded others. That someone else might want to watch was irrelevant. Indeed, motor racing in Europe started with road racing because there was no consideration of spectators. It was only when people decided to try to make money out of other people's enjoyment, helped by road racing falling out of favour with governments, that circuit racing took off.

The irony of ovals being great for viewing is that the racing is dull as ditch water. It's like watching people driving on the motorway.

The non-oval circuits were an attempt to make, in miniature, the roads that had previously hosted races. Some, of course, are just small sections of previously public road courses - Spa, for example. Many others are purpose built, of course, and in the UK we have number of circuits that used to war time airfields.

But ultimately, racing was never for the spectators. It still isn't - racing drivers don't race to be a spectacle, they race to beat the other guy and win the race/title. It's entirely selfish.

The only people that care about spectators are the spectators and those trying to make money from them by selling something they not actually involved in creating.

[vorticism]

It does make me think about where a sport is heading when it thinks too much of the spectator (incl. sponsors), rather than the participants. It's as though the promoters or maybe even some of the participants themselves are getting greedy. They run the risk of alienating existing fans & participants by moving the sport out of its existing niche, searching for gold. That said, I doubt anyone will lament moving out of the V6 turbo hybrid niche. Of all the Rube Goldberg powertrains to ever enter into motorsports... Now with less development intrigue for the foreseeable future. Zzzz.

[LukGluk]

Hey guys.

I just finished with Paragraph 40 of Appendix 1 for the references.

Paragraph 41.1 says the remaining RVs are only available through the FIA's CAD Portal. Is there any way I can get those Volumes?

[jjn9128]

Hey guys.

I just finished with Paragraph 40 of Appendix 1 for the references.

Paragraph 41.1 says the remaining RVs are only available through the FIA's CAD Portal. Is there any way I can get those Volumes?

Get $200m and start a new F1 team

[Just_a_fan]

Hey guys.

I just finished with Paragraph 40 of Appendix 1 for the references.

Paragraph 41.1 says the remaining RVs are only available through the FIA's CAD Portal. Is there any way I can get those Volumes?

Get $200m and start a new F1 team

[Hoffman900]

Anyone else still skeptical of the new rules?

I’m not sure they’re going to improve the show and if they look sloppy / lazy on tv, I can’t see this being a success. I’ve drawn the comparison to NASCAR’s ‘Car of a Tomorrow’ flop, which came out at peak NASCAR. It kind of feels like that, so far.

[jjn9128]

Anyone else still skeptical of the new rules?

I’m not sure they’re going to improve the show and if they look sloppy / lazy on tv, I can’t see this being a success. I’ve drawn the comparison to NASCAR’s ‘Car of a Tomorrow’ flop, which came out at peak NASCAR. It kind of feels like that, so far.

I'm hopeful but not expectant.

[Hoffman900]

Anyone else still skeptical of the new rules?

I’m not sure they’re going to improve the show and if they look sloppy / lazy on tv, I can’t see this being a success. I’ve drawn the comparison to NASCAR’s ‘Car of a Tomorrow’ flop, which came out at peak NASCAR. It kind of feels like that, so far.

I'm hopeful but not expectant.

Agreed.

[djos]

Anyone else still skeptical of the new rules?

I’m not sure they’re going to improve the show and if they look sloppy / lazy on tv, I can’t see this being a success. I’ve drawn the comparison to NASCAR’s ‘Car of a Tomorrow’ flop, which came out at peak NASCAR. It kind of feels like that, so far.

I used to watch CART / Champ Car and this style of aero definitely made for good racing, even on street circuits.

[Hoffman900]

Anyone else still skeptical of the new rules?

I’m not sure they’re going to improve the show and if they look sloppy / lazy on tv, I can’t see this being a success. I’ve drawn the comparison to NASCAR’s ‘Car of a Tomorrow’ flop, which came out at peak NASCAR. It kind of feels like that, so far.

I used to watch CART / Champ Car and this style of aero definitely made for good racing, even on street circuits.

It does, but the field was spread pretty close.

Anyone have estimates on pace that could result in good wheel to wheel racing? Probably < .5” / lap at most track lengths.

[jjn9128]

Those CHAMP cars were also probably 0.5-1SCz lower than modern F1, and a bit draggier. Plus heavier and mechanically simpler to where it was possible to miss gears or other little driving mistakes which can close up a race.

[djos]

Anyone else still skeptical of the new rules?

I’m not sure they’re going to improve the show and if they look sloppy / lazy on tv, I can’t see this being a success. I’ve drawn the comparison to NASCAR’s ‘Car of a Tomorrow’ flop, which came out at peak NASCAR. It kind of feels like that, so far.

I used to watch CART / Champ Car and this style of aero definitely made for good racing, even on street circuits.

It does, but the field was spread pretty close.

Anyone have estimates on pace that could result in good wheel to wheel racing? Probably < .5” / lap at most track lengths.

There’s some encouraging footage from the first day of Bahrain testing showing several cars battling on track. It’s obviously not as serious as it would be on race day, but encouraging none the less.