Ferrari 150° Italia

[zgred]

[tpe]

OK, can someone say what is that huge hole used for? It's definitely not for cooling... Could it be to warm the air hitting the beam wing from the sidepods?

[TheWiseOwl]

OK, can someone say what is that huge hole used for? It's definitely not for cooling... Could it be to warm the air hitting the beam wing from the sidepods?

It's for cooling. The air exiting the hole will, having been passed through various radiators, lost a lot of energy (kinetically, whilst gaining some thermally), and so it's compromising aerodynamics for extra cooling on a track without the high speed straights that help to cool components usually.

[hardingfv32]

At a minimum, it is what RB is during.

Brian

[tpe]

Well, I don't believe it for the Ferrari's case. They had no heating issues so far, while if it was just that Merc would have implement it already. I have a theory, although a very long shot (and definitely not an 'engineered opinion). That is that the use the heat of that air in order to accelerate the air coming to the beam wing from the sidepods. Thus, the air gains speed, so, it generates more downforce... Could it be?

[Jeffsvilleusa]

If the hole is for cooling, it's certainly not a conventional solution because I don't recall seeing those holes so pronounced before this year.

I think I remember reading somewhere that that hole creates a 'trumpet effect' which takes the airflow from a narrow passage (airbox) to a wider one (that big hole) and slows the air down. Now what that achieves, I haven't the foggiest- creates some 'eddies' in the airflow to optimize local pressure? Sure.

[amouzouris]

If the hole is for cooling, it's certainly not a conventional solution because I don't recall seeing those holes so pronounced before this year.

I think I remember reading somewhere that that hole creates a 'trumpet effect' which takes the airflow from a narrow passage (airbox) to a wider one (that big hole) and slows the air down. Now what that achieves, I haven't the foggiest- creates some 'eddies' in the airflow to optimize local pressure? Sure.

if it really slows the air down...this means the air will be high pressured according to the bernoulli principle....so it will be able to push the beam wing down more producing more downforce!

[Lurk]

Well, I don't believe it for the Ferrari's case. They had no heating issues so far?

Monaco is one of the most hard track for cooling (air and track are already at 24°C and 45°C and it is only 11:00 AM, without any activity on the track).
No high speed to cool and hot air trapped by the walls. Some other teams bring cooling solutions too but don't run them.

[godlameroso]

Actually the hot air is of relative lower pressure compared to the air surrounding it. I had proposed earlier that the exhausts and that trumpet somehow combine their effects to surround a low pressure zone with a high pressure wall of air(created by the conditioned airflow of the rest of the chassis), hence the rake of the RB7, and now Ferrari. Anyone that knows anything about tornadoes is reminded that there is an area of low pressure that contains the maximum vortex wind, or in this case lift. By surrounding the relative low pressure zone behind the car with plenty of air, you create a stronger vortex, all you have to do now is find a way to aim it. A lot easier when you have a cleaner surface to channel air going to the top of the diffuser(as the RB7's pull rod allows). I wouldn't be surprised if McLaren and Mercedes are privy to the fact, Ferrari just learned recently and is already trying to implement the concept. I imagine Mercedes hasn't been able to implement it fully due to cooling issues.

If you noticed at the end of the Monaco race, you could see the bottom of the trumpet on the RB7 had a little charring to it

[NormalChris]

It's for cooling. The air exiting the hole will, having been passed through various radiators, lost a lot of energy (kinetically, whilst gaining some thermally), and so it's compromising aerodynamics for extra cooling on a track without the high speed straights that help to cool components usually.

[Formula None]

[TheWiseOwl]

Are we all agreed on this yet?

[-o<

[PlatinumZealot]

I must interject. Pull-rod rumours buzzing about for Cananda!

[HampusA]

Why would they go to such great lengths as to change the rear suspension completely seeing as they are on par with RBR in terms of getting air through the rear?

Only reason i can see them changing to pull-rod would be setup issues and not aerodynamic issues.

[godlameroso]

Actually going pull-rod cleans up a lot of the area in front of the top side of the diffuser. Remember the diffuser works as a system not just individually, the diffuser will be more efficient if it gets a cleaner stream of air passing over it. If the opposite were true then the top profile of the front wings don't matter, and all those evolutions are just wastes of money, in fact they should just throw turbulence generating obstructions in front of the FW. Especially if the push-rod makes them so competitive that they get lapped in high aero tracks.

The Ferrari lacks downforce. They get understeer, because if they cranked up the front wing their car would be unstable. They can't give themselves more front downforce, if they can't balance it at the rear first.