F1technical.net

Yeah I agree spencifer_murphy. The edge of the airbox inlet is quite bulbous and there's quite a lot of (seemingly) needless frontal area. I would expect a very thin 'wall' to the inlet.

Although maybe this would disrupt the air entering the airbox? I can see how the 'wall' on the R26 would massage the air gently into the airbox.

I would believe the outer top dimensions of the sidepods are determined by the impact protection requirements, and they had to work from the outside in, and decided to make the inlets thicker than before.
Why that vertical strut for the rear wing? Structural support, more reliability? Vibration damping? On the previous design, the upper rear wing was attached to the endplates, which were attached to the lower "wing" element which was fixed over the gearbox. That design most probably allowed vibration to be present, maybe the wing vibrating badly under certain harmonic conditions. That strut most likely carries most of the loads, allowing the lower wing element to be built lighter.

i'm very impressed with the aero of new renault...so many detail

Remeber closed cooling ducts can reduce drag, hence when ambient temperature is low and full cooling capability is not required the ducts are blanked.

MrT

What is that thing behind the exhaust?
A heat sensor?

Do you have any more pics, its hard top see. A bit over the top for a heat sensor in my opinion; probably a heat shielded aerodynamic vane to direct the hot exhuast gas to optimise the rear wing air flow

MrT

timmyt wrote:Do you have any more pics, its hard top see. A bit over the top for a heat sensor in my opinion; probably a heat shielded aerodynamic vane to direct the hot exhuast gas to optimise the rear wing air flow

MrT

It is an additional device because it wasn't there on pictures taken in the morning but was there on the pictures taken in the afternoon.

It's a heatshield, that's what I deducted earlier when I looked at the photos. You can see it pretty well from the pictures that are taken slightly higher up.
It's a plate on the surface of the airbox.

If you can download the high res version of this pic from some paysite, you can see that the exhaust gasses have burnt the area around that add-on plate pretty nicely.



Look at the plate on the other side, it is just a metal plate, even if it looks like it would bulge from the bodywork on this side.

edit: can you see that?

I think that it is to fat for a heatshiled. Some IR camera or heat sensor more likely.

It wasn't there during early runs so perhaps they had overheating problems and added those pieces to prevent heating of the airbox cover?

Ok, got that picture to work now.
It could well be a heatsensor too, but I doubt it. I think we have seen similar solutions before, on the Mac last year If I remember correctly. Then they figured their stuff out and didn't have to use those shields anymore. IIRC.

On that pic you posted - right side is burned without shield and that thing exists only on left exhaust. Check closely, perhaps I'm wrong...

Although I cant see air, i would imagine that the air over the exaust area would be flowing toward the vertical centre plane of the car - so that as much air is forced over the rear wing as possible.... This would imply that the hot exhaust gasses would be flowing onto the engine cover. the wishbones also have this shield.

Although you get high temp resin its not ideal to use it for just a small heated area, it would be better to use a heat shield.

But what I think it really is:
A mirror for MS to check himself out while he gets lapped!

I wonder what's under that bulge in between the exhausts. I mean, it's just in front of the gearbox, so I would think of it as the engine. However, the shape is tigher further towards the front, and that's a lot of space there...

Any ideas that make more sense?

Could be room for some of the engine anciliaries...or parts related to the gearbox.

thts my best guess lol