Lotus E21 Renault

[stefan_]

Belgium 2013 - Thursday (22.08.2013)

[Blackout]

It's just an old pic I took from a post I posted here before the start of the season and where I wrote something like: ''this are the updates Lotus will bring soon''. The pics shows many of the tweaks the E20 received during the 2012 season, tweaks that Lotus did'nt implement on the new E21. Lotus is indeed bringing them back one by one since the last Barcelona tests/Melbourne.
That's why I said nowadays it's easy to predict what updates Lotus will bring...
The second reason is the fact that Lotus copies the 'latest' fancy technical tricks of the grid very late... that's what I mean.

[Huntresa]

It's just an old pic I took from a post I posted here before the start of the season and where I wrote something like: ''this are the updates Lotus will bring soon''. The pics shows many of the tweaks the E20 received during the 2012 season, tweaks that Lotus did'nt implement on the new E21. Lotus is indeed bringing them back one by one since the last Barcelona tests/Melbourne.
That's why I said nowadays it's easy to predict what updates Lotus will bring...
The second reason is the fact that Lotus copies the 'latest' fancy technical tricks of the grid very late... that's what I mean.

I hardly think Lotus is late to implement updates, especially not when yo0u cant compare cars directly, it was like last year everyone was complaining in Merc thread bout them not having the thingie on the bottom of the RW above Diffuser, but just because they didnt have them doesnt mean if they had them they would work good with that particular car.

Also if your going about the flow conditioners on the sidepod Lotus has run a flow conditioner all season there, just a different one, who are we to say which one is best for which car ? I think Lotus is somewat in a better position to do that.

[ptw]

That's why I said nowadays it's easy to predict what updates Lotus will bring...

May it be because there are some circuit-specific solutions that are (conceptually) being repeated every year as long as there are no major regulations changes

[stefan_]

Belgium 2013 - Thursday (22.08.2013)

[Blackout]

Finaly they combined the new bodywork with the DRD

[Blackout]

New bodywork+DRD Spa / old bodywork+DRD Silvertone

[McMrocks]

Regarding the longer wheelbase:

I think this is a quite extensiv and expensive change. If you move forward the front wheel you also move forward the frontwheel centre line, what means that you have to change the floor since the skid block must start from a point 330mm behind the frontwheel centre line. Also you have to move the frontwing more forward since the area where no bodywork apart from the suspension is allowed is moved forward, thus you have to move the whole FW forward and therefor you need a longer nose.

This are the only things which are affected by this change (i think- haven't read the whole regulations*. only the bodywork around the frontwheels paragraph.

What i want to say is that this is quite a big chance, especially for a team which is facing a big rule change next year and isn't in a good financial shape.


More thoughts about that change: if you have a longer wheelbase you need to drive a higher rear to get the fw back in the same height as before (maybe i'll do a drawing...to tricky to explain with my english knowledge)

Thoughts on the pics above: Big rearwing (considering it is SPA! but maybe we'll see a new one tomorrow or they have a effective DRD). Also quite a lot flaps (for example on the rearwing endplate), also gurneys at the rear and beam wing.


*btw if you click at tech regs 2013.pdf at the FiA page then you will find 1999 tech regs in your tab bar

[Kansas]

http://www.omnicorse.it/magazine/30055/ ... m=facebook

according to them, the E27 (long wb E21) is rejected and will feature on Monza for reliability concern.

[ptw]

Regarding the longer wheelbase:
Also you have to move the frontwing more forward since the area where no bodywork apart from the suspension is allowed is moved forward, thus you have to move the whole FW forward and therefor you need a longer nose.

Why would you need to move a frontwing forward and a longer nose if that is attached to the point that has not moved from wheel centre line. If I'm not wrong the section behind the front wheels centre line is stretched (because otherwise you won't get longer wheelbase) and nothing has changed ahead of the front "axle"

[Donuts]

Wow, are they really going to run that rear wing? It's huge compared to Ferrari and Red Bull (have'nt had time to look at the others). Maybe the DDRS is that effective? We'll find out soon... should be dominating(!) sector two...

[shelly]

In spite of what some wrote here, spa should be a track where the DRD gives a big advantage. If so, Lotus and Sauber could be in a very good position

[McMrocks]

Regarding the longer wheelbase:
Also you have to move the frontwing more forward since the area where no bodywork apart from the suspension is allowed is moved forward, thus you have to move the whole FW forward and therefor you need a longer nose.

Why would you need to move a frontwing forward and a longer nose if that is attached to the point that has not moved from wheel centre line. If I'm not wrong the section behind the front wheels centre line is stretched (because otherwise you won't get longer wheelbase) and nothing has changed ahead of the front "axle"

from what i understand they just change the wishbones to move the front wheels forward. At least AMuS said that.

Why wouldn't you get a longer wheelbase if you move the front wheels forward?

[ptw]

Regarding the longer wheelbase:
Also you have to move the frontwing more forward since the area where no bodywork apart from the suspension is allowed is moved forward, thus you have to move the whole FW forward and therefor you need a longer nose.

Why would you need to move a frontwing forward and a longer nose if that is attached to the point that has not moved from wheel centre line. If I'm not wrong the section behind the front wheels centre line is stretched (because otherwise you won't get longer wheelbase) and nothing has changed ahead of the front "axle"

from what i understand they just change the wishbones to move the front wheels forward. At least AMuS said that.

Why wouldn't you get a longer wheelbase if you move the front wheels forward?

will you name it E27 just because wishbones are different?
It could be both though..

[McMrocks]

will you name it E27 just because wishbones are different?

no, but i don't know how reliable omnicourse is